Experience Making Korean Foods First-Hand : VISITKOREA

Experience Making Korean Foods First-Hand

Learn More About Korean Food Culture

Participating in an experience program where you can make your own Korean food can be a great way to learn more about Korean food culture. There are a variety of programs available for both Koreans and foreigners, including making Kimchi and Temple Food.

Fun Kimchi Making Experience

Museum Kimchikan

Exterior of Museum Kimchikan

Kimchi is perhaps the most well-known and loved Korean food. Kimchi is now capturing the taste buds of people around the world as a healthy choice of food. Established in 1986 in Seoul, Museum Kimchikan is a museum dedicated to Kimchi. It was acquired by the Korean food company Pulmuone in the following year and has been operated by the company ever since. Kimjang, which refers to the Korean tradition of making and sharing of Kimchi, was inscribed in UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2013. Museum Kimchikan was named as one of the 11 world’s top food museums by CNN. Museum Kimchikan offers experience programs where you can make kimchi for yourself in addition to learning the history and culture of Kimchi first-hand.

Kimchi Madang on the 4th Floor of the Museum with Explanations of Kimchi and Kimchi-Making Game

The Souvenir Shop on the 4th Floor Where You Can Buy Museum Kimchikan’s goods

Museum Kimchikan is comprised of three floors, occupying the 4th to 6th floors of the building. The Information Desk is on the 4th floor is where you can buy the ticket and enter “Kimchi Madang,” which features the history of Kimchi and the science behind food fermentation. It also features a reproduction of a traditional Korean kitchen. You can also play Kimchi-related games on the Kimjang Play Table. The museum also runs a souvenir shop for visitors to buy some Kimchi-related goods such as kimchi magnets as well as kimchi.

Special Exhibition Hall on the 5th Floor Dedicated to Kimchi

Kimchi Storeroom on the 5th Floor Has a Wide Variety of Korean and Other Countries’ Fermented Vegetables

There are a number of sections on the 5th floor such as “Kimchi Study Room” where you can watch videos of Kimchi-making, “Four Seasons of Kimchi” with paper arts and crafts illustrating various types Kimchi that are made with seasonal ingredients, and “Kimchi Storeroom” where real life Korean Kimchi and other types of fermented vegetables from around the world are on display. There is a QR code next to each of the names of the fermented vegetables in Kimchi Storeroom that you can scan with your mobile device for recipes and ingredients you will need to make them yourself.

Kimchi Tasting Room on the 6th Floor Where You Can Taste Kimchi

A Unique Visitor’s Guide in the Kimchi Tasting Room

Kimchi and Stir-fired Kimchi that You Can Try in the Kimchi Tasting Room

Kimjang Maru on the 6th Floor is Where the Kimchi Cooking Class is Held

The “Room Dedicated to UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage” on the 6th floor of Museum Kimchikan has “Kimchi Archive” dedicated to the culture and images of kimchi, and at “Kimjang Maru,” visitors can participate in Kimchi Cooking classes. There is also a room where you can taste various types of Kimchi. Museum Kimchikan doesn’t have an English-speaking docent on standby. However, the museum offers a docent tour for group tourists in Korean, at which time an English interpreter accompanies the tourists and interpret what the docent is saying. For individual tourists, the museum offers a free audio guide app in both Korean and English for you to download and use on your mobile devices.

Foreigners Participating in the Kimchi Cooking Class

Museum Kimchikan offers experience programs designed for foreigners who want to learn how to make Kimchi. The programs are called “Kimchi! Basic” and “Kimchi! Master,” which are available from Wednesday to Friday every week. If you want to join one of these programs, make sure to call Museum Kimchikan in advance because programs/classes open only when there are enough participants.

Kimchi! Basic, Kimchi! Master
	Kimchi! Basic	Kimchi! Master
Operating Hours	Wednesday-Friday / 10:20-11:20, 14:20-15:20	Wednesday-Friday / 10:20-11:50, 14:10-15:40
Program Description	Mar-May: Make Kimchi + Taste 1 Type of Kimchi Dish Jun-Nov: Make Diced Radish Kimchi + Taste 1 Type of Kimchi Dish Dec: Make Kimchi + Taste 1 Type of Kimchi Dish	Mar-May: Make Kimchi + Make 1 Type of Seasonal Kimchi + Taste 1 Type of Kimchi Dish Jun-Nov: Make Diced Radish Kimchi + Make 1 Type of Seasonal Kimchi + Taste 1 Type of Kimchi Dish Dec: Make Kimchi + Make 1 Type of Seasonal Kimchi + Taste 1 Type of Kimchi Dish
Languages Available	English
Class Capacity	Minimum of 4 people – Maximum of 24 people
Fee	KRW 35,000 per Person (Admission fee included)	KRW 45,000 per Person (Admission fee included)
Note	1) Reservation Requirements: The experience program you want to participate, date and time of your participation, number of participants, types of allergies you have, your email address, and your phone number in Korea. 2) Cancellation of Reservation and Changes in the Number of Participants: The number of participants cannot be changed less than 6 days before the experience program. 3) Minimum number of participants must be at least 4 people. The program will not open if there are less than 4 participants. (Additional Information) 4) A container for you to take your kimchi will be provided.
Reservation	1) Make a reservation by sending an email to [email protected] 2) Your reservation will be confirmed after the schedule is set. 3) You need to reply to the reservation reminder email that will be sent to you 10 days before the experience program. (Your reservation will be automatically canceled if you don’t reply to the email.)

* Starting from March 2024, this experience program will be available only for individual foreigners. For group experience programs, please visit the official website for more information.

https://www.kimchikan.com/
4-6F, Museum Kimchikan, 35-4 Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Tuesday-Sunday 10:00-18:00 /
Closed Mondays, January 1, Seollal (Lunar New Year's Day) & Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving Day) holidays, Christmas day
+82-2-6002-6456, +82-2-6002-6477

Learn How to Cook Vegan Temple Food

Korean Temple Food Center

Exterior of the Korean Temple Food Center

The Entrance to the Korean Temple Food Center

Korean Temple Food is characterized by its refreshing and light flavors, which are largely contributed to the use of all natural seasonings such as kelp, mushrooms, and perilla seeds. The most important part of the dining etiquette at the temple is that you must finish your meal without any leftover. This is because Buddhist monks are forbidden to waste food and required to consume all the nutrients in the meal they are served. All the dishes served and eaten at Buddhist temples are purely vegetarian. At Korean Buddhist temples, a majority of the foods are made of wild herbal plants with medicinal effects that can help Buddhist practitioners stay healthy and build a strong immune system against diseases. Temple food is drawing the attention of many of those who joined the trend of enjoying vegetarian foods. Among them, Korean temple food is very influential in the trend as it became a part of the regular curriculum you need to complete to obtain the Diploma in Plant-Based Culinary Arts at Le Cordon Bleu, a renowned culinary school located in Paris, France. Many foreigners who are a fan of Korean temple food and visiting Korea for the first time add Korean temple food restaurants to their itinerary. If you are interested in vegan diets or temple food, you are recommended to visit the website of the Korean Temple Food Center because it offers a number of experience programs where you can obtain more information and learn more about Korean Temple Food.

A Place Where You Can Make Your Own Temple Food

An Exhibition Hall with Miniature Models of Traditional Korean Buddhist Temple Kitchen, Temple Food, and Kitchenware

A Kiosk to View Temple Food Recipes in the Exhibition Space

A Temple Food Game Console for Children

A Place of Relaxation Where You Can Browse Through the Books and Experience Tea Ceremony and Buddhist Dining Etiquette

The Korean Temple Food Center is a cultural space designed to promote Korean Temple Food and a venue for exhibitions, experience programs, and lectures. The center is divided into four different sections: Experience Room, Exhibition Room, Cultural Room, and Relaxation Room. The Experience Room is where monthly lecture on Temple Food, one-day experience program, and permanent experience program are held. The Exhibition Room has reproductions of a traditional Korean temple kitchen and Temple Food, while the Cultural Room provides seasonal Temple Food recipes and promotional materials. The Relaxation Room is for visitors to read books or taste the tea of the day and also experience a tea ceremony and simplified version of Buddhist etiquette and ritual of dining that Korean Buddhist monks follow.

Foreigners Making Temple Food in a Korean Temple Food Cooking Program

Korean Temple Food Made by Participants of a Temple Food Cooking Program

The Korean Buddhist Food Center offers an experience program designed for foreigners wishing to have an opportunity to make some Temple Food. The program called “K-Temple Food,” opens every Saturday. If you want to participate in the program, make sure to call and ask the center how many people have already made a reservation before you because the program is limited to 24 people at a time.

K-Temple Food
	K-Temple Food
Operating Hours	Saturday / 10:00-12:00
Program Description	Making Temple Food (2 different types of dishes)
Languages Available	Korean & English
Class Capacity	Up to 24 people (Teams of four participants)
Fee	KRW 20,000 per person
Note	1) The class will be given in Korean by a Buddhist monk, but a Korean-English interpreter will also be present for non-Korean speaking participants. 2) In principle, the class capacity is 24 participants divided into 6 teams of 4. However, since overbooking is allowed for foreign participants, some teams can have up to 5 members each. 3) If you are late for the class and have missed the class on temple food, you will not be allowed to enter the class. 4) You are recommended to wear a mask during the class. 5) What you need to bring: Two (2) dishtowels per person and one (1) pouch to take the dishtowels back with you because they will get wet after the class. Container(s) to take the temple food with you after the class and writing utensils (pen and paper)
Reservation	Online reservation

* The above information is for individuals. For group participation, please visit the official website of the Korean Temple Food Center for more information.

https://edu.koreatemplefood.com
2F, Anguk Building (New Wing), 39 Yulgok-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Tuesday-Sunday 09:00-18:00 / Closed Mondays
+82-2-733-4650

The True Value and Taste of Traditional Korean Foods

Korea Food Grand Master Center

Exterior of the Korea Food Grand Master Center

The Korea Food Grand Master Center, jointly run by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation, and Association of Korean Food Grand Master, is dedicated to promote the value and taste of traditional Korean foods and the certified Korea Grand Masters who are essential to preserving the tradition. The Korea Food Grand Master Center is on half-story above the entrance with the signboard, “HANSIK Space E:eum.” Korea Grand Masters are officially designated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs in accordance with the Food Industry Promotion Act for the preservation and development of outstanding traditional Korean foods. Korea Grand Masters are carefully chosen from those who have been in the business of producing, processing, and/or cooking certain food items for minimum of 20 years. As of 2023, there were a total of 92 Korea Grand Masters. The Korea Food Grand Master Center is where you can buy and/or taste various types of traditional Korean foods made by these Korea Grand Masters and also participate in an experience program where you will get a chance to make some food with a Korea Grand Master.

E:eum Café on the 2nd Floor of Korea Food Grand Master Center Where You Can Taste and Buy the Foods Made by Korea Grand Masters

Beverages and Desserts Made by Korea Grand Masters

Traditional Korean Alcoholic Beverages Made by Korea Grand Masters

A Shop on the 2nd Floor of the Korea Food Grand Master Center Where You Can Buy the Products Made by Korea Grand Masters

On the 2nd floor of the Korea Food Grand Master Center, there are E:eum Café, where you can try traditional Korean beverages with tea leaves and/or syrup made by Korea Grand Masters, and exhibition room/shop where you can see, taste, and buy traditional Korean foods also made by Korea Grand Masters.

Entrance to the Korea Grand Master Experience Hall on 3rd Floor of the Korea Food Grand Master Center

Inside of the Korea Grand Masters Kitchen Classroom on the 3rd Floor of the Korea Food Grand Master Center

On the 3rd floor of the Korea Food Grand Master Center, there is Korea Grand Masters Kitchen Classroom where you can make and try some traditional Korean foods with a Korea Grand Master. The Korea Food Grand Master Center also runs a YouTube channel for those who wish to learn how to make traditional Korean foods but cannot come to their class, so visit their channel if you want to learn how to make them with the ingredients you have.

Class Participants Making Sweet Malted Rice Puffs

Class Participants Making Royal Tteokbokki

Class Participants Making Unrefined Rice Wine

Class Participants Making Kimchi

The Korea Food Grand Master Center offers food experience programs specifically for foreigners. They are called the “Grand Master Experience” and “Traditional Korean Food Making Experience.” All experience programs are available to both Koreans and non-Koreans. However, not every class offers interpretation services, so please check the program list for those marked with simultaneous interpretation before making a reservation.

Traditional Korean Food Making Experience
	Traditional Korean Food Making Experience
Operating Hours	Tuesday-Friday / 10:00-16:00 (Reservations are required. The time can be adjusted.)
Program Description	Make traditional Korean food (Sweet Malted Rice Puffs, Fried Rice Sweets, etc.) using the ingredients and recipes of Korea Grand Masters (70-120 minutes)
Languages Available	Korean or English (Choose one at the time of making a reservation)
Class Capacity	Minimum of 10 people – Maximum of 40 people
Fee	KRW 20,000 - 32,000 per person
Note	1) The Korea Grand Master’s ingredients and recipes will be used in the program/class. 2) The program/class will only open with a minimum number of at least 10 participants. (For the traditional Korean alcoholic beverage program, the reservation must be made at least 7 days prior to the program date.) 3) You can accompany your guide. (If your guide will not participate in the program/class, please tell this to the Korea Food Master Center so that you won’t have to pay an additional fee for your guide.)
Reservation	Phone reservation

https://blog.naver.com/kfmcenter
1-2F, HANSIK Space E:eum, 18 Bukchon-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Tuesday-Sunday 10:00-19:00 / Closed Mondays
+82-2-6927-3012

* The column was written in December 2023, hence some of the details may have changed. Please check with the centers before visiting.

* Photo credit:
- Museum Kimchikan (https://www.kimchikan.com)
- Korean Temple Food Center (https://edu.koreatemplefood.com)
- Korea Food Grand Master Center (https://blog.naver.com/kfmcenter)

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