Jaunted - seoul

Sweat It Out in a Sauna While You BBQ Your Meats

BS — 2009-04-22T12:31:20-05:00

This week's Bizarre Foods saw host Andrew Zimmern visiting the weirder side of Seoul, South Korea, where the emphasis was on undercooked foods – and by undercooked, we mean still moving.

We're fans of fried octopus, but not when it's cooked just to the point that the tentacles are still squirming around as you pick them up with chopsticks. And no, we're not so comforted by the knowledge that dipping them in sesame oil helps stop the suckers from gripping onto the inside of your mouth. Ack! Once you mention a food item "gripping onto the inside of your mouth," we've pretty much lost our appetite.

The same goes for mudfish, which sound pretty unappetizing already, and don't get any more so when we see they're tossed into the soup still flipping around. We like to eat after the food has lost all chance of jumping out of the bowl.

But one place we were taken with was Zimmern's stop at a charcoal BBQ/sauna. Yes, you can work up an appetite while relaxing inside a steam room, and then order up a tableful of BBQ meats – all barely cooked of course. Now that's more like it. How long before a BBQ/sauna opens in New York?

Related Stories:
· South Korea Travel Guide [Travel Channel]
· Lounging In The Jjimjilbang Is As Cool As It Sounds [Jaunted]
· Drinking Dirt Soup and Banana Beer in Tanzania [Jaunted]

[Photo: Travel Channel]

Seoul May Be A Notoriously Expensive City, but Haircuts are Only $15

JetSetCD — 2009-01-23T10:07:56-05:00

In South Korea, where vanity is not a sin but a lifestyle, it is not uncommon for people to go in for a weekly haircut in order to maintain a their preferred look. As a result, Seoul is one place where you are always guaranteed to score an awesome hairdo at a hip salon for under $15; it's a favorite economical sort of pampering.

Feeling adventurous, we tried out this trend in the chair at Leechard ProHair in the Gangnam neighborhood of Seoul, an area known for its high-heel hockers in the day and clubgoers at night.

Prada's Tetrahedron 'Transformer' Building?

JetSetCD — 2009-01-22T13:10:53-05:00

Remember last year and the press buzz around that traveling capsule of brand vanity created by Zaha Hadid and Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel, called "Mobile Art?" Citing weak financials, the structure was grounded and retired after only making it through half of its worldwide stops, but apparently this has only inflamed rival Prada with more desire to carry out a copycat project.

Currently under construction on the ground of the Gyeonghui Palace in central Seoul, South Korea, is what is being called the Prada "Transformer." A tetrahedron-shaped structure designed by the architect behind their revolutionary Manhattan store, Rem Koolhaas, the temporary building will not be traveling like the Chanel orb, but will instead be firmly grounded in Seoul from March through August. Should the 65-foot tall structure prove popular however, there is rumor that it could be carted to a few more cities badly in need of a luxury goods injection.

Eating Toasted Octopus Chips At The Ssamziegil Market

JetSetCD — 2009-01-09T14:00:45-05:00

Buried in the heart of Seoul's cultural village of Insadong is the striking postmodern structure of Ssamziegil Market, an open-air shopping plaza housing the best of both modern and traditional South Korea. It's a local haunt for the most part, meaning this complex boasts a rooftop tea house and garden instead of a Starbucks--although there are plenty other Starbucks in Seoul--and thrives on locally-grown, seasonal goods.

From the traditional pajon, a seafood pancake eaten during rainy weather, to toasted octopus chips to fish-shaped sweet bean pastries called bungeoppang, Ssamziegil offers a capsule of unique Korean flavors guaranteed to help you reach your gastronomic goals.

South Korean Housewives Forced To Live With Fewer Facelifts

pbb — 2009-01-02T15:15:42-05:00

The economic crisis won't even spare the real housewives of South Korea: After riding high on Botox and nose jobs, newly frugal plastic surgery aficionados are, ahem, cutting back on procedures as clinics are closing down for lack of business.

In Seoul, where The New York Times reports there are more than 600 plastic surgery clinics, 20 or so have already closed, with more posting "for sale" signs in the windows. Says one surgeon:

In hard times, people always cut back on luxuries like eating out, jewelry and plastic surgery. If this is a normal recession, then these desires will eventually get reignited, and our patients will come back.
If this downturn is like the Great Depression, then we are all going to get killed off.

The good news--for those of us spending dollars, anyway--is that South Korea has gotten about 25 percent cheaper in the last six months, as the financial crisis has shored up the value of a buck. And now that you can get more than 1,200 won for a dollar--and clinics are desperate for customers--now might be the time to check out a swanky destination hospital or clinic in Korea.

[Photo: DanMelinger]

Seoul Says Celebrate Here

amandak — 2008-12-08T09:00:30-05:00

When we plan a Christmas getaway, Seoul isn't the first destination that springs to mind, but the South Korean tourism peeps are telling us it should be.

About 15 percent of Koreans are Christian--and with 60 percent saying they don't belong to any religion at all, that's a fair chunk of believers--so the whole Christmas thing doesn't get ignored like it would in neighboring Asian countries.

On the contrary: There's plenty of Christmas shopping to be done at the big Seoul malls like Lotte World, you can skate on the outdoor ice rink that opens December 12 and at night you can admire the "Lucevista" street lights through the city center.

But the weirdest bit is Piano Street. In true Korean techno-geek style they're installing a road-sized piano keyboard and while you stroll around admiring the Christmas lights, your feet will be playing a tune--just like in "Big!"

Related Stories:
· Korea Sparkling [Official Site]
· Christmas Alternatives coverage [Jaunted]
· Seoul Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: wish I had an SLR]

Starbucks Alternatives: The Coffee Mill

benh — 2008-07-29T12:30:25-05:00

In Seoul, where the locals generally prefer their morning brew to be of the hazelnut-flavored and watery persuasion, finding a decent cup of coffee can be an endeavor. Cafes here are often pricey with plush, tacky decor, so stumbling upon a simple spot to while away a rainy summer afternoon is even more rare. Which is why we were delighted when we came upon The Coffee Mill.