Day 6 in South Korea - Back in Seoul

Dear Kimchi fans,

This morning, we had just one goal: back to Seoul! We woke up at 6 AM and were already on the train by 8 AM. It felt like we were beamed to Seoul by 08:05 AM – we were basically asleep 😎 And what can I say: Despite the rain, we were really happy upon arrival. Quick stop at the hotel, drop off our bags, charge our phones, change clothes – and right back into the hustle and bustle of the city. However, the rain got so heavy that we even received emergency alerts on our phones from the South Korean government. When we started walking, we were still naive enough to believe that it would stop soon – so we didn’t take an umbrella.

Big mistake.

In the end, we were soaking wet at the bus stop when suddenly a Korean man took pity on us and simply gave us an umbrella. Ramona was deeply touched – and felt confirmed that returning to Seoul was indeed the right decision.

Anyway – in our escape from the rain, we quickly took refuge in the Kimchi Museum! And honestly: I really enjoyed it. It was interesting to learn how much the preparation depended on the season. In summer, for example, fermentation happened faster due to the heat, whereas in winter, more durable kimchi was made – with different vegetables depending on the season. The most well-known is Baechu-Kimchi with Chinese cabbage, traditionally made in winter. I was particularly impressed by the topic of 'Gimjang' – this is a traditional practice where large quantities of kimchi are prepared in late autumn to stock the family for the winter. This tradition is so significant that it has even been declared a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage – officially under the title 'Kimjang: Making and Sharing Kimchi'. Overall: We were totally happy with the museum visit – even though we unfortunately couldn’t participate in the kimchi course (the next one takes place after our departure).

Afterwards, we made our way back to the Gwangjang Market – after visiting the Kimchi Museum, we felt a certain urge to not only study kimchi but also eat it 😄 We said and did! And not just anywhere, but right at the stand of Gohyang Kalguksu – better known as the “Netflix Lady” stand from the series Street Food: Asia. There we not only got fantastic kimchi, but also Mandu (dumplings) and Kalguksu, hand-cut wheat noodles in a savory broth. Overall, it was an absolutely successful visit.

There’s one more thing I wanted to write about that many might have heard of: In South Korea, there’s actually a dish with live octopus, or rather, with freshly cut octopus that still moves when served. It’s called San-Nakji: “san” means “alive/fresh,” and “nakji” is the term for small octopus. The octopus is cut into small pieces right before serving – so fresh that the tentacles continue to twitch due to residual nerve movement. It is served with sesame oil, roasted sesame, and a vinegar-chili sauce. We didn’t eat it ourselves, but we observed some tourists who dared to try it. They merely warned to chew the tentacles well before swallowing – otherwise, there’s a risk they might get stuck in the throat. One more reason not to eat San-Nakji 😅