Welcome to Busan

On March 12, 2025 0 Comments - Korea 2025, Travel

Gwangalli Beach 광안리

Busan, compared to Seoul, has a much more relaxed and slow vibe. It smells like the sea and has the feel of a resort town near the water. Of the famous beaches in Busan, Gwangalli is the one I like the best. It has a youthful and relaxed atmosphere and there are good restaurants, cafes and cheap hotels nearby. Our strange hotel was right on the beach this time.

Busan Station from the front with "Busan is Good" sign — “Busan is Good”: the city motto. It sounds kind of flat in English but in Korean 부산이라 좋다! has a much livelier feel. It’s more like “Busan is good! Yeah!!👍”

Gwangan Bridge lit up at night viewed from Gwangalli Beach — The crescent shaped stretch of Gwangalli Beach takes about 40 minutes to walk slowly from one end to the other. Along the way, little art installations and places to sit dot the blonde sand. The Gwangan Bridge is lit up at night in colours and patterns and there is often live music. I saw fireworks a few times and I hear that there is an impressive drone show on Saturday nights.

Seashells lined up in the sand at Gwangalli Beach

LISTEN TO THE BEACH 🏖

Older citizens of Busan walking Gwangalli Beach in the evening — Older folks out for an evening walk on the beach.

Gwangalli Beach at dusk with hotels lit up in the distance — Dusk on the beach with hotels lights coming on in the background

Picturesque group pf Red Pine trees lining an entrance to Gwangalli Beach — A group of Red Pines at the edge of the beach.

Busan Food and Friends:

We met Sumi for Dwaeji Gukbab 됀지국밥 (pork and rice soup), one of my favourite Busan dishes. This restaurant also made the best sundae (blood sausage) I have ever eaten. I forgot to take pictures: too delicious, too much talking. Later, Sungmin joined us for some Kelly Beers (new Korean brew) and some snacks at a Gwangan local bar. A tiny place with maybe 4 tables run by a couple in a small alley, it is the kind of place that I would never find by myself. I am lucky to have some friends here to show me neighbourhood spots like this. The food and drinks were delicious, crispiest kimchi jeon I have ever had.

Sumi and Seungmin met us for food and drinks

house specialty: karaage on the bone…amazing

This is the whole place: IU posters everywhere.

Nampo-dong at night:

Ssiat Hotteok, a Busan specialty being fried up in Nampo-dong — We spent our second evening in Nampo Dong eating street snacks: tteokbokki, fish cakes, gimbab, ssiat hotteok, mandu, roasted chestnuts…

Famous Busan fishcake at Nampo-dong — Busan fishcake is the best.

Bakeworks Busan

Bakeworks is an excellent bakery close to Gwangalli Beach — Buttery, flakey apple pie😋. You can see better pictures of Bakeworks cute cafe and perfect baked goods on their Instagram Bakeworks.

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korea, photography

Tabang and Changdeokgung Palace

On March 9, 2025 0 Comments - Korea 2025, Travel

History was the theme of the day as we visited a tabang (traditional tea house) in Insadong followed by a quiet afternoon at Changdeokgung Palace and secret garden.

Traditional Teahouse (tabang) in Insadong

신옛찻집 is a small and sunny teahouse (tabang) serving a menu of traditional teas and sweets. We had ssanghwa tea 쌍화차, a medicinal tea made with many different herbs and roots, nuts and seeds. It is rich and dark brown, a little sweet, a little bitter. We also tried a pear and ginger tea 배숙, sweet and spicy. Injeolmi are soft and chewy rice cakes dusted with roasted soy bean powder. They are delicious on their own and an excellent combination with these teas. A warmup for Changdeokgung Palace.

A young woman bringing tea to tables at traditional tea house tabang in Insadong Seoul — Inside the tabang, traditional furniture and art pieces, open courtyard with stone and wood floors. There are many such teahouses in Insadong but this is the one we chose. Here is their Instagram Shin Old

The entrance to a traditional tea house tabang in Insadong Seoul

Hotteok 호떡:

I have tried lots of hotteok around Seoul and I always come back to these ones sold from a cart on the main street in Insadong. They are made to order so they are screaming hot and crispy.

Hotteok is a hot fried dough filled with honey, sugar and nuts These were made at a cart in Insadong

Changdeokgung Palace

Changdeokgung and it’s secret garden are great places to come for a long relaxed walk among beautiful buildings, gardens and trees. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. All of the buildings flow with the natural landscape, like they have always been there. I think it is the most beautiful palace in Seoul but, surprisingly, not the most busy or crowded. It is especially pretty in the fall when all the leaves are changing. We were here just after noon today so the sun is high and bright and the colours are a little washed out. The pictures have a cool vintage look to them. Here is an official site with good info Visit Changdeokgung Palace

Different rooflines together at Changdeokgung Palace in Seoul — A maze of rooflines

A pond in the secret garden of Changdeokgung Palace. — Huwon, or Secret Garden behind the main palace grounds. This is a separate admission but well worth it.

Red and green building in the secret garden of Changdeokgung Palace

Beauty in the details….

Details of roof including colourful paint at Changdeokgung Palace

Looking through a building to the outside courtyard at Changdeokgung Palace Seoul

Roof detail Changdeokgung Palace secret garden Seoul

Paint detail Changdeokgung Palace secret garden Seoul

Green paper panelled doors at Changdeokgung Palace Seoul

Roof detail with colourful paint Changdeokgung Palace Seoul

Chimney with coloured brick detail at Changdeokgung Palace Seoul

I am a lightweight chimney enthusiast and this is a good one…

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Demonstration at Gwanghwamun and Four Seasons Tour

On March 8, 2025 0 Comments - Korea 2025, Travel

Before and after our tour of the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul, we got to witness democracy in action during a demonstration at Gwanghwamun Square.

Four Seasons Seoul Tour

Today I connected with another old friend from the early kitchen days. I first met Shaun Anthony as a young cook at Canoe many years ago. Since then he has been travelling the world building his skill set and resume while working at some of the industry’s top kitchens. Recently, he became the Executive Chef at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul. This afternoon, he gave us an extensive tour of the beautiful hotel and all of the restaurants and kitchens within. It takes a very special skill set to operate an organization of this size and complexity. I am in awe of my old kitchen comrade and proud to know him. Thanks and congratulations Shaun! Check out this fabulous hotel here: Four Seasons Hotel . I hope I can stay here one day.

A meeting of old friends at the Four Seasons hotel in Seoul

Canoe restaurant kitchen crew circa 2002 — Shaun is seated on the left, I am in the middle. Circa 2002 at Canoe Restaurant.

Gwanghwamun Demonstration

Koreans have a long tradition of public protest. Almost any Saturday I have been near Gwanghwamun Square there is some type of demonstration happening. Today was a big one. Supporters of Yoon Suk Yeol, the recently impeached South Korean president, were out in the thousands. It was a peaceful demonstration but LOUD. Listen here: