Every cuisine video worth watching in Seoul — in one place

Seoul’s cuisine is one of the few cases where the tourist-facing restaurant circuit and the local eating culture overlap enough that first-time visitors do not need an entirely separate strategy to eat well. Korean barbecue — specifically the galbi (marinated short ribs) and samgyeopsal (thick-cut pork belly) format grilled at the table — is the experience that most creators cite as the non-negotiable introduction, and Mongtan in Yongsan, known for its dry-aged boneless short ribs, is one specific recommendation that appears in multiple guides for those who want the above-average version. Gwangjang Market, one of the oldest traditional markets in South Korea, is where multiple creators converge on the bindaetteok (mung bean pancake) and the bibimbap for a market lunch that is simultaneously local and accessible. The SamSungDong food alley in Gangnam and the Insadong cultural street, where the Ssamziegil shopping complex offers an art-focused alternative to the pure retail experience, represent different ends of Seoul’s food geography — the former for Korean celebrity-adjacent dining, the latter for traditional home-cooked meals. Skip the Myeongdong tourist-restaurant strip for anything other than late-night convenience shopping; the food quality does not justify the premium.

“Your ULTIMATE INSIDER’S GUIDE to Foods in Seoul from a Korean Friend” is the most useful video in the set precisely because it does not approach the city as a visitor — it covers what Koreans actually eat, including the celebrity-frequented bibimbap and bulgogi restaurants in Gangnam that guidebooks miss. Pair it with “Unique Things to Do in Seoul 2024,” which covers the Gwangjang Market mung bean pancake circuit and several lesser-covered food districts in a single video. Together they split the city’s cuisine between insider dining culture and the best of the accessible market food experience.