A Shopper's Paradise

Experience a charming slice of Korea in Insa-dong

Insa-dong, situated in the heart of downtown Seoul, is a must-see spot for foreigners to find something Korean, including precious and traditional antiques.
Insa-dong Street, often referred to as "Mary's Alley"by foreigners, is one main road with alleys on each side and is one of Seoul's representative tourist attractions with galleries, traditional restaurants, teahouses and cafes.
The shops in Insa-dong enjoy popularity among all age groups, because each store is unique.
There are about 100 galleries in the area where you can see an example of every Korean traditional fine art, ranging from paintings to sculptures.The most famous galleries are Hakgojae Gallery, which serves as the center of folk art, Gana Art Gallery, which promotes many promising artists, and Gana Art Center.
The teahouses and restaurants are the perfect compliments to the galleries. At first, they might be hard to find, but if you take the time to stroll around the twisting alleyways,
the window shopping in itself can be very entertaining.
Every Sunday from 10 am to 10 p.m., some of the streets are closed to automobile traffic and it becomes a cultural space.This is when the stores set up booths outside as well as merchants from outside of Insadong, such as Korean candy sellers and fortune tellers. There are traditional performances and exhibits as well.
Insa-dong is especially popular with foreign tourists. This is where they can experience and see Korean traditional culture firsthand and purchase pieces of fine Korean art. On the street you can eat Korean taffy and traditional pajeon (Korean pancake), and see many tourists lost in the joyous festivities of the street. nw

Insa-dong is a cluster of galleries, antique shops and tea houses in which foreigners take a look into things Korean, including traditional Korean ceramics, ancient tableware, ornaments and artwork. The street is changing into a careless one to give way to pedestrians who stroll along to experience thrills.

Korean Cuisine

Bulgogi

Bulgogi is slices of marinated, barbecued beef (sometimes pork) seasoned with soy sauce and sugar, which gives a mild and sweet taste.The literal meaning of bulgogi is "fire meat"and therefore roasted over fire. It is one of the most popular Korean dishes. Bulgogi tastes great with kimchi.
Ingredients
Beef sirloin 600 grams, onions, scallions, mushrooms, 6 tablespoons soy sauce, garlic, 3 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of crushed sesame salt, 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, 1 tablespoon ground red pepper, 1 tablespoon molasses, 1.5 tablespoons rice wine.

Directions
1. Slice the meat thinly against the grain and marinate them in the rice wine and sugar for about 30 minutes.
2. Mix the soy sauce with minced garlic, scallions, crushed sesame salt, ground pepper and sesame oil.
3. Pour the soy sauce mixture over the marinated meat. Make sure the soy sauce is mixed evenly with the meat.
4. Place the meat on a frying pan and cook over high heat.
5. When the meat is almost fully cooked, add the sliced onions and mushrooms and cook until the meat is well done. nw