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Foreigners visiting S. Korea most interested in street food: survey

March 24, 2016

FILE – This file photo dated Feb 27, 2015 shows U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Mark Lippert trying popular Korean street food tteokbokki at a street market in Busan. (Newsis)

SEOUL (Yonhap) — For foreigners visiting South Korea, museums and ancient palace tours are not the most intriguing cultural experiences. Street food was top on their travel lists, a survey showed Tuesday.

According to the online poll by the state-run Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) on 4,369 foreigners, 54.2 percent said they want to try street food while in South Korea. The survey allowed multiple responses.

Myeongdong, a shopping mecca in downtown Seoul, is the ultimate stop for gourmet street food, with stalls lined up in the middle of streets, along with cosmetics and clothing shops.

Foreign tourists give thumbs up to South Korean food in Jeonju. (Yonhap file photo)

The respondents also wanted to stay in “hanok,” or Korean traditional houses, and shop at traditional markets.

Public bathhouses, or “jjimjilbang,” was the fourth most popular tour experience, followed by “hanbok,” or Korean traditional clothes, the KTO said.

“Jjimjilbang” is where locals hang out and do health and beauty rituals, with large ones equipped with restaurants, outdoor swimming pools and hair salons in addition to the usual baths and saunas.

Foreigners were also curious about contemporary Korean food culture, such as nighttime food delivery, and chicken and beer, locally called “chimaek.”

“Chimaek” is one of the most beloved food combinations that Koreans enjoy while watching sports games and gathering at local joints after work.