eat

Sometimes, when travelling in budget, you’ll probably have a moment when you miss the time of having a proper meal. Moreover, some restaurants have a break time, not receiving any orders. Then what would you do? I’d say “Fast food.” Even though fast food is infamous for being unhealthy, many fast food restaurants are alluring you with delicious and simple menus.

Do you know that there are some fast food menus suited for the taste of Koreans and sometimes only available in Korea as well? There are some localized or so-called “Koreanized” Fast Food menus in Korea that are rare in other countries. We will introduce the menus of 4 major burger fast food restaurants – McDonald’s, Lotteria, Burger King, KFC.

Soju may be the classic alcohol for a Korean BBQ dinner, but let’s be honest, it tastes like chemicals and leaves you with a terrible hangover.

Still, soju is a must-have when there’s samgyupsal (BBQ Pork) on the table, right?

Well my Korean friends recently introduced me to another liquor, cheongju, that looks like soju but is sweeter and cleaner of taste. If soju is compared to vodka, then cheongju might be closer to sake.

Here’s a place where you can try cheongju: The beer can chicken restaurant in Mapo-gu.

Image credit: lotteliquor.com

Just a quick intro to one of my regular staples in Korea. Paris Baguette is a chain bakery that you can find virtually anywhere in the country – it’s said that they are three times as big as MacDonald’s.

Pictured here is a really cool pastry – not sure what it’s called, but it’s basically coffee-flavoured bread filled with mochi stuffed with sweet red beans. As good as it sounds.

If you’re a frequent visitor at Paris Baguette, make sure you get the free Happy Point card that allows you to earn points. It also works for many other chain cafes and stores. Roughly you can get 1 free pastry for every 10 you buy.

And if you’re wondering what the difference is between Paris Baguette and Paris Croissant – they’re owned by the same company, but Paris Croissant is nicer and more expensive.

There are many good reasons to visit Busan. The weather is always better, local restaurants are generous with their delicious seafood and pork dishes, everything is cheaper and the views are breathtaking. Here are 5 things to do in Korea’s second largest city.

1) Watch seagulls at Haeundae

Start a new day with a visit to Korea’s most famous beach, named “Haeundae” or “The Sea, The Clouds and the Rocks” by a scholar-poet more than a thousand years ago. Take in the salty fresh air and be rejuvenated but watch out for the seagulls, who are keen on shrimp crackers. To reach Haeundae, get off the train at Haeundae station (Green Line) and follow the sound of the waves!

The beaches are also worth visiting at night, read more here.