TourKorea365: Uncover the Real Korea

  Samgyeopsal and bacon both come from the same part of the pig—the pork belly—where layers of lean meat and fat create those distinctive stripes. Yet the journey each one takes after leaving the butcher turns them into entirely different experiences. Because bacon is cured with salt (and often sugar or nitrates) and then smoked, it develops a salty, smoky, slightly sweet flavor and a thin, crispy texture designed for quick pan-frying or baking. This preservation process was historically necessary in the West to store meat longer, which is why bacon became a breakfast side or sandwich ingredient rather than the star of the meal. Samgyeopsal, by contrast, is left completely fresh—uncured and unsmoked. The result is pure, rich pork flavor with no added saltiness. Sliced thicker (usually 6–12 mm), it is grilled at the table so the fat renders slowly, creating a crispy exterior while the inside stays juicy. Koreans then wrap it in lettuce or perilla leaves with garlic, ssamjang, and k...

### How a Single Mouthful Became the Heart of Korean Eating Culture Korean cuisine loves the idea of a complete, balanced flavor in one single bite. This preference created two of the country’s most beloved “han-ip” (one-mouthful) foods: ssam and gimbap. Both exist because Koreans value convenience, balance, and sharing without the need for knives and forks. Ssam (쌈) literally means “wrap.” Fresh lettuce or fragrant perilla leaves become the edible plate. Inside go a piece of grilled meat, a dab of ssamjang, a slice of garlic, and sometimes rice or kimchi. The entire package is folded and eaten in one go. Because the leaf stays cool and crisp while the meat is hot and rich, the contrast creates a perfect balance of temperature, texture, and flavor. This is why Koreans insist “ssam must be one bite” — cutting it open or taking multiple bites is considered a beginner mistake. Gimbap (김밥) takes the same one-bite philosophy and makes it portable. Seasoned rice (with sesame oil, never vineg...

Before Cotton: Clothes Were a Winter Problem Before cotton became common, ordinary Koreans mainly depended on hemp cloth . Silk was available, but it was expensive and mostly used by the upper class. Hemp was strong, but it was rough and did not keep people very warm. That was a serious problem during Korea's cold winters. This meant that many poor people suffered severely in winter, and in extreme cases some even died from the cold. After cotton was introduced, this situation changed dramatically. There is also an interesting story about how cotton first arrived in Korea. 1363–1364: The Seeds Came from Yuan China In 1363 , near the end of the Goryeo Dynasty, a Korean diplomatic mission went to the Yuan Dynasty , the Mongol-ruled dynasty in China. One official on that mission, Mun Ik-jeom , returned to Korea in 1364 with about ten cotton seeds. According to a well-known story, he hid the seeds inside a writing brush case (this is the famous anecdote), but it is important to note t...

Among the most popular treasures in the National Museum of Korea, these two Pensive Bodhisattvas are probably the greatest highlights. They are more than 1,400 years old, and both are National Treasures. They are also the only objects in the museum displayed in their own independent gallery, called the Room of Quiet Contemplation . The room was designed by Korean architect Choi Wook. You first walk from a bright corridor into a dark passage. While your eyes adjust to the darkness, your mind also begins to calm down. Then you turn right and enter a large hall, but there are only two statues inside. Because there is so much empty space around them, you naturally focus on the statues.  The floor rises slightly toward them, at an angle of about one degree. You may not notice it with your eyes, but your body can sense it, so you naturally walk more slowly. Above you are approximately 21,000 aluminium rods. Their different lengths and angles make the ceiling appear tilted and endless, al...

The Beauty of Empty Space: Why Korean Artists Chose to Leave Things Unfinished Why didn't Korean artists fill the empty space? When you see a Korean painting, a moon jar, or a traditional garden, you may think something is missing. But in Korea, what is left empty is often more important than what is filled. The beauty of empty space isn't simply minimalism. It reflects a historical experience. After political violence forced many scholars to withdraw from public life, they came to value restraint over display. That philosophy eventually appeared as blank paper in paintings, an imperfect seam on a moon jar, and open space in Korean gardens.  Because they believed empty space allows imagination, nature, and the viewer to complete the artwork. Sometimes what is left unsaid carries more meaning than what is fully explained. ------------------------------------------ The Political Root — Why Scholars Started Valuing "Leaving Things Out" Joseon Dynasty Korea (1392–1897) ra...

Gyeongcheonsa Ten-Story Pagoda is the first marvel pagoda in Korea. Location: Gyeongcheonsa Ten-Story Pagoda originally stood in Gyeongcheon Temple near Gaeseong, in today’s Gaepung-gun area, just outside North Korea’s Gaeseong city, close to the current inter-Korean border region in the mid-Korean Peninsula. Who made it:  On the first story of the pagoda, there is an inscription that tells us exactly who sponsored and why they built it. It was built by two powerful court officials named Kang Yung and Go Yong-bo .   why they made it:  To understand this pagoda, we need to look at Goryeo’s dangerous politics in the 14th century. At that time, Goryeo was heavily controlled by the Mongol Yuan dynasty. The two powerful officials who built it gained wealth by cooperating closely with the Mongols. They dedicated this magnificent pagoda to Empress Ki, a Goryeo woman who had been taken to the Mongol Yuan dynasty as a tribute girl but later rose to become empress. So this wa...

This is one of the most thrilling historical mysteries between Korea and Japan, and it perfectly highlights how advanced the ancient Silla Kingdom was. If you place Korea's National Treasure No. 83 (made of bronze) and Japan's Miroku Bosatsu at Koryu-ji Temple (made of wood) side by side, it is almost impossible to tell them apart just by looking at their silhouettes. They share the same gentle smile, the exact same three-mountain crown, the bare upper body, and the beautifully draped clothing folds over the pedestal. The Secret Revealed by a Broken Finger For a long time, Japanese scholars believed the Koryu-ji wooden statue was a masterpiece created by their own ancient artisans. But in 1960, a shocking incident occurred. A Japanese university student, completely mesmerized by the statue's beautiful smile, climbed over the fence and hugged it. In the process, he accidentally broke off the statue's right ring finger! While this was a terrible accident, it led to a ma...