Ultimate Korean food experience
Ultimate Korean food experience
Ultimate Korean food experience
Ultimate Korean food experience
Ultimate Korean food experience
Ultimate Korean food experience
Ultimate Korean food experience
Ultimate Korean food experience
Ultimate Korean food experience
Ultimate Korean food experience

What you'll do

Want to taste the real food culture of Seoul, and not the tourist version? With a local insider to show you how to eat dak hanmari whole chicken soup, take you to two of Seoul’s meokjagolmok - alleys dedicated to a single dish - and the oldest market in Korea, where hundreds of years of culture are distilled into chaotically organized lanes, you’ll discover exactly that. Try dishes like soondae (blood sausage) and tteokbokki (sticky rice rolls lavishly coated in a spicy sauce). At Euljiro Nogari Alley, join the locals in ice-cold beers and this alley’s signature dish: dried, then grilled pollock. Finally, you’ll go to a generations-old cafe for traditional tea like yulmu-cha and sweet rice cakes, the Korean symbol of hospitality to guests. 

Where you’ll go

Your host will lead the way on your food adventure in Jongno-gu, one of Seoul’s most central districts. But don’t let its high-profile location fool you - between futuristic edifices like the Dongdaemun Design Plaza are tiny alleyways packed with old-school cafes and street eat joints. You’ll explore Gwangjang Market, a cornucopia of fresh seafood, traditional produce and stacks of mayak gimbap (rice rolls) piled high on the counter of almost every street food stall. Just a few streets away is Dak Hanmari Alley, then it’s a quick hop on the subway to Euljiro Nogari Alley, a curious street that’s buzzing every night of the week with hipsters, grandparents, office workers and students all fighting to nab a plastic chair and tiny table. 

  • Private & 100% personalized tour

  • 4 hours

  • Matched to your ideal host

  • Walking Tour

  • Hosted in English (On request: Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Russian)

  • Meet at your accommodation or a central location

Experience outline

  • Join a local insider to eat your way around downtown Seoul, discovering the city’s authentic food scene
  • Visit the famous Namdaemun Market and immerse yourself in 600 years of Korean food culture
  • Try street eats like tteokbokki (sticky rice cakes), mung bean pancakes and mayak kimbap, seaweed-wrapped rolls stuffed with carrot, pickled daikon radish, and rice seasoned with sesame oil
  • Visit the food alley dedicated to grilled pollock and ice-cold beer - you won’t spot a tourist in sight!
  • Your host will take you to the food alley which specializes in whole chicken soup, and show you how it’s eaten
  • At a traditional tea house, sip tea and try sweet rice cakes - the ultimate symbol of Korean hospitality
  • Ask your host for their recommendations for where and what to eat during the rest of your trip

Things to know

What’s included

  • Private and personalised experience
  • 4 hours with a host
  • 2 - 3 samples of typical dishes and snacks at Namdaemun Market
  • A sharing dish from a local eatery in a food “town” of your choice
  • Walking experience (if required, your host can suggest public transport or private taxi options)
  • Meal (including food and drinks) at a Korean barbecue restaurant
  • Hotel meet-up (available on request for central location)

What’s not included

  • Tickets to any attractions
  • Transportation costs
  • Gratuities (optional)

Cancellation

  • Cancel 14 days before the experience for a full refund
  • COVID-19 Flexible Policy: you can cancel for free up to a day before the experience and receive a full refund.

Photos taken by our hosts and guests

City Unscripted guests photos

Reviews

    City Unscripted and our guide Ben provided my wife and me with a unique day tour of Seoul that we would not have been able to experience on our own. City unscripted started the experience with a short survey of our interests and what we wanted out of a tour guide. Our tour guide Ben followed up by finding out where we were coming from, where the best place to meet was, and further refining what we planned to see on our tour of Seoul with Ben. Ben documented the experience with photos and videos for us throughout the trip while providing us with local knowledge of the sites we choose to visit. Ben was a great tour guide, and I would not hesitate to request his services again for another tour.

    July 2021

    Eric B

    I had a great tour with Yujin showing me around Seoul at night. She met me in the hotel lobby and spent several hours showing me around different areas of Seoul and introducing me to Korean food of all types from exotic street food to a wonderful full meal in a nice restaurant. Besides the food, she explained different aspects of Seoul life and showed me some great areas I hadn't seen, such as a lantern festival by the riverwalk in the city. I felt like I was enjoying the evening with a friend rather than a tour guide. Great time. Great guide.

    May 2019

    Edward S

    He was highly knowledgable of the Seoul Food Scene, and constructed a tour based on our criteria. We ate as a local would eat, and he showed us sights of Seoul that a tourist would never see, all the while explaining Korean history and politics. He is also a master photographer, and took amazing pictures of our experiences

    October 2019

    George K

    Ben, our guide for the day was AWESOME! He met us very punctually at our Hotel Lobby, then took us on one of the best food tours we've ever been on. We communicated, before meeting up, our wish list and thoughts as to what we wanted to see, eat, and do. Ben took it from there and gave us an experience to remember and treasure forever. Ben's personality is so upbeat that you immediately feel comfortable asking him anything. Stupid questions and all, he'll provide an honest answer. By the end of our tour, we adopted him as our younger Brother...LOL. We definitely plan to visit South Korea/Seoul again and when we do, I guarantee, we'll be asking for Ben to take us on another tour.

    September 2019

    Gladys G

See more reviews

Meet our local hosts in Seoul. One of them will tailor this experience to your wishes!

We’ll expertly match you to your best suited host based on your interests, personality and the experience vibe you’re after.

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