Any place to pickle?

tbh if you're into the DIY thing, HMart in Itaewon has a whole aisle of pickling supplies - jars, vinegar, salt, spices. cheaper than the tourist shops in Insadong and the staff will help you find stuff if you look lost. grab some gochugaru and make your own quick pickles in your hotel room

for something different, check out the fermentation fridge at Tongin Market. there's a little shop near the exit that sells jars of pickled garlic and perilla oil. the lady there speaks some english and will explain how to use it in cooking. 15k won for a decent sized jar and it keeps forever

also if you're near Hongdae, stop by the street food alley behind exit 4. there's a cart that sells pickled cucumber on a stick for 2k won. super refreshing and the vendor makes it fresh each morning

arrow_drop_up 5 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

honestly if you mean pickling as in the actual process not just buying, check out Seoul Kimchi Academy in Jongno. they run fermentation workshops that cover pickling too, not just kimchi. it's like 30k won for a 2 hour session and you get to take home whatever you make.

if you just want to eat pickled stuff, go to Gwangjang Market and find the stall with the massive jars of pickled perilla leaves and chonggak radish. the old guy there has been doing it for 40 years apparently and his stuff is way better than the touristy places.

one thing nobody mentions is that some of the smaller banchan shops in Ikseon-dong will sell you their house pickles by weight. way cheaper than the fancy markets and the ajummas there are super nice about letting you taste first. just bring cash

arrow_drop_up 2 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

bro just go to any traditional market and look for the banchan stalls. the pickled stuff is everywhere but nobody tells you about the ssamjang pickles at Namdaemun Market. there's a tiny shop near the main gate that does these insane pickled perilla leaves in ssamjang sauce, tastes nothing like the normal ones. 5k for a big pack and they'll vacuum seal it for travel

also if you want the real local experience, find a jjimjilbap joint near Seoul Station. most of them have a self-serve pickle bar with the fermented chives and radish cubes. way better than paying 15k at a restaurant for the same thing

arrow_drop_up 1 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

the whispering thing is real but its not about the sauce lol. that guy runs a 2am handoff with the chicken supplier, they drop off fresh birds from a farm near Chuncheon three times a week instead of using the frozen stuff most hongdae spots rely on. thats why the texture hits different, not the sauce itself. if u go back ask for the neck & wing combo off menu, its cheaper & honestly the best cut they do

arrow_drop_up 24 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

the thing nobody mentions is that Dogdogdog's sauce gets its body from cheong, the Korean rice syrup, not sugar. thats why it coats the wing so thick and stays glossy instead of going sticky. i asked a guy who worked there and he said they also add a splash of maesil (plum) extract at the end off the heat. that fruity tang under the garlic is what you're tasting. go on a weekday before 6, weekends the wait hits 40 min easy.

arrow_drop_up 5 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

honestly the "secret sauce" thing is prob just marketing. every fried chicken place in Seoul has a version of that story. the real difference at Dogdogdog is they double fry in rice bran oil and toss the wings in the sauce twice, once right out of the fryer and again after a 30 sec rest. thats where the crunch comes from, not some mystery ingredient. if u wanna taste the actual base, order the banban half plain half spicy and dip the plain one in the spicy sauce yourself.

arrow_drop_up 5 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply