15 Food & Drink Experiences in South Korea Worth the Day

1.Seoul Street Food Market Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,226 reviews · from $73Our pick

Spend about two hours exploring Seoul’s market food scene with a guide such as Juno, Yoon, Tan, Rocky, or Jacob. Taste Korean dishes and drinks, learn drinking games and food customs, and get restaurant tips for the rest of your stay. Food and non-alcoholic options are included, with advance notice for vegetarian diets and allergies.

“Love it! Roky stories were very entertaining . He’s like a long last friend that I met up again . Food was the best - love Korean food . Great selection . The best part was it started to snow when we were having hot soup - perfect !”

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2.Night Market Food Tour with Local Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 943 reviews · 2 hours · from $73

Meet your English-speaking guide outside Jongno 5-ga Station and spend two hours eating through Gwangjang Market. You may try up to 10 dishes, from mung bean pancakes and dumplings to tteokbokki, kimbap, rice wine, and adventurous seafood. Guides such as Juno, Jacob, Yoon, Tan, Kevin, and Roky add food stories, etiquette, and Korean drinking games.

“Yoon was a great guide through the markets, taking care of every member and their different requirements. All the food was enjoyable, even the octopus!”

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3.Downtown Seoul Guided Food & Market Tour with 8+ Local Tastings

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 580 reviews · from $98

Spend about three hours tasting Korean favorites with a guide such as Alex, Jae, Youla, or Ji Yoon. Visit a traditional market and local food stops for mung bean pancakes, dumplings, tteokbokki, kimbap, sweets, tea, and a secret dish. The tour begins near Jongno and ends at a teahouse in Insadong.

“A great experience walking around the market in Seoul. There was one other couple on our tour so it was small and personal. We had four stops and tried mung bean pancake, beef tartar, tteokbokki, fish cake in broth, seaweed rolls (kimbap), two kinds of mandu dumplings, and a choice of fresh watermelon drink or rice drink. We had a bonus donut at the market as well. We had to leave the tour early before going to the second location in order to make it to our cruise ship in time, but we had a wonderful time at the market, lots to see and we were able to pick up…”

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4.Seoul Night Palace & Market Food Tour with Vehicle

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 275 reviews · from $79

Begin at Hyehwa Station, walk to Changgyeonggung Palace, then ride between the palace, Gwangjang Market, and Jogyesa Temple. Your English-speaking guide explains Korean history and customs while you try pancakes, makgeolli, raw beef, live octopus, dumplings, and a twisted donut. Expect about four hours, plenty of walking, and a market meal that may be the evening’s main event.

“It was incredible experience!!!!!!! So much fun!!!!!🤩 Mia is a great tour guide!!!!!!!! It was very interesting and big program!!!!!!!!! Time was flying!!!!!!!! So much information places and food!!!!!!! Thank you!!!!!!?”

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5.Seoul Fun Food Tour: 12 different food tastings

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 266 reviews · from $88

Spend about three hours with an English-speaking local guide, often Suha, sampling Korean favorites at Gwangjang Market, cooking ramen from a wide choice of flavors, walking beside Cheonggyecheon Stream, and finishing with tea or coffee in Ikseon-dong. The group is limited to 10, with many departures operating closer to eight people.

“Go hungry, there is a lot of food, all of it good. Our guide Suwa was a awesome. There was a little surprise at the end, so enjoy it.”

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6.Soju Tasting at Distillery – story of 3 pigs

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 166 reviews · from $43Best value

Meet Sam Lee at Samhae Soju in Mapo-gu for a 90-minute tasting inside a distillery normally closed to the public. You’ll learn how takju, cheongju, and traditional soju are made, hear the story of Samhae soju, and sample at least seven Korean alcohols, including premium soju at 45% ABV or higher. Groups are limited to 10 people.

“Sam was very friendly and knowledgeable about the Soju making process. We got to see in progress fermentation and the final product was exceptional. The Soju was much higher proof than the green bottles you find around Seoul but SaRead more”

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7.The Award-Winning PRIVATE Food Tour of Seoul: The 10 Tastings

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 128 reviews · from $178

Start near Hoehyeon and eat your way through Seoul with a private local guide. Expect 10 food and drink tastings, market stops, Korean classics such as noodles and bibimbap, city sights, and flexible pacing. Guides including Kim, Sanghee, Julian, Hailey, and Jason have led this experience, though your guide is assigned at booking.

“Hailey knew just the right spots to take us. The last stop at the tea room was our favorite and a great spot to relax after all the walking.”

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8.Baseball Game Ticket with Dinner/Beer with the host

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 94 reviews · from $77

Meet host Jin, or another assigned host, near Sports Complex Station for a Korean meal before heading to Jamsil. From April to November, you attend a baseball game. From December to April, the experience may feature basketball instead. Your host supplies admission, explains local game customs, and helps you find your seats.

“Booked this game last minute was hoping for the best. I had a great time Alex was very knowledgeable and helpful during the game”

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9.4-Hours Hiking and Tasting Rice Wine in the Mountain of Busan

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 79 reviews · from $55

Meet your guide at Oncheonjang Station for a 4-hour mountain outing on Geumjeongsan. After a bus ride and an 8 to 9 km hike, you’ll eat a simple village lunch, taste local makgeolli, and learn about Busan from guides such as Jun, Junwoo, HugYou, or Duyeol. The small group size keeps the pace friendly and personal.

“Hiking with our guide Junwoo is amazing! He is knowledgeable and have a pretty great sense of humour throughout the tour. The lunch towards the end of the tour (Makgeolli, seafood pancake, and noodles) was very delicious.”

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10.Hiking and Tasting Rice Wine in the Hidden Village

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 74 reviews · 4h 30m · from $50

Join Hug You and his local friends for a small-group hike on Geumjeongsan, near Busan. You’ll walk 8 to 9 kilometers through mountain trails, visit scenic viewpoints and old fortress areas, then eat local dishes and drink makgeolli in a mountain village. The English and Korean tour lasts about 4.5 hours and suits active visitors who want nature, conversation, and a less touristic side of Busan.

“If there was 10 stars this tour would get it. A great hike - no rush with beautiful scenery. Starts off going through East gate of a fortress wall and ends with a delicious lunch with makgeolli. Guided by a super friendly guide who relates well with all. Great day out in Busan.”

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11.Small-Group Traditional Korean Food Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 58 reviews · 3 hours · from $98

In a small English and Korean cooking class near Haeundae Beach, Min or Kim guides you through Korean sauces, bibimbap, and other home-style dishes using seasonal ingredients. You cook, eat at a traditional bapsang table, taste tea and dessert, and take home recipes, a certificate, and a small gift.

“I recently took a cooking class with Min, and it was an incredible experience! Min was easy to understand and spoke English very well, making the class enjoyable and accessible. The food we prepared was absolutely amazing—full of flavor and authentic. Min also went above and beyond by offering great advice on what to see and do around Busan, which was a fantastic bonus. I highly recommend her class to anyone looking for a fun and delicious way to learn about Korean cuisine while exploring the local area!”

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12.Busan history and market food tour with local chef

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 58 reviews · from $50

Join local chef Heeyoung for a two-hour food walk through Busan’s Jagalchi Seafood Market, BIFF Square, and Bupyeong Kkangtong Market. Expect market stories, Korean street-food tastings, help choosing foods, and restaurant tips for the rest of your stay. The group is capped at 10 people and begins at 4 p.m.

“Good tour. The tour had a very casual vibe. It felt a lot like walking around a market with a group of friends.”

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13.Busan Local Food Cooking Class with Market Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 53 reviews · from $109

Join English-speaking chef Heeyoung for a four-hour Busan cooking class built around local seafood and Korean food customs. You will prepare several dishes, eat your meal with rice wine, take part in a tea ceremony, and walk through Bupyeong Kkangtong Market with help understanding ingredients and local food traditions.

“This was a wonderful experience with a great host! If you would like to dive into traditional SK culture, I can only recommend this cooking class!”

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14.Korean Chicken & Beer Night Tour with Local Hidden Gems

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 49 reviews · from $132

Start at Mangwon Station at 6 p.m. and follow a local guide such as Joe, Jeff, Ron, Simon, or Hannah to three chicken restaurants around Mangwon. You’ll visit Mangwon Market, try different chicken styles with beer and soju, and learn how this popular Seoul food pairing fits into everyday Korean life.

“Amazing exercise!! We visited several unique places with different styles of chicken. Joe was a great host and shared a lot about Korean lifestyle and culture!”

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15.Afternoon E-bike tour and “Happy Hour” food and drinks

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 46 reviews · from $105

Ride an e-bike through Seoul with a guide such as Taejin, Vincent, or Hagar, stopping at palaces, traditional neighborhoods, Cheonggyecheon Stream, and Gwanghwamun Square. The three-hour tour ends with seasonal Korean food and drinks, including kimchi soup, pancakes, makgeolli, or K-fried chicken.

“10/10 highly recommend! This was a really great bike tour! I booked it last minute and they didn’t cancel although it was just me. The tour guide was very informative and the tour itself was well planned. We had stops for snacks and had plentRead more”

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