K-Food Lunch in Insadong: Samgyeopsal at 853 (팔오삼)

After surviving the intense K-Pop dance class at 1Million Studio, we were absolutely starving! Luckily, our next stop was Insadong, a historic and culturally rich district, ready for a K-Food experience. Our group had two options: Samgyeopsal (Korean Pork Belly) at 853 (팔오삼) restaurant, and a vegan alternative at Osegyehyang (오세계향) restaurant which are almost next door to each other. Whoever arranged this deserves huge credit. It was perfectly planned!

I had lunch at a place called 853 (팔오삼). It's a Hanok-style restaurant. My personal experience was made even better thanks to our guide! As soon as we entered the restaurant, she noticed I don't eat spicy food and immediately called me to sit next to her. I got to enjoy White Kimchi (Baek Kimchi), which is a delicious, non-spicy version of the traditional dish. The side dishes (banchan) were incredibly fresh and flavorful. 

Our guide taught us the rule for the perfect bite: You make a wrap called Ssam (쌈) with the pork, a pickle, some garlic, a little bit of ssamjang, and then you have to eat the whole thing in one bite! That's the main rule of Ssam! We even did a fun little '건배' (cheers!) with our full lettuce wraps before enjoying that huge first bite! It was such a fun cultural moment.

Insadong itself is the perfect backdrop for lunch. This area is known for traditional teahouses, antique shops, and art galleries. Walking through the main street right before lunch set a great, traditional tone for the rest of our cultural day. I’ve been to Insadong countless times, but this visit was interesting because I noticed so many foreign men wearing Hanboks styled as 'Saja' boys! It seems like the K-Content trend inspired by shows like Netflix’s K-Pop Demon Hunters is seriously trending right now.

📍 853 (팔오삼)
16 Insadong 12-gil, Jongno District, Seoul
서울 종로구 인사동12길 16 상호명: 853
https://naver.me/x0UPzh2i

This delicious meal was part of the A Special Travel Day with Squid Game program, supported by the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO). I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to explore K-Culture in such a unique and exciting way.

#koreatourismorganization #imagineyourkorea #escapetokorea #squidgame #pinkguard