In the middle of busy Myeongdong, I found a surprisingly calm escape: several cat cafés. These cafés combine coffee culture with Korea’s love for pets, offering visitors a chance to relax with friendly, well-cared-for cats.
Samyang Foods transformed instant noodles into a global phenomenon with its Buldak (fire chicken) ramen. Known for intense heat and addictive flavor, Buldak gained traction through viral social media challenges and export-driven strategy.
The product line has expanded beyond noodles into sauces, snacks, and limited-edition flavors like carbonara and cheese, balancing spice with richness. Samyang’s positioning is precise: high-impact flavor, bold branding, and rapid SKU innovation.
Today, Buldak is not just a product—it’s a cultural export, reinforcing Korea’s growing influence in global food trends.
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Strawberry Nights & Street Bites: A Spring Walk Through Myeong-dong
Spring transforms Seoul’s Myeong-dong into a lively night market filled with bright lights, street food, and fresh strawberries. Vendors line the streets from late afternoon until around 11 PM, selling strawberry tanghulu, cream-filled waffles, and skewered meats. Dessert cafés and cat cafés stay open late, offering a break from the crowds. Seasonal strawberry treats are especially popular from March to April.
And with six Olive Young K-beauty stores, there’s plenty of health and beauty products to shop for too. (Pro Tip- use your home-country Costco membership to get K-Beauty products even cheaper than Olive Young.)
It’s no wonder that Melting Soul is a championship burger maker. Look at how fun this is.
Located in MyeongDong’s Lotte Department Store food court (B1 level), this is a fun an inexpensive burger to try. They offer both a yellow melting cheese and white-ragu melting cheese among other more standard type burgers. Here’s a walk through their full menu.
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Myeong-dong yet again ranks among the world’s most expensive commercial real estate neighborhoods. Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay comes in at #1. Continue reading
