Eat your way through the charming historical town of Jeonju

July 25, 2018

JEONJU (전주시)—translates literally into “perfect region” and it’s not hard to see why. Located right in the middle of the city is the Jeonju Hanok Village, the town’s major attraction. The traditional village is one of the largest in South Korea featuring over 800 traditional hanoks in the district. Many of these houses are open as businesses and contain restaurants, guesthouses, handicraft shops, museums, and boutiques.

With a traditional village comes awesome traditional food right? Well that is certainly the case with Jeonju. The town has a vibrant food scene with UNESCO deeming the town as a Creative City for Gastronomy in 2012. Jeonju is the birthplace of Bibimbap, a classic Korean rice dish topped with vegetables, chilli paste, and beef or other meats.

Wander along cobblestone lanes for some authentic dining experiences, or explore the night market for some cheap local snacks. At night time, chill at a restaurant or bar that serves Makgeolli. The rice wine is a local favourite with at least seven nightlife strips in Jeonju dedicated to the milky-looking alcoholic beverage. The best part about ordering a kettle of the rice wine at a dedicated Makegeolli bar is that it usually comes with a numerous amount of dishes for free!

Jeonju takes less than two hours by train from Seoul. Although many visitors choose to come here as a day trip, there’s just so much to eat around here that you can’t possibly eat your way through the city in one day! Stay for a night or two for some downtime and escape the hustle and bustle of other major cities such as Seoul.