On October 19, 2023, after a concert in South Korea, Sam Smith visited Kwangjang Market in Jongno-gu, Seoul in order to enjoy Korean food.
During his first visit to South Korea in 2018, he ate live octopus and raved about how delicious it was.
What did he eat at Kwangjang Market on his return visit five years later?
Sam Smith’s ‘Gohyang Kalguksu (고향 칼국수)’
It was hot kalmandu (칼만두, kalguksu + dumplings), kimchi dumplings, and bibim cold noodles (비빔냉면) from Gohyang Kalguksu.
Gohyang Kalguksu is owned by Cho Yoon-sun, who was featured in the Netflix TV show “Street Food Asia”.
At the time, Netflix said that he “elevated ordinary food to a higher level.”
The noodles here are clean and simple. The broth is made with shrimp and garnished with carrots and chives.
The hand-kneaded noodles are chewy, and the house-made dumplings are healthy.
Kalguksu was a favorite dish that Cho’s mother made for Ms. Cho.
She learned how to make kalguksu from her mother.
Cho liked the way the flour felt when she kneaded it, like touching a baby’s butt.
She started her business when her husband’s business failed.
She started by selling sundae (순대), but then switched to her favorite food, kalguksu.
Does selling your favorite food make you successful?
Now, it has become a favorite ‘restaurant’ of global pop stars.
Post Malone’s meat restaurant ‘Woohyangwoo, WHW’
Post Malone, who visited Korea before Sam Smith, is also known for his love of Korean food.
His fiancée, Jamie, is reportedly Korean.
He gave birth to a daughter last year, and recently introduced her to the Korean culture of doljanchi (돌잔치) and doljabi (돌잡이), saying, “We had doljanchi to celebrate her first birthday.”
His daughter has inherited her father’s DNA and has taken to holding a palette, which means to become an artist.
“I tried to get her to choose again, because if she became an artist, she wouldn’t make any money,” he said.
Even though he makes tens of millions of dollars a year, his daughter’s path to becoming an artist doesn’t look easy.
Post Malone, who has a deep connection to Korea, visited Woohyangwoo (WHW), a meat restaurant in Apgujeong Rodeo Seoul, after his Asian tour.
After Korea, he traveled to Tokyo for a concert in Japan and then back to Korea.
He rented out the entire WHW to celebrate Chuseok (추석), a Korean holiday, with his family.
WHW is a combination of a meat restaurant and a lounge bar.
The colorful signage attracts attention from the entrance, and although it’s underground, it’s high enough that it doesn’t feel claustrophobic, and there are DJs on weekends.
The menu includes Korean sirloin, tenderloin, and yukhoe (육회), as well as American tomahawk and short rib.
There are also a variety of cocktails under $20 and champagnes like Dom Perignon.
Post Malone’s favorite dishes were the Korean beef yukhoe bibimbap (한우육회비빔밥) and the short rib squid ink risotto (숏립먹물리조또).
Today, WHWoo is decorated with Post Malone’s autographed LPs and a photo booth.
Charlie Puth’s ‘Able (에이블)’ Lunchbox
On October 22, American singer-songwriter Charlie Puth celebrated his last concert in Korea at the beef restaurant Young Cheon Yeong Hwa (영천영화) in Cheongdam-dong.
Known for its delicious yukhoe bibimbap (육회비빔밥), Charlie Puth had grilled beef and mushrooms.
Charlie Puth is no stranger to Korean idols. He sang “Left and Right” with BTS’s Jungkook.
He even posted a video of himself playing and singing “Attention” by girl group NewJeans on social media.
Charlie Puth also followed the official Instagram account of boy group Stray Kids.
As a result, Stray Kids sent Charlie Puth a lunchbox.
Stray Kids’ lunchbox was from Able, a brunch cafe in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.
They serve fresh and healthy food with the motto of ‘farm to table’.
The lunchbox that Stray Kids sent to Charlie Puth included low-carb kimbap, kale ssambap (케일쌈밥), Korean short ribs, butter-grilled abalone, lobster, figs, and more.
It’s a great way to get a taste of Korean food, but it’s also healthy and diet-friendly.
Charlie Puth would have loved it.
Kwangjang Market
http://www.kwangjangmarket.co.kr
Woo Hyang Woo WHW
https://www.instagram.com/whw_woohyangwoo/
Yeong Cheon Yeong Hwa
http://www.ycyh.co.kr/default/
Able
