Live like a local: travel tips from the Irish abroad

SATURDAY MORNING
Koreans usually prepare their food for the day in the morning, making a stew or soup and some banchan (side dishes varying from kimchi to Spam to pickled veg). This is then eaten with rice over the day. I love Korean food but can't face the strong flavours first thing, so I try something lighter. Here in Seoul there are bakeries on every corner, selling bread, pastries, cakes, etc, from about 1,200 won/€0.88.

You have to be careful, though, as everything is not as it seems. What looks like a nice garlic bread will be covered in sugar, or a pastry with a “chocolate” filling can turn out to be red bean paste.

There are a lot of options for "western" breakfasts all over the city with brunch places now opening up. You can even buy Flahavans porridge from my home county of Waterford in some department stores but no sign of a good blaa as of yet.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON
Take a hike up one of Seoul's mountains. Bukhansan National Park to the north has some lovely hikes and stunning views over the city. As with everything in Korea, food is always there. The usual hiking food is Jeon, a Korean-style pancake. My favorite type is seafood Haemul Jeon (6,000 won/€4.40), which pairs really well with the Makgeoli rice wine (4,000w/€2.90). As with most Korean food, the Jeon will be placed in the middle of the table and everyone helps themselves, the makgeoli is drunk from bowls.

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Walking through the city, it’s impossible to avoid the excellent streetfood, especially in the busy Myeongdong shopping area

After your hike, the best way to relax is to pay a visit to a Jimjilbang, a Korean bath house (6,000w/€4.40). These are gender-segregated, so be ready to get naked. You can have a sauna and a scrub and then relax in the mixed area in shorts and t-shirts provided. Almost all Jimjilbangs sell roasted egg snacks – the eggs are slow roasted in the hottest sauna and eaten like a hard boiled egg with a pinch of salt.

Seoul is a great city to wander around, especially the old part, which has a lot of the most famous tourist attractions. Start in Gwangwhamun and walk around the palaces of Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung and the Bukchon traditional village, through Insadong and onto Jongno and Myeongdong shopping areas.

On this walk you will be treated to a veritable feast of street food, especially in the Myeongdong area. The most common are chicken skewers, Korean doughnuts filled with nuts, sugar syrup and cinnamon, tteokbokki rice cakes with a spicy red pepper sauce, and steamed or boiled pig intestines and blood sausage.

SATURDAY NIGHT
Every night of the week you'll find groups of Koreans eating and drinking around the city. There are countless restaurants, the most common of which is Korean BBQ, where the most popular dish is Samgyupsal/pork belly. Different restaurant specialise in different cuts of meat. Once you have chosen your meat, the table will be filled with banchan which are served to accompany the meat at no extra charge and will be refilled regularly over the meal. No Korean BBQ would be complete without the little green bottle: the national drink, Soju. Soju. Things can get wild quickly as it is drunk via a shot glass or mixed with beer. Dinners can last several hours and can be a lot of fun and you'll pay about 16,500w/€12 a head for the whole evening.

SUNDAY MORNING
To recover from a long night of meat and merriment, the Korean cure is known as Haejangguk/hangover soup. This is eaten to chase your hangover away, either very late at night before bed, or early the next day. There are a few varieties but the most common, and in my opinion the most delicious, is made with beef broth and cabbage. It's a great way to end a long day or start a one in Seoul.

Kieran Curran from Tramore, Co Waterford, has lived in Seoul for 14 years with his wife, Dairin Frawley. He runs a travel company, ski-korea.com

Do you have advice for visitors to the city you live in? If so, we'd love to hear about how to Live Like a Local in your adopted home. Email your 36-hour guide to magazine@irishtimes.com with the subject line Live Like a Local for inclusion in our Saturday Magazine