Jongno · Seoul
Cook with a Korean chef, then sit down to three courses and about ten banchan tastings, kimchi included.
Jeon sizzling in the pan, bulgogi on the plate and a spread of banchan to finish the table.
The class in four numbers
The table
Banchan are small side dishes served with cooked rice and set in the middle of the table to share. The more formal the meal, the more of them there are, which is why a class that ends with about ten tastings feels like a proper table rather than a single plate.
A basic Korean table is described by how many banchan sit on it: three, five, seven, nine or twelve cheop, with twelve reserved for royal cuisine. Kimchi, salted and fermented vegetables seasoned with chilli powder, garlic, ginger and salted seafood, is a banchan too, yet it stays outside the count.
Jeon are fritters of fish, meat or vegetables coated in wheat flour and egg wash and fried in oil. They can open a meal as an appetizer or sit among the banchan, and here they open the menu, three or four per group, from a list of six.
The studio is in Jongno, the historic centre of Seoul, where Gyeongbokgung, the main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty, stands. Gwangjang Market, a traditional market in the same district known for bindaetteok mung bean pancakes, is a ten-minute walk away.
Around the studio
The kitchen, the station and what is a short walk away.
The class is held in a studio kitchen on the seventh floor. Guests describe a bright, spacious room with a cooking station ready for them when they arrive.
Exit 12 of Jonggak Station on Line 1 is about 15 metres from the studio. Walk straight ahead, then take the first right at the corner.
The door is beside the orange-fronted Good Game Zone, in the same building as the studio, which is on the seventh floor.
One of the oldest and largest traditional markets in South Korea, in Jongno District and within a ten-minute walk. It is best known for bindaetteok and mayak gimbap.
Two of the neighbourhoods inside a ten-minute walk. The streets around the studio are known for shopping, live music and nightlife, which suits the early dinner session.
The main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty is also within ten minutes on foot, which makes a brunch class an easy start to a day of sightseeing.
In pictures
The pancakes, the market, the small dishes and the bowls you will be cooking toward.
Which class
| Class | What it covers | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| The Seoul Cooking Club class | A 2.5-hour hands-on class in a Jongno studio: jeon, japchae, bulgogi and Jeonju bibimbap, about ten banchan tastings, a daily dessert and traditional drinks, taught in English with three sessions a day. | First-timers who want the classic Korean table in one sitting, including vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, gluten-free and halal eaters. |
| Royal cooking in a hanok | Two hours in a 1930s hanok near Gyeongbokgung with a small group capped at six or seven: LA galbi, fresh kimchi, haemul pajeon and tangpyeongchae, eaten from bangjja bronzeware with a glass of makgeolli and Korean desserts. | Couples and small parties who want a quiet, heritage setting; beef is the default and a chicken or vegetarian version is requested at booking. |
| Home cooking and a market walk | 3.5 hours from Mangwon Station exit 2: a walk through a traditional market with street-food tastings, then hands-on cooking in a host’s home for up to ten guests, finishing with homemade side dishes, desserts and a glass of makgeolli. | Curious eaters who want a market first, and travellers with vegetarian, vegan, halal or gluten-free needs, which the host welcomes. |
Open the dates for all three daily sessions on the same GetYourGuide listing ↗
Three classes in Seoul
The school’s own class, plus two from other hosts: a hanok kitchen and a home kitchen with a market walk. Each opens its own page on GetYourGuide, and below them are more things to do in Seoul.
A 2.5-hour hands-on class in a Jongno studio: jeon, japchae, bulgogi and Jeonju bibimbap, about ten banchan tastings, a daily dessert and traditional drinks, taught in English with three sessions a day.
See dates for this class ↗Two hours in a 1930s hanok near Gyeongbokgung with a small group capped at six or seven: LA galbi, fresh kimchi, haemul pajeon and tangpyeongchae, eaten from bangjja bronzeware with a glass of makgeolli and Korean desserts.
See dates for this class ↗3.5 hours from Mangwon Station exit 2: a walk through a traditional market with street-food tastings, then hands-on cooking in a host’s home for up to ten guests, finishing with homemade side dishes, desserts and a glass of makgeolli.
See dates for this class ↗More to do in Seoul
Before you go
Take Line 1 to Jonggak Station and leave by exit 12. Walk straight ahead, take the first right around the corner, and the entrance is beside the orange-fronted Good Game Zone, with the studio on the seventh floor of the same building.
Brunch, lunch and early dinner sessions run every day, and the class lasts 2.5 hours. The start times for your date appear in the booking calendar once you check availability.
Closed-toe shoes are the one item on the bring list. Guests describe ingredients and utensils laid out at their station when they arrive.
The school’s class is set up for vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, gluten-free and halal requests, so mention yours when you book. The hanok class cooks beef ribs by default, with chicken or vegetarian on request; for vegan, halal or gluten-free cooking, choose another class. The home class welcomes vegetarian, vegan, halal and gluten-free requests and asks you to tell the host about restrictions and allergies.
The school’s class is wheelchair accessible. The home class has no elevator up to the host’s home, and its meeting point at Mangwon Station is yours to reach, since there is no hotel pickup.
Insadong, Ikseondong, Gwangjang Market, Myeongdong and Gyeongbokgung Palace are all within about ten minutes on foot of the studio, so plan the rest of your day around the session you pick.
Notes from a Seoul food writer
Everything on the menu in order, from the first jeon to the daily dessert.
Read the note → banchanWhat banchan are, how a table is counted and where kimchi fits.
Read the note → jeonWhat a jeon is, the six the class draws from and a market famous for pancakes.
Read the note → dietsWhich of the three classes names which diets, and how to tell the host.
Read the note → choosingThe school’s class, the hanok class and the home class with a market walk.
Read the note → the neighbourhoodWhat lies within ten minutes of the studio, and why the district matters.
Read the note →FAQ
No. Seoul Cooking Club is the school that teaches the class. This is an independent guide that explains the class and sends you to GetYourGuide to book. The school does not run this site, and booking, payment and cancellation all happen on GetYourGuide.
Three or four jeon (small Korean pancakes) for the appetizer, then japchae, bulgogi and Jeonju bibimbap as the mains. About ten banchan tastings and a daily dessert complete the three-course meal.
The school’s class is set up for vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, gluten-free and halal requests, so mention yours when you book. The hanok class cooks beef ribs by default and lists a chicken or vegetarian swap, so for vegan, halal or gluten-free cooking choose the school’s class or the home class.
The school’s class lasts 2.5 hours. Three sessions run every day, Monday to Sunday: brunch, lunch or an early dinner. Start times for your date appear in the booking calendar.
On the seventh floor of a building in Jongno, 15 metres from exit 12 of Jonggak Station on Line 1. Walk straight ahead, take the first right at the corner and look for the orange-fronted Good Game Zone beside the entrance.
Yes. The instructor teaches in English and tells the stories behind the dishes as the class goes on.
Yes to both. Cancellation is free until 24 hours before the class, and reserving now means paying later, once the rest of your Seoul plans have settled.
The school’s class is wheelchair accessible. Wear closed-toe shoes, which are the one thing the bring list asks for.
The fare changes with your date and party size; GetYourGuide quotes it in your own currency and shows the full total before you commit.