Convenience store in Korea - Do you know "triangular gimbap"?

I would like to introduce the CVS food "triangular gimbap". Triangular gimbap is one of popular food in Korea becuase it is easy to eat and quickly satisfy your hunger. I usually eat triangular gimbap with noodles. Triangular gimbap is triangle-shaped rice wrapped with seaweed topped with seasoned fist or meat including tuan, chicken, beef, or pork. In some triangular gimbap, rice is stir-fried with soy sauce or red pepper paste.

Fig 1. Various flavors and taste of triangular gimbap

The flavors and tastes of triangular gimbap enjoyed by Korea are as follows:

1. Tuan mayyonnaise (in Korean 참치김밥) - It is a mild taste, so anyone can enjoy it.
2. Beef jeonju bibimbap (in Korean 소고기 전주비빔) - The rice is stir-fried with red pepper paste and topped with beef. It is slightly more spicy than tuna mayonnaise.
3. Hot and spicy chiken with cheese (in Korean 치즈불닭) - It is topped seasoned chicken with spicy red pepper. I recommend this one who enjoys spicy food.

Next, I will show how to eat triangular gimbap. As you can see, the number is written on the wrapping paper. So, you can proceed in order of number. First, tear down the part of wrapping paper, then pull the wrapping paer in order. (Warning! Pull the wrapping paper slowly!) Enjoy the triangular gimbap.

Fig 2. How to eat triangular gimbap

In next article, I will write about alchols in Korea for enjoying your night in Korea.

Thanks for reading! Enjoy Korea!

Convenience store (CVS) in Korea - Cup noodles recommendation

Today, I will show my favorite cup noodles. I usually eat cup noodles three times a week. Especially, eating cup noodle at night is best! When I feel more hungry, I eat cup noodle with triangular gimbap. (I will write about "triangular gimbap" in next article. Please look forward to it!) There are three cup noodles that I recommended.

Fig 1. Cup noodle - 육개장 사발면 (means hot spicy meat stew with noodle)

First, I introduce 육개장 사발면. It is the most basic flavor of Korean cup noodle. This cup noodle is sold when I was child (about 20 years ago) and is still receiving lots of love from Korean. If you live in the U.S. or other countries, you can see this cup noodle named "Bowl Noodle Soup" in CVS or large retailers. There is a little difference in the flavor between Korea and other countries. Thsi cup noodle in other countries is slightly less spicy than original.

Fig 2. Cup noodle - 참깨라면 (means sesame noodle)

Next is 참깨라면. It includes powder soup, seasoning soup, and solid ingredient of soup (lyophilized egg). The noodle is soft and smooth than other cup noodles. It is slightly more spicy than 육개장 사발면. So, if you like to eat spicy noodle, you can try it.

Fig 3. Cup noodle - 생생우동

(means Udon that is a type of thick wheat flour noodle of Japanese cuisine)

Last, I recommend this cup noodle named 생생우동. It, especially, has wet noodle that is different from other cup noodles. The soup is based on soy source. So, you can enjoy this cup noodle even if you cannot eat spicy noodle. This cup noodle reminds me of the winter weather in Korea.

In next article, I will introduce "triangular gimbap" that is the rice with seasoned ingredients wrapped with seaweed. It is recommended to eat with cup noodle.

Thanks for reading! Enjoy Korea!

Convenience store in Korea - What kind of CVS in Korea? Tips for travelers

When you are walking on the streets of Korea, you can see many CVSs. Most of CVSs are GS25, CVS for you (CU), Seven Eleven (7-eleven), and MINISTOP. As you know, in CVS, you can buy almost everything 24 hours a day you want including foods, household goods, medicines, and so on.

Fig 1. CVSs in Korea.

You can see these CVS signs everywhere when you are walking on the street of Korea. 

There are CVSs everywhere in other countries. So, I think you can use it easy without any difficulties. In this article, I will show you some tips for buying things in CVS. That is a "buy one get one free" event. You can see many event products when you are in CVS. Most of them are "buy two get one free". Even beers have an event such as "buy two get one free" or "buy four of world beers with 10,000 won (less than 10 dollars)". If you want to drink for cheap in your hotel, it would be good choice.

Fig 2. Tips for buying things in CVS.

When you are in CVS, you can see these figures near the products. (Left figure) (1) It means "buy two get one free". If the first number is one, it means "buy one get one free". (2) It means "period of event". For example, in this figure, the event runs through January (1.1 ~ 31). (3) You can choose it other flavors from the same products. (Right figure) (4) It means "get one free among the products". In this case, you can choose one among the energy drink, hot or iced coffee. (5) It means same as (2).



In next few articles, I will introduce some products that you need to know about and that are currently very popular.

Thanks for reading!