Seoul Korean Cooking Class: Make Kimbap & Tteokbokki

Cook three Korean dishes the way locals eat them every day.

A three-hour cooking class near Seoul where you shop at a local convenience store and market, cook Kimbap, Tteokbokki, and Ramen from scratch, and eat lunch together in a home kitchen. The guide teaches Korean table manners and offers travel tips for the rest of your trip. Live instruction in English or Chinese. Children from age 10 are welcome.

The experience

The class starts with a walk through a local neighborhood to see where everyday Koreans actually live and shop. You'll visit a convenience store and local market to pick ingredients for the three dishes you'll cook that afternoon: Kimbap, Tteokbokki, and Ramen with soft tofu. This is not a tourist cooking demonstration: you're learning what people in Seoul eat on regular days, not what appears in restaurants designed for visitors.

In the kitchen, you'll make Kimbap first, a rolled dish with seasonal vegetables that changes every quarter depending on what tastes best at that time of year. Then comes Tteokbokki, rice cakes in a sweet and spicy sauce that you can adjust to your heat tolerance. The Ramen is a viral recipe in Korea right now: soft tofu cooked with instant noodles, and it's also known as the best hangover food. You'll learn proper technique for each one, Korean table manners, and get a detailed recipe card to take home. Lunch is the food you've cooked, eaten together.

The class includes welcome snacks, all cooking equipment and ingredients, beverages, and time for questions about traveling in Korea. The guide also shares recommendations for neighborhoods and places worth visiting during the rest of your stay. The location is wheelchair accessible, though the nearby subway station is older and may require assistance moving a wheelchair or stroller.

What’s included

• Market walk and ingredient shopping.
• cooking all three dishes from scratch with detailed recipes.
• lunch of the food you've cooked.
• welcome snacks and beverages.
• Korean table manners instruction.
• travel recommendations and Q&A time about Korea.

Before you book

Days and timesSaturday and SundayDeparts at 11:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (18 to 90 years) · Child (10 to 17 years) · Under 10: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Chinese

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Wheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPets welcome

Operated by Your Local Korean Friend Min

Is this one for you?The three-hour class involves active cooking and standing in the kitchen, so come ready to be hands-on. If you want to understand how Koreans actually eat at home rather than what tourist restaurants serve, this replaces a cooking show with the real thing.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

2 verified traveler reviews

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Chinese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (10 to 17 years). Children under 10 can't be included in the booking.

What three dishes do I actually cook in this class?

Kimbap (a rolled dish with seasonal vegetables), Tteokbokki (rice cakes in sweet and spicy sauce), and Ramen with soft tofu. You cook each one from scratch and eat them for lunch.

Do I need to bring anything or have cooking experience?

No experience is necessary. All cooking equipment and ingredients are provided. Wear comfortable clothes you don't mind getting a little messy.

What's included in the price besides the food I cook?

Welcome snacks, all ingredients and cooking equipment, beverages, lunch, a detailed recipe card for each dish, Korean table manners instruction, and travel tips for the rest of your time in Korea.

Where exactly does the class take place?

The class is in a peaceful neighborhood near Seoul. You'll start with a local market walk, then cook in a home kitchen. The guide will give you the exact meeting point when you book.