Kimchi, the pungent, peppery cabbage accompaniment, the flavors of which deepen as a result of long storage in earthen jars, is most familiar to travelers. But visitors to the region around Alpensia will soon learn of the variety and exotic tastes that unique to Korean cooking.

With an extensive sea coast, Gangwon Province is also famed for its subtle-tasting fish and radish soups, made with dried yellow pollack.  In virtually any beach town, visitors can also treat themselves to a shellfish barbecue of roasted clams, scallops, mussels and oysters.

Many provincial Korean restaurants do not provide menus in other languages, but with a little help from Korean patrons, international travelers can enter unexpected and exceptional world of dining.

Kimchi Making kimchi, Korea’s signature condiment, is an art. Matured through fermentation, the pungent, peppery cabbage comes to its full flavor often after years of storage. Master of preserves, Choe Yeong-Suk, dips into a kimchi pot of fermenting root vegetables.   Dining To the uninstructed, the array of delicacies found on the most common Korea table can be as fun to explore as it is bewildering to behold. Do not hold back – surprising and healthy taste treats await.   Shellfish Along the beaches of Gangwon Province, many informal eateries roast over open fires the freshest shellfish and at bargain prices.