‘Cheese Tteokbokki with homemade sausage’, ‘Suragan Yukhoe Bibimbap’, ‘Woori Pork Ssam Set Meal’. The place to try these dishes is Chosun Palace, a luxury hotel in Gangnam, Seoul. Surprisingly, these are popular “in-room dining” (room service) menus for foreigners. “Truffle Tenderloin Japaguri,” “Marinated Chicken,” “Beef and Abalone Rice Balls,” and “Dalgona Vanilla Sake. These menus are being served at Signiel in Busan.
On the 6th, according to the hotel industry, room service at high-end hotels is including a large number of menus that were once categorized as street food, such as tteokbokki, spicy chicken, and dalgona. As K-content such as movies, dramas, and music continue to rise in the global market, a variety of Korean foods have become widely known. This is why K-food is increasingly appearing on the menus of luxury hotels.
Palace Tteokbokki, an in-room dining menu at Chosun Palace. Courtesy of Chosun Hotels & Resorts
Exotic in-room dining menus are especially popular among foreigners. Among the 14 new in-room dining menus that Chosun Palace revamped in April, five new Korean dishes were included. They are King Surasang, LA Galbi Set Meal, King Galbitang, Suragan Yukhoe Bibimbap, and Woori Pork Ssam Set Meal. Cheese Tteokbokki with homemade sausage has also been added to the set menu.
For a long time, the in-room dining menu favored by foreign guests has been centered on Western cuisine. The Asian category has also consisted of Japanese and Chinese food, but with the recent popularity of K-food, Korean food has been strengthened. Chosun Palace has also created a Korean category and offers a variety of Korean menus, ranging from authentic Korean dishes such as ‘King’s Surasang’ to familiar dishes such as ‘Woori Pork Ssamjeongsik’.
A representative from Chosun Palace said토토사이트, “One out of every three foreign guests who order in-room dining chooses the Korean menu.” “We have been operating for about a month, and the preference and response to the Korean menu is very high, especially among foreign guests.”
Truffle Tenderloin Japaguri at Signiel Busan. Courtesy of Lotte Hotels
SIGNIEL Busan has also officially launched a K-food item that arouses curiosity among foreign tourists. Truffle tenderloin japaguri, marinated chicken, beef and abalone rice balls, and sweetened vanilla rice wine mousse are available individually or as a set. Available through November at the buffet restaurant, room service, and pool bar.
The chapaguri and dalgona were special menus offered by SIGNIEL Busan to the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) due diligence team that visited Busan in April in connection with the city’s bid for the 2030 World Expo. At the time of the BIE visit, the culinary team at SIGNIEL Busan had been developing the menu for three months by forming a dedicated task force (TF). They prepared chapaguri from the movie “Parasite” and dalgona from the drama “Squid Game” according to the concept of SIGNIEL Busan.
The K-food menus began selling in earnest last month. As expected, interest from foreign guests has been strong. A representative from Lotte Hotels said, “Foreign guests who have tasted the dishes have been very favorably impressed,” adding, “They are asking if the menu is the same as the one in the movie and asking how to cook it.”
‘Chicken & Golbangi Fries’ at Four Points by Sheraton Chosun Myeongdong. Courtesy of Chosun Hotels & Resorts
Exotic menus with local flavors are also popular with foreigners. Four Points by Sheraton Myeongdong, located in the center of Euljiro, Jung-gu, Seoul, offers fried bonefish in its lounge. Various dishes using bonefish are especially famous in Euljiro.
“Our dishes are carefully selected by our chefs, and we try to provide the highest quality and flavor,” said a hotel industry insider. “Foods such as tteokbokki and japaguri are not immediately associated with hotels, but we are taking on various challenges thanks to the popularity of K-food.”