Korean 'yajang' culture explained: Guide to outdoor dining in Seoul
“Not going to 'yajang' in this weather should be a crime,” Koreans jokingly say whenever a crisp, breezy evening arrives — a seasonal call to trade indoor dining rooms for plastic chairs, sizzling grills and conversations held in lively streets. By 7 p.m. on Monday in Seoul’s Jongno 3-ga area, the saying seemed to have become reality. Red and blue plastic tables were set up in narrow alleys,…
Koreans jokingly claim that dining outdoors, known as "yajang," should not be missed when the weather turns crisp and breezy. By 7 p.m. on a Monday in Seoul's Jongno 3-ga area, it appeared that the phrase had become a reality. Plastic tables and chairs were set up in narrow alleys, providing a space for college students, office workers dressed in shirt and slacks, couples, and older diners to sit together while grilling pork belly and clinking glasses of beer, soju, and makgeolli in the early autumn air.
Indoor restaurants and bars offered warm lighting, carefully chosen furniture, and sleek interiors. However, it was the humble tables outside, in front of old storefronts and streets that seemed unchanged for decades, that attracted the longest lines. This is "yajang," a term used to describe casual outdoor dining and drinking in Korean. It broadly encompasses various casual outdoor dining and drinking experiences.
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- Korean 'yajang' culture explained: Guide to outdoor dining in Seoul koreatimes.co.kr
