Learning about 떡 in Seoul

When most people hear 떡 they think about 떡볶이 (spicy rice cakes). However, 떡 is a lot more than this one popular dish in Korean history. Personally, I really enjoy eating different kinds of 떡 and wanted to learn more about it.

In Jongno-gu, Seoul there is the Tteok Museum inside the Institute of Traditional Korean Food (admission to the museum is only 3,000 won). The museum part is pretty small but has a lot of history and 떡 displays which are really beautiful and fun to walk through. The museum has displays talking about why 떡 is important in Korean history and all the different types of 떡. I was surprised because there was so many! There are certain kinds of 떡 depending on the holiday, special event, and time of year. The Tteok Musem was definitely a great place to visit and doesn't take that long. If you have plans to go to Changdeokgung Palace, it is really close by and would be a great addition to the trip. 

Besides the Tteok Museum, the Institute of Traditinal Korean Food also offers a lot of other things. There are various classes you can join like a rice cake class, a kimchi class, and a traditional dish class. There are also various education centers, a wine/tea center, and even a cafe on the first floor. Visiting the museum was really fun and won't take up your entire day so you can explore the surrounding area!

Website: http://www.tkmuseum.or.kr/

Address: 서울 종로구 돈화문로 71