As an Asian recipe writer who loves cooking for friends, one of my favorite things to do when I travel is to try Cooking Classes. Here is my (unsponsored) review of the Korean Cooking Classes in Seoul 2025, including a wheelchair accessible one!
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An occupational hazard of being an Asian food blogger is that I like to take cooking classes every time I travel. From cooking classes in Singapore to baking classes in the UK, I've attended my fair share of culinary courses.
And since I've been to Korea almost 10 times, I've of course tried cooking classes taught by expert chefs in Seoul! Scroll down for my review of Korean cuisine cooking classes in Seoul. I've divided them into 4 sections:
- Classes in which you make ONLY KIMCHI (an essential side dish you'll find at all authentic Korean food places)
- Korean food cooking classes
- Classes that include a hands-on cooking session & another activity (such as a market tour.)
- Korean alcohol making classes
Note: These classes are meant for everyone and not just professional cooks, so you don't need knife skills etc to attend.
Traditional Korean food is a huge part of life in South Korea- whether it's eating it on food tours or learning to cook delicious dishes with fresh ingredients at home, it's one of the best things you can do in Seoul!
Taking Korean cooking classes is a great way to really understand Korean culture. Some classes are taught by a professional chef, whilst others include market tours, so there's an experience for everyone.
Kimchi Making Class
You can find Kimchi at almost every Korean meal, and there are many different types of Kimchi, so it deserves a class all to itself!
Here are some of the Best Kimchi Making Classes that I've tried in Seoul.
Kimchi Academy
Kimchi Academy is housed in a traditional Korean house (hanok) in the historic Bukchon Village. They have 2 courses:
- a professional course
- a standard course
"PROFESSIONAL" Course
As an Asian food blogger, I wanted to try the most comprehensive Kimchi course possible, so when I saw that they offered a "professional" Kimchi course, I signed up for it. It was great fun, and I got to make 4 different types of Kimchi, including an Oyster Ssamm Kimchi that I had never seen on any of my 10 trips to Korea.
However, I wouldn't call it a "professional" course- it's more like a Kimchi making experience! For a full review of Kimchi Academy, click here.
Cost: slightly over US$100
What you get: 4 big bags of Kimchi home with me- you can see the cucumber kimchi and the oyster kimchi we made above. (Sealed professionally in a silver bag.)
If you take the regular course, it's much cheaper- more on that below.
STANDARD Course
Cost: About US$30ish.
For those who just want an introduction to Basic Kimchi (Baechu Kimchi), you can go for the Standard Kimchi course instead.
My "professional" course was grouped with a Standard Kimchi session, so I can assure you that the standard Kimchi class covers exactly the same material, just that the students only make 1 type of Kimchi. (For a full review of both Kimchi Making Classes, click here.)
Kimchi & Korean Food
Although you make more than 1 kimchi in the Kimchi Academy Professional Course, the highlight is the Oyster Kimchi. If you don't eat seafood, or want to learn to cook other Korean dishes, try this Kimchi + Korean Food Class instead.
Depending on the day you go (each day has a different menu), the Korean classic dishes you make may include:
- Bibimbap
- Kimchi Jeon (Kimchi Pancake- once you learn to make this, you can use the same batter for seafood pancake (Haemul Pajeon), green onion pancake and more)
- Doenjang jjigae (if you're looking for a heartier version of Japanese miso soup, you'll like this soybean paste stew)
- Japchae
- Bossam
- Doenjang Guk
Cooking Class + Other Activity
Kimchi + Shopping in a Korean Market
Pros: local traditional market experience + recipe book given
For a complete Korean food experience, where you shop for your own ingredients in a Korean market before making your own kimchi, try this class instead. (The instructor is English-speaking and it's a great educational market tour.)
In this local market cooking class, you have the unique opportunity to make 4 kimchi types, similar to the "professional" class I did at the Kimchi Academy:
- 2 types of Cabbage Kimchi Baechu Kimchi (fermented (Gimjang Kimchi ) and fresh (Geotjeori)
- Cucumber Kimchi (Oi Sobagi )
- and Radish Kimchi (Kkakdugi))
At the end of the cooking studio session, you'll be given Boiled Pork or Fried Tofu to eat the kimchi.
Wheelchair Accessible
When I brought my 80 year old Aunt to Seoul, I needed to look for wheelchair friendly activities and came across this Korean cooking class.
Note that the link says the building is wheelchair accessible. However, as my Aunt didn't want to cook in the end, we didn't go so I'm not sure about the set-up of the class. It's best to check with the instructor first.
Korean Drinks Classes
Makgeolli
Although it's easy to buy makgeolli kits to make makgeolli at home these days, it's fun to learn to make Makgeolli in this brewery using traditional methods and your own hands!
Any questions about the best cooking classes in Seoul, South Korea? Let me know in the comments!
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