Schools listed by the tourism organisation
Several of these schools are in central Seoul, near Gyeongbokgung Palace or Bukchon, a hillside district known for traditional houses.
The Korea Tourism Organization's list carries the address, phone number and working languages of each — use these details to ask about current sessions and prices.
| School | Where | Languages | What you cook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Korea House (한국의집) | Toegye-ro 36-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul | Korean, English | royal court cuisine, tea desserts |
| Hansik Space E:eum (한식문화공간 이음) | 18 Bukchon-ro, Jongno-gu | Korean, English | bibimbap, bulgogi, japchae, jeyuk-bokkeum |
| Tteok Museum (떡박물관) | 71 Donhwamun-ro, Jongno-gu | Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese | tteok, kimchi |
| Museum Kimchikan (뮤지엄김치간) | 35-4 Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu | Korean, English | cabbage kimchi, kkakdugi |
| OME Cooking Lab | 97-1 Yangnyeongsi-ro, Dongdaemun-gu | Korean, English, Chinese | samgyetang, kimchi, pajeon, gimbap |
| O'ngo Food Communications | 137-1 Bukchon-ro, Jongno-gu | Korean, English | bulgogi, kimchi, pajeon, japchae, bibimbap |
| Food and Culture Korea | 101 Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu | Korean, English | kimchi, bulgogi, fried chicken, budae-jjigae |
| Jeonggangwon (정강원) | Pyeongchang, Gangwon | Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese | bibimbap, gochujang, kimchi |
| Rasunjae | Gyeongju | Korean only | bulgogi, bibimbap, gimbap |
One correction to that page: it still calls Korea House closed for renovation. Korea House shut on 1 July 2025 for its first full rebuild in 45 years and reopened on 3 March 2026 around royal court cuisine; contact it to confirm whether cooking classes are available.
Classes at Hansik Space E:eum
Hansik Space E:eum is the Korean Food Promotion Institute's own building, two minutes from Anguk Station exit 2: a Korean food library in the basement, galleries on fermented sauces and traditional liquor on the ground floor, the teaching kitchen on the second. The adult class, “this month's Korean food” (이달의 한식), costs about ₩11,000, runs in groups of 8–12, and can be joined on the day Thursday to Saturday. The gallery docent tour is free, on the hour from 11:00 to 16:00, 30–40 minutes, registered at the ground-floor desk; English docents for groups by phone on 02-6320-8471. Open Tuesday–Sunday 10:00–19:00.
The catch: booking runs through the institute's Korean-first site and needs a portal account, and whether that account can be made without a Korean phone is not stated. If you cannot complete the account setup, contact the institute about another booking method or compare a different class.
The English-language classes
O'ngo, in a hanok, a traditional Korean house, on Bukchon-ro, has taught visitors since 2008: US$81 a person for about two hours, weekdays at 10:30, a Korean chef teaching in English, the menu rotating by day — bibimbap and bulgogi Monday and Tuesday, japchae and pork on Wednesday and Friday. Check the accepted payment methods at checkout; a price shown in dollars does not itself establish card acceptance.
Trazy's kimchi class at Seoul Kimchi Academy, near Gyeongbokgung Station: ₩45,000, about an hour, ingredients, tools, a kimchi pancake and tea included, and your kimchi sealed to take home. Sessions 14:00 on Monday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, plus 09:30 and 14:00 on Friday; closed Tuesday and Thursday; full refund at three days' notice, half at two, nothing inside one.
Klook lists the same kind of class with instant vouchers and free cancellation on most. Compare the school’s direct offer with the platform listing. The price, inclusions and cancellation conditions can differ, and neither route guarantees that every card will be accepted.
Beyond cooking
Museum Kimchikan in Insadong pairs a kimchi museum with hands-on sessions (02-2088-8531, English). Jeonggangwon in Pyeongchang teaches gochujang in the countryside in four languages — a Gangwon trip, not a Seoul day. A templestay, an organised stay at a Buddhist temple, may include temple meals. Check the programme if you specifically want a cooking lesson. See “Templestay: booking a night at a Buddhist temple”.
How to book
- Compare Klook or Trazy listings. Check the teaching language, accepted payments and full terms for the class.
- Contact the school by email or its booking form. O'ngo, Food and Culture Korea and OME all publish addresses and work in English; ask about the session you want.
- Phone, with 1330 interpreting — “What the 1330 interpretation line can do for you” — if you need help asking about availability and booking requirements.
- Check public-institution programmes. These can be inexpensive, but the booking site may require an account or use Korean.
