Shamans and shamanistic rituals/elements have been depicted in some Korean dramas, where I actually got my interest for this tour.   My guide started with the history of Gwanghuimun, and explained the renaming of the southeast gate of the capital city Sugumun (the water channel gate) as Sigumun (the corpse gate),  its connection to the Catholic persecutions (in the 18/19th. centuries) etc.  Once we were ready to set foot into the area, I received first my own protective talisman (i.e. a bujeok written in RED on a slip of yellow paper) and observation-based questions kept popping up: Why were there so many black smith shops located, installed fire extinguishers and mirrors in this area? What did 철학관 mean? What were those paires of wooden totem poles for? Without my tour guide, I would have been totally lost, far beyond translation :))).  But beside learning about some historical events (such as the Sampoong Department Store collapse 1995) and prominent figures (e.g. Park Chung-hee, Chung Ju-yung) intervowen with its shamanistic narrative, we have also literally tasted the story side (for example of the spicy tteogbokki invented in the 1950s, colored RED with chilli flocks) ourselves and watched a short clip of a shamanistic ritual too.  The tour was informative and interactive, and afterwards you feel motivated to spend time in a library and read some books on this or that shamanism related topic. However, the last stop of the tour was, instead of a library, a hidden bar :))) behind a shamanistic altar-like facade. Thank you for recommending the movie 'Exhuma’ (2024) too.  Highly recommended for anyone interested in Korean history, who would like to gain some first hand experience supporting the impression of Korea as a unique blend of tradition and modernity.

Giving this 3 stars because this isn't really a "food tour," a more accurate title would be market tour with dinner. You collect your own food from the market and then a restaurant prepares it for you and you eat a 2-hr sit-down dinner with your guide. It was a delicious dinner and interesting seeing the market, but not what we expected due to the title.

It was insightful and entertaining. Our tour guide Steve was very attentive and friendly. We took great pictures and got a good overview of the entire palace. For the price, it’s definitely worth it!!

Its like stepping into a movie and reliving South Korean Joseon Dynasty again. This was so sensational. It is spectacular how this is divided from the modern world. If I were to go back to South Korea, I would visit more of the ''tradional'' places and visit this one again. Not only can you relive this, but the art performances were also magnifying. I felt like a South Korean royal, watching the entertainers. I am looking for a song one of the Pansori singers sang but still am not able to find it after so many years.