Exploring 'Sejong City Local Gastronomy' That Even King Sejong Would Have Fallen For [Weekend Leisure]

【Sejong City = Reporter Jung Soon-min】 "Is there anything to see there?" This was the common reaction I received from those around me when I mentioned I was traveling to Sejong City. However, the majority of respondents had never visited Sejong City even once, or if they had, it was mostly for other reasons. It is more accurate to say that rather than there being nothing to see or do, more people simply did not know what was there.
So, Sejong City and the Sejong City Culture and Tourism Foundation conducted a survey to find out what interests visitors from outside the city. The results showed that 60% of the total showed a strong interest in food. This is the reason they have been selecting "Sejong Love Restaurants" since last year and launching one-day programs like "Sejong's Table." Starting this month, they are operating a new 2-day, 1-night gourmet travel program called "Sejong Osik," where participants can enjoy five meals in Sejong City. I went to experience "Sejong Osik," which is packed with the joy of eating, in advance.


Sejong Osik is a program inspired by the fact that King Sejong the Great enjoyed meals five times a day. Participating in this program allows you to enjoy five meals—excluding the hotel breakfast on the second day—including Najgeot (lunch), Dagwasang (local cafe), Seoksura (dinner), Juansang (Youth Brewery), and Janchitsang (Sejong Traditional Market).
For our first meal, 'Najgeot,' we started with Seokgalbi at Sanjang Garden (Yeonseo-myeon, Sejong City), a restaurant famous for its local culinary delights. Seokgalbi is a dish where marinated pork ribs are pre-grilled and served on a sizzling hot stone plate. It is convenient to eat because customers do not have to grill the meat themselves, and the stone plate keeps the meat warm until the very last piece. While the main menu item is the Original Charcoal Grilled Ribs, the Spicy Charcoal Grilled Ribs and Handmade Tteokgalbi are also popular. The restaurant's pride and joy, the Dongchimi Buckwheat Noodles, is also a special treat.
The second 'tea table' was set at PLEASURE (Naseong-dong, Sejong City), a 'view hotspot' located in the new downtown area of Sejong City. Situated on the top floor (49th floor) of Sejong Leaders Foret, this spot offers a panoramic view of Sejong City. The Government Complex Sejong, Sejong Lake Park, Sejong Central Park, Geumgang Pedestrian Bridge, and Sejong National Arboretum are all neatly arranged. There is no better place to overlook the new downtown of Sejong City while enjoying sweet desserts and beverages, such as iced Americano, ube latte, Greek yogurt, and fruit punch made with 1kg of fruit.

For the third and fourth meals, 'Seoksura' and 'Juansang,' I enjoyed them at the Italian restaurant 'Pastas by Find Fine' (Eojin-dong, Sejong City). This establishment started as a small pasta bar in 2016 and has grown into a representative local dining brand by participating in local enterprise support programs from Sejong City and the Sejong Center for Creative Economy and Innovation. In particular, it is characterized by changing its menu seasonally by incorporating seasonal ingredients from Sejong City into Italian cuisine.
On this day, Sejong Fig Salad, Gambas al Ajillo, Jochiwon Peach Prosciutto Pizza, Bisque Rosé Pasta, and Abalone Seaweed Risotto were served in succession. What I was most curious about was the Jochiwon Peach Prosciutto Pizza. My expectation that the combination of peaches and pizza would be awkward was shattered at the first bite. The subtle sweetness of the warm, ripe peaches and the salty taste of the prosciutto surprisingly complemented each other well.
The drinking table served at the same venue was also impressive. Along with Pastas' delicious food, traditional liquor from Baekgyeong Distillery, a representative youth brewery in Sejong City, was paired and served. It is a combination of pairing Italian food with our own liquor instead of wine. The spirits, brewed using rice, yeast, and water as a base, emitted aromas reminiscent of fruit. In particular, 'Baekgyeong 15 Gold' produced a refreshing scent that brought to mind white wine. Furthermore, when swallowing the highest-alcohol 'Baekgyeong 53-degree Soju,' a pleasant warmth flowed down my throat.


On the second day, after having breakfast at the hotel, the group visited Sejong Traditional Market, located in the old downtown area of Jochiwon. Unlike the new downtown area visited on the first day, stalls selling vegetables, fruits, fish, and side dishes were lined up along the old market alleys. As it happened to be the day of the five-day market, the market was bustling with people out shopping.
The fifth meal is called the "Feast Table We Made Ourselves." This time, instead of eating food prepared by someone else, the participants set the table themselves. Using the 30,000 won Onnuri Gift Certificates distributed in advance, they visit the market to purchase food, then gather at a nearby cafe to spread out the dishes they bought and share a kind of "potluck party."
The key here is prior coordination. Categories such as appetizers, main courses, side dishes, and desserts were assigned to each group to ensure the food did not overlap. Before departure, the organizers advised, "Do not buy gimbap." This was because gimbap had been prepared in advance, as participants often habitually buy it first when visiting the market.

The market was lined with eye-catching foods, including local specialties such as fried chicken with green onions, dumplings, sundae, pig's trotters, jeon, and fried foods. Seasonal fruits, including local specialties like Jochiwon peaches, Korean melons, plums, apples, and pears, also filled the stalls. It was also hard to pass by snacks like chrysanthemum-shaped bread priced at 2,000 won for five, peanut cookies packed with peanuts, seed hotteok, dasik, yakgwa, and gangjeong.
After shopping, the group gathered at Cafe Hwayangyeonhwa (Jochiwon-eup, Sejong City). As they opened their bags one by one, fried chicken with green onions, dumplings, mung bean pancakes, whole chicken, sundae, pig's head meat, tteokgalbi, hotteok, and fried foods were spread out on the table. Even though they had bought everything from the same market, there was hardly any overlap in the dishes. When the foods each person had chosen came together, a more abundant feast than expected was created.
The participants unanimously agreed, "The feast table we prepared was the most enjoyable meal." This was because the process of walking through the market, deciding what to buy, haggling over prices, and sharing food with other participants—rather than eating a fixed menu—became part of the meal itself.

In Sejong City, there are many places worth visiting in between enjoying the five meals. The most representative place is Sejong National Arboretum. Opened in 2020, this site features a four-season greenhouse, a traditional Korean garden, a bonsai garden, a rare plant garden, and a children's garden spread out over a wide area, making it a great place for a stroll.
In addition, there are other places you would regret missing, such as the 'Presidential Archives,' where you can encounter important records of modern Korean history; 'Sejong Lake Park,' which features five themed islands and an 8.8 km walking path; and 'Geumgang Pedestrian Bridge,' a landmark of Sejong City shaped like the Korean letter 'ᄋ.'
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