December's things to do

Remember the scene in the romantic comedy About Time, when a girl and a boy first encounter each other in complete darkness. A similar total-darkness experience is available in Seoul, unfortunately, its concept is not about finding your one true love. Rather, Dialogue in the Dark (located in Bukchon) is an awareness raising exhibition. It was created in 1988 by Andreas Heinecke as a result of a life-long search for answers to the question, “On what ground do we judge people and feel inferior or superior?” Interestingly, it was an acquaintance who had lost his eyesight in a car accident that helped Heinecke realize not only the answers to his question but also his fascination of the world of blind people. In order to confront this prejudice about blindness, Dialogue in the Dark was started, in a small warehouse. Now, this exhibition has over 130 locations in 20 different countries with over 9 million visitors. Once inside, you will be stripped of all possible lighting devices (phones, watches, etc.) and will be ‘blind’ for 100 minutes. You will listen to the directions of the ‘road master’ and utilize a white cane to navigate rooms of different themes; leaves, forest, using wind to rotate a sailboat in the right direction, matching smell and touch with places and objects, etc. Dialogue in the Dark isn’t just about being blind; it’s an experience that will indulge yourself in all your other senses. For safety issues, only visitors between the age of 9 to 70 are allowed, with...

By now, Maybell Bakery has practically become a household name, with other Seoul eateries proudly advertising their use of Maybell bread and lines of locals as well as Japanese tourists spilling out of their tiny Itaewon space. Bread flies off the shelves, and they generally sell out by early afternoon. Known for their wholesome, simple baked goods, most of their breads are not only vegan but also sugar-free.Our tip: in the back alley. just minutes from the main location is a lesser-known, more spacious branch of Maybell with even more varieties of bread and a fraction of the customers. Despite his success, founder Jeong Woong (정웅) is humble, opting for the title of “Baker” instead of “CEO” or “Owner” on his business card. He opened the second location in order to try out new breads, which is why you’ll find different varieties here (the two locations also use different varieties of natural yeast). While the fig bread and baguettes fly off the shelves at the first branch, the second branch sells an array of dense and chewy rye breads, whole-wheat loaves, and our favorite, a dark grain boule with bits of dried orange.

Eulmildae boasts a 40-year tradition in Pyongyang-style naengmyeon. They have another branch in Gangnam, but Yeomri-dong is where it all started. The white paint is neat, though aged, and the furniture is distinctively retro. When it comes to Pyongyang-style naengmyeon, their variation is clean and light. The naengmyeon has thicker noodles and comes with the usual icy broth. Extra servings are 4,000 won but for the sizeable portions you’re getting, it’s quite the deal. Take note: the stewed brisket served on a bed of tossed chives is as much of a delicacy as the naengmyeon is.