DIY seaweed at Seocheon Farm

Gimbuchimgae, a Korean pancake made with gim

It is currently seaweed season in Korea and the laver farms in Seocheon, South Chungcheong, one of the biggest areas for seaweed farming, are very busy. Despite the freezing weather, the workers at seaweed farms in the area are at their busiest in cold temperatures because gim is at its freshest on chilly days.

Whenever I visit the area at this time of year, the seaweed farm workers seem pleased with seeing their freshly harvested seaweed glinting in the sun as it dries, saying that theirs is the very essence of high-quality seaweed because the sheets are thin with interesting, interwoven shapes.

While the gim purchased in supermarkets often has a salty aftertaste and a strong sesame oil flavor, the gim that is harvested on farms like these is much more savory and has a nuttier flavor.

The unique thing about Seocheon, which is two and half hours from Seoul by car, is that in addition to being a major center for seaweed farming, many farms offer visitors an opportunity to try making dried seaweed by hand. At the Seocheon Gim Farm, visitors are given a tour of the farm and then guided through the process of making dried seaweed. The farm also serves up gim delicacies including gimbuchimgae, a Korean pancake made with seaweed, and gimgulguk, or gim and oyster soup.

For those who want to stay the night, the farm also houses accommodation at Eden Pension (103-10, Seondo-ri, Biin-myeon, Seocheon, South Chungcheong). For more information about the farm or to make a reservation for the pension, call (041) 952-5906.

Lee Yoon-hwa is the head of Diaryr.com, a restaurant consulting firm.