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Korea Culture at Changi Airport Terminal 3 opened its doors to the public on 15 Apr, serving Korean classics, fusion dishes and over 50 options of free-flow banchan.
Started by the same people behind Taiwan Culture and Penang Culture, Korea Culture’s concept is the first of its kind, with its cinema-themed decor and “semi-buffet” approach.
With the purchase of any main, the all-you-can-eat Banchan Buffet is complimentary. Otherwise, it is also available on its own at S$21.90.
The moment I walked into the restaurant, I was greeted with vibrant lights, movie posters and decor inspired by the popular Netflix series Squid Game. Even the waiters were decked out in pink and green tracksuits, reminiscent of the characters in the show.
I started with the classic Korean banchan selection, which encompassed a wider variety of dishes than I expected. Aside from your usual cabbage kimchi, they also have it in cucumber, chives and bean sprout form. Some other banchan that I tried were the quail eggs, lotus root and inari skin.
Down the line, there is a whole other selection of fried goodies and even more side dishes that are also included in the buffet. Look out for the Kimchi Fried Rice, Tteokbokki and Korean Fish Cake Soup that’ll transport you right to a cold night by a street stall in Korea.
The tteokbokki was chewy and generously coated in a sweet and spicy gochujang sauce. On the contrary, the fish cake soup was lightly savoury, with fish cakes oozing with broth when I bit into them.
For a palate cleanser, check out their DIY salad bar that has over 10 veggies and 3 sauces to pick from. There is also a soup section just around the corner, serving Kimchi Soup, Mushroom Soup and Korean Porridge.
Moving on to the mains, some of Korea Culture’s signatures include their Fried Chicken with Korean Soy Sauce (S$24.50), Salmon Bibimbap (S$25.80) and Korean Ginseng Chicken (S$48.80), which is best suited for 2 pax.
I had the Kimchi Army Stew (S$46.80) recommended for 2 pax, which came with an abundance of ingredients—instant noodles, tteokbokki, tteokguk (flat tteok), tofu, sausage, luncheon meat, baby octopus, enoki mushroom and of course, a whole lot of kimchi.
Topped with cheese and spring onions, this dish was warm and comforting. I mean, it’s noodles in a savoury broth, what’s not to love?
That’s not where it ends. Have I mentioned that they offer free-flow Häagen-Dazs ice cream too? Take your pick between Vanilla, Mango sorbet, Strawberry and Coffee.
Oh, and a free-flow self-service drinks station.
From now till 30 Apr, take part in Korea Culture’s special promotion: Play a Korean mini game with one of the staff to win up to 50% off your final bill (10% off per person, max 5 persons).
Who says you need to travel to get a taste of Korea? Stews, bibimbap, fried chicken, they’ve got it all here at Korea Culture.
Expected damage: S$20 – S$30 per pax
