Vegan Korean Food Cooking Class: Gimbap, Sundubu Jjigae, and more

Korean food is often built around meat, seafood, and hidden animal products. This small class in Itaewon solves that problem in a practical way: you make a full vegan Korean meal yourself, from tofu-rich sundubu-jjigae to neatly rolled gimbap and flower-topped hwa-jeon. Soomin leads the cooking with clear, step-by-step guidance and useful notes on Korean food customs.

I like the maximum group size of four, which leaves room for questions and hands-on work. I also like the range of dishes: you are not making four versions of the same thing, but a soup, roll, savory pancake, and sweet rice cake. The main consideration is the third-floor location with no elevator, and the $75 price is best justified if you value instruction, cultural context, and a full meal rather than simply a cooking demonstration.

Key points at a glance

• Four Korean dishes in 2.5 hours: Make gimbap, sundubu-jjigae, biji-jeon, and hwa-jeon.
• A genuinely vegan meal: The class is designed for vegan diners, with vegetarian, reducetarian, and Muslim-friendly needs also addressed.
• Soomin teaches the class: Expect clear instructions, ingredient explanations, and tips for finding vegan food in Seoul.
• Very small groups: The class accepts no more than four people, and a solo booking may become a private session.
• Itaewon setting: The workshop begins and ends in Itaewon-dong, near public transportation.
• Plan for a filling meal: Bring a container for leftovers, or arrive hungry rather than after a large breakfast.

Why this Itaewon cooking class is useful for vegans

The best reason to book this experience is simple: you get to eat a complete Korean meal that fits a vegan diet, while learning how the dishes are built. That matters in Seoul, where even a dish that looks vegetable-based may contain meat stock, seafood, or other ingredients you do not eat.

The class takes place on World Food Street in Itaewon, an area known for international food and easy access from other parts of Seoul. The location also makes sense for this particular workshop. Itaewon is one of the more convenient parts of the city for finding food from different cultures, and the class gives you a useful starting point for understanding Korean ingredients and plant-based cooking.

This is not a sit-and-watch lesson. You prepare the food yourself, with Soomin explaining the process as you go. That makes the class more useful after you leave Seoul. You are not just tasting a finished dish. You are learning the basic order of preparation, how ingredients work together, and how Korean dishes can be adapted around tofu and soy products.

The small format helps here. With no more than four people, you should have time to handle ingredients, ask questions, and get help with tasks that require a bit of practice. If you are the only person booked into your session, the class may continue as a one-on-one lesson rather than being cancelled or reduced.

Starting with gimbap, Korea’s picnic-friendly roll

Gimbap is one of the most approachable Korean dishes for a first cooking class. You assemble the fillings, arrange them carefully, and roll everything into a compact cylinder before slicing it into tidy rounds.

The appeal is partly visual. Gimbap is built in layers, so the cut pieces show off the colors and textures inside. In this class, the focus is on plant-based ingredients and tofu, giving you a chance to see how a familiar Korean food works without meat or fish.

Rolling is also the part that benefits most from hands-on instruction. Too much filling makes the roll difficult to close. Uneven placement leads to loose slices. Soomin can guide you through the practical details while you work, rather than leaving you to copy a finished example.

You should expect gimbap to be one of the more active parts of the workshop. It is not hard in principle, but it rewards patience and a light touch. The finished rolls also travel well, which is one reason the class can leave you with food to take away if portions allow. Bringing a small container is sensible.

Cooking sundubu-jjigae from scratch

Sundubu-jjigae is the warm centerpiece of the meal. This soft tofu stew is known for its tender texture and savory broth, and preparing it from scratch shows you how Korean flavor can come from seasoning, aromatics, and tofu rather than meat.

For a vegan diner, this is especially useful. Ordering sundubu-jjigae in a restaurant requires care because many versions use seafood, meat, or stock that is not obvious from the name. Making it in class removes that uncertainty and lets you understand the plant-based version directly.

The dish also gives the class a different pace from gimbap. Gimbap involves arranging and rolling. Sundubu-jjigae is about building flavor in a pot and allowing the ingredients to come together. You get a better sense of how Korean meals balance a hot, comforting main dish with smaller or cooler foods.

Expect the soup to be part of the meal you eat during the class, not just a demonstration. The available information does not specify every ingredient or spice level, so you should ask Soomin about heat and substitutions when you arrive. The class is designed around tofu, and the instructor is used to explaining ingredients and answering detailed food questions.

Biji-jeon brings soy pulp into the meal

Biji-jeon is a savory pancake made with soy pulp. It is a less familiar dish than gimbap or sundubu-jjigae, which makes it one of the more interesting parts of the workshop.

Soy pulp is a useful ingredient in Korean cooking because it is connected to tofu production and can be used rather than discarded. Learning to turn it into a crisp, savory pancake gives you a practical example of how Korean home cooking makes good use of humble ingredients.

The pancake also adds a different texture to the meal. Gimbap is neat and layered, while sundubu-jjigae is soft and brothy. Biji-jeon gives you something cooked in a pan with a firmer, browned surface.

This is the kind of dish that makes the class more than a list of famous Korean foods. You are introduced to an ingredient and preparation method that you might not encounter on a standard food walk. Soomin’s explanations about ingredients and food traditions are an important part of its value.

Hwa-jeon ends the class with edible flowers

The final dish is hwa-jeon, made by shaping glutinous rice dough and decorating it with seasonal edible flowers before cooking. It is the most decorative item in the class, and the process gives the meal a clear finish.

The flower decoration is not just a garnish added at the end. You shape the dough and place the flowers yourself, so the dish becomes part cooking task and part food presentation. The result is delicate compared with the savory dishes that come before it.

Seasonal flowers mean the exact appearance can vary. That is a good thing if you enjoy food that reflects the time of year, but you should not expect a fixed design every time. The central method remains the same: work with glutinous rice dough, decorate it, and cook it.

Hwa-jeon also adds cultural context. Korean cooking is not only about strong seasoning and hearty stews. It includes careful presentation and foods made for special occasions or seasonal moments. This small rice cake gives you a glimpse of that more delicate side of the cuisine.

What Soomin adds beyond the recipes

Soomin is a major part of the experience. The class is structured around clear instructions, but the teaching also covers ingredients, Korean food traditions, and practical advice about eating vegan in Seoul.

That last point is particularly helpful if you are visiting Korea on a plant-based diet. Restaurant menus can be difficult to interpret, and familiar dishes may contain ingredients you would not expect. The class gives you a chance to ask direct questions in a setting built around vegan cooking.

The tone appears friendly and conversational, with time for questions rather than a rushed sequence of tasks. Several dishes are made in one session, so clear pacing matters. You are guided through the work instead of being expected to know Korean cooking techniques in advance.

I would not book this expecting a professional chef certification or an advanced technical course. It is an introduction to Korean cooking, suitable for a first visit to the cuisine and accessible to people who do not cook Korean food regularly. Meat eaters and vegetarians can enjoy it too, but the strongest reason to choose it is the chance to learn a complete plant-based meal.

How the $75 price works out

At $75 per person, this is not the cheapest way to eat lunch in Seoul. If you only want to sample Korean food, you can spend less at a restaurant. The price makes more sense when you count the time, the instruction, the number of dishes, and the fact that the meal is prepared specifically as vegan Korean food.

The session lasts about two and a half hours. In that time, you work on four different dishes, learn about tofu and soy pulp, and receive guidance from an instructor. The group limit of four is important because a large class would make rolling, shaping, and pan cooking less personal.

You also get value from the cultural side. Soomin explains ingredients and traditions, and the class can help you make better choices during the rest of your stay. For a vegan visitor who has struggled to identify safe Korean dishes, that practical advice may be worth as much as the meal.

The price is less attractive if you already cook Korean food confidently or prefer a quick demonstration. It is also worth remembering that the class is not described as a market visit or a broader Seoul food tour. You are paying for a focused cooking workshop in one location.

Who will enjoy this class most

I would recommend it first to vegan visitors who want a full Korean meal without spending the session worrying about hidden animal products. It is also a good fit for vegetarians, reducetarians, and anyone curious about tofu-based cooking.

People who enjoy small classes should feel comfortable here. A four-person limit keeps the group intimate, and a solo booking may become an individual session with Soomin. That can be especially useful if you want to ask many questions or need ingredient guidance.

The class also suits couples, friends, and families who want an activity rather than another restaurant meal. You work with your hands, learn several techniques, and finish with food you have helped prepare.

It may not suit you if you want a large social event, a meat-focused introduction to Korean cuisine, or a highly advanced cooking course. The vegan focus is the point, not a minor variation.

Timing, meeting point, and practical details

The class begins at 11:00 am in Itaewon-dong, in Seoul’s Yongsan District, and ends back at the same meeting point. Its two-and-a-half-hour length makes it a useful morning activity that can lead into lunch, though you may eat during or near the end of the cooking session.

The meeting area is near public transportation, which is helpful in Seoul. You receive a mobile ticket, and booking confirmation is sent within 48 hours, subject to availability. Since the class is often booked well ahead, planning early is wise, especially if you have a fixed Seoul schedule.

The workshop is on the third floor and there is no elevator. That is the most important physical-access detail to consider before booking. Service animals are allowed.

The activity offers free cancellation if you cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted for a refund, so keep your Seoul schedule in mind.

For dietary needs, the class is vegan, vegetarian-friendly, reducetarian-friendly, and Muslim-friendly. Gluten-free preparation is available on request. Ask for that option before the session rather than waiting until you arrive.

Should you book the Tofu Artist workshop?

Book it if you want to understand Korean food by making it, especially if you eat vegan or have found Korean restaurant menus hard to navigate. The combination of gimbap, sundubu-jjigae, biji-jeon, and hwa-jeon gives you a broad sample of Korean textures and techniques in one sitting.

The strongest reasons to choose it are the four-person limit, Soomin’s clear teaching style, and the chance to ask practical questions about vegan food in Seoul. Arrive hungry, and bring a container in case you have food to carry away.

Skip it if you only want a quick meal or if the $75 price feels high for a cooking activity. Also check the third-floor access before booking. For the right visitor, though, this is a focused, friendly way to turn a vegan meal in Seoul into a useful cooking lesson you can remember after the trip.

FAQ

Where does the Korean vegan cooking class take place?

The class takes place in Itaewon-dong, in Seoul’s Yongsan District, on World Food Street. It begins and ends at the same meeting point.

What time does the class start?

The scheduled start time is 11:00 am.

How long does the cooking workshop last?

The experience lasts approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes.

How many people can join the class?

The maximum group size is four people. If only one person books a session, it may operate as a one-on-one class.

Is the class fully vegan?

Yes. The workshop focuses on vegan Korean cooking and includes tofu-based dishes. It is also listed as suitable for vegetarians, reducetarians, and Muslim-friendly diets.

Can I request gluten-free preparation?

Yes. Gluten-free preparation is available on request.

Is the location accessible by elevator?

No. The class is on the third floor and there is no elevator. The location is near public transportation, and service animals are allowed.