Ava Leonard, International Internship Program Seoul (IIP), Summer 2026
Growing up in a Korean household, food was always much more than something we ate. Some of my strongest memories with my halmoni, my grandmother, are centered around food. She would make bulgogi, kimbap, kimchi, rice, seaweed, and lettuce wraps with gochujang. One of my favorite memories is eating rice and seaweed with her. She would roll everything together for me, blow on it so it was not too hot, and then give it to me to eat. I even grew up using pink chopsticks, so eating Korean food with chopsticks always felt completely normal to me.
My halmoni would even make her own kimchi using cabbage from her garden. Because of these experiences, Korean food has always felt like home. However, being in Seoul gave me a different understanding of why food is such an important part of Korean culture.
Before going to Korea, I knew that I loved Korean food and appreciated being
connected to my heritage. Once I arrived in Seoul, though, I realized that the things I grew up doing with my grandmother were not just things that happened in our household. I saw so many halmeonis doing the same things. Sharing food, preparing meals together, and taking time to enjoy a meal with others were all things I saw throughout Korea. It made me feel even more connected to my grandmother and my heritage.
One of my favorite meals was budae jjigae, or Korean army stew. The dish became
popular after the Korean War and traditionally combined ingredients available around U.S. military bases, such as sausage, spam, vegetables, and noodles. I ate it with my Korean coworkers while working in Yeouido. Sharing that meal with them made me feel like I was experiencing a real part of everyday Korean life.
I also loved sharing Korean food with the friends I made through my internship program. We went to a Korean barbecue and explored Gwangjang Market, where we tried tteokbokki, hotteok, fish cakes, bibimbap, fried chicken, and seafood. One thing I loved was how much Korean meals revolve around sharing. Banchan, the small side dishes served with meals, are placed in the middle of the table for everyone to enjoy. Food felt less individual and more like something that brought everyone together.
Even breakfast was different. While some of my friends missed eggs and toast, I was completely happy eating kimchi jjigae for breakfast. It felt familiar and comforting. Cafe hopping also became a huge part of my experience. Seoul’s cafes were incredibly creative, with aesthetic drinks, salt bread, unique desserts, and even food shaped like animals. I also experienced food in completely different settings, from eating fried chicken at a Korean baseball game to visiting the seafood market in Busan and watching seafood being prepared right in front of us.
One of my favorite memories was taking my grandmother to eat ramen by the Han River. She loves Korean dramas and said she felt like she was actually in a K drama. Getting to share that moment with her made my experience even more meaningful.
When I returned to the United States, I went to H Mart and saw all of the foods I had eaten in Korea. I remember thinking, “Wow, this is home.” My time in Seoul taught me that food can connect people to family, culture, history, and each other. I did not just eat Korean food while I was in Korea. I experienced a part of my heritage in a way I never could have fully understood from home.
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