Koreans have a deep passion for food, and this is why perhaps Koreans often say, "let’s have a meal together sometime” when meeting someone for the first time in a long time, rather than suggesting a coffee or other activities.

I believe such phenomenom can partially be attributed to Korea’s history, as just even 30 years ago, it was a developing country where many citizens struggled with hunger.

However, this love for food comes with a downside: finding which restaurants truly serve exceptional food can be challenging because there are so many restaurants.

1.   Naver Review

One way to find a great place to eat is by searching “맛집” (restaurant with good food) along with the location on Naver’s search engine. The results will usually display a list of restaurants, with those that have the most reviews appearing at the top.

But be cautious about relying too heavily on reviews, as they aren’t always indicative of food quality.

Many restaurants know that increasing the number of reviews can boost their visibility. To achieve this, some offer free items — like a canned beverage or a side dish—  in exchange for reviews.

So, how can you navigate Naver to find genuinely good restaurants?

I recommend searching through Naver blog posts. Many users rely on blogs to share honest reviews and document their experiences, making these posts more trustworthy than reviews given for free food incentives.

However, be mindful that some bloggers are paid to write about certain restaurants.

It’s easy to spot these paid posts. Look for phrases like “제품 또는 서비스를 제공받아 작성했습니다” (I was provided with a product or service) or “내돈내산” (I paid for it myself).

These disclosures are usually written at the top or bottom of posts to ensure transparency.