Ever since I made my Korean Ingredients Guide video, I’ve been receiving comments stating that you wish you had Korean markets like mine near you. Well, even if you don’t, I might have a solution for you! I did a candid and fun product review from Seoul Mills. It’s a company that sells Korean ingredients online and I couldn’t wait to see what they sent me. This video is not sponsored, but they did send me these items for free, and I was just so excited to open my goodies in front of you. If you’re interested in seeing what they sent me and what they have to offer, then watch our unboxing video: Where to Buy Korean Ingredients Online : Seoul Mills Unboxing + Review
While Seoulmills.com is new, the company behind it isn’t. It was founded in 2005, by Cconma Korea and they worked with local farmers and artisans to bring their products online to a greater audience. They introduced great products from honest producers to customers searching for exceptional goods at fair prices. It was a success and through SeoulMills.com they hope to introduce these products to you.
From small local suppliers to popular mainstream brands, everything they provide is vetted to meet their highest ethical and quality standards. In addition to a wide range of food options, SeoulMills.com offers you access to useful, well-made home goods and lifestyle products. You’ll see trending items that are about to break out in Korea and the US. Seoul Mills, if you’re reading this, I’d love to try out some of your lifestyle products next time for our vlog channel haha!
Most of their products are local and artisan made fresh in Korea, and they pride themselves on offering premium brands to their customers. Customers can skip the lines and have their favorite Korean products delivered straight to their door.
Even though this blog post is not sponsored and I am not using affiliate links to any of these items, Seoul Mills did offer me a coupon code for our “Yooniverse” : JULIEYOONSM for 15% off a one-time purchase
Hoping this helps give you a bit of a discount if you’re interested in trying it out. Sound good to you? Okay, let’s get to the unboxing, shall we?
1. Yongdae-ri Whole Dried Pollock (1 Fish)
This product reminds me of my parents because they love dried pollock soup. They usually add onions and potatoes to theirs and eat it with rice and a side of kimchi. But you can also marinate it and turn it into a spicy side dish. It’s not my personal fave, so I will probably pass it along to my in-laws who live nearby.
From Seoul Mills:
The mountainous area of Gangwon-do Province has the perfect climate and environment for naturally drying pollock due to its wide daily temperature range and brisk ocean winds. The pollock is hung every December to dry naturally in the strong winds from the surrounding mountains and coastal winds from the East sea that meet in Yongdae-ri. It stays hung until March/April of the following year.
The pollock goes through many cycles (about 20!) of freezing, thawing and drying thanks to the rapidly changing temperatures during the winter season. This is how Yongdae-ri dried pollock achieves its clean natural taste and the soft, tender, chewy texture perfect for cooking. It also helps cut out the fishy aroma. The cold temperatures, strong winter winds from the East sea, and the perfect amount of sunlight is why 70% of Korean dried pollock is produced right in Yongdae-ri. Dried Pollock is rich in vitamins and minerals like protein and calcium. As pollock dries, its protein content actually doubles! Now you can enjoy the amazing flavor, delightful chewiness, and premium quality of Shredded Dried Pollock from Yongdae-ri. Great for cooking and even as a hangover cure!
2. Crispy Korean Chili Pepper Chips
I have never had a full red hot chili pepper in chip form, and I gotta tell you…I liked it! The heat gets you slowly and some chips are hotter than others. It starts out sweet and then zings you in the end. They’re a crunchy and fun snack
From Seoul Mills:
Korean spice captured in a tasty crispy snack! Crunchy, sweet, and lightly salted with no MSG. Freshly harvested Korean chili peppers are first brined in deep seawater rich in minerals and organic nutrients such as phosphoric acid, nitric acid, and silicic acid. This gives the peppers a delightfully light and slightly salty flavor. The peppers are then battered in glutinous rice and fried in sunflower oil adding a sweet, light taste in the final crisp! Delicious and nutritious, these pepper chips are a must-try!
3. Jangheung Musan Seaweed
This unseasoned laver is used to wrap kimbap, or Korean rice rolls. Make sure you get the unseasoned kind, because the kind that is roasted and seasoned is usually used to eat as a snack, or just as a side dish. It will be too brittle and flaky to roll. I’m always making kimbap, and you can some recipes here: Beef Kimbap, Julie’s California Style Kimbap and Tuna Gimbap. Can you tell I love kimbap? Haha…
From Seoul Mills:
Why choose Musan Seaweed? Jangheung Musan Seaweed is a reliable laver that uses no hydrochloric acid in the laver process. This clean and natural seaweed is produced in a traditional, eco-friendly way that preserves its unique texture and deep aroma of the sea.
Almost all laver farms use strong hydrochloric acid to remove algae and other organic matter that naturally stick to the laver. During this process, algae will melt and only tough, durable laver will survive. However, Jangheung Musan produces safe and healthy laver by using traditional methods that are time-consuming, but completely free of hydrochloric acid, which can cause environmental damage and mutation of the laver.
4. Daepung Fisheries Freeze-Dried Clams
I really didn’t know what dried clams were used for until I looked up the description. I have never cooked with a freeze dried clam before, but now I’m intrigued! It looks like they’re like frozen clams, but the freeze-drying process allows you to keep them at room temperature. I can’t wait to throw them into my Korean soups and stews!
From Seoulmills.com:
Enjoy the fresh taste of the sea with Daepung Fisheries’ freshly freeze-dried clams from Hajeon Village in Gochang, Korea. The clams are grown and collected on the tidal flats of Gochang, which has a long, rich cultural history of being one of the nation’s largest clam producers. The natural climate, clean, pristine waters, and rich sand of this village make it the ideal environment for clams to thrive and develop their rich, delicious flavor and meat. Daepung clams are first collected from specific UNESCO-certified clean areas in the Gochang river before being processed at the HACCP certified facility to ensure taste and quality.
While there are many dried clams are on the market, freeze-drying clams is relatively new and can be unfamiliar to some. Freeze-drying clams have multiple benefits, the primary being that instantly preserves the freshness and rich flavor of the clams without destroying its natural nutrients. The process of cooking raw clams is typically quite cumbersome as it involves rinsing, shucking, and cleaning before the cooking process can even begin! However, you can use freeze-dried clams right away and leave the rest at room temperature to cook at your convenience. Unlike frozen clams, freeze-dried clams won’t spoil at room temperature and don’t require freezing. Simply rehydrate the clams in cold water and you’re good to go! It makes cooking clams just as easy as ramen! Even the leftover water can be used as a delicious base for Korean soups and stews. No more hassling with thawing, cleaning, and shucking!
5. Murgerbon Tteokbokki Flavor Almond
These little almonds are SO good. I am sincerely afraid Joe will eat them all before I get to them. They are supposed to taste like Tteokbokki, a popular Korean street food dish made of soft rice cakes in a sweet and spicy sauce. I took a big whiff of the bag and got scared at how spicy they smelled, but they are actually pretty mild, but so addicting! To me, they are the perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and savory. I need more!
6. Korean Honey Ginger Tea
All I can think about when I see this tea is that my mom always tells me to boil ginger and the roots of green onions together and mix in a healthy dose of honey every time we have a bad throaty cough or cold. I guess this concoction is playing off that concept and I bet it will taste spicy and sweet. The cool thing about these types of Korean teas is that they can often be used to make sauces and dressings too, because they’re very similar to jams or jellies. I’m going to have to give it a taste and experiment. I bet it would make a great sauce over pork chops!
7. 100% Natural Korean Mixed Seasoning
When I saw this, this reminded me of a Korean “Mrs. Dash” or general all-use seasoning. I did give it a taste and it was so fragrant and rich. It’s a mix of garlic, green onion, and pepper, so I can see it being used on various applications, even simply sprinkled over a bowl of hot rice, or even on garlic bread! That would be awesome.
From Seoul Mills:
Elevate your cooking with the all-natural Korean Mixed Seasoning from Malrin! Rich in taste and aroma, this delicious dried seasoning is made from 100% natural raw ingredients.
The rich, savory, and complex flavors of fresh native Korean ingredients bring any dish up to a whole new level without relying on additional synthetic flavor enhancers. This optimal blend of flavor-packed ingredients such as Korean Cheongyang pepper, garlic, and green onion is perfect for any dish! Each ingredient is crushed and concentrated to over 10X the flavor! Take your seasoned dishes to the next level without overwhelming their natural flavors whether it be soup, stir-fry, steamed eggs, noodles, etc. Even try it as a delicious BBQ seasoning for meat like grilled pork instead of oil or for a kick of flavor with fried chicken. At the end of cooking, simply tap tap tap to your liking for a rich, refreshing, and delicious taste and aroma.
8. Ccoson Original Sesame Oil
Good quality sesame oil is as important to Koreans as good quality olive oil is to Italians. It is the often the finishing element over a stir fry, side dish, or soup, and used often in marinades for meat. It is usually made from 100% sesame seeds. I’ve never tried this particular brand before, but I’m excited to give it a go. It seems a bit “bougie” so I will probably use it sparingly as a finishing oil.
9. Crispy Fire-Roasted Burdock Chips
I personally do not know what a burdock chip is, but I do know that Koreans love their roots. If you can boil, marinate, or pickle it, we will! I found that this tasted more plain, kind of like a plantain chip, but I still found it crunchy and interesting. It was my first burdock chip for sure!
From Seoul Mills:
Enjoy Tigak Tegak’s fire-roasted burdock chips with that delicious, toasted flavor in every crispy, chewy bite! Traditional Korean burdock roots are first brined in deep seawater rich with organic minerals. This naturally salts the burdock before it’s fire-roasted and battered with glutinous rice and sunflower oil. The result is a crunchy, sweet and delightfully toasty and naturally salty bite. Delicious and nutritious, burdock chips are perfect for kids and adults alike!
10. Chungjungone Low Sodium Kelp Soy Sauce
I tried to look for a description for how to use this one, but couldn’t find it. I thought it could be used to make soups because dashima or kelp is usually used to make the stock of a lot of Korean soups. But it looks like it could just be a low-sodium version of soy sauce, which probably means that you can use it for marinades and general seasoning.
11. Murgerbon Honey Butter Almond
I fell in love at first bite. It’s one of those addictive snacks that are hard to stop eating. Honey butter anything was all the rage in Korea for quite some time now. In fact, back when we went to Korea, and stayed there for a month, everything was honey-butter flavored. If you want to see our Korea Trip vlogs, you can watch them starting here: Korea Trip Vlog Episode 1
Since these almonds are not spicy, I know that Lincoln will like these too. It just makes me want to go on a road trip and munch on these sweet, savory, and buttery almonds! They’re the perfect little snack and I’m glad I ended my unboxing on a high note!
Thanks Seoul Mills for the awesome snacks and cooking ingredients. Now that I did a little more research and educated myself, I can’t wait to cook with them. We’ve been enjoying the snacks and hope that others will too.
*This post was not sponsored and I am not using affiliate links, but remember to use code: JULIEYOONSM for a one time 15% discount if you want to give it a try. Happy shopping!
