Pine Mushroom
Over many years, humanity has identified nearly 100 types of edible mushrooms, with pine mushrooms (songibeoseot in Korean) being among the most esteemed.
To sample the fragrance of these delectable mushrooms, Yangyang in Gangwon State is an ideal destination.
The story behind Pine Mushroom
When?
Mushrooms are at their best in the fall.
The best time to enjoy them is about a 15-day-long period after the Korean holiday of Chuseok.
Where?
Yangyang is a region famous for pine mushrooms in Korea.
It has the most active pine mushroom auction scene in Korea.
Types of Mushrooms
Edible mushrooms are divided into two groups according to their use: Medicinal use and cooking.
The former includes reishi mushrooms and black hoof mushrooms, which are boiled in water or used as medicinal ingredients in traditional medicine.
The latter can be eaten raw but is more often used to prepare different dishes.
In fall, traditional markets and fifth-day markets of Gangwon State offer a great variety of mushrooms.
Characteristics of Pine Mushrooms
Mushrooms help return organic matter into the soil by breaking it down into minerals. That is why mushrooms are commonly found on fallen logs.
Pine mushrooms, however, are an exception, as they tend to grow near living trees.
Generally, mushrooms grown for human consumption are cultivated by introducing fungi into a container filled with sawdust or wood chips. However, because pine mushrooms grow on living trees, they cannot be cultivated.
True to their name, pine mushrooms grow near pine trees that are at least 20 years old. They require optimal moisture levels and shade to thrive.
Even if they have grown to a good size, pine mushrooms only protrude slightly over the dried pine needles, making them quite difficult to find for those unaccustomed to gathering them.
Pine mushrooms have a firmer texture and a distinctive aroma that sets them apart from other types of mushrooms.
To retain their fragrance, pine mushrooms should not be washed in water but rather be dusted lightly with a soft cloth.
Imported pine mushroom is washed in water before being imported, so they tend to be less fragrant than the ones gathered in Korea.
Pine mushroom harvesting begins before Chuseok and ends when the trees change colors. They are deemed to be even more precious than others as they are only available for a short period of time during the fall.
Some pine mushrooms that have not yet formed their caps are given as gifts and can command prices exceeding KRW 1 million.
Pine mushrooms with fully-formed caps are not used as gifts, as the makes them more fragile, though they are still suitable for eating.
5 places to try Pine Mushroom
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Songibeoseot Maeul
This restaurant serves a variety of dishes made with pine mushrooms. You can, for instance, enjoy songibeoseot jeongol (pine mushroom hot pot) with Korean beef in a shabu-shabu style. After eating the mushrooms and the beef, you can add noodles to the soup, which goes quite well with the broth, now richly infused with the flavors of pine mushrooms and Korean beef.
Signature menu- Songibeoseot Jeongol (pine mushroom hot pot) 30,000 KRW
- Neungibeoseot Jeongol (shingled hedgehog hot pot) 28,000 KRW (minimum order for 2)
- 339 Wol-ri, Yangyang-eup, Yangyang-gun, Gangwon-do
- Approx. 5.8 km from Yangyang TG on Seoul-Yangyang Expressway
- 45 seats · Parking: Available (up to 50 spaces)
- Menu: Korean, English
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Deungbul Garden
This restaurant serves a delectable combination of pine mushrooms and Yangyang Korean beef. Every fall, you can enjoy grilled natural pine mushrooms with Korean beef special cuts and rib eye. Note that while the meat is served throughout the year, pine mushrooms are only offered when they can be harvested. Other popular dishes include Korean beef bulgogi with pine mushrooms and hot pot. American pop singer and producer Kanye West once visited this restaurant.
Signature menu- Jayeonsan Songibeoseot Jeongol (natural pine mushroom hot pot) 60,000 KRW
- Korean Beef Special Cuts (150 g) 55,000 KRW
- Korean Beef Rib Eye (180 g) 55,000 KRW
- 23 Powolladeul-gil, Yangyang-eup, Yangyang-gun, Gangwon-do
- Approx. 6.5 km from Yangyang TG on Seoul-Yangyang Expressway / Approx. 2.5 km from Yangyang Bus Terminal
- 120 seats · Parking: Available (up to 15 spaces)
- Menu: Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese
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Dalraechon
This healing-themed park, operated by an agricultural cooperative in Hawolcheon-ri, offers a restaurant, accommodations, and various experience programs. The restaurant serves a selection of Myeongpum Bapsang set menus, featuring a variety of medicinal herbs, mushrooms, and wild vegetables. These dishes allow guests to savor the unique flavors and aromas of freshly harvested wild vegetables. Another notable feature of the theme park is its Finnish sauna facilities.
Signature menu- Myeongpum Songi Dolsotbap (premium pine mushroom hot stone pot rice) 33,000 KRW
- 634 Hwasangcheon-ro, Hyeonnam-myeon, Yangyang-gun, Gangwon-do
- Approx. 7.9 km from S. Yangyang TG on Donghae Expressway
- 72 seats · Parking: Available (up to 20 spaces)
- Menu: Korean
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Yangyang Traditional Market «TRADITIONAL MARKET»
Yangyang Traditional Market includes a fifth-day market, held on days ending in 4 and 9 of each month, along with a permanent market, featuring around 200 shops. The market offers a great variety of local dishes, like sanchae bibimbap (wild vegetable bibimbap) and dongchimi makguksu (buckwheat noodles with radish water kimchi). In fall, visitors can also find wild mushrooms. Operating Hours: 09:00-18:00 (depends on the store).
- 9 Nammun 5-gil, Yangyang-eup, Yangyang-gun, Gangwon-do
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Yangyang Pine Mushroom & Salmon Festival «FESTIVAL»
This festival is held every October around Yangyang's Namdaecheon Stream area. It features both the food-tasting programs, where you can sample pine mushrooms and salmon, as well as water sports on Namdaecheon Stream. The festival also hosts exhibitions of photography, painting, and poetry themed after Yangyang, and in the evening, it offers a variety of performance programs. [Program] Pine Mushroom & Salmon Sampling, Water Sports Experience, Photography and Picture Exhibitions, etc. Period: Every October | Admission: Free of Charge. Location: Namdaecheon Streamside, Multipurpose Square, Yangyang Market, etc., in Yangyang-gun, Gangwon-do.
Photo: Fumikas Sagisavas (CC0), Wikimedia Commons
Source: Korea Tourism Organization (Taste Your Korea), “K-Local Food Trip 33”, compiled July 2024; text reused with attribution, the guide’s photos are not. Restaurants are not ranked; hours and menus change, confirm before you go.
