Gadling

Korean food is hot! "Spicy" is probably the most prominent flavor in Korean cooking, but it's also a sign of the increasing popularity of Korean cuisine. Everywhere you turn these days, it seems like someone is talking about Korean food, from New York's superstar chef David Chang to the insanely popular Kogi food truck in Los Angeles. But for all the buzz Korean food is getting among eaters, many of us know little beyond the Korean basics of barbecue and Kimchi. What exactly do they like to eat in Korea? And why is everyone so obsessed with the food there?

During my recent visit to Seoul, I decided to investigate. Armed with only my camera and an empty stomach, I dived head-first into the sizzling center of Seoul's food scene, curious to discover what Koreans liked to eat. But before I started, I needed to find some help. As any local will tell you, eating in Korea is a communal experience, with dishes passed and shared among friends. To help me navigate my way through the bewildering array of Korean food choices, I met up with three of Seoul's top food experts: Dan from Seoul Eats, Joe of ZenKimchi, and Jennifer from FatManSeoul. Over the course of several meals with my hosts, I began to get a sense of the surprising, subtle and savory flavors that make Korean food so special. Want to get a taste of what Korean food is all about? Join along as we take a big bite of Korean cuisine – click below for more.

Gallery: Eating in Seoul

Bangkok means many things to travelers. The backpacker ghetto of Khao San Road. The sublime temples of Wat Pho and Wat Phra Kaew. The seedy go-go bars of Patpong. But after visiting this crazy Southeast Asian capital for the first time, I'd like to suggest a new highlight in Bangkok: the malls.

You're probably going to tell me I'm a spoiled Westerner, too acclimated to the comforts of home to get my hands dirty with some authentic Thai culture. But, perhaps it's time we all take a closer look at what Bangkok is really like these days. The famed "anything goes" destination of old is still there, hiding down back alleyways and puttering along on Bangkok's diesel spewing tuk tuks. But there's also an entirely new Bangkok under construction. An emerging city of modern mass transportation and shiny new temples of capitalism.

So what is it about Bangkok's malls that makes them so special? Like many malls back home, they've got all the usual amenities – the department stores, the food courts and the electronics boutiques. But there's also plenty that makes Bangkok malls entirely unique: outstanding and inexpensive food courts filled with authentic Thai cuisine, special events and top-notch cultural institutions. Sound interesting? Here's three reasons why you should head to the mall during your next visit to Bangkok. Click below.

I'm feeling particularly ethereal today, and Flickr user cmvoekel's photo at the Tate Modern in London does a good job of capturing my mood. The geometric patterns of light, the shadows and the silhouettes of the people all suggest a scene that looks downright "otherworldly."

Want your pics considered for Gadling's Photo of the Day? Submit your best ones here.

Welcome back to Gadling's newest series on Southeast Asia, South by Southeast. Long-term travel is a topic with considerable baggage, both in the travel community and the world at large. For those tied to life's obligations - jobs, children, mortgages - checking out to spend a few months (or years) on the road is irresponsible. For those righteously living out of a backpack on the other side of the world - nodding their heads smugly at their "enlightened lifestyle" - the people back home are afraid to take chances.

But both sides of this debate get it wrong. No matter your perspective on the issue, the decision to take a long-term trip must be grounded in personal circumstances and aligned with reality. To do it any other way is to fall victim to the same old travel cliches.

So what is long term travel really about? And how is it different than a vacation? The answer to this question is complicated - there are as many justifications for long-term trips as their are places to visit. But in order to give some perspective to the topic, let's take a look at some of my own reasons for taking a long-term trip. Whether you empathize with me or think I'm an idiot, it will help explain why long-term travel isn't just "another vacation." Click below to see why...

A famous landmark need not be the subject of your travel photos. As Flickr user justin fain demonstrates in today's choice, sometimes an alternate perspective is all that's needed to make your photo shine. The wonderful texture of the binoculars, coupled with the blurry silhouette of the lighthouse in the back, lend this image a great sense of depth and visual interest. You almost feel like you're right there on the seaside, ready to take a look for yourself.

Want your pics considered for Gadling's Photo of the Day? Submit your best ones here.

Seoul is not in Southeast Asia. But for a budget traveler like myself headed on to Southeast Asia, this South Korean capital has provided a perfect introduction to my trip. First-time Asian visitors "headed Southeast" often start in Tokyo, the neon Asian mega-capital of food, shopping and nightlife. Yet Seoul matches the urban amenities of Japan's uber-city pound-for-pound, all at a fraction of the price. When you add in Seoul's welcoming and friendly locals, surprising natural beauty and top-notch culinary scene, you've got the makings of a emerging traveler's hotspot.

So if you're planning a visit to Southeast Asia, skip that Tokyo layover and arrange a stopover in Seoul. Not only does South Korean carrier Korean Air offer convenient Asia connections from Chicago, New York, Dallas, Washington DC and Atlanta, it's also a great place to get over your jetlag and pickup last-minute travel supplies before heading onwards. Whether you're just passing through or end up hanging out stay a few days, you'll find yourself surprised and delighted with just how much Seoul has to offer.

Over the past few days here in Seoul, I've found plenty of reasons to justify sticking around. Ready to investigate this tourist-friendly, bustling Korean capital? Let's take a closer look at Seoul and review the basics of your visit? Click below for more.

A Hitler billboard in Thailand promoting a local wax museum has locals and foreign governments up in arms. The billboard campaign, which features photos of famous dead people, included a photo of Hitler making the infamous Nazi salute along with the tagline "Hitler is not dead." The ad was part of a promotion for Louis Tussaud's Waxworks, a wax museum based in Pattaya.

Since the billboard's unveiling two weeks ago it has caused a firestorm of complaints, prompting museum officials to have it covered and to apologize for the offense. Both the German and Israeli embassies in Thailand filed formal complaints. Wax museum director Somporn Naksuetrong has emphasized the campaign was not meant to glorify the Nazi leader.

Not surprisingly, this isn't the first Adolf Hitler wax museum incident to draw controversy. In 2008 a German man rushed into the new Madame Tussaud's in Berlin, ripping the head off the museum's Hitler figurine and shouting "Never war again!"

The use of Hitler's likeness, whether as a wax dummy or in advertising, never fails to attract criticism. But that hasn't stopped museums and brands from capitalizing on Hitler to draw attention, a decision that almost always ends poorly. Anyone hoping to draw tourist dollars from Nazi imagery in the future would do well to keep this in mind.

Gallery: Top Ten Strangest Hotel Guest Requests

Today's Photo of the Day pick comes to us from Flickr user Walker Starling, who's provided us with a beautiful example of macro photography. The crystal-clear detail of the flower in front is contrasted with the soft focus of everything behind it, creating a beautiful dream-like visual effect. The colors are great too: the soft purple of the petals, surrounded by clumps of punchy yellow and vibrant green all combine to create a beautiful landscape. If you didn't know it was a photo, you might be fooled into thinking it was painted by one of the Impressionists.

Want to have your travel photo considered for Gadling's Photo of the Day? Submit your best shots here.

Welcome back to Gadling's new series about Southeast Asia, South by Southeast. Starting in October, I'll be spending the next four months traveling through this much-discussed destination. But as exciting as it is to travel for several months, you can't just get up and leave overnight. Medical arrangements must be made, backpacks selected and most importantly, you'll need to do some budgeting.

Perhaps the most daunting obstacle for anyone considering this type of long-term trip is deciding how much money to bring. It's not an easy question to answer - search around online and you're likely to find all kinds of responses, ranging from the extravagant to the frugal. So how does one create a budget for long-term travel? And how in the world do you save up the money to make it work? Let's take a closer look at how to do it, in five steps.

1: Decide Where You're Going
The most important factor in your budget is the decision of where to go. Although you don't have to pick a destination when you're planning a trip, it helps to choose regions you want to visit and consider general costs. As a rule of thumb, travel in North America and Western Europe is most expensive, whereas South America, Southeast Asia or Africa are far cheaper. For my trip to Southeast Asia, I took the region's cheaper cost of living into account, deciding I could afford to stay longer and stretch my dollars farther.

It's also worth considering how much you plan to move around. Will you be visiting multiple regions of the world? Or will your trip cover just a few neighboring countries? If you only have a week to see all of Southeast Asia, the flights are going to get expensive quick. But if you're able to take your time, you might be able to save lots of money on cheaper bus, boat and train rides.