A special event was held at the Institute of Traditional Korean Food in downtown Seoul on Tuesday featuring some of the most popular Korean dishes among Americans. U.S. Ambassador to Korea Kathleen Stephens and other prominent Americans living in Seoul came to sample 40 dishes that are the top menu items at 20 Korean restaurants in New York and Los Angeles.

"Preferences differ between diners in New York and Los Angeles," said Yoon Sook-ja, the director of the institute. "New Yorkers tend to favor dishes that accentuate the flavors of individual ingredients. They also like sweet and soft dishes, such as pumpkin porridge.”

Los Angelenos enjoy sea food and chicken dishes, Yoon said. "Diners in L.A. also enjoy spicy dishes, which seems to reflect the prevalence of Asian and Mexican foods in that part of the country as it has a large population of immigrants," Yoon added. 

Yoon Sook-ja (center), director of the Institute of Traditional Korean Food, poses with U.S. Ambassador Kathleen Stephens (second from right) and other guests. /Yonhap