We’ve all been inundated by K-content in pop culture—movies, television and, of course, music, but if you feel like immersing yourself in even more of what the country has to offer, Koreatown in Angeles, Pampanga has tons to offer, and then some.   

Even if you haven’t caught the K-bug, escaping Metro Manila for a quick weekend road trip is always a good idea. It’s even better when you have the right vehicle for the job.

The Ford Everest

That was the case one Sunday when I sat behind the wheel of the Ford Everest and set the nav app up north to Angeles with two of my friends. The mission was to check out the burgeoning Koreatown district and experience what it had to offer. Getting to drive the Everest was a bonus. Having driven it a few times not just here in the Philippines but in places like in Thailand and in South Africa, I was well aware of its capabilities: easy to handle in city traffic, powerful on the highway, and roomy enough to make the ride feel more like a glide than a regular drive. 

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Koreatown

Koreatown is a district in Angeles City that’s grown over the years into a busy hub of culture and cuisine. It traces its roots back to the late 1990s, when the U.S. Air Force pulled out of Clark Air Base and opportunities for new communities to take root opened up. Many South Koreans settled in the area, drawn by business prospects and affordable living. Pretty soon, restaurants, grocery stores, and other small enterprises mushroomed along Friendship Highway and the surrounding streets, gradually expanding into the vibrant enclave that it is today. 

I’ve been to this area of Clark more than a few times, but never actually taken the time to explore the Koreatown. This time, we planned our route carefully. Save for a sudden downpour along NLEX that temporarily made us think we might have to turn back, we got to Pampanga in just a little over an hour and a half.

Here’s where we went and what we did. 

First Stop: Grill Seoul

We got to Clark just in time for lunch and, naturally, no visit would be complete without a proper Korean barbecue feast.  We made a beeline for Grill Seoul, which has some pretty good reviews online. 

It was right in the middle of the midday rush, so we had to wait a bit for a table, but when we were finally seated, we knew we had made the right call. As wit most K-BBQ places, the place hummed with energy: the clang of tongs, the sizzle of meat cooking on hot plates, and the buzz of families and friends catching up over shared dishes.

The spread of banchan or side dishes was filling enough—there was garden salad, kimchi, pickled cucumber, fish cakes, and savory pancakes—but we saved room for the main event. We got the set meal, which consisted of three kinds of beef that we chose to have cooked in the kitchen instead of tableside, fresh lettuce wraps, grilled chicken slices, huge prawns in butter sauce, seafood pancake, japchae or the Korean version of pansit, Korean beef broth, kimchi rice, and a variety of dipping sauces. We finished with dessert called Snow Mango, which is bingsu or their version of halo-halo.  

The Korean BBQ set at Grill Seoul

Maybe we were just hungry, but everything was satisfying. There were probably dozens of Korean bbq joints in the area, but it was clear we made the right choice by going to Grill Seoul.

Next stop: Moon Café

About a 10-minute drive away was Moon Café, which is a Korean-inspired coffee shop located in what looked like a refurbished warehouse inside a gated compound. The interiors were minimalist but chic—soft lighting, bare cement walls, wooden furniture, and shelves lined with books and quirky décor.

I ordered a simple iced latte, Toni got an iced Americano, while Portia opted for an iced caramel latte. While we were bursting at the seams from lunch, we couldn’t resist sampling the decadent pastries and sweets on the dessert counter. We got two kinds of cookies: a chocolate chip and their version of the Dubai chocolate. 

Moon Cafe

Almost every other table in the café took snapshots inside the minimalist interior of the café, which had a relaxed atmosphere that encouraged lingering. The three of us have been friends since college and we used the time to just catch up on each other’s lives, as well as other things going on with people that we know. 

Unwinding at La Vie Massage

Nearly two hours later, and the sun just beginning to set, we decided to cap the day with something more restorative. Just off Friendship Highway is La Vie Massage, a spa that has become a favorite among locals and visitors alike. 

The treatment menu was sparse, but I opted for a one-hour Swedish massage, and it was exactly what my road-weary body needed. I managed to doze off for a bit while the therapist’s eased out the knots from shoulders stiffened by driving. By the time I stepped out, I felt renewed—like I had left a layer of city stress behind. 

Back to the city

The drive back to Manila was uneventful; by then the Everest felt familiar, like I had been driving it for years. The three of us sang along to the songs on my playlist and made plans to come back and discover more under-the-radar gems in Koreatown.

While people might think it’s just a dining destination, it was clear Koreatown was a full experience that provided a glimpse into a fascinating foreign culture right here in our own country. It was also a reminder that there are communities worth exploring and savoring if you’re willing to just go for a drive.