All things Korean—from fashion and movies to TV series and fresh-faced pop stars—are all the rage. Capitalizing on this trend, the Pathumwan Princess hotel, which already has one Korean outlet, Kongju, recently expanded its offer of Korean delights with Kayageum.

The restaurant is divided into two main sections, with additional semi-private dining rooms. The front of Kayageum is dedicated to its steamboat buffet, where you will find a variety of the ubiquitous kimchi and kimchi-based specialties. But there are also some rarer items like goo jeol pan (nine assorted appetizers wrapped in a thin wheat crepe) and a barbecue where the chef grills meat for you if you don’t want to do it at your table. This all-you-can-eat orgy is on offer at B550 for lunch and B590 for dinner.

If you prefer a la carte, make your way to the hot pot room: The menu there features a large selection of items to cook in the hot pot. The homemade dumplings with beef and shrimp are highly recommended. There are four kinds of soups to choose from—miso, Korean chili paste, seafood and chicken ginseng. Spicy seafood broth is the top seller. However, do try chicken ginseng, which is so sweet and fragrant because a whole chicken is used for every pot of broth.

We asked Chef Kim Hanna to reveal a few secrets of Korean cuisine.

How did you learn to cook?
I’m not a professionally trained chef. I learned cooking tips and techniques from my grandma.

Why do you think Korean food is so popular?
Thais and Koreans, I think, like the same kind of food. Both are fond of spicy food and use rice as a basis. Some dishes even resemble tom yum or gaeng som.

What are the characteristics of Korean cuisine?
It’s very healthy. Korean cooking focuses on grilling and boiling, which are health-friendly cooking styles. Plus, Koreans apply the concept of yin and yang to the cuisine, so protein, fat, carbohydrates and vitamins are well balanced.

What’s the proper way to eat hot pot?
Just like at MK, you put ingredients into the bubbling broth, wait for them to cook and fish them out. Just don’t put too much dipping sauce into the bowl because it will ruin the sweetness of the soup.