I was invited to participate in this day of kimchi making and kimchi eating with a family in Daejeon in late November as they were getting ready to fill their kimchi fridge with fresh kimchi for the year ahead. Yes, Koreans have a whole refrigerator dedicated to storing just one dish! That’s how much is made during kimjang day.

In this article I want to share my experience of making kimchi in Korea, as well as pass on some cultural insights and information about this arduous day of cabbage cutting and stuffing. If you’re interested in trying kimjang yourself, I’ll also tell you about where you can try it in Seoul and other places in Korea.

Affiliate Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links and I may earn commission for purchases made after clicking these links.

What Is Kimjang And Why Did I Do It?

What is kimjang? kimjang is a Korean cultural tradition where families gather in late autumn or early winter to make large batches of kimchi together. During kimjang, ingredients like napa cabbage are chopped, salted, and seasoned before being stored to ferment and eat during the colder months.

Koreans don’t just use napa cabbages, however, there are over 200 hundred types of kimchi that can be made, including mul kimchi (water kimchi), baek kimchi (white kimchi), pa kimchi (spring onion kimchi) and more. All are great Korean banchan. When I joined kimjang, we made 3 different types of kimchi in one day.

When is kimjang? There is no set date for kimchi making day in Korea, but it’s traditionally around late November or early December when the temperature drops below zero degrees. This is apparently the ideal condition to make kimchi and weather reports in Korea will alert people when to start kimjang.

November 22nd is designated as Kimchi Day in Korea, but this isn’t a set date for making kimchi, more a day where the cultural importance of kimchi is celebrated. Some US states have even started to adopt Kimchi Day on the same day in recognition of Korean communities in the US.

Why did I join kimjang? kimjang is a traditional cultural event that centres around the family working together to prepare food for the winter ahead. I was able to do kimjang like a local as I joined my girlfriend’s family on this special day for the first time this November. I’d never done it before.

This experience was interesting, but also physically and culturally intense. Joining Korean family events as an insider opens up a different view of what is essentially a day of food prep and one of the benefits of dating in Korea. I hope to share some of these insights with you in this article

Joining these experiences is hard for foreigners in Korea, even those who live here as expats or students, unless you have some nice Korean friends. However, if you want to get your hands covered in red paste, you can experience making kimchi at the Seoul Kimchi Academy in Seoul. More details on that later.

The Kimjang Experience: How To Make Kimchi

I’ve got a confession to make. I didn’t do everything needed to make kimchi this kimchi making day. Some steps were done by other people both before I arrived and on another day. That’s because modern kimjang can involve a few shortcuts to make things easier. After all, modern life is busy and time is precious!

There are a few things to prepare before you start making kimchi onkimjang, such as buying the ingredients, making the sauce, and cutting up the cabbages. As well as this, you’ll need a big area to prepare the kimchi with lots of newspapers down to stop the bright red sauce staining everything.

Traditionally, Koreans prepare the ingredients for kimjang throughout the year, collecting seafood in spring, sea salt and chili peppers in summer, and the cabbages, spring onions, radishes and other ingredients in autumn. These ingredients are fermented (seafood) and dried out (chili peppers) throughout the year.

Honestly though, I don’t think Koreans really collect all those things in each season, and most people purchase them closer to the time. That’s why the price of ingredients for kimchi making tend to shoot up in late November. I was told the price of oysters (for geotjeori) was three times higher than normal right now!

Step 1: Prepare The Cabbage

This step is best done the night before kimjang as the baechu cabbages need time to soak and dry out so they’re ready to be covered in the spicy sauce that turns them into delicious kimchi. Each cabbage should be cut into quarters and soaked in salty water. This helps make them soft and easy to pull apart and also removes impurities and excess water.

In the morning, take the cabbages out of the water, wash them thoroughly, and put them somewhere sunny to dry. My girlfriend’s mum got up at 6am to do this. I was busy sleeping at this time, saving energy for the rest of the kimchi making process.

Step 2: Make The Marinade

This is probably the most important step for a successful kimjang. If you don’t have the perfect marinade to coat the cabbages with, your kimchi won’t bring a bite of joy to every meal throughout the year. Fortunately, I wasn’t involved in making the marinade, so it was perfect!

The marinade is made of a range of ingredients (more details later) that typically include red chili pepper powder, garlic, spring onions, pear, fermented fish, rice paste, and ginger. my girlfriend’s mum was in charge of mixing a giant metal bowl of marinade, adding in generous helpings of the various ingredients to get it sweet yet spicy. It’s a family recipe that’s been perfected through dozens of kimchi making days.

Step 3: Marinade The Cabbages

This is the heart of kimjang and the toughest part where you really earn the big meal that’s waiting for you at the end. To marinade the cabbages, you’ll need a big metal bowl that is big enough to hold the cabbage spread out. Start with a large dollop of kimchi marinade in the bottom of the bowl and then slap your cabbage on top of it so that you coat the outside.

So far, so easy, but next up is the tricky part and one that takes a long time. Lift the cabbage up and separate each leaf, laying the first leaf down on the bottom of the bowl. Massage a generous helping of the sauce onto the leaf, then place the next leaf down and do the same. Keep doing this until the whole cabbage has a layer of marinade between each leaf and around the outside.

Tip: Make sure you get all the ingredients (spring onions, radish, etc.) between each leaf, not just the sauce.

Step 4: Store The Kimchi

After a couple of hours of back-breaking marinading, with the occasional thumbs up from my girlfriend’s mum for encouragement, all of the kimchi was safely placed in boxes, ready to start fermenting in the kimchi fridge. Historically, kimchi was stored in stone pots and buried outside, but the neighbours might steal it if we did.

Before I put each one into the box, I had to wrap the kimchi in a special way, which I never knew about until I joined this kimchi making day. Using the outer leaf of the cabbage, you need to gently wrap it around the bottom of the cabbage and then tuck it around the front.

The cabbages are stored facing up, as in the outside of the cabbage is facing the bottom of the box, except for the last ones, which go face down. We packed in some radish kimchi with the cabbage kimchi as they can ferment together and it fits in nicely at the side.

Step 5: Make Other Kimchi

The main star of the kimjang show is baechu kimchi, but there are many other types of kimchi you can make at the same time. We made 3 different types of kimchi on this day, including one that we ate for dinner.

The first type was baechu kimchi, which is the kimchi you most commonly see in Korean restaurants and the one you use for a kimchi slap. The second type was radish kimchi, which is also very common in Korean restaurants and cut into bite-sized chunks that are more like sliced apples. The third type was baechu geotjeori kimchi, which is a non-fermented kimchi that you can eat fresh. This fresh kimchi is the one we ate for dinner after a long afternoon making kimchi.

Step 6: Share Dinner Together

After a hard day’s work making kimchi, we were all tired and ready for a big meal. Korean’s typically eat boiled pork slices, called suyuk (수육) in Korean, after kimjang with a big helping of fresh geotjeori kimchi. This is one of my favourite traditional Korean dishes and I definitely recommend it wrapped in lettuce leaves (bossam).

While my girlfriend and I were marinading an endless supply of cabbages (36 wrapped pieces in total, but it felt like 100), her mum was preparing dinner for everyone. This dinner was certainly the best part of kimjang and a welcome reward for everyone’s hard work. There’s nothing like tucking into freshly prepared kimchi. And of course we had to wash it down with some makgeolli.

My Thoughts On Kimjang

Overall, it was a really interesting experience making kimchi with my girlfriend’s family. We all worked hard to make several boxes of kimchi that will be eaten throughout the year. I got to take a box home for myself (although my girlfriend will probably steal it all) and I look forward to that fresh kimchi smell in the fridge!

Kimchi making day certainly is a time when everyone comes together and the camaraderie and teamwork that I found through kimjang was a welcome reward for all the hard work. My back was quite stiff for a couple of days after sitting on the floor filling dozens of cabbages with the family’s secret sauce. but it was worth it.

I’ll never forget my girlfriend’s mum using her limited English to direct me to put more sauce on the leaves while commenting how much of a natural I am at making kimchi throughout the day. Her regular thumbs ups while my gloved hands were wrist-deep in kimchi seasoning gave me the motivation to keep on going.

It’s little things like being fed boiled pork slices as I wrapped the cabbages, preparing the table and cleaning up together, and everyone being involved that made it a very memorable day of my life in Korea. It’s not something that I’d want to do often as it’s hard work, but I’d definitely do it again next year.

To help sum up my thoughts on the cultural aspects of kimchi making day, I asked DALL-E 3 to create an image of kimjang that shows everyone working together. What do you think? Does it look right? Check out the next section of this article to learn more about the cultural and historic aspects of kimjang.

History & Origins Of Kimjang

Since 2013, kimjang has been recognised as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, demonstrating the importance of kimchi making day for Korean culture. It’s not just a practical day of food production, it’s a shared experience that reflects Korea’s traditional values.

The origins of kimchi making date back centuries as a way to preserve vegetables without refrigeration during Korea’s harsh winters. Neighbours would make large amounts of kimchi collectively to share. Over time, kimjang became a family tradition, with recipes and techniques passed down through generations.

While modern refrigeration allows year-round kimchi today, some Korean families still honour their heritage by coming together each winter for kimjang. It’s an opportunity to bond across generations while ensuring a supply of homemade kimchi is stocked in kimchi refrigerators. And homemade kimchi is the best kind of kimchi!

The tradition highlights values of community, cooperation, and shared work while celebrating Korean food traditions. I would say that these values are still strong in Korea today, even if kimjang’s popularity is waning. Community and cooperation are key facets of Korean culture and etiquette and can be seen in many places.

Unfortunately, the practice of kimjang isn’t as common as it was in previous decades as Koreans have moved away from their hometowns and spend less time with their family except during big holidays. I think this is reflective of how many societies spend less time as a family and not just a Korean issue.

See how kimchi is made in this interesting video that explores the cultural and historic roots of kimjang.

What Ingredients Are Used For Kimjang?

Korean families may have their own recipe for kimjang, but most of them will use a standard set of ingredients as a base for the marinade and then add in extra ingredients or use different quantities of the standard ingredients. I don’t want to spoil the family secret, so here are the typical kimchi marinade ingredients for kimjang.

Gochugaru (고추가루) – dried chili pepper flakes: This is the heart of the kimchi marinade and the ingredient that gives it a deep red colour. Add as much as you can handle.

Maneul (마늘) – garlic: Koreans love garlic and Korea is one of the countries that eats it the most. Loads of garlic cloves are crushed and added into the kimchi marinade.

Saeng-gang (생강) – ginger: Another popular ingredient in Korean cooking, ginger is both healthy and delicious and gives the kimchi it’s basic taste.

Pa (파) – spring onions: Finely chopped spring onions are added into the sauce and placed between the leaves. This gives the kimchi a crunchy texture and added flavour.

Mu (무) radish: As with the spring onions, these are chopped into small parts and added between the cabbage leaves. We used grounded radish instead of chopped radish.

Bae (배) – pear: Korean pears are gigantic, crunchy, and quite different from pears I’m used to from England. When they’re grounded and added to the sauce, they bring a good amount of sweetness.

Seol-tang (설탕) – sugar: An easier way to add sweetness to the kimchi marinade is through spoonfuls of sugar. The mixture of sweet and spicy is quite common in Korean cooking and is called yangnyeom (양념).

Chap-ssal-pul (찹쌀풀) glutinous rice paste: this white sauce is an essential ingredient to help with the fermentation process along with the fermented seafood ingredients. It helps the growth of bacteria in kimchi.

Saeu-jeot (새우젓) – fermented shrimp: These minuscule shrimp are commonly used as a seasoning for dishes and are really salty. They’re used to help the kimchi ferment and give it a strong, rich and sour taste.

Gganari-aeg-jeot (까나리액젓) – fermented anchovy sauce: As with the fermented shrimp, this fish sauce adds a rich taste to the marinade and contributes to the high level of health benefits of kimchi.

So-geum (소금) – salt: Used to bring out the flavour of kimchi. You don’t need too much if you’re using lots of fermented shrimp or anchovy sauce.

The quantities of these ingredients will vary depending on how much kimchi you’re making, which can range from a few cabbages to dozens. Here’s a simple kimchi recipe you can use to make a batch of kimchi at home.

How To Make Vegetarian Kimchi

If you want to make kimchi that’s vegetarian or vegan-friendly, you can use all of the above ingredients, but leave out the fermented shrimp and anchovy sauce. Unfortunately, this takes away the strong savoury taste that kimchi is known for, so you’ll need to replace them with alternative ingredients, such as vegetable stock or soy sauce.

For those who prefer to make kimchi without seafood, here’s a recipe for vegan kimchi that you can use when you try kimjang at home. It’s worth being aware of kimchi’s seafood ingredients if you’re travelling in Korea and want to eat only vegan-friendly food. Most restaurants will serve non vegan-friendly kimchi.

How To Experience Kimjang In Korea

I’ll be honest, it’s not going to be easy to persuade a typical Korean family to let you join them for kimjang, but you might be lucky if they think the offer of free help is better than having a stranger in their house. Fortunately, there are other options to try kimchi making when you’re in Korea. Here are few ways you can try making kimchi:

Visit the Museum Kimchikan in Seoul: If you’re visiting Seoul, there’s an excellent museum dedicated to the world of kimchi in Insadong called Museum Kimchikan. Groups that want to experience kimchi making can contact the museum one day in advance to try kimjang. I recommend calling 1330 (tourist support) in Korea to do this.

Join a kimchi making class in Seoul: There are regular classes in Seoul that will introduce you to the world of kimjang, such as those run by the Seoul Kimchi Academy. Here you can try making kimchi with pre-prepared cabbages and learn about the history and culture of Korean kimchi at the same time.

Here are a couple of classes to learn how to make kimchi in Seoul:

• Seoul Kimchi & Culture Experience
• Kimchi Making, Hanbok Wearing and Tea Ceremony in Seoul

If you’re from Singapore, there’s an authentic kimchi making class in Singapore that you can join.

Experience a kimchi making event at Songtan Market (Pyeongtaek): For expats in Korea or tourists who are visiting in early December, there’s an authentic kimchi making experience happening at a traditional market in Pyeongtaek. This 2-day event will take you through the whole kimjang process and includes meals and snacks.

You can find out more about this event from this South of Seoul blog post. It’s just $25 and designed to introduce people to local Korean culture and customs.

Kimchi Making Day FAQs

Finally, here are a few FAQs about winter in Korea, in case the above information didn’t cover enough for you. If you have any other questions you’d like to ask, feel free to leave a comment.

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This article introduces the best street food in Seoul and where to try it. Discover why travellers flock to Myeongdong Street Food Alley, Hongdae’s food scene, Gwangjang Market, and other hot spots for street food in Seoul. There are some useful Korean phrases to help you order street food, too.

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The 30 Best Korean Street Food In Seoul

Not sure what street food snack to try first when you arrive in Seoul? Well, take a look at this list of the 30 best Korean street foods you’ll find in Seoul and take a note. The best thing – most of these street foods are really cheap, easy to find, and you can try snack on them as you explore Seoul’s streets.

Here are the 30 best Korean street foods in Seoul:

Tteokbokki (떡볶이)
Spicy Stir Fried Rice Cakes

The most famous of all Korean street food, tteokbokki is a must-try when you visit Seoul. Tteokbokki is a simple dish, but full of flavour and textures that are so rewarding together, especially on a cold day. It’s basically a big pot of sweet and spicy sauce with chewy rice cakes and a few slices of fish cake. Each tteokbokki stall has their own recipe, making their dish spicier or sweeter as their customers like it. Definitely grab a bowlful of tteokbokki and sample this classic Korean street food.

Gyeran-Ppang (계란빵)
Egg Bread

Gyeran-ppang is an iconic Korean street food that you’ll find in Myeongdong Street Food Alley and many other places. These eggy-delights are very straightforward – it’s an oval-shaped piece of bread with an egg dropped on top that’s baked on a hot plate. Gyeran-ppang are cheap and make a good breakfast or late-night snack when you’re out in Seoul. Just be careful when you eat them as the yellowy egg yolk is often runny.

Bungeo-Ppang (붕어빵)
Red Bean Goldfish Pastry

Bungeo-ppang are red bean filled pastries cooked in a special fish-shaped pan to give them an adorable look. This cute street food can be found all over Seoul’s street corners during the winter months when people need a sweet treat to heat them up. These are literally called ‘carp bread’ in Korean as it’s shaped like a carp. These street food snacks are cheap and can be snapped up for 2,000 won or less.

Gamja Hot Dogs (감자핫도그)
Korean-style Hot Dogs

A Korean street food classic that’s made waves around the world, gamja hot dogs (potato hot dogs) are a guilty pleasure for many in Seoul. Gamja hot dogs are based on corn dogs, but have taken them to a new level. Korean hot dogs have sausage and cheese inside and are coated in crispy breadcrumbs (panko). The hot dogs are deep fried until they’re crispy, then coated in sugar and tomato ketchup to give a sweet and savoury taste that’s irresistible.

Bindaetteok (빈대떡)
Mung Bean Pancakes

Bindaetteok are a Korean street food that are usually found in Seoul’s traditional markets, especially Gwangjang Market. These deceptively delicious pancakes are made with crushed mung beans that have added vegetables and sometimes meat. Bindaetteok are best when eaten fresh from the hot plate, dipped in a bowl of soy sauce, and accompanied with a bowl of plain makgeolli rice wine. It’s a real Korean experience you have to try.

Dakgangjeong (닭강정)
Sweet-Crispy Fried Chicken

Korean fried chicken (the other KFC), is a popular indulgence on the weekend with a few cold beers and you’ll see many places serving chi-maek (chicken with beer) in Seoul. If you want to sample Korean fried chicken when you explore Myeongdong or Hongdae, try out a bowl (or bucket) of dakgangjeong. Discover amazing deep-fried chicken that’s covered in a uniquely Korean sweet-spicy-sticky sauce that’s finger-licking good!

Gilgeori Toast (길거리토스트)
Korean Street Toast

Gilgeori toast, which literally means ‘street vendor toast’ certainly doesn’t seem to be a traditional Korean snack, but it’s been around since the 1960s and remains incredibly popular as it’s cheap and filling. This street food snack is made with two slices of buttered bread that’s toasted until golden brown and then stuffed full with a variety of fillings, such as slices of ham, cheese, egg (scrambled), sliced veg, and even sweetcorn, all dressed in an unhealthy amount of sauce.

Dak-Kkochi (닭꼬치)
Skewered Chicken

There are several popular Korean street food snacks in Seoul that come on a skewer (kkochi), with the best of these being dak-kkochi. Dak-kkochi are typically made of alternating slices of chicken meat (dak) and spring onions (scallions). The dak-kkochi vendors put on the best performances among Seoul’s street food sellers, dancing with their handheld flame throwers while torching the chicken meat in front of you so it’s crispy and smoky.

So-Tteok So-Tteok (소떡소떡)
Sausage & Rice Cake Skewers

A plain yet delicious street food that’s popular with all ages in Korea is so-tteok so-tteok, which is a skewered snack made of chewy rice cakes (tteok) and mini Vienna sausages that are grilled and covered in various sauces. The rice cakes are the same as you get in tteokbokki, but they’re crispier as they’re grilled and not in a sauce, which is one of the best ways to eat them. So-tteok so-tteok make for a great snack in the morning or evening.

Eomuk / Odeng (어묵)
Fish Cakes Slices

An old-school Korean street food favourite that’s still popular all over Seoul with locals and tourists, eomuk is simply a thick-cut fish cake stuck on a long metal or wooden skewer. Eomuk are boiled in a salty broth that keeps them fresh and juicy and you usually get a cup of the broth to drink with the fish cake. These are also called ‘odeng’, based on the Japanese food ‘oden’, but Koreans are moving away from that name now.

Ramyeon (라면)
Instant Noodles

Ramyeon noodles are the go-to meal for students and budget travellers who want to try Korean street food in Seoul without breaking the bank. Street food vendors in Seoul often serve ramyeon in golden metal bowls and give you a portion of kimchi or cheese to add to it. You’ll find these places in traditional markets. A bowl of instant ramyeon can be added to many different traditional Korean meals, including tteokbokki, but is just as good by itself.

Grilled Cheese Lobster Tails
(치즈폭탄 랍스터 구이)

This is the most expensive street food in Seoul, but one that’s certainly worth trying if you’re hungry and visiting Myeongdong Street Food Alley. The soft, buttery lobster meat is cooked in the red lobster tail and stuffed with cheese. It’s flame-grilled by the street food vendors with a fiery torch that leaves the cheese crispy and the insides gooey and ready to eat. Scoop out the insides after posing for a photo with the most insta-worth street food in Seoul.

Sundae (순대)
Korean Sausage

Not to be confused with an ice cream sundae, Korean sundae (pronounced soon-dae) is a blood sausage that’s usually served in slices with a dipping salt. Sundae is a filling, meaty street food that’s perfect as a late night snack with a beer or a budget lunch. The main ingredients usually include pork, cellophane noodles, and rice, but regional variations might also include barley, kimchi, bean sprouts and perilla leaves. This is a salty dish, so make sure you have something to drink with it.

Hweori Gamja (회오리 감자)
Tornado Fries

Hweori Gamja, also called twisted potatoes or tornado fries, are a popular Korean street food that you’ll find in areas where young Koreans hang out like Myeongdong and Hongdae. Tornado fries were invented in Korea by Jeong Eun Suk and include a whole potato cut in a spiral and cooked on a skewer. You can add seasonings to the tornado fries, such as cheese, onion, or honey. They’re fun to eat as you walk around Seoul.

Twigim (튀김)
Korean Deep Fried Snacks

Twigim is the Korean word for ‘deep frying’ and this term relates to a collection of deep-fried foods coated in batter that are similar to Japanese tempura. In Korea, twigim street foods can include deep fried shrimp, pumpkin slices, peppers, perilla leaves, sweet potatoes, rice, and variety of other vegetables, fish and meat. When you get twigim as street food, you can pick your favourite deep-fried foods or order a mixed set called ‘modeum twigim’.

Gimbap (김밥)
Seaweed-wrapped Rice Roll

A classic Korean street food that provides millions of people in Korea with a cheap and filling street food snack or meal, gimbap is a dish made of filled rice wrapped in seaweed. There are dozens of varieties of gimbap, including tuna-mayo, battered shrimp, pork cutlet, beef, vegetables, scrambled eggs, fish cakes, and lots more. Gimbap, also called kimbap, are served in long rolls cut into slices or as small rolls that you eat individually (these are ggoma gimbap – little gimbap).

Guwun Garaetteok (구운 가래떡)
Korean Baked Rice Cake Bar

Rice cakes are found in many Korean street foods in Seoul, including tteokbokki and so-tteok so-tteok, but they are just as delicious when eaten by themselves, which is what you can do when you try guwun garaetteok. Garaetteok are long, cylindrical rice cakes that are soft and squidgy until they’re baked (guwun). Once baked, the garaetteok become crispy on the outside and chewy inside, making them a tasty treat that’s also healthy.

Mandu (만두)
Korean Dumplings

Mandu are Korean-style dumplings that are served steamed or fried and come with a range of fillings, including meat, kimchi, and shrimp. You can find mandu in Korean street food stalls in Myeongdong and Hongdae, as well as in traditional markets and you get around 5 mandu per portion. Steamed mandu shops are easily spotted due to the large clouds of steam billowing out from the front of the shop as mandu are being steamed and served.

Tanghuru (탕후루)
Sugar-Coated Fruits

A favourite of children in Seoul, tanghuru is a sweet Korean street food of fruits coated in rock sugar that give a crunchy bite of goodness. Various fruits can be used for tanghuru, but you’ll usually find bright red strawberries as they are the perfect size for skewering and snacking. The sugary coating is crunchy, not soft and sticky, which can be surprising when you first bite it. You’ll often find tanghuru stalls near the entrance to popular family-friendly attractions in Seoul.

Hotteok (호떡)
Korean Sweet Pancakes

Hotteok are crispy pancakes that are packed with ingredients that can include honey, seeds, nuts, and cinnamon. They’re the perfect winter Korean street food snack as the warm, gooey honey and other fillings heat you up instantly. The hotteok vendors stuff a ball of dough with the sweet filling, then fry it an on oily hot plate until it’s flat and crispy before folding it up and squeezing it into a paper cup to serve. Make sure to ask for a fresh hotteok so the insides are runny and hot.

Gun-Bam (군밤)
Roasted Chestnuts

Roasted chestnuts, a popular street food snack in autumn and winter, are cooked in a large metal pan or spun in a metal oven until their shells crack, allowing you to eat the soft, smoky chestnuts inside. Roasted foods like this are common in Korea when it’s cold and provide a cheap snack for people who want a nutritious bite to eat, which you might need if you’ve only been eating tteokbokki for the rest of the time.

Gun-Goguma (군고구마)
Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Another roasted Korean street food that’s healthy, cheap, and filling is gun-goguma, or roasted sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are more common in Korea than regular potatoes and you’ll find vendors and convenience stores roasting these fresh. You can find them by following your nose to the smoky rocks that these sweet potatoes are roasted on. Peel away the skin and enjoy the soft insides.

Hodu-Gwaja (호두과자)
Walnut Cakes

Hodu-gwaja are bite-sized baked goodies that are made with crushed walnuts in the flour to give them a lovely, nutty texture. These walnut cakes are filled with the ever-popular red bean paste that’s at the centre of so many delicious Korean sweet treats. You’ll find these in Seoul in street corner carts where you can buy a bag with a dozen or more hodu-gwaja inside. Hodu-gwaja are perfect for snacking at any time.

Dalgona (달고나)
Korean Sugar Candy

Dalgona is a Korean sugar candy that was made famous internationally by the first season of Squid Game, but has been beloved in Korea for generations. You can buy this sugary snack from street food vendors who make it fresh and then print cute designs as it’s cooling. Dalgona used to be very cheap (1,000 KRW), but after the success of Squid Game, prices jumped and can be quite expensive (3,000 KRW+), especially in touristy areas.

Jjinppang (찐빵)
Korean Steamed Buns

Jjinppang, also known as hoppang, is a steamed bun that’s filled with sweet red bean paste and bits of broken up beans and best eaten fresh from the steamer where they’re kept warm. These white buns can also be filled with chocolate, cheese, meats, and more, but are most commonly filled with red beans. Jjinppang is a traditional Korean street food that’s similar to Chinese bao buns and these days are most commonly found inside convenience stores than on the street.

Kkwabaegi (꽈배기)
Twisted Korean Doughnuts

An old-school Korean street food that has long provided Korean children with a sweet, filling snack during their tough days of studying, kkwabaegi are similar to fried doughnuts but are long and twisted instead of round. Kkwabaegi are made from wheat or rice flour dough with melted butter, deep-fried in oil, and then dipped into trays of powdered sugar and cinnamon to give them a sweet coating. They’re one of the cheapest street foods in Seoul and go really well with a cup of coffee for breakfast.

Gukhwa-Ppang (국화빵)
Chrysanthemum Bread

Sweet red bean paste is found in many traditional Korean street food snacks, especially in baked goods. Gukhwa-ppang, or chrysanthemum bread due to their flowery design, is a flower-shaped bread that’s bursting with red bean paste and is a great winter warmer. Like a waffle, this snack is baked in a flower-shaped mould, trapping in and heating the red bean paste in the centre, waiting for you to discover it when you bite into it.

Kkul-Tarae (꿀타래)
Dragon’s Beard Candy

Dragon’s beard candy, known as kkul-tarae in Korea (honey-stein) or Korean court cake, is one of the most unique looking street foods in Seoul. The silky, hair-thin strands of honey-based candy that wrap the chewy insides are said to resemble a dragon’s beard when they get caught on your chin while eating these sweet snacks. These desserts aren’t that common in Seoul, but you can still find some vendors in the artistic Insadong area.

Ppeongtwigi (뻥튀기)
Korean Puffed Rice

Ppeongtwigi is a puffed grain snack that’s usually made from rice and corn and formed into round disks for snacking. Originally from the USA, the method of making puffed grains eventually ended up in Korea and became very popular in the early 20th Century. Puffed rice cakes are healthy snacks and you can buy big packets of them for a low price and in some places you can see them being shot out of the machine into a basket, ready to eat.

Beondegi (번데기)
Silkworm Pupae

Beondegi is a weird Korean food that will probably make tourists in Seoul curious or even squeamish. This smelly street food is simply boiled or steamed silkworm pupae scooped up into a paper cup and eaten with a toothpick. Koreans don’t eat many insects, but thanks to the health benefits from the high-quality, low-fat protein found in beondegi, these have remained popular. Be warned, the smell of these boiling bugs is quite strong and not that easy to digest.

Best Places To Try Korean Street Food In Seoul

There are many places to try Korean street food in Seoul, such as at traditional markets, food stalls, food markets, riverside parks, and outside popular attractions. You can find street food in every corner of Seoul, but the most convenient places are usually in touristy areas or in older parts of Seoul.

Street food vendors in Seoul work almost every day in traditional markets and street food stalls, but there are also weekend-only spots where food trucks descend in busy areas to feed hungry Seoulites. During festivals, such as spring cherry blossom festivals, you’ll also find temporary street food stalls.

Here are some of the best places to find street food in Seoul:

Myeongdong Street Food Alley & Night Markets

The most popular place to try Korean street food in Seoul has to be Myeongdong Street Food Alley. This wide street in central Seoul is lined with food stalls selling all kinds of traditional and modern street foods, including cheesy lobster tails, tornado fries, gyeran-ppang, and tteokbokki. The entrance to Myeongdong Street Food Alley is opposite the Lotte Department Store. Myeongdong’s markets spread across many streets and include street foods, souvenirs, cosmetics, and more.

Hongdae Shopping Street

Hongdae Shopping Street, which runs from Hongik University through the heart of Hongdae, is a great place to try modern Korean street food and enjoy the cool culture that this area is famous for. Munch on some fried chicken or hotteok while watching street performances in the evening, or get some tanghuru to go with your morning coffee. There are plenty of sweet treats to try in this area and it’s a great area to stay in Seoul.

Gwangjang Traditional Market

Gwangjang Traditional Market is Seoul’s most famous market for street food and was the star of the Netflix show Street Food. In the Seoul episode it showed bindaetteok from Gwangjang Market, which is definitely the best place in Seoul to try this satisfying street food. There’s a load of other delectable traditional street foods in Gwangjang Market, including sundae, mandu, ramyeon, and more. Don’t miss it.

Bukhansan National Park

If you plan to hike Seoul’s Bukhansan National Park, make sure you top up on some delicious street food snacks before you go to give you energy, including hotteok and garaetteok. You’ll find vendors selling freshly made gimbap at the park’s entrance, too, which is perfect to put in your backpack and bring with you and eat as you reach Baegundae Peak. There’s also tteokbokki and other traditional Korean street foods to try at the main park entrance.

Namdaemun Market

Another traditional market in Seoul with street food is Namdaemun Market, which opens from late morning until late at night. Namdaemun Market is often mistaken as Myeongdong Market as it’s very close and can be accessed from Hoehyeon Station, which is one stop before Myeongdong Station. This market is a bit more traditional than Myeongdong, so expect to find classic street foods such as hotteok, beondegi, kkwabaegi, and tteokbokki.

Insadong Art Street

Insadong Art Street is a fun area in central Seoul that’s close to several royal palaces, Jogyesa Temple, and other historic sights. The side streets in this area are full of traditional Korean restaurants and old wooden tea houses. However, the main street is a unique blend of Korean and international, with street food vendors selling dragon’s beard candy, Turkish ice creams, tteokbokki, and rice cakes.

Euljiro Neighbourhood

Euljiro, an area north of Myeongdong and around Cheonggyecheon Stream in central Seoul, is packed with street food stalls, bars, and restaurants that are popular with locals and tourists alike. Head to Jonggak Avenue of Youth near Jonggak Station for a lively bar scene with street food vendors in the main street, or wander outside Euljiro 3-ga Station to see Euljiro Pojangmacha Street, full of street food stalls where you can sit and eat under covers.

Mangwon Market

Mangwon Market, close to Mangwon Station, is less touristy than Hongdae, Namdemun, and Myeongdong markets and you will find more traditional Korean street foods and restaurants here. This market near Hongdae is perfect for stocking up before visiting the nearby Han River parks or snacking as you explore the side streets and back alleys of Mangwon. There are lots of nice cafes and bakeries in this area for lunch, as well as famous Korean fried chicken restaurants where you can experience a night-time food tour.

Seoul’s Night Markets

If you’re visiting Seoul from late spring to autumn, you’ll find lots of yummy Korean street food stalls at Seoul’s summer night markets, including the Goblin Night Markets that run at various times and in various locations in popular night-time spots, including Yeouido Hangang River Park, Cheonggyecheon Stream, and Dongdaemun Design Plaza. You’ll find the best street food trucks selling traditional, modern, and fusion food at these markets.

Street Food Trucks In Seoul

Seoul’s street food trucks offer an impressive array of dining options, from traditional tteokbokki to flame-grilled chop-steak, foreign foods with a Korean twist, and lots more. You can find street food trucks in many locations in Seoul, including the Han River Parks (especially Yeouido), near Seoul Forest, Olympic Park, night markets, Seokchon Lake, weekend markets, festivals, and parades. You can usually find them on weekends and holidays, as well as in spring and autumn.

Fun Korean Food Tours In Seoul

Want to try traditional Korean food in Seoul but not sure where to go and which one of the many options you should try? Why not book a street food tour or Seoul food tour and discover the best bites, make friends, and have fun exploring Seoul’s day or night dining scene.

Here are some of the best food tours available in Seoul:

Seoul Night Food Tour

Discover Seoul’s lively night scene in Euljiro in this evening tour of Seoul. Meet your local guide and walk, talk, and eat your way around the bustling streets and traditional markets while experiencing ‘hansik’ – Korean traditional meals and snacks. See where BTS visited and took a photoshoot, pass by Cheonggyecheon Stream, and even try some Korean cocktails.

Tour Details

The 10 Tastings of Seoul

Eat your way through Seoul’s most popular traditional markets on this 3-hour private Korean food tour that’s perfect for travellers looking to skip the tourist trap restaurants and eat like a local. Experience 10 Korean street food dishes and local cuisine that’s been hand-picked by a local guide who’s passionate about Korean food. Eat and learn about local culture at the same time.

Tour Details

Chicken & Beer Experience

Explore the authentic chicken restaurants of downtown Mangwon, home to some of Seoul’s best establishments and loved by locals. This chicken and beer experience will take you to 3 different chicken restaurants, introducing you to 90s style Korean fried chicken, country-style barbecue chicken, and sizzling boneless fried chicken in a unique WWII setting. The tour includes all drinks and food and will show you areas of Seoul you might not normally visit as a tourist.

Tour Details

Noryangjin Fish Market Tour

If you want to try fresh fishy street food, then this tour of the Noryangjin Fish Market could be right up your alley. This is the best place to eat fresh seafood in Seoul and offers some of the best prices, too – better than you’ll find in restaurants. This tour of Noryangjin Fish Market will allow you to try various seasonal fish and seafood dishes while your guide tells you what each unusual sea creature is.

Tour Details

Korean Phrases To Buy Street Food In Seoul

Korean is a unique language and hard to learn, especially for travellers from English-speaking countries. Fortunately, there are a few simple Korean phrases you can use to help you order food in Korea, ask for prices, and give compliments. Using these will impress Seoul’s street food vendors.

Besides speaking Korean, which will definitely impress the locals, there are a few Korean etiquette rules that you might want to be aware of. Did you know you shouldn’t tip when you buy food or drinks? Also, remember to take off your shoes inside traditional restaurants and don’t cross your legs.

Here are 12 useful phrases to use when ordering street food in Seoul. If you’d like to learn more phrases, check out my guide to phrases for eating out in Korea, which covers dietary requirements, ordering out, eating in a restaurant, and lots of useful Korean cultural and language insights.

If this article has whetted your appetite, be sure to check out my other Korean food-based articles, including the best Korean side dishes and the best traditional Korean dishes. There are lots of delightful and unique foods to try when you travel to Korea. Be brave, try them all.

Korean Street Food FAQs

Finally, here are a few FAQs about Korean street food in Seoul, in case the above information didn’t cover enough for you. If you have any other questions you’d like to ask, feel free to leave a comment.

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Whether you’re adding to your Korean food bucket list for a trip to Korea, or brushing up on your Korean culinary skills, this guide to Korea’s best banchan will inform, entertain, and improve your Korean food knowledge. You’ll be surprised at how deliciously deep Korea’s culinary culture is.

This article also includes a fascinating look at the history and methods of Korean cooking, especially for banchan. Do you know how many banchan on a table are unlucky? Do you know what goes well with jangjorim? Do you know what dosirak is and what you might put inside one? Find out here.

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What Are Banchan? About Korean Side Dishes

Korean side dishes include a selection of hundreds of distinct small dishes that come with a traditional Korean meal. These are known as banchan (반찬) in Korean and these side dishes can range from a bowl of kimchi to a plate of fried deep fried zucchini, whole fish, soft marinated crabs, and more.

Which Korean side dishes you get differs for each meal, but will usually include some form of kimchi, the most common banchan in Korea and a staple in Korean cuisine. The amount of side dishes you get also depends on the meal and can range from just one (or even zero) to a whole table’s worth.

However many side dishes you receive with a traditional Korean meal, it should always be an odd number, because serving an even number of banchan will bring bad luck. Unless you’re royalty, where 12 side dishes are the stated amount to serve with traditional Korean royal meals.

If you want to know more about Korean traditions that might be confusing or interesting, check out my guide to Korean culture. There’s a whole section about Korean dining traditions, including how to place your chopsticks, what to do and not to do at dinner, and how to avoid causing offence.

Korean cuisine has a rich background and banchan embraces locally found vegetables, seeds, fish, animals, fruit, herbs, spices, and anything else that can be pulled out of the ground. Spicy chilli peppers, introduced to Korea in the 16th Century, are also an important ingredient in Korean meals.

The types of Korean side dishes available are probably countless, but usually fall into a few different categories. The most popular types of Korean side dishes are kimchi (over 200 types), jorim, jeon, muchim, jjim, bokkeum, namul, and jeolim. I’ll explain more about these different categories later.

The Korean side dishes introduced in this article are only the tip of the Korean culinary iceberg, and there’s a lot more to discover about the fascinating world of traditional Korean dishes. Take a deep breath and plunge into the depths of Korea’s wonderful range of textures, smells and flavours!

For while Korean cuisine may constantly be evolving, the cultural aspect of it is always the same – every banchan is made with soul and a tale. Every dish is bursting with meaning and comes from Korea’s flavourful history of ice-cold winters, royal banquets, and a life of countless struggles.

These Korean side dishes are mostly healthy (but not always), offer a range of delectable tastes, and can be paired with anything from a simple bowl of rice to a full-blown spread to be picked and stuffed into lettuce leaves, nibbled alone, or used to enhance the flavours of other foods.

The 10 Best Banchan Korean Side Dishes

Sit down at any Korean restaurant, and the first thing you notice are the petite dishes that are set out before you. Sit down at any Korean household, and again you notice how the family hurriedly lays out similar looking dishes to ease your hunger before the main meal arrives.

These are banchan, or ‘side dishes’; similar to having a salad to complete a bolognese, these are the essence of Korean meals. You probably know about kimchi, one of Korea’s most famous foods, but there’s a lot more to banchan and even more to kimchi than you might realise.

Here are 10 tasty Korean side dishes you can cook at home or enjoy at a Korean restaurant with a traditional Korean meal. Each of these banchan includes a recipe to help you prepare the side dish at home and tips for what meals to pair it with to get the best taste combinations.

1: Geotjeori 겉절이 – Fresh Kimchi

When it comes to the best of all Korean side dishes, you can’t beat a bowl of ubiquitous kimchi. There are hundreds of types of kimchi, but the most delicious one in my opinion is geotjeori. Geotjeori is a kind of kimchi that’s made to be eaten fresh, unlike other types of kimchi which are usually fermented.

Kimchi can be made from various main ingredients and geotjeori is no exception. The best version of geotjeori is baechu geotjeori, made from Napa cabbage (Chinese cabbage). Napa cabbage (baechu – 배추) leaves are long, not too thick, and crunchy, giving them the perfect texture for this banchan.

This Korean side dish is quick and easy to make and goes with a range of traditional Korean dishes. It can be eaten with just a bowl of rice, as a side dish for a bowl of noodles or stew, or whatever you like. This side dish isn’t used as an ingredient in Korean meals and should be eaten within a few days.

Because geotjeori isn’t fermented, this kimchi isn’t as sweet as other types, where natural sweetness develops over time. If you want a sweeter taste, add a bit of sugar or corn syrup when you make it. The tastes found in geotjeori can be stronger and fresher than fermented kimchi and less sour.

This Korean side dish is best served with: kalguksu, Korean BBQ, bossam (pork shoulder slices, kimchi braised ribs (deung ggalbi kimchi-jjim) and many other traditional Korean dishes.

How To Make Baechu Geotjeori

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make the Korean side dish geotjeori. You can follow this baechu geotjeori recipe to see the steps to make this banchan or watch the video below.

Ingredients:
1 small head of Napa cabbage
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced ginger
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
Optional toppings: toasted sesame seeds, sliced radishes, shredded carrots

2: Jangjorim 장조림 – Soy Braised Beef

One of Korea’s most loved side dishes, jangjorim contains beef, shisito peppers, garlic, and eggs in soy sauce. This banchan is made by boiling flaky slices of beef in an aromatic soy marinade. The beef soaks up all the herbs and garlicky flavours, and adds the perfect savoury bite to your steamed rice.

These days, it is common to find quail eggs in jangjorim – not only does it add extra minerals and protein, but it balances out the chewiness of the beef and mellows out the saltiness of the sauce. It is a favourite among Korean children too, and you’ll find mums making this weekly for their lunchbox.

Since the sauce is soy-based, it can seem quite salty, so be sure to balance a side dish of jangjorim with steamed rice and other veggie based dishes. Jorim, food made by simmering ingredients in a seasoned broth, is the Korean term for braising and a popular way to make side dishes in Korea.

This Korean side dish is best served with: jangjorim goes perfectly with a simple meal like rice and kimchi, meals where you wrap things in lettuce (e.g ssambap), bibimbap, and for lunch boxes.

How To Make Jangjorim

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make the Korean side dish jangjorim. You can follow this jangjorim recipe to see the steps to make this banchan or watch the video below.

Ingredients:
1 pound beef brisket or flank steak, sliced into thin strips
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup water
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, for garnish
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
10-12 Shishito peppers
4 green onions, chopped
4 hard boiled eggs (optional)

3: Ganjang Gejang 간장게장 – Soy Marinated Crabs

Ganjang gejang is a fermented side dish made by marinating fresh raw crabs (ge) in a sauce – either soy sauce (ganjang) or a chilli pepper sauce. This salty side dish is popular among Koreans, but isn’t something made regularly as it is one of the more complicated Korean banchan to prepare.

This dish can only be made with the freshest crabs you can get your hands on – preferably live ones if possible – and marinating them in a tight jar with a soy brine. Infused with garlic, chilli, ginger, apple, onion and kelp, the brine itself is jam-packed with mouth-watering flavours!

Like Kimchi, savoury brine was used as a way to preserve certain seafoods so that they don’t perish so quickly. It can get a bit messy eating this dish since you need your fingers, but once you taste the wholesome sauce and the tenderness of the crab meat, you’ll definitely be in for seconds!

Suck the juicy meat out of the claws, gulp down the now-marinated rice, and like a true local, be sure to finish off by mixing the crab roe in the shell with your last spoonful of rice. There is also a spicy version of this dish, which is equally as delightful, for people who love a good kick!

Ganjang gejang is a type of banchan referred to as 밥도둑 (bap-do-dook). This term literally means ‘rice thief’, indicating you want to steal some rice to go with ganjang gejang. When you eat this side dish, you want more rice because it’s salty and delicious and needs rice to wash it down.

This Korean side dish is best served with: this banchan accompanies seafood dishes perfectly, but can also be used as a side dish for a wide range of other traditional Korean dishes or even just rice.

How To Make Ganjang Gejang

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make the Korean side dish ganjang gejang. You can follow this ganjang gejang recipe to see the steps to make this banchan or watch the video below.

Ingredients:
4-6 live blue crabs (or any other variety suitable for raw consumption)
1 cup soy sauce (ganjang)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Optional: Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru) for extra spice

4: Pa Kimchi 파김치 – Spring Onion Kimchi

The second kimchi side dish on this list of banchan is pa kimchi, which translates to spring onion or scallion (pa) kimchi. This type of kimchi looks very different from the aforementioned geotjeori and is fermented, not fresh. It still packs the same great spicy taste that you’ll find in other kimchi.

Crispy, strong, and aromatic – pa kimchi is one of the easiest types of kimchi to make, yet its flavours will surprise you! Pa kimchi is made by blending together ginger, garlic, plum syrup and Korean chilli flakes, before massaging the marinade all over whole strands of spring onion (don’t slice them).

This spicy and pungent kimchi is the perfect accompaniment to grilled pork belly. Take a thin slice of meat, grab a whole strand of pa kimchi, and coil it all the way around the pork belly until you’re left with, what looks like, a mini parcel. Pop it in and let the aromatic flavours surround your mouth.

The pungency comes mainly from the fish sauce, but don’t let the smell fool you – the fishiness is key to making this kimchi work. The sourness perfectly balances out the juicy pieces of meat. Add a stew and you have a meal that’s hearty enough to wash away any Monday blues!

This Korean side dish is best served with: pa kimchi goes well with Korean BBQ, as well as hameul pajeon (seafood pancake), japchae (stir fried glass noodles), and bibimbap.

How To Make Pa Kimchi

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make the Korean side dish pa kimchi. You can follow this pa kimchi recipe to see the steps to make this banchan or watch the video below.

Ingredients:
2 bunches of spring onions (scallions) – approximately 20
2 tablespoons sea salt
2 tablespoons Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
2 teaspoons sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

5: Dubu Jorim 두부조림 – Braised Tofu

Dubu jorim is an easy to make side dish of braised tofu that is kid-friendly, vegan-friendly, and can be prepared in under 20 minutes. Similar to the Chinese dish mapo tofu, this simple banchan requires a few thick slices of firm tofu to simmer in a blend of soy sauce, water, black pepper and garlic.

If you prefer to eat spicy Korean side dishes, add a splash of sesame oil and a drizzle of Korean chilli flakes (gochugaru). Want to go further? Add in a mix of sliced onions and spring onions to the dubu jorim, and serve with stir fried kimchi (fresh doesn’t cut it here) and grilled pork belly (samgyeopsal).

Tofu with kimchi is one of the most popular food combinations in Korea. People serve it at home for dinner, as a midnight munchie and almost every single bar has it on their menu, because nothing else pairs better with a glass of chilled soju and friends after work on a Friday night.

This Korean side dish is best served with: simple rice and kimchi or just kimchi alone. Dubu jorim is the perfect banchan for a dosirak (packed lunch) to take to work or school.

How To Make Dubu Jorim

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make the Korean side dish dubu jorim. You can follow this dubu jorim recipe to see the steps to make this banchan or watch the video below.

Ingredients:
2 blocks (about 1 pound) firm tofu
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 green onion, chopped (for garnish)
Optional toppings: toasted sesame seeds, sliced green chilli peppers (gochugaru)

6: Gosari Namul 고사리 나물 – Marinated Fernbrake

Gosari namul is a Korean side dish made from wild fernbrake or bracken and seasoned with minced garlic, sesame oil, and soy sauce. Unlike some bracken, which can be poisonous, this version is edible and makes for a healthy addition to a selection of banchan for a traditional Korean meal.

Every spring, Korea’s older generation still go out to forage for fresh gosari – the young stem of the bracken plant and a traditional ingredient that has been eaten in Korea for centuries. However, the version you’ll see in the supermarkets is brown, dry and thin – and this is the base of this banchan.

A bowl of gosari namul will bring you several health benefits as gosari contains lots of vitamins, antioxidants, fibre, and protein. Koreans call it ‘the beef of the mountains‘ due to its high protein content. This secret superfood side dish is best described as nutty in taste and chewy in texture.

This Korean side dish is best served with: This mellow and nutty vegetable dish goes perfectly with anything and everything, and most commonly seen as a main ingredient in bibimbap.

How To Make Gosari Namul

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make the Korean side dish gosari namul. You can follow this gosari namul recipe to see the steps to make this banchan or watch the video below.

Ingredients:
1 cup dried gosari (fernbrake)
4 cups water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon vinegar (optional)
Salt, to taste

7: Kongnamul Muchim 콩나물 무침 – Marinated Beansprouts

Kongnamul muchim is a refreshing side dish made of marinated beansprouts that’s best served in summer or as an accompaniment to hot winter stews and soups. With its crisp bite and neutral taste, kongnamul muchim is a tasty banchan that can be prepared in 10 minutes and goes with any meal.

As this dish contains soybean sprouts, which are an excellent source of antioxidants and calcium, dishes like kongnamul muchim are eaten regularly across Korea. You can find soybean sprouts in a wide range of Korean banchan and main meals as they’re cheap, healthy, and versatile.

Kongnamul muchim is simple to make – boil and drain the beansprouts and blanket generously with minced garlic, sesame oil, salt, pepper, spring onions and chilli flakes. Place them in the fridge to marinate for a while and then serve. This creates an aromatic and healthy side dish for all to enjoy!

The delicate taste of the beansprouts mean that it goes better with stronger-tasting foods, such as braised chicken or yukhaejang (육해장) – a spicy stew bursting with beef, chillies and greens! You’ll find you can’t stop eating these nutty, crunchy beansprouts and will want more and more.

This Korean side dish is best served with: Like gosari namul, kongnamul muchim is one of the key ingredients for bibimbap. This banchan is also great for Korean stews and soups, such as gukbap.

How To Make Kongnamul Muchim

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make the Korean side dish kongnamul muchim. You can follow this kongnamul muchim recipe to see the steps to make this banchan or watch the video below.

Ingredients:
2 cups soybean sprouts (kongnamul)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 green onion, thinly sliced
Optional: 1 teaspoon gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)

8: Baek Kimchi 백김치 – White Kimchi

Baek kimchi, also known as white kimchi, is a version of kimchi that has a clean, refreshing taste and is made without the spicy chilli pepper powder that gives regular kimchi its famous kick. Thanks to the lack of spice, this is a popular Korean side dish for children and those who prefer simpler tastes.

As with other fermented kimchi, baek kimchi is made with healthy ingredients all packed with nutrients. However, instead of marinating the cabbage with a red chilli pepper marinade, it is salted, sliced, and left to soak in a brine that is made from blending pears, apples, garlic, ginger, and onion.

The delicious flavours of these ingredients are extracted using a sieve or cheesecloth into a bowl of salted water and freshly sliced radish, chillies, and apples. All of that combined creates a beautiful brine infused with rich flavours that will ferment the cabbage, creating a crunchy, healthy side dish.

After fermentation, baek kimchi will taste flavoursome and sour, and will contain fibre and plenty of good lactic acid for the gut. It’s similar to sauerkraut. Like pickled ginger served with sushi, or sips of lemon water offered during a wine tasting, baek kimchi is also perfect for cleansing your palette.

This is a refreshing side dish with a light taste that is paired best with the heaviness of grilled beef, or the oiliness of battered chicken (which is why fried chicken is always served with pickles in Korea). If you’re feeling sick, try some Korean juk (porridge) served with non-spicy baek kimchi. It’ll help a lot.

This Korean side dish is best served with: oily or fried foods such as soegogi gui (Korean fried beef), fried chicken, or bulgogi. Also pairs with Korean porridge and similar non-spicy dishes.

How To Make Baek Kimchi

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make the Korean side dish baek kimchi. You can follow this baek kimchi recipe to see the steps to make this banchan or watch this video below.

Ingredients:
1 large Napa cabbage
1 cup daikon radish, julienned
1 cup carrot, julienned
1 cup Korean pear, julienned
2 green onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, grated
2 tablespoons sea salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water

9: Gyeran Jjim 계란찜 – Steamed Eggs

Gyeran jjim is a soft, fluffy Korean side dish of steamed eggs that can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or as quick snack. The key ingredient in this side dish is gyeran (egg) – sometimes called dalgyal (달걀) – and the method of cooking it is known as jjim (steaming), hence the name gyeran jjim.

This is best described as a bowl of steaming savoury egg custard that you eat with a spoon while it’s steaming hot, blowing on it before slurping it down. The eggs bubble up like lava from a volcano and this is one of the most impressive looking side dishes you’ll find on a Korean dinner table.

You will most often find gyeran jjim served in a stone hot pot with Korean BBQ and it’s the perfect snack to prepare your taste buds while the slices of meat are slowly cooking in front of you. This side dish usually comes to the table last, but is the first to be finished as everyone wants a piece of it.

If you’re tired of regular scrambled eggs or omelette, then gyeran jjim is a great alternative for a breakfast meal that’s simple and quick to make. Add some green onions / scallions to the eggs to fill it out, or some carrots and onions for a bigger dish. This can be a tasty snack between meals, too.

This Korean side dish is best served with: Korean BBQ (samgyeopsal) and other fried dishes that come with a lot of side dishes. Can be eaten alone as a snack or with rice and kimchi.

How To Make Gyeran Jjim

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make the Korean side dish gyeran jjim. You can follow this gyeran jjim recipe to see the steps to make this banchan or watch the video below.

Ingredients:
3 large eggs
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 green onion, finely chopped (optional)
Optional toppings: sesame seeds, chopped green onion

10: Hobak Jeon 호박전 – Zucchini Fritters

Hobak jeon is a popular Korean side dish that can be prepared quickly to accompany any home cooked meal. Hobak is the name given to the group of vegetables that includes pumpkin, squash, and zucchini (courgette), while jeon is a type of Korean pancake dish that comes in many varieties.

Zucchini isn’t everyone’s favourite vegetable, but if you try it Korean-style in hobak jeon, you’ll probably love it. Sliced thinly, dipped lightly in flour, then coated in egg, hobak jeon are little round disks that turn an unloved vegetable into a delicate-tasting fritter that pairs beautifully with any dish!

If you’re a fan of Japanese tempura, then you might recognise hobak jeon as there’s a similar version in Japanese cuisine. The delicate sweetness of the zucchini, the slight crunch of the batter – this banchan is crispy on the outside and soft in the inside. Dip it in some soy sauce for more flavour!

This Korean side dish is best served with: this banchan is great alone as a snack, but also pairs well with grilled meats, offering a savoury contrast to the rich meats. Dip in the sauce of a bowl of tteokbokki for a guilty treat that will leave a smile on your face.

How To Make Hobak Jeon

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make the Korean side dish hobak jeon. You can follow this hobak jeon recipe to see the steps to make this banchan or watch the video below.

Ingredients:
2 small zucchini (courgettes)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup rice flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 cup cold water
Vegetable oil, for frying
Soy sauce or dipping sauce, for serving (optional)

My Favourite Korean Side Dishes

This was just a modest introduction to some of Korea’s most-loved banchan. As you can see, they can range from simple and modest, to complicated and intense! Koreans take great pride in their history and food, and so they should – for this is how the roots of their traditional dishes were formed.

I don’t think I can choose a favourite Korean side dish as there are so many great tastes to be found in banchan and each matches a certain meal. If I’m eating chobab (Korean sushi), then a bite of sinkimchi (aged kimchi) goes with it perfectly, the same with Korean BBQ as it contrasts so well.

Then again, if I’m sitting down for a meal of something meaty and fried, I love the taste of beansprouts – either fried on the grill or cool and refreshing as a complement to the meaty, smoky tastes. As mentioned, gyeran jjim is often first gone when it’s served with a BBQ meal and I’m guilty of that.

Instead of choosing a specific banchan to list as my favourite, I will say that the side dishes served with a Korean BBQ meal (such as samgyeopsal), or the healthy side dishes that comes with a meal like dolsot bibimbap or ssambap are definitely worth trying. There’s going to be something you’ll love.

Korean side dishes wouldn’t be complete without Korean dipping sauces and additional ingredients like those pictured above. Garlic, chilli peppers, and spicy vegetables are common additions to banchan and can be used to add to lettuce-wrapped meals like Korean BBQ and ssambap.

Where To Try Korean Side Dishes In Seoul

The best Korean side dishes are served with traditional Korean meals and the longer the restaurant has been around, the more and better side dishes you’ll get. I’ve found the best selection of banchan are found in old Korean restaurants in traditional hanok houses tucked away in small alleys.

I wholeheartedly recommend splashing out at least once for a proper Korean spread when you visit Seoul, especially if you’re travelling as a large group or family. However, you don’t need to break the bank to have an incredible Korean meal and even cheap eats will come with amazing banchan.

Here are some Korean restaurants in Seoul to try Korean banchan and enjoy an authentic traditional Korean meal with it. There are many, many more restaurants to try. I recommend exploring the streets near Seoul’s royal palaces and in Bukchon Hanok Village to find more dining options.

Kwak Kyung Chan’s Sigol Bapsang: a renowned restaurant in Seoul known for its traditional Korean cuisine. Led by chef Kwak Kyung Chan, the restaurant specialises in “sigol bap” or “four-seasons rice,” which refers to a seasonal and diverse assortment of side dishes served with rice.

Bukchon Samgyetang: a Korean restaurant that produces samgyetang, a nourishing and comforting chicken soup that’s hot and healthy. At Bukchon Samgyetang, you can savour this traditional Korean dish in its purest form, relishing the tender chicken, fragrant rice, and invigorating broth.

Jinmi Sikdang: a popular and vibrant restaurant located in Mapo. This restaurant is famous for its innovative take on Korean cuisine. With a contemporary and stylish interior, Jinmi Sikdang’s skilled chefs combine high-quality ingredients with artistic flair, presenting beautiful, delicious creations.

Imun Seolleongtang: renowned for its delectable seolleongtang, a traditional Korean beef bone soup. With a history spanning over a century, Imun Seolleongtang has established itself as a go-to destination for locals and visitors seeking a comforting and flavourful dining experience.

If you want to try delicious side dishes when you travel out of Seoul, then head to the Korean countryside. The best banchan I’ve had in Korea have always been in the countryside or in Korea’s national parks. These restaurants will be popular with locals and will often be packed on the weekend.

A great restaurant to try traditional Korean dishes close to Seoul is the ‘San’ Restaurant at the end of the Baegundae Peak course in Bukhansan National Park. You can find details (incl. address) of this place and other traditional Korean restaurants in my guide to hiking in Bukhansan National Park.

Where To Make Korean Food In Seoul

Want to try making Korean side dishes or even whole Korean meals while you visit Seoul? A Korean cooking class is a great way to sample a slice of Korean culture and cuisine while learning a new skill you can bring back to show your friends and family. Here are a couple of options in Seoul.

Secret of Banchan Cooking Class: Discover the secret of making the perfect banchan with this seasonal cooking class in Seoul that not only introduces you to Korean cuisine, but will entertain and educate you, too. Learn to make a range of banchan and sample them immediately afterwards.

Korean Cooking Class In Local Home: Learn how to make delicious local dishes from expert chefs and enjoy hanjeongsik – a Korean-style meal that comes with more than 10 dishes. This class includes a trip to Mangwon Market to purchase fresh ingredients for the meals and Korean street food, too.

Korean Rice Cake Making Class: Learn how to make Korean bean paste rice cakes, a traditional Korean dessert that’s shared and eaten during Korean holidays. Wrap your dessert in a traditional Korean cloth and then enjoy tea and refreshments. A perfect souvenir for your family and friends.

Visiting Busan and want to try cooking some traditional Korean dishes? Check out this Busan Local Food Cooking Class with a local chef, which includes a tour of a traditional market, too.

Tips For Making Korean Side Dishes At Home

If this article has whetted your appetite for Korean banchan, and you want to try making some at home, use the recipes provided, follow a Korean cookbook, or check out a Korean cooking YouTube channel. The recipes provided are a good start. I hope they help you make your first banchan.

Just like any other recipe, Korean side dishes can be made in a variety ways and you’ll find different methods for each one, as well as different ingredients and seasonings. Use the recipes in this article or the resources below to help you prepare delicious Korean banchan at home.

Here are some Korean cookbooks you can use to make Korean side dishes and other meals:

Korean Side Dishes: K. Jewel

Korean cuisine is healthy, wholesome and so much than just the spicy ramyeon you may have tried! Learn the simple basics of making popular Korean side dishes and impress your family and friends with an authentic, savoury, and yummy Seoul taste.

Buy on Amazon

Korean Cooking Favorites: Hyegyoung Ford

Step into the kitchen of Hyegyoung K. Ford, founder of Beyond Kimchee, and discover the delicious, fail-safe meals she ate growing up in South Korea and now cooks for her own busy family. Perfected through generations, classics like Korean Sweet & Sour Pork are quick and comforting, and popular dishes like Spicy Korean Fried Chicken are surprisingly easy to make at home.

Buy on Amazon

Maangchi’s Big Book Of Korean Cooking

The book contains the favourite dishes by famous Korean chef and YouTuber, Maangchi. She has perfected many Korean meals over the years, from Korean barbecue and fried chicken to bulgogi and bibimbap. Discover Maangchi’s professional approach to Korean cooking today.

Buy on Amazon

The Korean Vegan: Joanne Lee Molinaro

Joanne Lee Molinaro has captivated millions of fans with her powerfully moving personal tales of love, family, and food. In her debut cookbook, she shares a collection of her favorite Korean dishes, some traditional and some reimagined, as well as poignant narrative snapshots that have shaped her family history.

Buy on Amazon

Wookwan’s Korean Temple Food

As the first volume of temple cuisine published in English, Wookwan herself has written an elegant volume that introduces the reader to Korean temple food, including what it means to care for the ingredients at each step of preparation, following the three key principles of cooking temple food, interspersed with her own accounts and tips among the recipes.

Buy on Amazon

Here are some useful Korean cooking channels on YouTube which include side dishes and a wide range of other delicious Korean dishes. These videos can be really helpful when cooking at home.

Don’t forget, you’ll also need some equipment to make Korean dishes, such as a large stone bowl for making Korean stews, as well as serving dishes. Fortunately, these can be found online.

Korean Stone Bowl Cooking Pot

An essential part of many Korean traditional dishes is the stone bowl (dolsot) cooking pot. This can be used to make dishes such as dolsot bibimbap, kimchi jjigae, and many other hot soups and stews. It’s also ideal for gyeran jjim.

Buy on Amazon

Korean Side Dish Serving Bowls

Set your side dishes out in these beautiful ceramic serving bowls, each perfectly sized for a small portion of banchan. They’re also great for Korean dipping sauces, such as soy sauce, gochujang, and ssamjang.

Buy on Amazon

Learn About Traditional Korean Cuisine

Want to know more about Korean cuisine and the different types of side dishes you can find in Korea? This section will introduce you to some of the most common forms of side dishes, as well as a couple of uniquely Korean concepts related to Korean cuisine – gimjang and dosirak.

Kimchi: Unknown to many, kimchi simply means ‘fermented vegetables’. There are hundreds of kimchi in Korea made with vegetables such as collard greens, spring onions, or even garlic bulbs. The most commonly known kimchi is the spicy, red kimchi made with Napa (Chinese) cabbages.

Jorim: Korean side dishes with the word jorim means that they have been slow-cooked or braised by simmering the ingredients in a seasoned broth until the broth has been absorbed.

Jeon: These are Korean pancakes and come in a wide variety, from hobak jeon banchan to full meals such as hameul pajeon. Jeon are popular in Korea, and while they can be made any time of the year, they’re most commonly served on national holidays, such as Seollal and Chuseok.

Muchim: A muchim dish includes ingredients that are marinated (mixed with seasonings). Examples include oi muchim (seasoned cucumbers) and kongnamul muchim (marinated beansprouts).

Jjim: Korean dishes with jjim in the name, such as gyeran jjim, are steamed, boiled, or marinated in a sauce or soup. Galbi jjim is a popular Korean dish that is made by steaming marinated galbi (beef short ribs) with potato and carrots in ganjang (soy sauce).

Bokkeum: To cook foods bokkeum-style means to cook with a small amount of liquid by stir-frying over heat. These stir-fried dishes are usually cooked with a sauce, such as soy sauce or fish sauce.

Namul: These dishes are made with grass, leaves, herbs, or vegetables that are marinated, blanched or steamed. Gosari namul is marinated bracken and an example of how these Korean side dishes are usually served – seasoned with sesame, garlic, salt, soy sauce, gochugaru, and other seasonings.

About kimjang – Korean Kimchi Making Day

In late autumn or early winter, the Korean family gets together to spend the day chatting, laughing and making fresh Kimchi – a kimchi-making day known as gimjang or kimjang. It’s a tradition deeply rooted in Korean history when ancestors would salt vegetables together to make them last over the chilly winters.

The vegetables are stored in onggi (stone jars) and buried underground, to let the lactic acid grow and develop that deep, savoury flavour of fermented kimchi. You can see onggi stone jars outside traditional Korean restaurants and old hanok houses across Korea, especially in the countryside.

After a hard day of kimchi making, Koreans enjoy a traditional meal, such as a plate of steaming hot bossam (보쌈) – thinly sliced pork shoulder that has been tenderly broiled with various spices. Wrap some bossam and geotjori in lettuce for the perfect combo of crunchy and soft, salty and fragrant.

I tried gimjang with my girlfriend’s family this winter and it was a lot of fun. It was a tough day preparing dozens of kimchi for the year ahead, but also very interesting and eye opening. You can read about my kimchi making day and see how to make kimchi and what it’s all about.

About Dosirak – Korean Traditional Lunch Boxes

Until the late 1990s, it was mandatory for Korean students to bring their own lunch to school, which they call ‘dosirak’. This was traditionally a small metal container filled with rice and various sides, such as shown in the picture above. Dosirak is also used for train journeys and can be found at stations.

If your parents were well off, you would open your school dosirak to find stir-fried kimchi, slices of gyeran mari, some marinated veggies, and maybe even grilled meat! However, a lot of children were used to more modest lunch boxes, consisting of some rice, a scoop of kimchi, and one fried egg.

For this reason, gyeran mari holds strong nostalgia for many Koreans, especially the older generation. Gyeran means egg, and mari means roll, because that is exactly how it is cooked. It even draws comparisons to the Japanese tamagoyaki, except the korean version doesn’t add sugar.

You can buy dosirak at Korean train stations for long journeys between Seoul and Busan. It’s also a popular extra for Korean BBQ meals, where you’ll often find a metal lunch box with kimchi-fried rice, slices of spam, and a fried egg on top. If you see this unhealthy dosirak on a menu, give it a go!

Korean Side Dishes FAQs

Finally, here are a few FAQs about how to Korean side dishes (banchan), in case the above information didn’t cover enough for you. If you have any other questions you’d like to ask, feel free to leave a comment.

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These weird Korean foods aren’t all bad, they’re foods that might shock and surprise you though. Did you know horse meat is eaten in Korea? And that some people actually choose to order stinky fish that smells of pee? Don’t worry, there are actually a lot of really delicious Korean foods in this list.

If you want some ideas for unusual dishes to experience when you’re travelling or living in Korea, then be sure to take notes. Brave travellers, or people looking for that unique dish to share with friends, then read on and find out all the weirdest and wonder delights that Korea’s kitchens have to offer.

Affiliate Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links and I may earn commission for purchases made after clicking these links.

Why Are These Weird Korean Foods?

I want to make it clear straight-off that although I’ve labelled these dishes as weird Korean foods, that doesn’t mean that they’re necessarily bad or disgusting. These dishes are ‘weird’ as they’re unusual, have an interesting story to tell, or might be shocking to non-Koreans.

In fact, some of them are foods that I enjoy regularly and taste great. Some I’ve tried once and never want to try again (4 & 5), some I haven’t tried and don’t think I ever will (7 & 8), others I try now and again but don’t really enjoy them (1).

I’ll let you decide which ones you think look disgusting, which look interesting, and which ones you would love to try when you visit Korea. If you know of any other weird Korean foods, please feel free to share them in the comments at the end.

Now for the top 15 weird foods in Korea. I hope you can make it all the way to the end!

San-nakji – Raw Octopus Tentacles

Korean: 산낙지

San-nakji is a Korean dish that shocks most people the first time they try it. What’s so weird about san-nakji? The wriggling tentacles squirm even after they’ve been removed from the rest of the body!

The first challenge when eating a bowl of san-nakji, besides being brave enough to order it, is to actually pick it up with your chopsticks. The tentacles are really strong and stick to the bowl and anything else they can touch. Trying to get them into your mouth is not easy.

Once you’ve dipped it in soy sauce and got it into your mouth, be sure to chew thoroughly. Otherwise, you might find it resisting digestion and clinging on to your throat, which certainly isn’t a pleasant experience.

You can order san-nakji in many places in Korea. The best places to try this unusual Korean dish are by the sea, where seafood is freshest. You can eat it alone or as part of a seafood set, like in the picture above.

I’ll admit, this dish does seem rather cruel, but it’s one that is very popular in Korea. Apart from the still active legs of the octopus, it’s the same as most other raw fish dishes that are popular around the world.

Yukhoe – Raw Meat

Korean: 육회

Yukhoe literally means ‘raw meat‘ and can be made from a variety of different meats, but is usually beef. As you’ll discover from this list or weird Korean foods, raw meat and seafood are quite common in Korea.

The dish in the picture above is yukhoe bibimbap, a speciality of Jeonju. It consists of raw beef, a raw egg, and a mixture of vegetables and rice. Mix all the ingredients together and then eat as it is. This is a healthy dish and an interesting dining experience.

Yukhoe can be served as part of a number of other dishes, or just with rice. This is essentially Korean steak tartare, but the sauces you’d add, such as gochujang and soy sauce, give it a distinctly Korean taste.

Sadly, yukhoe isn’t so common these days, but if you do find a restaurant selling it, be sure to give it a try. It’s perfectly safe and, even though it’s raw meat, you’re not likely to get food poisoning from it.

Mal-gogi – Horse Meat

Korean: 말고기

Mal (horse) – gogi (meat) might be a dish hard to digest for some as it’s not a meat commonly eaten in many countries. Mal-gogi can come raw (yukhoe), BBQ’d, or served on rice like sushi. The most popular way to eat it is raw.

To try mal-gogi, you’ll need to travel to Jeju Island. Jeju Islanders have been eating horse for over 700 years, since the times of the Mongolian invasion on the island. This dish is considered a delicacy, so you might have a hard time trying to find somewhere that sells it even on Jeju.

Horse meat has lots of health benefits and has only 1/3 the amount of fat that beef does. The fat is unsaturated and dissolves quickly in the human body. It’s also high in protein and rich in other nutrients, including omega-3 and linolenic acid.

Some less authentic health beliefs are that it makes men stronger as horses are strong animals. As Jeju people say ‘Beef is not enough for a meal, but horse meat is.’

I’ll happily admit that I’ve enjoyed the raw form of this dish many times when I was living in Japan, where it is known as basashi. It has a strong meaty taste and is just like steak.

Beondegi – Roasted Silkworm Larvae

Korean: 번데기

The ingredients for beongdegi are simple – just a big bowl of silkworm larvae roasted in an old metal pot. This is a cheap snack and a popular Korean street food enjoyed by many.

What makes this so strange (beside it being a bug) is the strong, pungent smell it gives off. It floats through the air to attack you whenever you’re near. I tend to cross the road when I start to smell it.

This was one of the first of the weird Korean foods that I ordered when I arrived in Korea. I managed to eat about 4 of them before giving up. It’s certainly an acquired taste!

On the plus side, beondegi is said to be healthy with lots of high quality, low-fat protein. Worth it? You can find beondegi at festivals, national parks, and near major tourist sites and make up your own mind.

5: Hongeo-Hoe – Raw Fermented Skate

Korean: 홍어회

Another one of Korea’s weird foods that I was introduced to early on in my time in Korea is hongeo-hoe. This isn’t so much a dish as it is a challenge – something you might see on a TV survival show.

Want to know what makes this dish so weird? Well, the skate is an unusual fish that doesn’t urinate, instead it passes the uric acid through its skin. Consequently, when you ferment the skate, the smell ends up like ammonia – which is extremely stinky! That stays on the fish when it’s served to you for dinner.

Seriously, you’ll need to hold your nose when you eat this dish.

Grab a bit of kimchi and some boiled pork and pop it all into your mouth at the same time. The smell is a lot worse than the taste, not that either are really pleasant.

If you are brave enough to try san-nakji, why not level-up and try hongoe-hoe? Good luck!

Cheonggukjang Jjigae – “Dead Body Soup”

Korean: 청국장찌개

Firstly, there are no actual dead bodies in cheonggukjang jjigae! The name originates from the smell (yet again, Korea!) of the key ingredient in this dish – cheonggukjang. The real name of this dish in English is ‘extra-strong fermented soybean paste stew’.

Cheonggukjang is a stinky soybean paste that gives this dish its meaty taste. When you add this paste to the soup, the smell really blows up and things start to get stinky. The smell lingers for a long time, too, which really doesn’t help.

Why is this dish known as ‘Dead Body Soup’?

Some Korean students were cooking this dish in Germany and the neighbours started to smell something strange. Thinking there was a dead body inside (that’s how bad it is), they called the police.

Fortunately, no one was actually being cooked for dinner and the police let them eat in peace. You’ll understand why they might have thought otherwise if you give this weird Korean food a go.

Gaebul – Live Spoon Worms (Penis Fish)

Korean: 개불

This fish (bottom left of the picture above) looks weird even before its been prepared to eat and I’m sure you can guess where the nickname ‘penis fish‘ comes from.

This makes into onto the list of weird Korean foods for a different reason, however. That’s because of the way the dish is served – raw and squirming. Yes, more raw food.

I can only describe gaebul as ‘fleshy pasta that’s dancing around on your plate’. You’ll understand why if you watch this video.

Raw fish is common in many countries, but it’s not normally so energetic! Are you brave enough to try some dancing penis fish? Make sure to take a video if you order it.

Boshintang – Dog Meat Stew

Korean: 보신탕

Most controversial of all these weird dishes, and one that has given Korea a bad reputation internationally, has to be boshintang – dog meat stew.

This isn’t a common dish in Korea, but it is one that you can still find if you’re looking for it. Less common in the cities, this is mostly eaten in the Korean countryside.

Some people believe that boshintang will give you ‘stamina’, just the way a rhino’s horn will, apparently. Most of the customers are older Korean mean who want some magical gift of life that they believe comes from eating our furry friends.

Fortunately, most Koreans disagree, and there is a lot of effort to rescue dogs instead of sending them off to become someone’s dinner. Technically still legal in Korea, laws will hopefully be passed in the future to ban the sale of dog meat.

In case you’re wondering, the texture is similar to goat. I’ve never tried it and definitely don’t plan to. However, if you really want to try it, and you don’t have any objections to eating dog meat (as many millions of people in the world still do) your best option is to explore the Korean countryside.

Dakbal – Spicy Chicken Feet

Korean: 닭발

Koreans seem to love this simple dish of chicken feet covered in spicy sauce, and yet hate it at the same time. At least, that’s how it looks as tears fall down their cheeks and they look like they’re in pain, and yet also smiling.

I’ve tried dakbal a few times, and it’s one of the spiciest Korean foods I’ve had. I was only able to eat a small amount. I’m not that strong when it comes to feasting on fiery foods, but this was excessively hot.

This dish is enjoyed by many in Korea and is best shared with a few mates and a couple of glasses of beer. Drink some milk afterwards to take away the burning sensation, then head out for the rest of the night. If you can.

The idea of eating chicken feet may seem strange to some, but you don’t even notice it after a few bites. They don’t taste of much, hence the excessive levels of spicy sauce. It’s a bit like eating really spicy, meaty gummy bears.

Bokjili – Deadly Blowfish Soup

Korean: 복지리

You may be familiar with fugu, Japan’s famous dish made from a deadly blowfish that can kill if it isn’t prepared properly. It’s expensive, requires a license, and years of training before a chef can serve it.

Fortunately(?), Korea is more relaxed about a fish full of highly poisonous neurotoxins. These blowfish are more widely available and don’t have the same restrictions when cooking it as they do in Japan.

The most common way that these blowfish are prepared is in bokjili. You’ll find lots of blowfish meat, vegetables, herbs, and spices in this hearty soup.

Bokjili is a cheap seafood dish that you’ll find served in coastal regions. It’s a lot cheaper than fugu and the taste isn’t that strong. The meat is cloud-like – incredibly soft and almost fluffy.

Sundae – Blood Sausage

Korean: 순대

One of the oldest traditional dishes in Korea, sundae might make you squeamish at first, but shouldn’t be missed. In case you’re wondering, it’s pronounced soon-day, not sun-day.

Sundae is kind of a cross between haggis and black pudding. It is also really delicious and a wonderful, cheap snack. Sundae traditionally contains pig or cow’s intestines mixed in with blood, rice, vegetables, and noodles. This mixture is then steamed and served sliced up, ready to eat.

I guess it’s the blood that puts some people off, even though it’s eaten in many different countries around the world. You should eat sundae by dipping it into a bowl of salt or other seasoning. It goes well with cold beer, too.

Popular with Korean youths, you can find this cheap snack for sale at many traditional markets in Korea.

Fruit Sandwiches

Korean: 과일 샌드위치

The next of these weird Korean foods gets on the list because it’s just wrong to me. Being British, a sandwich should be a certain way, and I just can’t imagine putting fruit between two slices of bread. Madness!

In Korea you can find a medley of assorted fruits stuffed inside of an honest sandwich, where they don’t belong. You can find orange, kiwi, strawberries, and lots more that simply shouldn’t be there, including the cream filling.

The cream cements the fruit into place, but also gets all over your fingers while you’re trying to eat it. The whole thing becomes more of a dessert than a humble lunchtime snack, making me think it should come with a spoon.

Lots of people seem to enjoy these sandwich-desserts, and the convenience stores all stock them. Perhaps you’ll enjoy them more than I do. I just find them strange and wish I could find a decent cheese, ham, and pickle sandwich somewhere.

Korean Pizza

Korean: 피자

I’m going to include Korean pizza on this list of weird Korean foods because of all the unusual toppings you can find here. Sure, there are cultural differences, and tastes vary in each region, but some things you’ll find on a pizza in Korea just don’t make sense.

Some weird toppings you’ll find on Korean pizzas include corn (on many pizzas – why?), potato wedges, broccoli, mayonnaise (in large quantities), pickles, whipped cream, pasta, squid legs, and lots of fruit. It’s not just the toppings you’ll find, it’s the quantity, too.

I once ate a squid ink pizza (in the dough), which had lettuce, grapefruit, cherry tomatoes, grated cheese, ham, salad dressing, olives, nuts, kiwi, lumps of cheese, croutons, and orange segments. Possibly more. It was like a 3 course meal.

Of course, there are plenty of great pizzas in Korea, such as bulgogi pizza with flame grilled beef, or steak and shrimp pizzas. You need to be careful working your way through the landmine of options to find the good ones though. And don’t get me started on the pickles…

The picture below is more representative of a weird Korean pizza. That’s sweet potato mash(?) squeezed out on a plain pizza. Does it look appealing?

The pulled fork pizza below sounds very painful to eat! Yes, I know it’s just a Konglish mistake, but you can never be too sure.

If you want to see some more funny Korean signs like this, check out this post all about the wonders of Konglish and funny Korean spelling mistakes.

Poop Latte & Poop Bread

Korean: 장미라떼 & 똥빵

Not a traditional Korean dish, but one that you’ll only find when you visit Seoul, are these delicious, dirty delights. There’s a cafe in the Ssamziegil Art Mall in Insadong that produces poop-based goodies.

You can grab a choco-filled poop bread as a quick snack to go, or stay in and enjoy a rose latte in a miniature toilet-shaped cup (pictured above). Lovely.

I’ve visited this place several times and it’s a must see when you’re in Seoul if you want some unusual Insta-worthy pictures and yummy treats.

You can even get a curry in one of the hole in the ground style toilets if you’re brave enough. Don’t forget to dress up in the cute poop hats and snap pics of all the interesting pictures and displays.

It’s on the top floor of the mall and gives great views of the Insadong Art Street. Shockingly, this is not the only poop-based place you can visit in Korea.

Salad Yogurt

Korean: 요거샐러드

Yogurt dressing on a salad isn’t that weird, but how about adding salad as an ingredient into a yogurt? For me, this is really weird and not a breakfast treat I’d want to try.

A Korean yogurt company has released a range of colour-coordinated (not taste?) salad yogurts that contain a variety of purple, green, or orange fruits and vegetables to give you a healthy start to the day.

The orange one contains pumpkin, carrots, corn (corn is everywhere in Korea), and pineapple. I’m not sure those ingredients would ever go together in a salad, but they all have a shade of orange-yellow, so they’re OK for this weird Korean dish, apparently.

The green version doesn’t seem too bad at first. Kiwi and apples are lovely together. Asparagus and celery, though. I’m not sure they work.

Has Korea invented the perfect breakfast? What else do you think could go inside a yogurt? Any interesting flavours you’d like to try?

Where To Find These Weird Korean Foods

Some of these weird Korean foods are common and you can get them throughout Korea. Dakbal (닭발) is popular and you’ll find it in downtown areas and around bars (goes well with beer) Sundae (순대), too. Fruit sandwiches can be found in convenience stores, which are literally on every street corner in Korea.

However, some of these dishes are a little unusual and will be harder to find. For example, you rarely see boshintang (보신탕) in the city, it’s typically served out in the countryside. Other dishes, such as beondegi (번데기), are served at festivals and around popular tourist attractions, including Gyeongbokgung Palace.

Seafood meals are most commonly found at, you guessed it, the seaside. Busan is a popular place to check out these weird Korean foods. Jeju Island is great place for seafood, too, and your best chance to try mal-gogi (말고기).

How About Some Not So Weird Korean Foods?

What are the must-eat traditional Korean foods to sample when you visit Korea? Find out in my guide to the 20 best traditional Korean dishes, which will introduce you to some of the most-loved Korean dishes. Don’t forget the banchan! Korean side dishes are an essential part of any Korean meal.

Discover the joy of eating warming winter Korean snacks in this complete guide to the best winter dishes and street foods you simply must try when visiting Korea in the cold. And make sure you don’t offend anyone when eating Korean food – weird or otherwise – with this guide to Korean etiquette.

Not sure how to order food in Korea? Want to learn a few simple phrases that will show your interest in talking to locals when dining and exploring Korea? Learning some simple Korean dining phrases will go a long way to helping you get the most out of your journey to Korea.

Want To Try A Korean Cooking Course In Seoul?

Curious about what these weird Korean foods taste like? Or would you rather sample some more traditional Korean dishes? Why don’t you try learning a new skill when in Seoul?

Enjoy making a range of delicious Korean dishes with a Seoul cooking course. Learn to make delicious Korean dishes to share with your friends and family and take home more than just souvenirs.

Learn To Make Korean Dishes At Home

Want to try making Korean dishes at home but not sure where to start? Here are some Korean cookbooks to teach you how to make a range of tasty Korean treats. Start with the basics, such as tteokbokki and mandu, or jump straight into filling meals like kimchi jjigae and jjamppong. Also, be sure to buy a stone bowl for those tasty winter stews and soups.

Maangchi’s Big Book Of Korean Cooking

The book contains the favourite dishes by famous Korean chef and YouTuber, Maangchi. She has perfected many Korean meals over the years, from Korean barbecue and fried chicken to bulgogi and bibimbap. Discover Maangchi’s professional approach to Korean cooking today.

Buy on Amazon

The Korean Vegan: Joanne Lee Molinaro

Joanne Lee Molinaro has captivated millions of fans with her powerfully moving personal tales of love, family, and food. In her debut cookbook, she shares a collection of her favorite Korean dishes, some traditional and some reimagined, as well as poignant narrative snapshots that have shaped her family history.

Buy on Amazon

Wookwan’s Korean Temple Food

As the first volume of temple cuisine published in English, Wookwan herself has written an elegant volume that introduces the reader to Korean temple food, including what it means to care for the ingredients at each step of preparation, following the three key principles of cooking temple food, interspersed with her own accounts and tips among the recipes.

Buy on Amazon

Korean Stone Bowl Cooking Pot

An essential part of many Korean winter dishes is the stone bowl (dolsot) cooking pot. This can be used to make dishes such as dolsot bibimbap, kimchi jjigae, and many other hot soups and stews.

Buy on Amazon

Cookbooks not your thing? Check out the Baek Jong Won YouTube channel. He’s one of Korea’s most famous chefs and you can find his restaurants all over the place. He can teach you to make tteokbokki and many other tasty Korean winter foods.

Support In My Korea

Thanks for reading. If you want to help me to create more great content in the future, why not buy me a coffee? A strong coffee helps me write more and is a simple way to show gratitude for this free content.

Liked This? Pin It For Others

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Long-suffering Koreans battle the brutal winter cold with a cocktail of spicy soups, boiling stews, salty snacks, and healthy meals. And a whole lot of fried food. From street food snacks to Korean winter dishes that are best shared, food is the weapon that keeps Korea fighting every winter.

Here are 20 of the best winter street snacks and traditional Korean dishes that you absolutely must sample this winter in Korea. They’ll lift your soul, warm your belly, and make your mouth water. Indulge in these culinary delights right now.

Affiliate Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links and I may earn commission for purchases made after clicking these links.

Delicious Korean Winter Foods For You

I want to introduce not only the best Korean winter foods you can enjoy in a cosy restaurant or cook at home, but also the best winter street snacks you can enjoy out and about as you travel.

If you want to know more about Korean food, then make sure you check out this finger-licking good guide to 20 of the best traditional Korean dishes you can discover in Korea.

Top 10 Korean Winter Street Foods

Winter in Korea is cold and tough, with temperatures often below 0 degrees Celsius even during the day. When you’re outside in the snow or cold weather, you’ll want something warm and satisfying to munch to cheer (and fill) you up.

Korean winter street foods, like all street foods in Seoul, are perfect for this and these salty, sweet, spicy (often all at once) dishes will warm your soul and give you the energy you need during winter. Below are 10 of the best, starting with my absolute favourite.

Want to see what winter Korean street food looks like? Check out this video about 5 of the best hot snacks to try when exploring Seoul and beyond this winter.

Hotteok – Korean Sweet Pancakes

Hotteok is one of the best Korean winter foods. You’ll find hotteok across Korea, from city streets to national parks. Walk along a busy street in Korea during winter and you’ll probably find a hotteok seller flipping and pressing down the balls of sticky dough filled with sweet syrup, cinnamon, and crunchy nuts that become hotteok.

The combo of fried, sweet, crunchy goodness in a hotteok, along with the warmth it gives you as you gingerly hold it, really gives you a boost.

Name in Korean: 호떡

Where to try hotteok in Seoul: Visit Hongdae Seoul Hotteok near Ahyeon Station for some of Seoul’s best hotteok, which comes in the classic sweet variety, as well as heart-shaped, or even served with ice cream.

Address in Korean: 서울특별시 마포구 굴레방로7길 20

You can see how the hotteok at Hongdae Seoul Hotteok are made in this video.

Bungeo-Ppang – Goldfish Bread With Red beans

Arguably the most popular Korean winter food among locals and tourists alike is this cute goldfish bread, bungeo-ppang. Baked in a fish-shaped mould, this treat not only looks great, it also tastes great.

Stuffed with sweet red-bean paste, something you’ll find in a lot of Korean baked goods, this fish is a classic Korean winter snack. Crispy on the outside, sweet and delicious on the inside. Like most Korean winter snack foods, you’ll find these at street stalls and in traditional markets.

Name in Korean: 붕어빵

Where to try bungeo-ppang in Seoul: Visit Chonggakne Bungeoppang in Gwangjang Market near Jongno 5-ga Station to see a ‘sacred place for bungeo-ppang’. There are 4 varieties available – red bean with walnuts, custard cream, sweet potato and pizza.

Address in Korean: 서울특별시 종로구 창경궁로 88

Tteokbokki – Spicy Stir Fried Rice Cakes

Tteokbokki is a blend of steamed and sliced rice cakes (tteok 떡), fish cakes (odeng 오뎅), and scallions in a sweet and spicy sauce with plenty of chili paste. Be careful, some portions of tteokbokki can be very spicy.

This is one of the best Korean winter foods that you shouldn’t pass up if you’re exploring Korea’s traditional markets, such as Gwangjang Market in Seoul. Best eaten fresh from the market vendors, this spicy, salty mishmash of classic Korean ingredients is certainly perfect as a snack or meal.

Name in Korean: 떡볶이

Where to try tteokbokki in Seoul: Head to Mukshidonna in Samcheong near Bukchon Hanok Village to enjoy tteok-bokki as a meal from a big metal pot full of delicious red treats cooked at your table. Make sure you come here hungry as you’ll be full up afterwards.

Address in Korean: 서울특별시 종로구 율곡로3길 74-7

4: Eomuk – Fish Cakes

A trip to Korea wouldn’t be complete without sampling eomuk and all its fishy goodness. These cheap, delicious fish cakes on a stick can be found across Korea in markets, festivals, convenience stores, train stations, and even at the top of mountains.

The fish cake is cut thickly and skewered on a wooden stick. It’s best eaten with a paper cup full of the soup it’s boiled in. Grab some and find out why it’s one of the best Korean winter foods. Busan is famous for eomuk, so be sure to try it there.

Name in Korean: 어묵

Where to try eomuk in Seoul: As with all good Korean winter foods, the best places to try eomuk are at the traditional markets. Check out the Seoul Folk Flea Market to enjoy traditional eomuk as you wander around the antiques and goods at this unique market.

Address in Korean: 서울특별시 동대문구 신설동 천호대로4길 21

See what this popular Korean winter food, eomuk, looks like in the video below. See how big and thick the slices are!

5: Gun-Bam (군밤) Roasted Chestnuts

Chestnuts are plentiful in South Korea and they’re added to many Korean dishes (and even makgeolli). One of the best ways to try them is roasted over a fire or in a hot drum.

The heat cracks their shells and cooks the nut inside, allowing you to easily open up the chestnut and get to the warm, nutty goodness inside.

Huddle up around the fire and stay warm while you wait for your bag of freshly toasted wholesome nourishment.

6: Gun-Goguma (군고구마) Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Along with roasted chestnuts, you’ll also find lots of people selling roasted sweet potatoes in winter time in Korea.

Wrapped in a simple piece of paper, feel the warmth flowing out from this healthy snack as you hold it and pick apart the skin to get to the hot, sweet potato flesh inside.

These are a messy but wonderful treat that you can eat as you explore Korea’s parks and public spaces.

7: Hodu-Gwaja (호두과자) Walnut Cookies

Hodu-gwaja are baked treats made from flour and crushed walnuts and filled with red-bean paste. They’re baked in a walnut-shaped mould to give them this distinctive shape.

A Korean staple for a long time, these little bite-sized baked balls of goodness are certainly one of the best Korean winter snacks to share. Grab a dozen and munch them as you go, or share them with friends or family.

8: Gyeran-Ppang (계란빵) Egg Bread

A classic street food from the food stalls of Myeongdong Market and similar places. You should certainly grab one of these whilst out shopping for bargains.

This delectable dish is as simple as it sounds – an egg on top of a slice of toasted bread. Hot, gooey, a bit messy, and yet so warming and satisfying on a cold winter’s day.

Even better, they’re really cheap. That makes them perfect as a snack or a cheap breakfast on the go, so be sure to pick one up.

9: Ramyeon (라면) Instant Noodles

Ramyeon noodles feature in several of these Korean winter foods, but a bowl of steaming, spicy instant noodles makes for a great snack or light lunch on a cold winter’s day by themselves.

You’ll find ramyeon noodles absolutely everywhere in Korea, with dedicated sections of convenience stores ready to help you prepare them that come with chopsticks and boiling water.

In some places you might even find machines dedicated to making ramyeon, like the one in the picture above.

Wanna know more about Korean ramen? Check out this article for the 12 Best Korean Ramen.

10: Korean Hot Dogs (핫도그)

Korean hot dogs (AKA corn dogs) and gamja hot dogs (potato-covered hot dogs) are a strange mix of sweet and salty that provide a cheap, delicious snack any time of year.

These hot dogs are coated in a batter before being deep fried and topped with sugar… and then tomato ketchup and mustard. Yes, an unusual combination, but one that works well.

Grab one of these Korean hot dogs from street food stalls or even in dedicated hole-in-the-wall style restaurants that specialise in these snacks. Try the cheese ones, too.

Want To Try A Korean Cooking Course In Seoul?

Why don’t you try learning a new skill when you visit Seoul? Enjoy making a range of delicious Korean dishes for any weather with a Seoul cooking course. Learn to make delicious Korean dishes to share with your friends and family and take home more than just souvenirs.

Top 10 Korean Winter Dishes

If the cold weather is too much, duck into a traditional Korean restaurant and sample some of these belly-warming Korean winter dishes.

From healthy chicken rice-porridge, to spicy kimchi dishes, and savoury dumpling soups, there’s something for everyone to enjoy during winter in Korea.

Here’s 10 of the best Korean winter foods that I’m sure you’ll love.

1: Kimchi-Jjigae (김치 찌개) Kimchi Stew

Kimchi-jjigae, one of my favourite Korean dishes, is great for lunch or dinner and really fills you up. Any jjigae (stew) is going to be perfect to recover from the cold, but kimchi-jjigae is the best.

This meal is a delightful mix of cabbage kimchi, tofu, cellophane noodles, pork, and vegetables, with a dish of rice and obligatory side dishes called banchan, served in a large bowl for two or more people.

When the kimchi is sautéed, it becomes softer and releases all its flavour into the stew, creating a hearty broth. The best way to eat it is to put a bit of rice on your spoon, dip it in the broth, then top it with the other ingredients.

2: Dolsot Bibimbap (돌솥 비빔밥) Stone Bowl Mixed Rice

This is the winter version of one of Korea’s most popular and famous foods – bibimbap. Whereas regular bibimbap is served cold, this hot stone bowl version really mixes things up.

Instead of a fried egg, a raw egg is dropped on top and mixed together with the rice, vegetables, sauces, etc. This creates a kind of egg fried rice that is both delicious and healthy.

Not only that, the rice sticks to the edge of the bowl and at the end you can peel it off for a crispy snack. Alternatively, add water to the empty bowl to make a healthy rice drink.

3: Dak-Galbi (닭갈비) Spicy Stir Fried Chicken

Dak-galbi is a Korean winter food best shared with others. This dish combines marinated chicken with a bunch of vegetables, rice cake (tteok 떡 ), chili paste sauce, and other spices. You can also add in noodles and cheese.

These ingredients are chucked in a large pan and stir-fried at your table. Be careful, though, this is also a very messy dish and you’ll want to wear an apron as you can easily splatter yourself with the sauce! Dak-galbi is a meal to experience, not just eat

4: Kal-Guksu (칼국수) Knife-Cut Noodle Soup

Literally meaning knife-cut noodles, kal-guksu has chunky noodles because they are cut by hand and not spun. This gives the noodles a rich taste and make them the star of the dish. Extra ingredients might include shellfish, ground beef, chicken, some vegetables, or cilantro.

The best kal-guksu restaurants will be busy in winter, and that’s a good sign that they serve a great dish. A perfect Korean winter food, this hot, steaming broth can refresh any weary traveller.

5: Budae-Jjigae (부대찌개) Army Stew

Budae-jjigae is spicy, delicious, warming and stuffed with things that aren’t very healthy, which makes it a great Korean winter food. Packed full of meat, noodles, rice cakes, and lots of other rather unhealthy foods, it’ll leave you feeling satisfied and full.

This unique fusion of American and Korean cuisine has created a marriage of Western products (SPAM and baked beans) and traditional Korean ingredients that is a great tonic to the winter blues.

6: Juk (죽) Korean Rice Porridge

If you’re feeling unwell or suffering from the coldness of winter, then this is the Korean winter food for you! I always eat this porridge when I’m feeling sick.

Korean rice porridge is full of healthy ingredients in a range of varieties, from plain old rice porridge to chicken, red bean, shrimp, and even abalone porridge.

If you’re feeling down or want a healthy winter treat, be sure to head to one of the many juk restaurants throughout Korea and you’ll certainly feel better.

7: Samgyeopsal (삼겹살) Korean BBQ

I’ll admit, this is not only one of the best Korean winter foods, it’s also one of the best Korean foods ever. If you’re visiting Korea during winter, you will find many people enjoying a meal of smoky Korean BBQ.

Slices of samyeopsal (pork belly) fry on the blazing fires in front of you, whilst you patiently wait to pick them out, wrap them up with other ingredients, and stuff them in your mouth. A Korean BBQ is another ‘meal experience’ that is best enjoyed with friends or family.

8: Dakbal (닭발) Super Spicy Chicken Feet

This Korean winter food might give some people a bit of culture shock. Dakbal, literally meaning ‘chicken foot’, is exactly what you’d imagine it is. It’s probably the spiciest of all the Korean winter foods on this list, too, so be careful!

This is a very popular dish with Koreans who want to go out, drink lots of beer and enjoy super spicy food. Dakbal restaurants are lively and filled with Koreans having a good time. If you feel brave enough, try it and see what the big deal is about.

9: Mandu-Guk (만두국) Dumpling Soup

A good mandu-guk will be packed full of freshly wrapped dumplings filled with kimchi, meat, or seafood. Also squeezed in with the dumplings, you might find tteok 떡 (rice cakes), sliced vegetables, ground meat, or even an egg.

Koreans start the New Year with a bowl of mandu-guk, cementing its claim as a Korean winter food. If you’re in Korea at the time, be sure to try it.

10: Jjamppong (짬뽕) Spicy Noodle Seafood Soup

Although jjamppong is referred to as a ‘Chinese’ dish in Korea, it is undeniably a part of Korea’s arsenal of culinary defence against winter cold and a perfect dish for a winter’s day in Korea.

Packed full of seafood (or sometimes pork) and thick noodles in a steaming, spicy soup, jjamppong goes straight to your stomach and radiates heat all through your body. It’s filling, satisfying, and will leave you feeling stuffed.

Hungry For More Korean Food?

If this article has whetted your appetite for more delicious Korean dishes, how about some weird Korean dishes instead? Are you brave enough to try them? Of course, knowing what you want to eat is only half the battle, figuring out how to order food in Korean will really help you embrace Korea.

Try Amazing Korean Winter Foods In Seoul

Not sure where to eat Korean winter dishes in Seoul?

Why not book a Seoul Night Food Tour in Seoul and experience some of the most delicious, soul warming foods that are loved by locals and tourists alike. Visit Euljiro, a sacred place for Korean hipsters with a local guide, experience real Korean ‘hansik‘ through Korea’s beloved foods, and learn about the history of Euljiro and Cheonggyecheon.

Alternatively, experience Seoul’s best winter food with a Gwangjang Market Food Tour, giving you the chance to try the best traditional and modern street foods. Take an insider’s look at Seoul with this walking tour of Gwangjang Market, Chenggyecheon stream and Heunginjimun Gate. Learn about Korean culture and try popular local foods on the way.

Learn To Make Korean Winter Dishes At Home

Want to try making these winter dishes at home but not sure where to start? Here are some Korean cookbooks to teach you how to make a range of tasty Korean treats. Start with the basics, such as tteokbokki and mandu, or jump straight into filling meals like kimchi jjigae and jjamppong. Also, be sure to buy a stone bowl for those tasty winter stews and soups.

Maangchi’s Big Book Of Korean Cooking

The book contains the favourite dishes by famous Korean chef and YouTuber, Maangchi. She has perfected many Korean meals over the years, from Korean barbecue and fried chicken to bulgogi and bibimbap. Discover Maangchi’s professional approach to Korean cooking today.

Buy on Amazon

The Korean Vegan: Joanne Lee Molinaro

Joanne Lee Molinaro has captivated millions of fans with her powerfully moving personal tales of love, family, and food. In her debut cookbook, she shares a collection of her favorite Korean dishes, some traditional and some reimagined, as well as poignant narrative snapshots that have shaped her family history.

Buy on Amazon

Wookwan’s Korean Temple Food

As the first volume of temple cuisine published in English, Wookwan herself has written an elegant volume that introduces the reader to Korean temple food, including what it means to care for the ingredients at each step of preparation, following the three key principles of cooking temple food, interspersed with her own accounts and tips among the recipes.

Buy on Amazon

Korean Stone Bowl Cooking Pot

An essential part of many Korean winter dishes is the stone bowl (dolsot) cooking pot. This can be used to make dishes such as dolsot bibimbap, kimchi jjigae, and many other hot soups and stews.

Buy on Amazon

Cookbooks not your thing? Check out the Baek Jong Won YouTube channel. He’s one of Korea’s most famous chefs and you can find his restaurants all over the place. He can teach you to make tteokbokki and many other tasty Korean winter foods.

Travelling To Korea This Winter?

Do you dream of seeing the royal palaces of Seoul covered in snow whilst munching on a hotteok? Want to experience freezing cold temperatures (and below) with a bowl of tteokbokki? Not sure where to visit and what to do during this frosty season?

Then check out some of my other articles about travelling to Korea during winter for the best places to see snow and winter activities to enjoy.

Where To See Snow In Korea: Korea is blessed with thousands of mountains, most of which see lots of snowfall in winter. Find out the best places to see snow across Korea.

Discover the best Korean winter activities, including ice fishing, sledding, snowboarding and lots more, There’s always something fun to do during winter in Korea.

Jeju Island In Winter: One of my favourite places to visit during winter is Jeju Island, a semi-tropical wonder of the world that has snow, fresh oranges, and palm trees all in one place. You can get lots of unique Korean winter foods from the markets in Jeju City and Seogwipo.

Support In My Korea

Thanks for reading. If you want to help me to create more great content in the future, why not buy me a coffee? A strong coffee helps me write more and is a simple way to show gratitude for this free content.

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You can plumb the depths of an ocean of exquisite tastes, incredible eating experiences, and a variety of flavours, textures, smells, and sights while partaking in Korea’s finest traditional fare. The hardest part of visiting Korea is having to choose which ones to eat and when!

There’s something for everyone in this list, whether you’re a meat-lover, vegetarian, vegan, spice-lover, or seafood-addict. There often isn’t enough time to try them all, so take a look at the list below and see which ones you shouldn’t miss. I’ll share my favourites with you and tell you why they’re irresistible, too.

Affiliate Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links and I may earn commission for purchases made after clicking these links.

Why Try Traditional Korean Dishes?

A meal in Korea is like a window into the local culture, where sharing food is core to a harmonious society, and meals are designed to be enjoyed by many people. This makes eating out a stomach-pleasing and soul-warming event that can be lots of fun and lead to some amazing nights out.

Eating traditional Korean meal can be a spectacle that’s best shared with friends or family. Korean meals come with an array of side dishes to sample, a large pot of something yummy boiling or frying in the centre of the table, and food lovingly prepared by chefs who specialise in this one dish.

If you’re eager to know more about Korean dining culture and want to know about what to do and how to behave, then make sure to keep reading till the end of this article. There are some Korean dining tips that will help you learn about the language, culture, and etiquette of eating out in Korea.

Note about prices: food prices have been rising sharply over the last few years and this has led to a rise in the cost of eating out. If you visited Korea in the past, don’t be surprised to see costs have risen 10% or more. Prices quoted are averages and don’t include extras such as drinks.

Now let’s begin this culinary journey. Make sure you’ve got something to nibble on while you read, as you’re going to feel hungry by the end of this!

The 5 Best Traditional Korean Dishes You Must Try

There are many incredible traditional Korean meals to try when you visit Korea, but which ones are the ones you simply can’t leave Korea without trying? If you’re only travelling to Seoul for a weekend or quick stopover, these 5 traditional Korean dishes should definitely be on your eating out itinerary!

1: Samgyeopsal – Korean BBQ

There are numerous options for BBQ in Korea, with different cuts of meat, but the definitive experience comes from eating samgyeopsal (literally – three layered pork). It’s thick, juicy, cheap, and you can find it everywhere. Most Korean BBQ restaurants will serve samgyeopsal as well as other cuts of meat and you buy them in 100g to 200g servings, which is usually enough for one person.

I have to admit, this is my favourite traditional Korean food. It’s different from a British or American BBQ, but certainly gives you the same fix and will leave you feeling stuffed. Instead of Western BBQ, which is usually served with bread rolls and buns, with Korean BBQ you instead wrap the meat in a slice of lettuce or similar veggie and add in extras such as a clove of garlic, onions, bean sprouts, and various sauces and salts.

Why you should try it: The iconic Korean meal that is more of a social event than a simple meal. Eat, drink, laugh, and end up in a meat coma with a smile on your face. BBQ meals aren’t cheap and you often spend more than you realise, but that’s because you’re having fun chatting and eating with a bottle of soju or two.

Cost: W15,000+
Korean: 삼겹살
Where to try in Seoul: 853 Korean BBQ

2: Kimchi Jjigae – Kimchi Stew

Kimchi jjigae is a delightful mix of cabbage kimchi, tofu, cellophane noodles, pork or tuna, and vegetables, served with a portion of rice. If you’re visiting Korea during the winter time, then any jjigae (stew) is the perfect way to recover from the cold, harsh winter weather.

When the kimchi is sautéed, it becomes softer and releases all its flavour into the stew, creating a hearty broth. You can even add more kimchi as it comes as a side dish, too. The best way to eat it is to put a bit of rice on your spoon, dip it in the broth, then top it with the other ingredients.

Why you should try it: There are so many reasons to try a steaming bowl of kimchi jjigae, especially if you’re visiting Korea during winter. This traditional Korean dish is packed with authentic Korean ingredients, including healthy kimchi.

Cost: W10,000+
Korean: 김치 찌개
Where to try in Seoul: Guldari Shikdang

3: Tteokbokki – Spicy Stir Fried Rice Cakes

Tteokbokki is a blend of steamed and sliced rice cakes (tteok 떡), fish cakes (odeng 오뎅), and scallions in a sweet and spicy sauce with plenty of chilli paste. If you’re eating in a restaurant, then add in some cheese and noodles for a filling meal. This is one of the traditional Korean dishes you shouldn’t pass up if you’re exploring traditional markets in Korea.

Best eaten fresh from the market vendors, this spicy, salty mishmash of classic Korean ingredients is perfect as a snack or meal. As you can tell from the red colour, it’s going to be spicy! Spiciness and the ingredients in the sauce can vary between vendors – everyone has their own secret recipe. Try it more than once and see which is the best.

Why you should try it: The perfect Korean winter food. Heart-warming and filling on a cold winter’s day. Cheap, delicious, and found in many places.

Cost: W10,000+ (Meal)
Korean: 떡볶이
Where to try in Seoul: Tteokbokki Town

4: Bibimbap – Mixed Rice With Vegetables

Literally meaning ‘mixed rice’, bibimbap is a fun, healthy jumble of vegetables, rice, chilli paste, and is topped off with a fried egg. Take all the ingredients and mash them together yourself. Add as much gochujang 고추장 (chilli paste) as you can handle and serve until everything is mixed together like a tossed salad.

Bibimbap is served either cold, in a metal bowl, or heated in a hot stone bowl (dolsot bibimbap 돌솥비빔밥). The hot version is the best version in my opinion as the egg and rice stick together and cook on the hot stone. If you’re visiting Jeonju, then make sure you try bibimbap there as they have their own version called Jeonju-bibimbap and it’s arguably one of the best.

Why you should try it: Another one of Korea’s national dishes. Popular in Korea and overseas. It’s a healthy mix of vegetables and spices that is perfect in winter or summer.

Cost: W10,000+
Korean: 비빔밥
Where to try in Seoul: Nongri Bapsang

5: Gimbap – Seaweed Wrapped Rolls

Gimbap (also spelt kimbap) is extremely versatile and can be bought as a snack from a convenience store, or the main part of a meal in a traditional Korean restaurant. This simple dish is actually one of the most popular traditional Korean dishes for students and people looking for a light, low priced lunch. The gimbap pictured above are the little roll gimbap (mayak gimbap – 마약김밥), but this dish is typically a larger roll sliced up like a California roll.

I personally love gimbap as it is light, healthy, and comes in a range of mouth-watering fillings, such as cream cheese, bulgogi (fried beef), lobster, and lots more. Typically I eat at least one gimbap a week as it’s perfect for lunch on the go. This is a great meal option for those who want to cut their costs while travelling to Korea. It’s also great when you want to go hiking and need to pack a filling snack for the journey.

Why you should try it: This Korean street food is a lot healthier than many of the other street eats you’ll find in Seoul. Gimbap has lots of great fillings, it’s so cheap, and so convenient.

Cost: W4,000+ (Meal)
Korean: 김밥
Where to try in Seoul: Yeonhee Gimbap

Top 12 Authentic Korean Meals With Meat

Meat-lovers visiting Korea will have no problems finding delicious and filling Korean traditional dishes. There are many Korean meals that come with meat, including dishes with beef, pork, chicken, duck, and lamb. These dishes often involve fried meats, but there are also steamed meats and stews, too.

1: Chuncheon Dakgalbi – Spicy Stir Fried Chicken

Chuncheon dakgalbi is another of those traditional Korean dishes for those people who love fried meat. This dish combines marinated chicken with vegetables, rice cake (tteok 떡 ), chilli paste sauce, and other spices. You can also add noodles and cheese.

These ingredients are chucked in a large pan and stir fried at your table. A waiter will come every few minutes and mix it all up for you. This makes it a great food to experience, not just eat. Although dakgalbi has spread throughout Korea, it first started in Chuncheon and this is the best place to try it. Visit Chuncheon Myeongdong Dakgalbi Street for the finest examples of one of Korea’s best traditional Korean dishes.

Why you should try it: A quintessentially Korean dish that mixes meat, vegetables, and spices together and fries them in a big metal pan. Add cheese for a greedy, satisfying meal.

Cost: W15,000+
Korean: 춘천 닭갈비
Where to try in Seoul: Chuncheon Dakgalbi

2: Samgyetang – Ginseng Chicken Soup

Samgyetang, a meal in a bowl, contains a whole small chicken packed with rice, garlic, jujube, and ginseng. The thick soup absorbs all of this whilst cooking, leaving a soft, tender chicken and an aromatic, hearty broth. Perfect! Ironically, this hot, healthy, and delicious ginseng chicken soup is most popular during summer.

Koreans have a saying that you should fight heat with heat, meaning that you should eat hot food when it’s hot outside. As strange as it sounds, it actually works. As with most traditional Korean dishes, you’ll find the best samgyetang in a traditional Korean restaurant. You can sit on the floor at a long table and indulge in the soup with a wide range of side dishes.

Why you should try it: This is a filling meal that is worth the cost. Perfect during winter, and (if you believe the stories) great Korean summer dish. Healthy and full of ingredients you might not find in your own country.

Cost: W15,000+
Korean: 삼계탕
Where to try in Seoul: JangAn Samgyetang

3: Budae Jjigae – Army Stew

Budae jjigae was created by adding various items from American army bases into a regular jjigae (stew). This included Spam, sausages, baked beans, American cheese, as well as some local items, such as instant noodles and tteok (rice cakes).

If you’re wondering how such an obviously foreign food item made it into a traditional Korean dish, the answer goes back to the Korean War. Meat was hard to come by then and the American soldiers provided the locals with food aid. This unique fusion of American and Korean foods created one of the best dishes in Korea to eat on a cold day. The bright red stew is packed full of rather unhealthy foods, which makes it taste great and gives you lots of energy!

Why you should try it: Great in cold weather and a guilty treat that’s not just for soldiers. A delicious mix of East and West.

Cost: W10,000+
Korean: 부대찌개
Where to try in Seoul: Heungbune Budae Jjigae

4: Sundae – Blood Sausage

One of the oldest traditional dishes in Korea, sundae might make people squeamish at first but it shouldn’t be missed. Sundae is kind of a cross between haggis and black pudding. It is also really delicious and a wonderful, cheap snack. Sundae traditionally contains pig or cow’s intestines mixed in with rice and vegetables and has long been a regular family meal in Korea.

After the Korean War, cellophane noodles were added inside to bulk it out, and it became a cheap street food, too. Eat sundae by dipping it into a bowl of salt or other seasoning. It goes well with a cold beer on a warm evening. There’s also a soup version with slices of sundae, green veg, and rice in a hearty broth.

Why you should try it: Because it’s unique and cheap. One for people who want to indulge in Korean dishes. Live like a student and have a lively meal with sundae and beer.

Cost: W8,000+ (Meal)
Korean: 순대
Where to try in Seoul: HongdaeSak Sundae

5: Yangnyeom Tongdak – Sticky Fried Chicken

Yangnyeom tongdak might not seem like the most authentic of all traditional Korean dishes, but its popularity means that it deserves a place on this list. With more than 20,000 fried chicken restaurants in Korea, this is definitely one of the national dishes.

Yangnyeom tongdak stands out above other flavours and types of chicken due to its finger licking qualities. This bold mix of sweet, sour, and spicy sauce lavishly spread over regular fried chicken just works. Topped off with crushed nuts, it’s irresistible. You can find this as a snack at a Korean baseball game, as a meal on its own, or anywhere selling Korean street food. Grab a cup of it and dip your fingers in if you don’t mind getting messy, or use some chopsticks if you do.

Why you should try it: The combo and chicken and beer is one enjoyed around the world, but few countries do it as well (and as reasonably priced) as Korea.

Cost: W15,000+
Korean: 양념 통닭
Where to try in Seoul: Bareun Chicken

6: Bossam – Wrapped Boiled Pork

A typical bossam meal comes with a big plate of sliced boiled pork, at least 3 types of kimchi, raw garlic, dipping sauces, and several different things to wrap all of that in. Koreans love to wrap their food in lettuce and cabbage and bossam takes this to another level.

This is a meal all about dipping and wrapping slices of boiled pork – which is more appetising than it sounds. It’s also healthier than fried alternatives. Choose your favourite ingredients, select one of the dipping sauces or salt, wrap them all up in a lettuce, cabbage, or sesame (perilla) leaf, and then eat in one go. The best part of this meal is experimenting with combinations of all of these separate options.

Why you should try it: As much fun as eating samgyeopsal, but less smoky and probably a bit healthier. This is also a great dish to enjoy whatever the weather.

Cost: W15,000+
Korean: 보쌈
Where to try in Seoul: Insadong Manul Bossam

7: Bulgogi – Korean Grilled Beef

Bulgogi is one of the oldest traditional Korean dishes you can find. Literally translated as fire (bul 불) meat (gogi 고기), this dish is very adaptable and bulgogi can be found in many different meals. You will usually find it barbecued though.

Bulgogi usually comes with sliced beef, which is marinated and then grilled to give it a wonderful smoky, rich meaty taste. It can be other types of meat, too, including pork. Wrap the freshly cooked meat in a lettuce leaf (like samgyeopsal), add extras, and then shove it into your mouth in one go. This style of eating might seem strange to foreigners, but is completely normal to Koreans.

Why you should try it: A nice alternative to samgyeopsal, especially if you can’t eat pork. You’ll get all the same side dishes and have fun wrapping up the meat, but this time it’s thin slices of beef.

Cost: W15,000+
Korean: 불고기
Where to try in Seoul: WooRae-Ok Bulgogi

8: Byeo Haejangguk – Bone Hangover Soup

There are many types of haejangguk (hangover soup) in Korea that are eaten late at night or in the early morning to cure headaches, but the best of them is byeo haejangguk. This version comes with meat-clad bones, a thick broth, and lots of seasoning. The meat falls off the bone easily as you mix together meat, soup, rice, and side dish and send it down to your awaiting insides, ready to be embraced and to start repairing your body after a night of drinking.

Of course, you don’t have to eat this only when you have a hangover. It’s great any time, especially in winter. A hot bowl of this with a cool beer, and lots of side dishes is the perfect way to get through a cold January night.

Why you should try it: This dish is perfect on a cold day and will revive and restore you when you’re not feeling well. Fills your belly and your soul.

Cost: W8,000+
Korean: 뼈 해장국
Where to try in Seoul: Sindong Gamjatang

9: Galbi-Gui – Grilled Ribs

Galbi-gui is a type of grilled dish that is made with marinated pork or beef short ribs in a ganjang-based sauce (Korean soy sauce). In Korean, galbi (or kalbi) literally means “rib” and can often indicate uncooked ribs. Unlike ribs in the USA, these are often served in long strips of meat that you’ll need to cut into smaller sections yourself.

As galbi-gui is typically served raw, you get to cook the seasoned ribs on a tabletop grill in the centre of the table. This makes it not only a delicious culinary experience, but also a fun one where you’re in charge of cooking the meal. Don’t worry, staff will help if you’re in trouble.

Why you should try it: These finger-licking ribs are really hard to eat with chopsticks, but worth the effort. The meat is juicy and tender.

Cost: W15,000+
Korean: 갈비구이
Where to try in Seoul: Hangaram Bonjeom

10: Kimchi Bokkeumbap – Kimchi Fried Rice

Kimchi bokkeumbap is a humble Korean dish made basically with kimchi, leftover rice, and whatever else you might have to hand. You’ll find kimchi bokkeumbap served as a meal with spam and spring onions added, as well as a fried egg served on top. The best way to enjoy kimchi bokkeumbap is after a Korean BBQ. Add kimchi and rice to the BBQ hot plate, mix in any leftover meat, and fry it in the oil left on the pan. Perfect!

Since Korean homes almost always have rice and kimchi available, kimchi fried rice is a favourite go-to meal whenever there seems to be nothing to eat at home. This traditional Korean dish is especially popular among young people who are living on a low budget as it is a quick-fix meal, inexpensive to prepare, yet delicious and filling.

Why you should try it: If you want to experience a traditional Korean packed lunch, called dosirak, then order a meal of kimchi bokkeumbap. Old school Korean restaurants will serve it in the metal lunch boxes kids carried to school.

Cost: W8,000+
Korean: 김치볶음밥
Where to try in Seoul: Ajossi-ne

11: Yukgaejang – Spicy Korean Soup

Yukgaejang is a spicy Korean soup consisting of shredded beef (usually brisket), scallions, gosari (eagle fern), bean sprouts, leeks, or mushrooms. The soup is seasoned with chili paste, which gives it its distinctive bright red colour, as well as soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and chili flakes.

Yukgaejang is best served piping hot, with a bowl of rice on the side and generous helpings of kimchi to go with it. As it’s both hot and spicy, this dish is best eaten in winter when you need to warm yourself up or clear your sinuses (make sure you’ve got tissues available when eating this). There is a ‘white’ version that’s not so spicy, too.

Why you should try it: This is a simple yet filling meal that is cheap and quick. There are many yukgaejang places around so it’s easy to find.

Cost: W8,000+
Korean: 육개장
Where to try in Seoul: Jongnogob Yukgaejang

12: Seolleongtang – Ox Bone Soup

Seolleongtang or ox bone soup is a Korean broth made from ox bones (mostly leg bones), brisket and other cuts. A bowl of seolleongtang is served as-is and if you want to change the flavour, you can do so with the condiments at the table. However, I recommend trying it as-served as the chefs at these restaurants have one job and that’s to make the best broth every time.

This dish is traditionally served in the bowl it was cooked in, boiling hot and with a fried egg on top with white rice on the side. Be careful when it arrives, but don’t wait too long to start tucking in, just blow on the spoon a few times and you should be safe to munch away.

Why you should try it: A simple, lighter Korean meal than some of the other traditional dishes listed here. If you’re feeling tired of heavy food, try a bowl of seolleongtang.

Cost: W8,000+
Korean: 설렁탕
Where to try in Seoul: Singawon

Make Traditional Korean Dishes In Seoul

Want to try making your own traditional Korean dishes? There are loads of great opportunities to experience cooking traditional Korean food in Seoul. Why not try your hand at making some of these delicious traditional Korean dishes and create some fun memories on your travels?

Top 8 Korean Dishes With Vegetables & Noodles

These popular Korean dishes are great options for vegetarians or those looking to enjoy (mostly) meat-free noodle dishes, which are perfect in all seasons. Discover the healthy side of Korean cuisine that uses local ingredients and traditional techniques to create satisfying savoury meals you’ll love.

1: Naengmyeon – Ice-Cold Noodles

Naengmyeon is simple dish of cold buckwheat noodles. There are two main varieties – mul naengmyeon 물냉면 (ice-water cold noodles) and bibim naengmyeon 비빔냉면 (spicy cold noodles), both of which are perfect for summer. I prefer the mul naengmyeon (pictured) as the noodles are drowned in icy-cold water and become so refreshing. It’s topped with thin pieces of radish, cucumbers, and a boiled egg and seasoned with vinegar and mustard.

Bibim naengymeon is mostly the same but instead of icy-cold water, the noodles are splashed with spicy chilli paste and form a deadly bowl of spicy noodles. This dish can be deceptively spicy, so be careful. I find that mul naengmyeon is perfect in winter while the bibim naengmyeon is suitable for any time of year.

Why you should try it: It might not look like much, but it is as refreshing as an ice cream on a hot summer’s day. The cold noodles give you back lost energy during the heat.

Cost: W8,000+
Korean: 냉면
Where to try in Seoul: Gom Naengmyeon

2: Kalguksu – Knife-Cut Noodle Soup

Literally meaning knife-cut noodle soup, kalguksu has chunky noodles because they are cut by hand and not spun, giving the noodles a rich taste. Extra ingredients can include shellfish, ground beef, chicken, some vegetables, or cilantro. Perfect during winter in Korea, this hot, steaming broth is simple but can refresh any weary traveller. It is also deceptively filling and hard to finish.

You can find freshly-cut noodles in Korea’s traditional markets. Watching chefs hack up noodles, throw them violently into the broth, and serve them directly to you, fresh and spongy, is a culinary experience in itself. Not only are the noodles some of the best you’ll find, but the broth in some kalguksu restaurants is perfected after decades of experimentation, where they only serve this one dish and have mastered it and made it as good as any meal can be.

Why you should try it: Very filling. The broth is thick and the noodles are thicker. If you find a kalguksu place with a lot of people in it, don’t miss the chance to try it.

Cost: W8,000+
Korean: 칼국수
Where to try in Seoul: Sarangbang Kalguksu

3: Manduguk – Dumpling Soup

Korean dumplings (mandu 만두) are best when they’re in their own soup – manduguk. Manduguk comes in a small or large bowl full of various mandu and squeezed in with tteok 떡 (rice cakes), sliced vegetables, ground meat, or egg. The mandu come with a variety of different fillings, including kimchi, meat, shrimp, and vegetables.

You usually get kimchi or meat dumplings in a manduguk, but good restaurants will have a range of options. As with some other traditional Korean dishes, there is a special day that people eat manduguk, and that is New Year’s Day. Start the New Year with a bowl of manduguk if you’re in South Korea. Families work together to make the dumplings by hand.

Why you should try it: Chew and munch on this hot dish during winter, trying each of the different types of mandu to find your favourite.

Cost: W10,000+
Korean: 만두국
Where to try in Seoul: Bukchonson Mandu

4: Japchae – Stir-Fried Glass Noodles

Japchae is a classic Korean dish that translates to ‘mixed vegetables’. This simple dish is a savoury and sweet combination of ingredients such as stir-fried glass noodles, mushrooms, spinach, carrots, chilli and bell peppers, garlic chives, and more. The main star of this dish is the glass noodles.

Japchae is a must-try for its unique texture and flavour. It’s really easy to eat as the ingredients are all soft and tender and it accompanies greasier (fried) foods well. Japchae is often served as a side dish during Korean holidays or special occasions and if you ever go to a Korean house, they’ll probably have a big tub of it in the fridge ready to dollop onto your plate.

Why you should try it: A healthy, simple meal that goes best as part of a big meal with a selection of other dishes to try. If you try a Korean royal-court dinner spread, expect to find this.

Cost: W8,000+
Korean: 잡채
Where to try in Seoul: Hanyang Jungshik

5: Sundubu-Jjigae – Spicy Soft-Tofu Stew

Sundubu-jjigae is a variety of traditional Korean stews. Besides numerous other ingredients, the foundation of sundubu is uncurdled tofu. Since the tofu is not strained, its consistency is not firm, but rather soft and silky, making it melt into the rest of the dish and provide a soft bite of deliciousness.

A bowl of sundubu-jjigae can be vegetarian-friendly, but can also include meat (usually beef) or a variety of seafood (or even both together). The main ingredients are a healthy mix of onions, zucchini, scallions, mushrooms, and garlic, which are all softened up in the hot spicy broth. Remember to dip some rice in, too.

Why you should try it: This truly traditional Korean meal is great when you’re feeling down and need a healthy pick-me-up.

Cost: W8,000+
Korean: 순두부찌개
Where to try in Seoul: Jeongwon Sundubu

6: Juk – Korean Rice Porridge

Juk is a Korean savoury rice porridge made with various ingredients, such as pumpkin, abalone, chicken, or mushrooms. Each version of juk typically comes with just one of these extra ingredients to add a twist of flavour.

This is a really popular meal for people who are feeling sick and if you eat out in a traditional Korean juk restaurant, you’ll probably hear some people sniffing away while wating for their healing bowl of porridge. Modern Koreans have adapted to the idea of having this healthy porridge as breakfast, light meal or as a comfort food, too.

Why you should try it: A bowl of juk during winter, or any time when you’re suffering, will really give you your energy back. And unlike medicine, this tastes really great!

Cost: W10,000+
Korean: 죽
Where to try in Seoul: Bon Juk

7: Jjajangmyeon – Noodles In Black Bean Sauce

Jjajangmyeon is a Korean-Chinese noodle dish topped with a thick sauce made of chunjang paste, diced pork, and vegetables. Although this dish contains meat (or sometimes seafood), the strength of the black bean sauce dominates the taste of this meal, as well as the colour! If you go to Incheon, make sure to try jjajangmyeon as this is the home of this popular Korean dish.

This black noodle dish is one of the most popular student foods or cheap eats in Korea and is often mentioned in K-dramas. There’s even a special day when people in Korea eat jjajangmyeon called Black Day (because of the colour of the sauce) – a kind of anti-Valentine’s Day when single people get to enjoy going out for a meal.

Why you should try it: If you want to experience life as a Korean student, eating a bowl of cheap jjajangmyeon is the best place to start. It’s a popular student dish due to its low price.

Cost: W6,000+
Korean: 짜장면
Where to try in Seoul: Gawon

8: Doenjang-Jjigae – Fermented Soybean Stew

Doenjang-jjigae is a staple Korean stew made with doenjang (된장), a fermented soybean paste, which gives it a strong taste and smell. It’s cheap and easy to make doenjang-jjigae, which is why you’ll find it served (often for free) with larger shared traditional Korean meals.

This hearty stew is often eaten regularly regardless of occasion or time of day. Depending on the other ingredients added, you can make endless variations of the stew. The large number of vegetables in doenjang-jjigae make it quite healthy, but if you’re looking for a vegetarian dish, this usually isn’t one as it contains pork, too.

Why you should try it: This rich, thick stew has a hearty broth and lots of vegetables inside. It often comes as a free extra with sharing meals but is worth trying by itself.

Cost: W8,000+
Korean: 된장찌개
Where to try in Seoul: Moonsuk-iminari

Vegetarian and vegan travellers to Seoul and Korea don’t need to worry as there are an increasing number of vegetarian-friendly restaurants and vegan-friendly restaurants in Seoul. There are plenty of traditional Korean dishes, including Korean temple cuisine, which are naturally vegan-friendly, too.

Top 5 Classic Korean Dishes With Fish & Seafood

Korea is a peninsula surrounded by coasts on three sides with a bounty of fresh fish and seafood. There are many Korean dishes with fish and seafood prepared in a variety of forms, including raw, smoked, grilled, baked, and even fermented. Head to coastal cities such as Busan for these dishes.

1: Jeon – Korean Savoury Pancake

Jeon (Korean savoury pancakes) come with a variety of fillings, including kimchi, squid, potato, beef, pork, and more. The most popular of these is haemul pajeon 해물 파전 (squid and spring onions) and is a great treat when you’re tired and hungry.

If you’re hiking in Korea, you’ll find a lot of restaurants selling jeon. You’ll know them by the chefs frying them on a hot plate outside the restaurant. They’re served fresh to hungry hikers who are craving something filling after a long trek. Dip the jeon in spicy soy sauce and wash it down with another mountain-based speciality – makgeolli (막걸리). Makgeolli is a creamy rice wine that comes in some interesting flavours, such as chestnut, corn, and even banana.

Why you should try it: Embrace Korean culture when you’re out hiking in a national park by ordering a plate of jeon and makgeolli. Perfect after a long day of hiking or sightseeing.

Cost: W18,000+
Korean: 전
Where to try in Seoul: Jeondae Gamdaek

2: Maeuntang – Spicy Fish Stew

Maeuntang is a hot, spicy fish stew made with a range of different fresh fish. How do you know that the fish are fresh? You can usually choose the fish you want to eat from an aquarium outside the restaurant. The fresh fish are cut up and boiled with an assortment of vegetables and a bit of ground beef.

To give this dish its signature spiciness, generous helpings of red chilli paste (gochujang 고추장) and red chilli flakes (gochugaru 고추가루) are added. You can find lots of extras in a bowl of maeuntang, such as shellfish, garlic, and more. They give it an unforgettable taste and help make this one of Korea’s most beloved seafood dishes. A traditional Korean dish for those who love their food with a kick.

Why you should try it: Spice-lovers who want a dish without meat will be pleased with this. Full of fresh ingredients, tastes, and pretty healthy, too. A great combination.

Cost: W10,000+
Korean: 매운탕
Where to try in Seoul: Donggang-Naruto

3: Hoe – Sliced Raw Fish

Hoe is one of the best traditional Korean dishes to eat if you’re visiting Busan or any other seaside town or city. This is more than what you’d expect from Japanese sashimi, hoe has other options beyond the normal thin slices of fresh fish. You’ll also find a medley of colourful, and sometimes more alive than expected, types of seafood and shellfish. Additional side dishes could include more seafood, kimchi, garlic, soup, soft crabs, fried fish, and more.

Dip the gentle slices in soy sauce and wasabi and indulge as is, or grab some lettuce or cabbage to wrap the raw fish in. Take a lettuce leaf and place the fish inside, along with some garlic and whatever else you like. Like a Korean BBQ but with seafood.

Why you should try it: You’ll find lots of essential nutrients in this juicy traditional Korean dish. If you’re by the coast, then you shouldn’t miss out on some of the seafood caught fresh from the seas surrounding Korea.

Cost: W20,000+
Korean: 회
Where to try in Seoul: Insaeng-Hoetjib

4: Ojingeo Bokkeum – Spicy Stir Fried Squid

I didn’t expect to like ojingeo bokkeum when I first tried it as I’m not a massive fan of squid. However, the soft, tender texture of the squid in this meal makes it surprisingly delectable and it has more of a meaty taste to it than you’d normally associate with seafood. You should definitely add it to your list whether you like squid or not.

The sweet, spicy sauce adds a lot to the taste of squid and goes well with the vegetables, too. Stir frying the lot together leaves a fresh, crisp, sweet, spicy, and not too fishy dish that you’ll want more and more of. Be careful if you’re not too keen on traditional Korean dishes that pack a spicy punch as this might make your eyes water.

Why you should try it: This is one of the most popular traditional Korean dishes and Koreans eat this at home or out. Easy to make, served quick and fresh.

Cost: W10,000+
Korean: 오징어볶음
Where to try in Seoul: Deoksujeong

5: Godeungeo-Gui – Grilled Mackerel

Godeungeo-gui is one of the most popular and beloved fish dishes in Korea and one that you’ll often find served in canteens or for school lunch. This authentic dish features grilled mackerel that is generously seasoned with salt and lemon juice and cooked over a charcoal or gas fire until the skin is crispy and the flesh is moist and flaky.

The best thing about godeungeo-gui is that it’s a simple but satisfying dish that showcases the fresh and oily flavour of the fish, which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and protein. This traditional fish meal is usually served with rice, soup, and various side dishes, such as kimchi, radish salad, soybean sprouts, and seaweed. If you want to try the best godeungeo-gui, eat it during autumn in Korea when mackerel are in season and have more fat.

Why you should try it: A crispy, healthy fish dish that will leave you licking your lips. If you’re visiting Korea in October, it’s a must-have dish.

Cost: W10,000+
Korean: 고등어 구이
Where to try in Seoul: Jeonju Shikdang

Bonus: Kimchi (Fermented Vegetables)

Of course, no list of traditional Korean dishes would be complete without mentioning kimchi. Although this isn’t a dish in itself, you probably won’t eat any of these dishes without it. There is nothing as ubiquitous as kimchi in Korean cuisine and it’s served with every meal of the day (even breakfast!). Korean’s even have a whole day of making kimchi each year called gimjang, which I’ve tried and it’s a lot of fun, but hard work.

Kimchi makes a great side dish to snack on, goes great in a stew, fits nicely in a wrap with BBQ or boiled meat, and even belongs in a taco. Koreans also believe that it has miraculous health benefits, including reducing cholesterol and stopping stomach cancer. It can even keep you young! Whether or not these all work, you certainly can’t travel to Korea without trying kimchi.

Why you should try it: It’s Korea’s national side dish, healthy, and goes so well with many of Korea’s best traditional dishes. I don’t think you’ll be able to visit Korea without sampling kimchi, which you definitely should.

Cost: Free with most meals
Korean: 김치
Where to try in Seoul: Everywhere

Make Traditional Korean Dishes At Home

Want to try making these traditional Korean dishes at home but not sure where to start? Here are some Korean cookbooks to teach you how to make a range of tasty Korean treats. Start with the basics, such as tteokbokki and mandu, or jump straight into filling meals like kimchi jjigae and jjajangmyeon.

Maangchi’s Big Book Of Korean Cooking

The book contains the favourite dishes by famous Korean chef and YouTuber, Maangchi. She has perfected many Korean meals over the years, from Korean barbecue and fried chicken to bulgogi and bibimbap. Discover Maangchi’s professional approach to Korean cooking today.

Buy on Amazon

The Korean Vegan: Joanne Lee Molinaro

Joanne Lee Molinaro has captivated millions of fans with her powerfully moving personal tales of love, family, and food. In her debut cookbook, she shares a collection of her favorite Korean dishes, some traditional and some reimagined, as well as poignant narrative snapshots that have shaped her family history.

Buy on Amazon

Wookwan’s Korean Temple Food

As the first volume of temple cuisine published in English, Wookwan herself has written an elegant volume that introduces the reader to Korean temple food, including what it means to care for the ingredients at each step of preparation, following the three key principles of cooking temple food, interspersed with her own accounts and tips among the recipes.

Buy on Amazon

Korean Stone Bowl Cooking Pot

An essential part of many Korean winter dishes is the stone bowl (dolsot) cooking pot. This can be used to make dishes such as dolsot bibimbap, kimchi jjigae, and many other hot soups and stews.

Buy on Amazon

Cookbooks not your thing? Check out the Baek Jong Won YouTube channel. He’s one of Korea’s most famous chefs and you can find his restaurants all over the place. He can teach you to make tteokbokki and many other tasty Korean winter foods.

Tips For Enjoying These Real Korean Dishes

I’ve eaten out in Korea way too much, it’s hard not to. The food is cheap, delicious, and there is so much variety, a lot more than people realise before visiting Korea. I’ve put together a few tips to help you get even more out of your trip and the delicious Korean meals you’re going to enjoy.

1: Korean Food Is Cheap

Don’t be surprised by how much you get. However, food can get expensive, especially if you want to eat foreign foods. You’re in Korea and so I’d really recommend trying the local foods before looking for something more familiar.

2: Meals For Two

Some meals will be for two or more people and will be indicated on the menu with – 2인 (2 people in Korean). If you see this, then the price is for the whole meal, not per person. This is a big sharing meal and are often much better than individual meals – check them out!

3: Understanding Chinese Characters

Sharing meals (like those found in tip 2) usually come in 3 different sizes, which are represented by traditional Chinese characters. These are as follows:

• 小 (so) – small portion
• 中 (jung) – medium portion
• 大 (dae) – large portion

A small portion is enough for 2-3 people. Remember, the meal will usually come with side dishes, too. If you want to know more useful Korean, check out this article about phrases for eating-out in Korea.

4: Eat At The Markets

Korea’s traditional markets and street food stalls offer some of the most amazing traditional food and are often cheaper and fresher than in a restaurant. Be sure not to miss them when you visit Seoul and other cities as they are also a great place to pick up cheap souvenirs and interact with locals.

5: Indulge In Side Dishes

Traditional meals typically come with Korean side dishes, called banchan (반찬). These are included with the meal and if you ask for more, you can often get free refills. Don’t be surprised if you order a simple meal and end up with 10 or even 20 side dishes!

6: Wrap It Up

If your meal comes with a bowl of lettuce leaves (or cabbage), you’re probably meant to use it to wrap the other parts of the meal. Eating a Korean BBQ is a really fun experience and one of the times it’s ok to get your fingers dirty. Pick up some meat, garlic, kimchi, and whatever else you fancy, and wrap it inside the lettuce leaf and pop it into your mouth.

7: Stay Hydrated

Restaurants in Korea always give you free water (sometimes iced tea). This is a great way to get free liquids during the day. Make the most of it as Korea can be hot, especially in summertime. Also, Korean dishes tend to be quite salty, so staying hydrated is important.

8: Be Brave

There are some weird Korean dishes out there that might shock and scare you, but so much of Korea’s cuisine is mouthwateringly delicious (despite the look) that it would be a crime to miss them. Sure, some traditional Korean foods (hongeo-hoe) will leave a bad taste in your mouth, but try the rest!

As with many cultures, Korean meals often come with their own set of rules that you probably won’t be aware of before visiting in Korea. Read up on Korean etiquette rules to help you avoid cultural faux pas when you’re eating out, drinking, meeting people, and in other situations.

My Favourite Korean Traditional Meals

I’ve lived in Korea since 2015 and instantly fell in love with the food. There are so many unique culinary experiences – from the large group meals to the snack-able delights you can find in small street stalls or mountaintop shacks.

I’ve tried everything on this list and a lot more. So, what are my 3 favourite traditional dishes?

Well, I have to put samgyeopsal on the list – it’s a dish I enjoy regularly with friends. And one that I probably eat too much of for my own good!

Next up is my go-to lunch snack or can’t-be-bothered-to-cook-dinner meal – gimbap. This small, but filling, dish is great for lunch or dinner and you can eat it with dumplings, ramyeon, tteokbokki, and other foods.

Finally, a relatively plain dish compared to some of the others available, one that’s really just a bowl of noodles – kalguksu. I fell in love with this dish near my old workplace and eat it a lot during winter.

Kalguksu is really filling and perfect when it’s cold as the soup is hearty and warming. The noodles are thick and chewy and you can eat a big bowl of this without feeling too guilty as it’s not unhealthy.

How about you? What are your favourite traditional Korean dishes? Please let me know in the comments.

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