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Korea has a rich culinary heritage, filled with foods of distinct character. Dining in Korea is often an elaborate experience, with numerous plates and bowls filled with side dishes laid out across the table.
Traditional Korean foods are known be high in nutrition and low in calories. Dishes rely heavily on low-fat ingredients like grains, vegetables and seafood.
A typical Korean meal consists of bap (steamed white rice), guk (soup, often made with vegetables and seafood or meat) and a variety of banchan (side dishes).
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Fermented foods including kimchi (spicy pickled vegetables) and dwenjang (Korean soy paste) have been a part of the Korean diet for centuries.
Many Koreans enjoy eating hot and spicy foods. Some say this appetite somehow plays a role in their hot-tempered character.
Here's an introduction to Korean dining culture, to prepare you for both dining in and eating out. |
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| Essential Foods |
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| The principal foods in the Korean diet are rice and kimchi. Korean people usually pair these staples with a hearty serving of soup. |
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Rice
Rice is the most important food to Koreans. For that reason, Korean people say "bap" (rice) instead of "meal," when referring to meal times. Achimbap (아침밥), the Korean term for breakfast, means "morning rice." Similarly, the term for lunch, jeomsimbap (점심밥), means "noon rice" and the term for dinner, jeonyeokbap (저녁밥), means "evening rice."
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| When cooking rice in Korea, Korean people often include other grains like beans, barley and millet. Rice is prepared using different methods, including frying and boiling. Korean rice sticks together and is eaten with a spoon, not with chopsticks. |
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Kimchi
When people think of Korean cuisine, kimchi is always one of the first foods that comes to mind. This fermented vegetable dish is served with most meals, and has come to be known for its spiciness. Many varieties of kimchi are a vivid red-orange in color because of a heavy dousing of red pepper powder. Although kimchi made with Chinese cabbage is most commonly eaten (baechu-kimchi), there are hundreds of types of kimchi. Taste and varieties vary by region and |
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| season of production. All varieties of kimchi are known to be high in vitamins, minerals and proteins. |
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Soup
Most of Korean meals include a bowl of soup. Korean soups are made from a variety of different ingredients including vegetables, seafood, and meat. Most will come with a bowl of rice or have the rice already in the soup when served. There are two terms for soup in Korea; guk and tang. Generally, when meat or seafood is a main ingredient of the soup, Korean people call it tang. However, there is no clear system for naming. |
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| Utensils |
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| Utensils for a typical Korean place setting consist of a pair of chopsticks and a spoon. The chopsticks are usually made of metal and are often flat. Chopsticks are used to pick up solid foods like meats, noodles and side dishes. Spoons are also made of metal and are rather flat with a long handle. This utensil is used to eat softer foods and rice, and to sip liquids like soups. |
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| Meals: Breakfast |
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| Most of Korean people eat breakfast at their homes. Lately, however, younger generations often prefer eating out, and tend to grab gimbap, tteok, bagels, and sandwiches to eat as their morning meal. The following foods are common breakfast choices, but are also popular throughout the day. |
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Gimbap
Gimbap is a popular Korean "fast food." Rice (bap) is spread on sheets of dried Korean seaweed (gim), and layered with a variety of ingredients (including ham, egg, carrots, spinach, cucumber, radishes, sausage, tuna, crab meat, and cheese). Ingredients are then rolled together and sliced. Gimbap is commonly sold at casual Korean restaurants, street vendors and even convenience stores. It is often eaten by Koreans at picnics and other outdoor events, but can also be served as a casual meal. Gimbap was adapted from the Japanese during the colonial period and resembles makizushi (rolled sushi). |
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Tteok
Tteok is a Korean steamed rice cake made with glutinous rice. Hundreds of varieties of tteok are enjoyed in Korea, with many served as celebration foods. Tteokguk, a soup made with sliced tteok, is an important part of New Year's celebrations, while songpyeon (half-moon-shaped tteok with fillings like sesame seeds and honey, red bean paste and chestnut paste) is traditionally served during the autumn harvest festival Chuseok. Elegant and sweet forms of tteok often play roles at wedding or birthday celebrations. |
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| Meals: Lunch |
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| One dish meals are popular foods for lunch. Bibimbap, tteokbokki, samgyetang, seolleongtang, galbitang and juk are all good examples of tasty mid-day meals. |
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Bibimbap
Bibimbap is a popular dish made by serving rice with namul (cooked and raw vegetables). Bibimbap is sometimes served with meat or seafood and a fried egg on top. Rice is either served in a large bowl, topped with the vegetables and other ingredients, or in a bowl on the side that is mixed in. Ingredients are combined thoroughly at the table with gochujang (red chili pepper paste) just before eating. Bibimbap literally means "mixed rice" or "mixed meal." Dolsot bibimbap is a |
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| variation that is served in a hot stone pot. The city of Jeonju in Jeollabuk Province is famous for their version of bibimbap. |
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Tteokbokki
Tteokbokki is made with tteok (rice cake) tubes that are stir-fried with gochujang (red chili pepper paste) and slices of fish cake. This dish is a popular choice at casual Korean restaurants. Boiled eggs and pan-fried mandu (dumplings) are often served with tteokbokki. Ramyeon (Korea's version of instant noodles) pairs with tteokbokki as a dish known as rabokki. |
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Samgyetang
The body cavity of a young chicken is cleaned then stuffed with sweet rice, ginseng, garlic, chestnuts and jujubes (dried, red dates). The chicken is then boiled to draw out a delicious broth and served in an individual stone pot. Samgyetang is traditionally eaten in the summertime and is believed to help give diners the stamina to deal with the hottest days of the year. |
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Seolleongtang
Seolleongtang is made by boiling beef bones and stewing meat for hours until a rich broth is formed. The stewing meat is then sliced and returned to the soup before serving. Seolleongtang is served with kkakdugi (chopped radish) kimchi and rice. Many people add rice directly to the soup while eating. |
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Galbitang
Beef ribs are boiled with beef stewing meat, Korean radishes and onions to create a savory soup. Galbitang is served with kkakdugi (chopped radish) kimchi and rice. As with seolleongtang, many add rice directly to the soup while eating. |
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Juk
Juk is a porridge dish made with rice that is often combined with grains, vegetables or seafood. Traditional juk varieties include abalone, sesame, and pine nut. Pat juk is made with red beans and saealshim (small rice dumplings) while hobak juk is made with pumpkin. Although there are several traditional varieties of juk, modern recipes have yielded many new flavor combinations. |
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| Meals: Dinner |
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| Korean people like eat dinner to their hearts' content. For that reason, they often have meat for dinner, especially on special occasions. Chicken, beef and pork are the most popular meats in Korea. |
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Dakgalbi
Chicken rib meat is seasoned with a variety of spices, and then cooked with cabbage and onions in a red pepper chili sauce. Chuncheon in Gangwon Province is famous for its dakgalbi. |
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Galbigui
Beef or pork short ribs are marinated with soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, green onion and minced garlic and then grilled. Diners are provided with lettuce to wrap the grilled meat with, along with grilled garlic and onions, kimchi, shredded vegetables and dwenjang (Korean soy paste). The city of Suwon in Gyeonggi Province is well-known for its galbi. |
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Bulgogi
Bulgogi is one of Korea's most well-known dishes. Beef is sliced thinly then marinated with soy sauce, sesame oil, pear juice or sugar, minced garlic and green onion before being grilled. Bulgogi is served with rice, as well as lettuce to wrap the grilled meat with. Grilled garlic and onions, kimchi, shredded vegetables and dwenjang (Korean soy paste) are also provided. A pork version of this dish is called dwaeji bulgogi. |
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| Korean Restaurants |
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| There are many types of restaurants in Korea that serve different varieties of local fare. Some specialize in a certain type of meat (beef, fish, chicken, etc.) while others specialize in a certain cooking technique (grilling, stewing, steaming, etc.) Some eateries focus on noodles, rice or a certain type of soup. |
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A certain type of restaurant will often stick to a certain formula, serving a familiar selection of dishes while adding a few house specialties. A naengmyeon (cold noodles) restaurant, for example, can be counted on to serve mul naengmyeon (cold noodles served in broth), bibim naengmyeon (noodles served with without broth and with red chili pepper paste), hoe naengmyeon with raw fish.
It's often easy to tell the type of meat a restaurant serves by the animal pictures featured prominently on its signs. Chicken, pork, beef and duck restaurants are common sights in large and small neighborhoods. |
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Seafood restaurants feature different types of fish, shellfish, octopus and squid. Barbecue restaurants are popular, where raw meats cooked by diners at their individual tables.
Korean diners traditionally sit on the floor when eating. Diners remove their shoes before sitting on cushions, surrounding low tables. While some restaurants primarily have floor seating, most have Western-style tables and chairs. Some restaurants also offer diners the choice between the two.
Most of restaurants serve free side dishes with their meals. Refilling these side dishes is also done at no extra charge. When you'd like |
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more side dishes, you can ask your server to refill them.
In a restaurant, you can get attention of waiters by saying "Yeo-gi-yo (여기요)." This means "here" in Korean, can be used to ask for service at most restaurants. Many restaurants
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also have call buttons on the corner of the table.
Water is the most common beverage served with meals, and is provided free of charge. Casual restaurants either have self-service water coolers or provide a carafe of water for the table. Ice is typically not provided. Cups are generally smaller in size than Westerners are accustomed to. One reason for this is because Koreans generally do not rely on drinks as much during meals, but will rather rely on soups for hydration. Many restaurants do not serve soft drinks with the exception of barbecue restaurants and those that serve Western-style cuisines like pizza or burgers. |
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| Dining Etiquette |
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| Here is a brief introduction to the dos and don'ts at the breakfast, lunch and dinner table. |
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Table Manners
Do not blow your nose while dining with Koreans. It's considered very rude behavior. Reaching across the table when dining, however, is a common practice. Close friends and colleagues often share a communal dish or pot, dipping chopsticks and spoons into shared entrées and side dishes. This is only done among people that feel very comfortable with one another. It's best to follow the lead of your Korean dinning partners.
Respect Older People
Younger people should always wait for older people to start eating before they begin their meal. Regulating your speed of eating to match your dining companions also shows respect.
Paying the Bill
There are many situations when a person would pay the entire bill for their group. Older people usually pay the bill when dining with younger people. Among close friends, paying the entire bill shows value of the friendship. Most young Koreans, however, do split the bill when having meals with friends, especially in a larger group.
Tipping
Tipping is not required or expected at most establishments in Korea.
Important Phrases
Before start eating, Korean people usually say "Jalmeokgeseumnida (잘먹겠습니다)" to give thanks to the people who prepared the meal. After the meal, they say "jalmekeoseumnida" again, for the same reason. |
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| Street Food |
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Odeng
Eomuk, fish cake, is often called by its Japanese name, odeng. Odeng is one of the most popular ingredients in street foods in Korea. When served by itself, it is often pushed onto a long skewer and placed into a vat of broth, while waiting to be purchased. This form of odeng is eaten with soy sauce and a small cup of broth.
Fried Foods
Koreans enjoy many kinds of deep-fried street foods including as vegetables, mandu (dumplings), shrimp, squid and chicken. |
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Tteokbokki
Tteokbokki is a popular street food made with tteok (rice cake) tubes that are stir-fried with gochujang (red chili pepper paste) and slices of fish cake. Boiled eggs, mandu (dumplings) and other savory deep-fried treats are often served with tteokbokki. |
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| Warm Season |
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Fresh Juice (Smoothie)
Fresh juice is popular during Korea's warmer months. Seasonal or tropical fruits are often blended with ice, with customers choosing their own flavor combinations. Strawberries, watermelon, bananas, peaches, kiwis and tomatoes are all popular ingredients for juice.
Patbingsu
A bowl of shaved ice is liberally doused with red beans, fruit, jellies, cereal, nuts, syrup, sweetened condensed milk, small pieces of tteok (rice cake) and ice cream. Mixing this complicated dessert before eating is essential. |
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| Cold Season |
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Roasted Chestnuts
These warm favorites can be readily found in busy neighborhoods. Vendors usually sell chestnuts that have been shelled, making them convenient for snacking. |
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Hotteok
Warm pancakes are prepared fresh, stuffed with a gooey blend of cinnamon and sugar. Some vendors also include crushed nuts in the filling. There are two types of hotteok; fried and baked. |
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Bungeobbang (Fish-shaped Buns with Sweetened Red Beans)
The appropriately-named bungeobbang (which means "carp-shaped buns") look like a resting school of fish as they wait to be purchased by tempted passersby. Buns are packed with sweetened red beans, instead of the going for the obvious (and less fun) filling of fish. These snacks sometimes also have other fillings, like custard or sweet cheese. |
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| Fast Food |
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Fast food restaurants are common sights in Korea's busier neighborhoods. Lotteria is the local answer to the burger wars, serving up bulgogi-flavored patties and squid burgers in addition to more traditional choices. McDonalds and Burger King also have a strong presence here, with most of their popular sandwiches available in Korea along with shrimp burgers and sides of corn salad. The fast food fried chicken market is dominated by Western chains KFC and Popeye's. Korean chicken chains tend to be less "fast food" and more "bar," and often specialize in delivery.
Want truly fast food? Gimbap restaurants serve up dozens of dishes and usually have orders ready in about five minutes. And while the
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| rice rolls are popular fare, these restaurants also feature dozens of other dishes including soups, stews, rice plates, tteokbokki, ramyeon, donkas (Japanese-style pork cutlet or tonkatsu) and fried Trice. Gimbap restaurants, whether independent or part of a chain, rarely stray from featuring the same list of familiar choices, although some will feature a special dish here and there. Common gimbap chains include Gimgane, Jongro Kimbap and Kimbab Cheongug. |
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| Foreign Food in Korea |
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International restaurants can be found throughout Korea. Italian, Chinese and Japanese restaurants are the most common foreign cuisines, found in both large and mid-sized neighborhoods. Busier areas, especially with large foreign populations, may have more diverse offerings including Turkish, Indian and Filipino restaurants.
Larger food markets often have foreign sections with a variety of Western foods. These items cost considerably more than they do in the West, and the selections are limited.
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| Metropolitan areas often have "foreigner" neighborhoods with shops that specialize in carrying items familiar to the Western community. These shops are often expensive, but carry a surprising amount of local favorites. |
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| Neighborhoods with Large Foreign Populations |
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Seoraemaeul, Seocho-gu, Seoul – There are nearly a thousand French people living in Korea and about half of them live in Seoraemaeul. For that reason, Korean people call this area "Little France." You can find many café, bakeries and wine shops in Seoraemaeul.
Dongbu Ichon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul – Seoul's "Little Tokyo" is located in Dongbu Ichon-dong. This is the oldest foreign-community village in Korea, featuring Japanese bars, restaurants and grocery stores. |
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Itaewon, Yongsan-gu, Seoul – Itaewon is a popular destination for those craving foreign food in Seoul. Many foreign restaurants are packed along the streets and alleys of Itaewon, featuring cuisines like Indian, Turkish, Greek and Thai. This neighborhood is also a good spot for buying foreign groceries, antiques and "big size" clothes and shoes.
Hyehwa-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul – The area in front of the Hyehwa Catholic Church comes alive with a "Philippine Market" every Sunday. Congested sidewalk areas are packed with vendors |
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selling vegetables and meats, household goods and prepared food, all catering to the Filipino expat community. Nearby restaurants prepare days ahead for this weekly gathering.
Chinatown, Seonlin-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon – Korea's Chinatown may not be as large as Chinatowns in some other countries, but it's still worth a visit. Authentic Chinese dishes (not just the Korean-Chinese favorites), great seafood and a lively atmosphere make this a great dining or shopping destination.
Wongok-dong, Danwon-gu, Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do – Chinese, Vietnamese, Hindi and English can all be heard when walking down the streets of Wongok-dong. Signs are written in a number of languages advertise foreign restaurants and grocery stores, frequented by residents from across the globe. For this reason, Wongok-dong is also known as the "No National Boundaries Village." |
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| Food Shopping |
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Shopping for food and basic household goods can be done in a variety of locations in Korea. Grocery stores often resemble those in the West, with the addition of having areas committed to local goods like kimchi and other banchan (side dishes). Large discount retailers like E-MART feature extensive grocery sections, and many department stores have grocery departments located on their basement floors. Mini-grocery stores exist in large and small communities, both of the mom-and-pop variety and smaller versions of large chains, like Home plus Express.
Costco also has number of locations throughout Korea. Membership is required to purchase goods at these wholesale stores, and |
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international membership cards are acknowledged.
Another option for food shopping is to visit traditional food markets. Neighborhood markets feature vendors selling fruits, vegetables and other food items from small shops or booths. In Seoul, the Gyeongdong Market is a large agricultural product market in the Dongdaemun area, but is known best for its herbal medicines and ginseng. Noryangjin Fish Market is a good place for seafood in Seoul, while the Jagalchi Fish Market is well-known in Busan. |
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| Cooking Korean Food |
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| Interested in learning to cook Korean food? Start preparing traditional Korean dishes during your time abroad with the help of Korean cooking classes and tasty online resources. |
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Cooking Classes
There are many cooking classes geared toward foreign visitors and residents. International centers often offer classes, as well as private cooking schools and businesses that specialize in providing "Korean" activities for foreigners. Check the tourism website in your area for more information.
Korean Food Online
A number of websites have good selections of recipes for preparing Korean dishes. Here are a few of our favorites.
FoodKorea.org has pages dedicated to ingredients like kimchi, hot pepper paste, soybean paste and different kinds of mushrooms. Learn more about each ingredient, search through tempting recipes, and then start cooking!
Korea Sparking, the Korea Tourism Organization's website, features simple recipes for some of Korea's most popular dishes.
Korean Kitchen is a website filled with gorgeous food photos and pages of tasty recipes. Although the blog section is in Korean, it is filled with inspiring food shots.
Maangchi.com is a wealth of Korean cooking information, complete with recipes, videos and tips from Maangchi herself. |
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| Vegetarians in Korea |
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Most Korean dishes, including many varieties of kimchi, are prepared using meat or fish ingredients. Many soups are made with meat or fish stock and will often have clams or other shellfish included. Kimchi is often fermented with the help of pickled seafood, including small shrimp, oysters and anchovies. This can make it hard for vegetarians to have a nutritious, varied and satisfying diet.
Many dishes in Korea, however, can be prepared to be vegetarian-friendly. When ordering your food at a restaurant, ask the servers to have selections cooked without including meat, eggs or fish. Make sure to be specific, as local restaurant staff may have even broader interpretations of what is or is not "meat" than the people in your home country.
As vegetarianism starts to catch on in Korea, vegetarian (and even vegan) restaurants can now be found in big cities. Many serve traditional Korean foods, with jeon (Korean pancakes), soups, side dishes and kimchi all served sans meat. Restaurants that specialize in Temple Foods, dishes traditionally eaten by Buddhist monks, use no animal products except milk and also leave out strong ingredients like garlic, onions and scallions. Lists of veggie-friendly restaurant options are available on the Happy Cow website, and the Korea Tourism Organization website |
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| Drinking in Korea |
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| Koreans work hard, and at the end of the day, there's often a lot of steam to blow off. Nothing helps you unwind better than a couple pitchers of beer, some soju and numerous plates of snacks. |
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| Where to Drink |
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Hofs (Beer Houses)
The Korean term for a pub is "hof" (pronounced hopeu), which is short for the German term Hofbräu. These drinking halls don't have a physical "bar" or bartender, but usually serve a variety of alcoholic beverages, including draft beer. Alcohol is never purchased alone, but is always accompanied by plates or bowls of anju (drinking snacks).
Bars
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There are many types of bars in Korea, including Western Bars, Classic Bars, and Music Bars. Western Bars tend to be crowded and lively, while Classic Bars are calmer and quieter. Music bars are a great place to watch a live band or performance.
Clubs & Nightclubs
Clubs and nightclubs are popular destinations for drinking and dancing until the wee hours of the morning. Young people often prefer clubs (as opposed to nightclubs), opting for less tables and more room to dance. Clubs also often specialize in a certain genre of music, with hip hop and electronic especially popular in Korea's club scene. Nightclubs don't have bars or bartenders to order drinks from, with patrons ordering alcohol and anju at their own table from a server.
Pojangmacha (Snack Stalls) A pojangmacha sells soju and a variety of anju that pair well with the drink. Most snack stalls are located outdoors (soju tents) and only cash payments are accepted. |
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| Types of Alcohol |
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Soju
Soju is the most common alcohol in Korea. It is traditionally made from rice but many varieties today are made of other starches including wheat or potato. Soju's alcohol content is often about 20 percent. It has a taste comparable to vodka and is gaining a following as a base for cocktails, especially outside of Korea. Although soju is clear, the color green is often associated with the beverage, thanks to the emerald bottles it's commonly sold in. |
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Beer
Beer, maekju, is one of the most popular types of alcohol among Korean people. Popular Korean beers like Cass, Hite and OB are often purchased in oversized pitchers at bars, while grocery and convenience stores sell large bottles and cans for home consumption. Popular beers from around the world including Budweiser, Corona, Heineken and Asahi can easily be found, while some bars specialize in stocking brews from a number of regions. |
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Makgeolli
One of Korea's traditional alcoholic beverages, makgeolli is made from rice and has a milky appearance. Its alcohol volume is six to seven percent, making it not much stronger than beer. While farmers traditionally drank makgeolli for energy, today it's more common to see a group of hikers celebrating their climb with a bowls of the sweet beverage.
Other Traditional Alcoholic Beverages |
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| Korea has many other types of traditional alcohols including fruit liquors (maesil plum and black raspberry are both popular) flower wines (including acacia flowers, fruit blossoms, wild roses) and medicinal wines, notably insamju (ginseng wine). |
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| Drinking Culture |
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| Drinking customs are very polite among Korean people. Showing respect to older people is especially important. Here is an introduction to Korean drinking etiquette. |
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Pouring Drinks
Pouring a drink for another person is done as a gesture of respect. A person should never pour their own drink, as this is seen as a disregard for one's drinking companions. When pouring drinks for older people, pour with your right hand and put your left hand under your right elbow to support it. This is a very polite way to pour a drink and shows your respect.
Receiving a Drink/Drinking
The best way to receive a drink from an elder is to hold your glass with your both hands. When drinking with older people, turn your face away from them when taking a sip, hiding your mouth with your hand. Drinks poured by an older person should always be drunk, as a sign of respect.
Multiple Drinking Spots
Koreans rarely limit their drinking to one location during a night out. Beer and soju will often start during dinner, before the group moves on to a second location. Over the course of an evening, a few hofs, bars and restaurants might be visited before finally ending the evening at a noraebang (karaoke room). |
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| Anju (Drinking Snacks) |
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Most of Korean hofs and bars serve food with alcoholic drinks, which is referred to as anju. Although purchasing anju technically might not be "required," Koreans always drink alcoholic beverage with snacks or something else to munch on. This may seem odd to |
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Westerners, especially when stopping by a hof right after dinner.
Anju dishes tend to be salty, savory or spicy, but fruits are also a popular accompaniment to beer or soju. Fried chicken, dried squid, French fries, dubu kimchi (sautéed kimchi with tofu) and raw spicy crab are just a few anju favorites.
Fried food pairs well with beer, while pan-fried foods like green onion pancakes are often served with traditional alcoholic beverages like as |
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| makgeolli and dongdongju. Many Koreans like drinking soju with soup as an anju, with spicy and mild varieties both popular. Dried seafood like filefish, squid and octopus are common accompaniments to alcohol, like beef jerky is in America. |
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