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Food

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Food

01Food that Koreans Usually Eat

Koreans enjoy sharing food with family and friends. As such, there is a tendency in Korean culture to prepare better food than you normally eat when there are guests present for a meal.
A typical Korean meal consists of rice, soup, and side dishes. Similar to soup, hot stews are also popular, as well as side dishes such as vegetables, steamed foods, hardboiled foods, roasted meat, stirfried foods, and pan-fried foods. One of the side dishes always present on the Korean table is kimchi. As a substitute for rice, people will sometimes eat hot or cold noodles, wheat flake soup, or rice cakes. As working couples increase and family structures change, there are more single-portion meals, convenience food, and delivery food.

Useful Information
Familiarizing Yourself with Korean Food

Many foreigners find it is easier to familiarize themselves with Korean food when enjoying it with Korean friends. Getting used to Korean food is one of the best ways to adapt to Korea more quickly. When you learn to like Korean food, life in Korea will become much more enjoyable.

Drinking Water

You don't need to worry about the drinking water in Korea. Most Koreans use a water purifier or boil water to make tea, which they drink cool. The tap water is drinkable, but most Koreans either boil it or filter it using a water purifier. Although you could have a stomachache for a couple days when you first get here, it usually goes away in a few days. If you are having severe pains, it is advised to see a doctor. Water is provided for free at restaurants and snack bars. Bottled water can be easily bought at any store.

02Korean Food

(1)Bap (Boiled Rice)

Korean rice is stickier than Southeast Asian rice. Those who are not used to this type of rice may experience a slight stomachache or indigestion at first. It takes about a week to get used to Korean rice.

  • rice
    < rice >
Useful Information
Bibimbap

Bibimbap is a representative food of Korea made by mixing vegetables, beef, seasoning, sesame oil, red pepper paste, etc. with steamed rice. Bibimbap is a representative food of Jeonju, and ‘Jeonju Bibimbap’ is very famous nationwide and has even been sampled by world-famous celebrities

  • Bibimbap
    < Bibimbap >

(2)Guk (Light Soup), Tang (Soup with Meat or Fish), Jjigae (Stew) and Jeongol (Chowder)

These four kinds of foods are cooked by boiling vegetables and beef, pork, or fish in water. They are named according to their ingredients and how they are prepared: 00 guk, 00 tang, 00 jjigae, or 00 jeongol.

  • Bukeokuk: Dried pollack soup, a famous hangover cure
  • Kongnamulguk: Bean sprout soup
  • Miyeokguk: Brown-seaweed soup
  • Seolleongtang: A flavorful beef soup with slices of beef
  • Galbitang: Soup made by boiling beef ribs for a long time with salt or soy sauce added for flavor. Noodles are added according to taste.
  • Gamjatang: Stew with pork bones, potatoes and other vegetables
  • Dakbokkeumtang: Chicken stew with vegetables and spicy sauces
  • Kimchijjigae: Kimchi stew (usually with pork)
  • Doenjangjjigae: Doenjang stew with tofu, zucchini, mushrooms and onions
  • Budaejjigae: Stew with kimchi, ham and assorted vegetables
  • Dongtaejjigae (Saengtaejjigae): Pollack stew with radish, tofu, and zucchini
  • Nakjijeongol: Octopus hotpot with sliced small octopus, assorted vegetables, mushroom, and broth
  • Dubujeongol: Tofu hotpot with tofu, onion, carrot, watercress, beef, and broth
  • Miyeokguk
    < Miyeokguk >
  • Galbitang
    < Galbitang >
  • Dongtaejjigae
    < Dongtaejjigae >
  • Kimchijjigae
    < Kimchijjigae >

(3)Kimchi

Kimchi is one of the most important foods in Korea and is said to have the perfect balance of taste, nutrition, and storage quality. Kimchi is made by rubbing pickled vegetables such as radish, cabbage, or cucumber, (etc.) in salt and adding seasonings such as pepper, garlic, green onion, ginger, salted fish and other supplementary ingredients. Kimchi must be stored at a consistent temperature and allowed to ferment before it can be served and eaten. Cabbages are not in season in winter, so from late November to early December Koreans make large batches of kimchi to be eaten during the winter. This kimchi-making period is called 'Kimjang'. Since people make large batches of Kimchi during Kimjang, close relatives gather and make Kimchi together.

  • Kimchi
    < Kimchi >

(4)Meat Dishes

  • Bulgogi: Sliced beef seasoned and barbequed
  • Galbi: Grilled pork or beef rib
  • Samgyeopsal: Roasted pork that is wrapped in leafy vegetables and eaten
  • Dakgalbi: Hot and spicy stir-fried chicken with vegetables
  • Jeyukbokeum: Stir-fried pork with vegetables
  • Bulgogi
    < Bulgogi >
  • Galbi
    < Galbi >

(5)Fish Dishes

  • Saengseonhoe (sliced raw fish): Slices of raw fish are dipped in red chili-pepper paste with vinegar, fermented soybean paste, soy sauce, horseradish, (etc.) and eaten
  • Saengseon-gu-i (grilled fish): Salty or spicy grilled fish
  • Saengseonjjim (steamed or boiled fish): Spiced fish that is steamed or boiled
  • Saeseonjorim (hard-boiled fish): Fish and vegetables hard boiled in soy sauce
  • Ojinheobokeum (stir-fried squid): Hot and spicy squid and vegetable stir-fry
  • Saengseonhoe (sliced raw fish)
    < Saengseonhoe (sliced raw fish) >
  • Saengseon-gu-i (grilled fish)
    < Saengseon-gu-i (grilled fish) >

(6)Snacks

  • Ramen: One of the most common snacks in Korea, ramen is made simply by putting noodles and water in a pot and bringing it all to a boil. Cup ramen comes in a paper container and is even less complicated. Ramen comes in a variety of flavors, both spicy and mild.
  • Gimbap (rice rolls): Steamed rice, ham (pork), egg, carrot, and cucumber (etc.) are placed on dried laver and rolled up to eat. It is an easy and affordable food that is filling enough for a meal.
  • Guksu (noodle): Noodle dishes such as noodle soup or noodles mixed with sauce
  • Mandu (dumplings): Dumplings filled with vegetables, tofu and usually pork. Mulmandu is served in gravy and Tuigimmandu refers to fried dumplings.
  • Ddeokboggi: Dish made of rice and flour cakes mixed with fish cakes and vegetables and cooked with seasoning
  • Sundae (blood sausage): Sausage cooked with glass noodles and clotted beef blood
  • Ramen
    < Ramen >
  • Gimbap (rice rolls)
    < Gimbap (rice rolls) >
  • Guksu (noodle)
    < Guksu (noodle) >
  • Mandu (dumplings)
    < Mandu (dumplings) >
  • Ddeokboggi
    < Ddeokboggi >
  • Sundae (blood sausage)
    < Sundae (blood sausage) >

(7)Seasonal Fruits

Korea is a country with distinctive 4 seasons—spring, summer, fall, and winter—that boasts fresh seasonal fruits each season. Thanks to the increased use of greenhouses, many of these delicious fruits are available throughout the year. Still, fruit is always the most delicious when it is in season. Many discount or department stores even carry exotic fruits, giving foreigners a little taste of home.

  • Spring: cherries, strawberries, etc.
  • Summer: oriental melons, peaches, watermelon, plums, etc.
  • Autumn: persimmons, pears, apples, jujubes, chestnuts, grapes, etc.
  • Winter: tangerines, oranges, etc.
  • Strawberries
    < Strawberries >
  • Apples
    < Apples >
  • Tangerines
    < Tangerines >

03Sauces

  • Maneul (Garlic): Garlic is very strong, but tastes sweeter and less pungent after it's been roasted. Chop it up fine to use it as a garnish, or use it whole as a spice.
  • Ganjang (Soy sauce): Ganjang is a black and salty seasoning. It is made of fermented soybean paste, salt, and water. In Korea, ganjang is classified into two categories: traditional and brewed. Traditional soy sauce is used for seasoning soups and vegetables. Brewed soy sauce is used as a dipping sauce for raw fish and other dishes.
  • Gochujang (Red pepper paste): Gochujang is a spicy hot paste made of red pepper powder, fermented soybean, and salt. This tasty sauce combines the delicate taste of fermented soybean with the hot taste of red pepper powder and the familiar taste of salt.
  • Doenjang (Bean paste): Made of beans and salt, doenjang is a sauce native to Korea. It is usually used to make soup.
  • Seoltang (Sugar) : This sweet powder comes in either white, yellow, or brown.
  • Ganjang (Soy sauce)
    < Ganjang (Soy sauce) >
  • Gochujang (Red pepper paste)
    < Gochujang (Red pepper paste) >
  • Doenjang (Bean paste)
    < Doenjang (Bean paste) >
  • Sikcho (Vinegar) : This yellow and sour liquid comes in a bottle that looks very similar to cooking oil. To avoid confusion, look for a picture of an apple or rice on the front.
  • Sogeum (Salt): Similar in appearance to sugar, make sure to double check before adding salt to recipes.
  • Jomiryo (Synthetic flavoring) : This powder is to adjust and enhances the taste of food by adding it to the main ingredients. It helps to bring out flavors of the food. Since it is similar to salt and sugar in appearance, so take a good look and use the proper amount.
  • Sikyongyu (Cooking oil) : This yellowish liquid is used to panfry or deep-fry food. Cooking oil usually has a picture of corn or beans on the front
  • Chamgireum (Sesame oil) : This brown-colored liquid is prized for its pleasing aroma. Linseed oil is another popular oil that is often used instead of sesame oil.
  • Aekjeot (Fish sauce) : Aekjeot is a traditional sauce made of fish that is salted and fermented. Types of sauce include Myeolchi (anchovy) Aekjeot, and Kkanaria (sand lance) Aekjeot, and more. Kkanaria Aekjeot has the same flavor as Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce.
  • Seoltang (Sugar)
    < Seoltang (Sugar) >
  • Sogeum (Salt)
    < Sogeum (Salt) >
  • Jomiryo (Synthetic flavoring)
    < Jomiryo (Synthetic flavoring) >
Korea Open Government License
This work can be used according to the “KOGL (Korea Open Government License) Type 4: Source Indication+Prohibition of Commercial Use+Prohibition of Change” condition.
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