Korean cuisine can be found in North Korea, South Korea and Northeast China as well as with the Korean diaspora around the world.

Food

Naengmyeon (Cold noodles)

Korean cuisine often is based on rice and noodles in common with Chinese cuisine and Japanese cuisine, although indigenous ingredients such as fermented spicy cabbage (kimchi — 김치), rice cakes (떡 'duk') and various fermented bean sauces produce many dishes quite distinct from typical Japanese and Chinese cuisine.

Regional variations and specialities inside Korea do certainly exist, although typically 'the basics' can be found everywhere.

Barbecue

Many may consider Korean marinated barbecue meat of beef, pork and chicken to be the canonical Korean food. In fact, visits to these restaurants are typically reserved for special occasions. You typically visit in a large group and order large amounts of raw meat which you cut yourself with large scissors and cook yourself on a gas (or charcoal) cookers in the middle of the table. When cooked, the meat should be dipped in chilli sauce and wrapped in lettuce or perilla leaves. A high strength air vent is positioned above the cooker to avoid too much smoke landing on you.

Hwangnam bread

Fried chicken

A good amount of food in South Korea has also been inspired by American cuisine such as spicy twice-fried chicken (양념 치킨), which is actually more crispy and has less oil than its American counterpart. It is served generally with either plain or with a very sticky sweet marinade (or combination of both).

Soondae

Soondae (순대) is a black sausage made from blood and glass noodles and wrapped in intestines (and very much not the western ice-cream dessert with the same spelling). Very much lacking in any flavor by itself, but combined with chilli makes for a delicious experience. Available by itself with chilli-salt, or in hot pots. Sokcho has a variety made completely from squid.

Others

Squid Sundae

Koreans often snack on kimbap (김밥, the name is a portmanteau of "seaweed" and "rice") which looks like large pieces of Japanese sushi but is usually filled with pickled vegetables, fish cake, sesame oil and sometimes cooked meat. It is always wrapped in dry seaweed.

Controversial food

Korea has many dog and whale meat restaurants. These are almost never targeted at foreigners, so you will have to ask your local contacts to take you if you so wish. The legal status of these restaurants is ambiguous, although you are not likely to get into trouble by visiting one. The provenance of the meat will certainly not be that of high welfare, and high levels of toxins in whale (and dolphin) meat can be considered dangerous to consume.

In January 2024, a comprehensive bill aimed at ending dog-eating custom passed the parliament, but with a three-year grace period.

Drink

Soju

Soju (소주) is a clear, distilled beverage made from rice, wheat or barley (or sometimes sweet potato or other root vegetables) that is the most popular alcoholic drink in Korea. Has some similarities to vodka but is not as strong and has a touch of sweetness.

Tea

Tea (차) is widely drunk, as elsewhere in East Asia. There's a range of Korean teas, for example

• Insam cha is tea made from the roots of the ginseng plant
• Bori cha is a roasted barley infusion tea
• Sejak cha is one of the highest quality green teas in Korea

Culinary destinations

The following destinations may be of interest for authentic regional dishes. Many of these are also available in some form in specialized restaurants in South Korean cities (and to a somewhat lesser extent Korean restaurants around the world).

• Naengmyeon (S) / Raengmyeon (N) (updated Oct 2018)

• 5 Squid Sundae (오징어 순대). A local variation of squid sausage is found in Sokcho, along with an annual Squid Festival. (updated Oct 2018)

• 6 Hwangnam-ppang (updated Oct 2018)

• 7 Jagalchi Fish Market (updated Oct 2018)

• 8 Gijang Crab Market (부산 기장시장). Somewhat off the beaten track outside Busan, this is nevertheless a top regional destination for crab specialities. Large and small crabs, cooked and raw (marinated in soy sauce) available. (updated Oct 2018)

• 9 Honghap Jjim - Mussel stew (홍합찜). It takes a while to get to the island of Ulleungdo, east of the Korean mainland, but there are many unique Korean foods to be found here including this spicy mussel stew. (updated Oct 2018)

• 10 Uijeongbu (updated Jan 2023)

See also

• Chinese cuisine
• Japanese cuisine
• Western food in Asia