North Korea
Korean Dumplings
만두
Korean dumplings filled with a mixture of meat, tofu, vegetables, and glass noodles, available steamed, boiled, pan-fried, or deep-fried.
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North Korea
Explore 148 foods connected to North Korea, from everyday staples to rare local specialties.
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North Korea Essentials
10 editor-selected foods for understanding the place through what people eat.
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Traditional foods from North Korea.
148 foods in this view. Filter by category, type, rarity, or search every recorded name.
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South Korea
Korean Fish Cake
어묵
Fish cakes made from ground white fish, flour, and starch, shaped into sheets or pieces, used in soups, stir-fries, and street food.
North Korea
Korean Soybean Paste
된장
Korea's foundational fermented soybean paste, made from meju blocks fermented in brine, with an earthy, pungent, and deeply umami flavor.
South Korea
Korean Taffy
엿
A traditional confection made from steamed glutinous rice, sweet potatoes, or corn, with varieties including sesame-coated and pumpkin.
South Korea
Live Octopus
산낙지
Freshly killed small octopus, cut into pieces and served immediately while the tentacles are still moving, seasoned with sesame oil and salt.
South Korea
Lotus Leaf Rice
연잎밥
Rice with chestnuts, jujubes, and mushrooms wrapped in lotus leaves and steamed, a Korean Buddhist temple food with a fragrant lotus aroma.
South Korea
Marinated Raw Crab
게장
Raw crabs marinated in either soy sauce (ganjang gejang) or a spicy gochujang sauce (yangnyeom gejang), prized for the rich crab roe.
South Korea
Mudfish Soup
추어탕
A hearty, spicy soup made with ground mudfish (loach), doenjang, gochujang, and vegetables, a traditional health food.
Seoul, South Korea
Mung Bean Pancake
빈대떡
A crispy pancake made from ground mung beans with kimchi and pork, a specialty of Gwangjang Market in Seoul.
South Korea
Mustard Leaf Kimchi
갓김치
Pungent mustard leaves fermented with chili paste and anchovy sauce, a bold and peppery kimchi from the Jeolla region.
North Korea
Napa Cabbage Kimchi
배추김치
The essential Korean kimchi: napa cabbage coated with gochugaru, garlic, ginger, and salted seafood (jeotgal), then fermented.
South Korea
Ox Bone Soup
설렁탕
A milky-white soup made by simmering ox leg bones for 10+ hours until the broth becomes cloudy and rich with collagen, seasoned at the table.
South Korea
Pan-Fried Fish Fillets
생선전
White fish fillets coated in flour and egg, pan-fried until golden, an elegant dish often served at formal occasions.
South Korea
Perilla Leaf Kimchi
깻잎김치
Perilla leaves layered with a soy or chili marinade, fermented into a nutty, savory, and aromatic side dish.
South Korea
Perilla Leaves
깻잎
Aromatic perilla (sesame) leaves used in Korean cuisine for wraps, kimchi, and garnishes, with a unique nutty, minty-basil flavor.
South Korea
Pine Nut Porridge
잣죽
A smooth, luxurious rice porridge made with ground pine nuts, with a rich, nutty flavor and a silky texture.
South Korea
Ponytail Radish Kimchi
총각김치
Small whole radishes with their greens attached, fermented in a spicy chili paste, known for an extra-crunchy texture.
South Korea
Pork Collar BBQ
목살
Pork neck/collar cut, prized for its tenderness and marbling, grilled at the table either plain or lightly marinated.
South Korea
Pork Spine Soup
감자탕
A hearty soup made with pork spine bones, potatoes, and sesame leaves in a spicy, rich broth, a popular hangover cure.
Gangwon, South Korea
Potato Pancake
감자전
Small, round pancakes made from grated potatoes, pan-fried until crispy and golden, a Gangwon province specialty.
South Korea
Pounded Rice Cake
인절미
Glutinous rice pounded until elastic and chewy, cut into pieces and coated in roasted soybean powder, a classic Korean rice cake.
South Korea
Pumpkin Porridge
호박죽
A creamy, slightly sweet porridge made with kabocha squash, often topped with sweet rice balls (saealsim), a comforting winter dish.
Pyongyang, North Korea
Pyongyang Manduguk
평양만두국
Pyongyang-style dumpling soup; mandu dumplings filled with meat and vegetables served in a clear broth; a Pyongan province representative dish listed in Wikipedia's Korean regional cuisine; eaten especially during winter and at New Year; the dumplings are larger and the broth lighter than southern versions.
Pyongyang, North Korea
Pyongyang Naengmyeon
평양냉면
Cold buckwheat noodles in a tangy broth of beef, pheasant, or dongchimi water kimchi, topped with pickled radish, sliced meat, Korean pear, and half a boiled egg; served in a large metal bowl with ice chunks; the signature dish of Pyongyang, eaten with vinegar and mustard; long noodles symbolize longevity and are left uncut.
Kaesong, North Korea
Pyonsu
편수
Square-shaped mandu (dumplings) popular in Kaesong; stuffed with seasoned meat and vegetables; the square shape distinguishes them from the round or crescent mandu of other regions; a Kaesong specialty reflecting the historic city's refined culinary tradition; served steamed or in soup.
South Korea
Rainbow Rice Cake
무지개떡
A steamed rice cake with colorful layers (green, yellow, pink, white) resembling a rainbow, served at celebrations.
South Korea
Red Bean Porridge
팥죽
A creamy porridge made from adzuki beans, traditionally eaten on the winter solstice (Dongji), often with small rice balls inside.
South Korea
Rice Cake Soup
떡국
A soup with oval-shaped sliced rice cakes in a clear beef broth, traditionally eaten on New Year's Day for good luck and longevity.
North Korea
Rice Wine
막걸리
Korea's oldest alcoholic beverage: unfiltered, cloudy rice wine with a slight fizz, mildly sweet and tangy, made with nuruk starter.
South Korea
Royal Hot Pot
신선로
An elaborate royal court hot pot with a rich broth and meticulously arranged ingredients (meat, seafood, vegetables, nuts) in a special vessel.
South Korea
Salted Anchovy
멸치젓
Anchovies salted and fermented for months, a key ingredient in kimchi and the base for many Korean soups and stews.
South Korea
Salted Pollock Roe
명란젓
Pollock roe salted and fermented, with a firm texture and bright orange color, eaten as banchan or used as a seasoning.
South Korea
Salted Shrimp
새우젓
Small shrimp salted and fermented, an essential ingredient in kimchi and a key umami source in Korean cuisine.
South Korea
Salted Squid
오징어젓
Squid salted and fermented with gochugaru and vegetables, a popular banchan and kimchi ingredient.
South Korea
Scorched Rice
누룽지
The crispy, golden crust of rice that forms at the bottom of a stone pot or iron cauldron, often served with hot water or broth as a comforting snack.
South Korea
Seafood Scallion Pancake
해물파전
A large scallion pancake loaded with assorted seafood (squid, shrimp, clams, mussels), a premium version of pajeon.