South Korea
Herbal Rice Wine
백세주
A herb-infused rice wine with ginseng as the dominant flavor, blended with goji berries, ginger, and cinnamon, at 13% ABV.
eastern-asia
South Korea
Explore 203 foods connected to South Korea, from everyday staples to rare local specialties.
203 foods12 leading categories1 Essentials guides
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The local shortlist
South Korea Essentials
15 editor-selected foods for understanding the place through what people eat.
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Traditional foods from South Korea.
203 foods in this view. Filter by category, type, rarity, or search every recorded name.
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South Korea
Hoedeopbap
회덮밥
Hoedeopbap is made with raw fish over rice with vegetables and gochujang.
South Korea
Honey Cookies
약과
Traditional Korean cookies made with wheat flour, sesame oil, honey, and ginger, deep-fried and soaked in honey syrup.
South Korea
Honey Rice Cakes
꿀떡
Colorful, bite-sized steamed rice cakes drizzled with honey syrup, sometimes filled with sesame and dusted with soybean powder.
South Jeolla, South Korea
Hongeojjim (Steamed Skate Fish)
홍어찜
Hongeojjim, skate fermented until it reeks of ammonia and eaten with pork and kimchi, is one of the most singular foods in Asia and a genuine Jeolla institution.
South Korea
Hwachae
화채
Hwachae, fruit and rice cake floating in chilled omija or watermelon liquid, is a named traditional Korean summer punch.
North Korea
Japchae
잡채
Stir-fried sweet potato glass noodles (dangmyeon) with assorted vegetables, beef, and mushrooms, seasoned with soy sauce and sesame oil.
Jeju, South Korea
Jeju Abalone Porridge
제주 전복죽
Jeju abalone porridge: rice cooked slowly with sliced abalone into a savoury, ocean-sweet congee.
Jeju, South Korea
Jeju Black Pork
제주 흑돼지
Jeju's black pig, prized for its rich, tender meat and usually grilled.
Jeju, South Korea
Jeju Citrus
제주 감귤
Jeju's hallabong and tangerines, sweet and juicy citrus grown on the island.
Jeju, South Korea
Jeju Gogi Guksu
제주 고기국수
Jeju pork noodle soup: thin noodles in a rich pork broth, a morning staple.
Jeju, South Korea
Jeju Horse Meat
제주 말고기
Jeju's horse meat, served as raw loin, grilled or in stews.
Jeolla, South Korea
Jeolla Hoe
전라도 회
Raw fish from the Jeolla coast, cut thick and served with sesame leaves and gochujang.
South Korea
Jeonggwa
정과
Jeonggwa is made with fruit and roots slowly simmered in honey until translucent.
Jeonju, South Korea
Jeonju Bibimbap
전주비빔밥
The most famous regional bibimbap from Jeonju, featuring yellow mung bean jelly (hwangpomuk), beef tartare, and an exceptionally elaborate array of toppings.
South Korea
Jugyeom (Bamboo salt)
죽염
Jugyeom, bamboo salt roasted nine times inside bamboo sealed with clay, is a singular Korean product with named producers and temple provenance, and is precedented by the artisanal salts already carried.
South Korea
Jujube Tea
대추차
A sweet, warming tea made from dried jujubes boiled and strained, with a deep red-brown color, often garnished with pine nuts.
South Korea
Kimchi Fried Rice
김치볶음밥
Fried rice made with well-fermented kimchi, pork or spam, and gochujang, topped with a fried egg and sprinkled with sesame and seaweed.
South Korea
Kimchi Pancake
김치전
A simple pancake made with well-fermented kimchi in a flour batter, pan-fried until crispy and tangy.
South Korea
Kimchi Stew
김치찌개
A hearty stew made with well-fermented kimchi, pork, tofu, and scallions in a spicy, tangy broth, one of Korea's most common daily dishes.
South Korea
King Dumplings
왕만두
Large, round steamed buns with a thick wrapper and generous filling of pork, beef, sprouts, tofu, and kimchi.
South Korea
Kkori gomtang (Oxtail Soup)
꼬리곰탕
Kkori gomtang is oxtail simmered slowly into a milky broth, often served with sliced meat and scallions.
South Korea
Kkwabaegi (Korean Twisted Donuts)
꽈배기
Kkwabaegi, the twisted sugar-dusted doughnut of Korean market stalls, is a named street item.
South Korea
Knife-Cut Noodles
칼국수
Handmade, knife-cut wheat noodles served in a savory anchovy or shellfish broth with vegetables and sometimes seafood.
South Korea
Korean Beef Tartare
육회
Fresh, thinly sliced raw beef marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and sugar, topped with a raw egg yolk and sliced pear.
South Korea
Korean Blood Sausage
순대
Pork intestines stuffed with glass noodles, pork blood, vegetables, and glutinous rice, steamed and sliced, a popular street food.
North Korea
Korean Chili Paste
고추장
An essential fermented paste of gochugaru, glutinous rice, soybeans, and salt, with a complex spicy-sweet-savory flavor, the backbone of Korean cooking.
South Korea
Korean Chili Powder
고춧가루
Fine chili flakes from Korean gochu peppers, essential for kimchi and gochujang, with a vibrant red color, smoky aroma, and moderate heat.
South Korea
Korean Corn Cheese
콘치즈
Korean corn cheese, sweetcorn baked under melted cheese, is a named fixture of Korean pubs and barbecue restaurants; localisation rescues it under guideline 1.6.
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.
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.
South Korea
Korean Fritters
튀김
Assorted battered and deep-fried items including vegetables, squid, sweet potatoes, and gimmari (fried seaweed rolls), a street food staple.
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
LA Galbi
LA갈비
Beef short ribs cut across the bone (flanken cut) so they cook quickly on a tabletop grill, marinated in a sweet soy sauce.
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.