🥢 Foods You Must Try When You Come to Korea

Korea has a very rich and unique food culture. For foreigners visiting Korea for the first time, food is not just about filling your stomach; it is a way to directly experience Korean life and culture. In this post, we introduce in detail the signature dishes you must try in Korea, along with their background, how to eat them, and recommended places.

1. Korean BBQ – Samgyeopsal

Samgyeopsal (grilled pork belly) is at the heart of Korea's team-dinner culture. Grilling thick slices of meat on a hot plate and wrapping them in lettuce with garlic, chili peppers, and ssamjang (dipping paste) is hugely popular with foreigners. Enjoy it with soju and you can feel Korea like a local.

👉 Recommended places: famous BBQ restaurants in Hongdae and Gangnam, Seoul

👉 Korean BBQ, Samgyeopsal, Korean pork belly

2. Bibimbap

Bibimbap is a healthy, colorful dish made by mixing various vegetables, meat, egg, and gochujang (red chili paste). Jeonju bibimbap is especially famous, and dolsot bibimbap (served in a hot stone bowl) gives a crispy texture as the rice sticks to the bowl.

👉 Recommended place: Jeonju Hanok Village

👉 Bibimbap, Korean mixed rice, Jeonju Bibimbap

3. Chimaek – Chicken & Beer

Korean fried chicken is fried twice, giving it an exceptional crunch. It is enjoyed with various sauces such as soy, yangnyeom (sweet and spicy), and garlic, and pairing it with cold beer lets you experience the “chimaek culture” Koreans love.

👉 Recommended places: Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, Hongdae Chicken Alley

👉 Korean fried chicken, Chimaek, Korean chicken and beer

4. Tteokbokki

A leading street food, tteokbokki is known for its chewy rice cakes and sweet-and-spicy sauce. These days there are also milder versions such as cheese tteokbokki and rosé tteokbokki, so foreigners can enjoy it without worry.

👉 Recommended places: Sindang-dong Tteokbokki Alley, Myeongdong street stalls

👉 Tteokbokki, Korean street food, spicy rice cakes

5. Kimchi Jjigae & Doenjang Jjigae

These represent Korea's stew culture. Kimchi jjigae has a spicy, deep flavor, while doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) is savory and mild, and both are popular with foreigners. Eating them with rice lets you experience an everyday Korean meal just as it is.

👉 Recommended places: traditional Korean restaurants in Jongno, Seoul

👉 Kimchi stew, Doenjang soup, Korean traditional stew

6. Naengmyeon

A must-eat summer dish, it comes in Pyeongyang naengmyeon and Hamheung naengmyeon styles. The cold broth and buckwheat noodles are perfect for hot weather and offer foreigners a unique experience.

👉 Recommended places: naengmyeon restaurants in Euljiro, Seoul, and Pyeongyang naengmyeon specialty restaurants

👉 Naengmyeon, Korean cold noodles, Pyongyang Naengmyeon

7. Street Food

At Korean markets and on the streets, you can easily find simple yet delicious snacks such as eomuk (fish cakes), hotteok (sweet pancakes), and gimbap. It is an affordable way to experience Korea's everyday food culture.

👉 Recommended places: Gwangjang Market, Namdaemun Market

👉 Korean street food, Hotteok, Odeng, Gimbap

✨ More Regional Dishes to Try

• Busan: milmyeon (wheat cold noodles), dwaeji gukbap (pork and rice soup)
• Jeju: black pork, galchi jorim (braised hairtail)
• Gangwon-do: makguksu (buckwheat noodles), gamjajeon (potato pancakes)