With little need for some profound or perfectly encapsulating introductory sentence, I’ll start off by simply saying: I really love Korean food. It’s a unique and vibrant cuisine that I can always characterize by its heartiness and bold flavors. With ample use of fermentation and pickling, I’ve come to love Korea’s distinct tangy, spicy, aromatic dishes.

A delightful feature of most Korean meals is Banchan (반찬): the numerous small side dishes which include an impressive variety of vegetables and sometimes protein such as steamed eggs or marinated tofu. One of these Banchan is perhaps Korea’s most famous culinary export: Kimchi. Though its most popular form is probably the iconic pungent cabbage fermented in a strong red chili paste, there are over 200 types of kimchi. Add to your main course and side dishes plenty of rice and usually some sort of soup or broth, and your typical Korean sit down meal is a truly filling, warming experience. I’ve eaten at dozens of Korean restaurants both in and out of the cuisine’s motherland and a few amazing dishes in particular have a special place in my fond food memories.

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Kimchi Jjigae

Kimchi Jjigae (김치찌개) is a rich, spicy red stew. Along with kimchi of course, it’s full of other veggies, pork, and tofu. Supporting it’s strong, spicy flavor is a common Korean ingredient, Gochujang (고추장): a fermented red chili paste. It’s served piping hot in a black pot as is common with many Korean entrees. Kimchi Jjigae is a popular comfort food in Korea and remains one of my favorites.

Samgyetang

Samgyetang (삼계탕) is like chicken soup fit for a king. In a delicate but flavorful broth sits a whole chicken stuffed with rice, dates, and pieces of ginseng. It’s rare to find a dish so loaded with ginseng: the invigorating root boasted for its many health benefits. Though served hot, I’m told that Korean’s like to have this dish in the summer months.

Jeon

On the appetizer side of things: Jeon (전) are savory pancakes or fritters made with various minced veggies or meat. You can find a wide variety of these delicious fried snacks such as those with seafood or simply finely chopped potato. My personal favorite is Kimchi Jeon. The spicy, fermented kimchi adds an extra kick of flavor and color to this already satisfying snack.

Gimbap

Another common snack in Korea is Gimbap (김밥). Upon first glance, these rolls look very similar to sushi. Rice along with various veggies and protein (such as egg, meat or tofu) are wrapped tightly in seaweed to make for a nutritious bite. They often incorporate pickled radish and the varieties with spicy beef, pork, or even cheese make it quite distinct from sushi. Gimbap is a particularly great budget food item. You can find this surprisingly filling snack throughout Korea at street food stands, cafes and convenience stores for as little as $2-3USD.

Bibimbap

These visibly pleasing bowls have a base of rice and neat sections of vegetables all crowned with an egg in the center. In the name Bibimbap (비빔밥) is Bibim (mixing) and Bap (rice). Common ingredients are sprouts, carrots, seaweed, and sometimes meat for a tasty, healthy meal. (For my vegetarian readers: Bibimbap and the earlier mentioned Jeon and Gimbap are some of the easiest traditional Korean foods to either make vegetarian at home or find all-veggie versions of in restaurants and markets). There are a number of cafes in Korea where you can build your own Bibimbap buffet style with various toppings and condiments to choose from.

Jeyuk Ssambap

On the more indulgent side, I went back and forth with what to title this next entry. Jeyuk refers to spicy pork. When simply called Jeyuk Bokkeum (제육볶음), it refers to this delicious marinated pork in a stir fry but my favorite way to have this dish is more specifically Jeyuk Ssambap (제육쌈밥). Ssambap refers to serving this (or any) dish with fresh lettuce leaves, inside which you place a bit of the pork along with other condiments to wrap it up in the perfect bite. It’s a rather fun way to eat!

Korean Fried Chicken

Though an import from the West, I simply can’t not mention the deliciousness that is Korean Fried Chicken. Don’t be fooled: this is not like fried chicken from the American South. Korean Fried Chicken is characterized by its extra crunchy exterior achieved with a process of double frying. It can be served in its unaltered crunchy goodness or smothered in an amazing sweet and spicy sauce. It’s wildly popular throughout Korea with tons of chain restaurants specializing solely in fried chicken.

Korean Barbecue

A list about Korean food would be incomplete without what is perhaps many people’s first knowledge of this cuisine (and sometimes their first knowledge of the country entirely): Korean Barbecue. Walking down the streets of Seoul, wide windows reveal large tables, each with their own personal metal grill in the center and, perhaps most striking, long snake-like metal vents hanging from the ceiling to suck up the smoke.

Along with your banchan, you select what kind of meat you would like to grill such as beef, chicken or my favorite: Samgyeopsal (삼겹살) or Pork Belly. The server will return with a platter of the raw meat for you to cut up (usually with scissors) and enjoy the process of grilling it to perfection. If you look like a tourist (or otherwise a Korean BBQ newbie), the server will likely come by to do all the cutting and grilling for you. After the sizzling meat is done, it’s just a matter of assembling each bite with whatever combination of vegetables and condiments you like.

As it’s intended to be a communal meal, most grilling places will only serve parties of two or more. Many solo tourists, unaware of this cultural norm, have been flat out turned away from such restaurants. While you can certainly enjoy dining out alone in Korea, there is something special about both preparing and savoring a meal with friends, family, or colleagues. It makes the act of eating out a homey, collaborative affair.

With its robust flavors and diverse, nourishing array of ingredients, it’s no wonder Korean food has surged in popularity in recent decades with both authentic and fusion restaurants continually popping up across the globe. If you want to try out some of the recipes for these dishes, I absolutely love this illustrated Korean cookbook. I truly hope everyone gets to try this wonderfully unique cuisine. If you plan on making the trip all the way to Seoul, I hope you’ll check out my South Korea packing list for all your travel needs!