Top 10 great traditional Korean dishes

South Korea is a nation with a really amazing and diversified culinary heritage. Great Korean food can be found almost anywhere, from street vendors in small alleyways to elegant restaurants within 5-star hotels. There are countless fresh, featured, and amazing Korean foods, many of which have been savored for over 2,000 years. Travelner compiled a list of the top 10 great traditional Korean dishes you should try at least once in your life!

Top 10 most appealing traditional food in Korea

The top 10 Korean dishes you need to try

1. Kimchi

More than 2,000 years ago, during the Shilla Dynasty, this traditional Korean cuisine first appeared. Salted and preserved fermented cabbage along with pepper, garlic, ginger, and scallion is used to make kimchi. This regional dish, which has more than 200 varieties, can be consumed on its own, combined with white rice, or used in porridges, soups, and rice cakes. Additionally, kimchi serves as the foundation for numerous delicacies derived from it, including kimchi fried rice, kimchi pancakes, and kimchi stew (kimchi jjigae).

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Kimchi is a traditional cuisine that dates back over 2,000 years

2. Tteokbokki

Tteokbokki is prepared with thick slices of garaetteok (boiled rice cake), fish cake, onions, sliced garlic, salt, sugar, and other veggies that are stir-fried in sweet red chili sauce. This common snack, which stands out for its vivid red-orange ensemble, is typically offered at independent snack bars and street vendors. It is the ideal snack for a chilly day or any other time you feel like indulging.

Tteokbokki is a popular Korean street food

3. Samgyeopsal

Samgyeopsal is a dish made of grilled slices of unseasoned, unmarinated hog belly flesh. They are frequently coated in a seasoning composed of sesame oil, salt, and pepper, and then wrapped in lettuce with grilled garlic, grilled onion, shredded green onions, and kimchi. In every Korean restaurant throughout the world, it is one of the most often served meals.

Samgyeopsal is a famous grilled pork belly in the world

4. Bulgogi

Bulgogi means "fire meat" in English. A juicy, delicious grilled beef meal prepared in the Korean way. Before being cooked on a grill, thin beef or pig strips are marinated in a combination of soy sauce, sugar, and several other spices. This quick-cooking, delicate beef meal pairs beautifully with rice, greens, and red pepper paste (ssamjang). This meal is quite popular and is offered everywhere, including fine dining restaurants and streetside vendors.

Bulgogi is a traditional Korean dish prepared from beef

5. Sundubu Jjigae

What could be more gratifying than a steaming hot bowl of perfectly cooked fresh veggies and silky soft tofu in a hot broth flavored with gochujang or gochu garu? Nothing but just Sundubu Jjigae! A raw egg is added right before serving to balance out the tastes of this fiery stew, which is prepared and cooked in a large stone or porcelain serving bowl that will satisfy any foodie.

Sundubu Jjigae - a well-known Korean tofu soup in Korean cuisine

6. Jjajangmyeon

Once a Chinese cuisine, it changed through time to be more palatable to Korean tastes. Wherein rich, savory sauce with pronounced Chun Jang tastes is placed over stringy, chewy noodles (black bean paste). Soy sauce, diced pork, and veggies are included with the usual cooking aromatics in this dish. Just before serving, cucumbers and yellow radishes are added to the dish to offer a layer of crunch and freshness.

Jjajangmyeon is perfect for those who love Korean and Chinese cuisine

7. Naengmyeon

Naengmyeon, buckwheat noodles served in an icy cold starch broth, is a dish that Koreans excitedly look forward to when summer finally arrives. It is made into a soup with meat or kimchi as the foundation. It includes sliced sweet potatoes, pears, and cucumbers, as well as long, thin homemade noodles. Traditionally served in a large brass or stainless-steel bowl, this straightforward yet delicious meal offers much-needed immediate respite during Korea's hot and muggy summers.

Cold noodles made from buckwheat are ideal for savoring in the summer

8. Bibimbap

Soft warm rice, beef or chicken, raw egg, mixed veggies, soy sauce, and a drop of red chili pepper paste for seasoning are the main ingredients of the most popular type of bibimbap. Before savoring, you had better mix all the ingredients together with a few drops of sesame oil, it will leverage all the flavor together and create an unmemorable meal. It is unclear where bibimbap came from; however, it is quite probable that it was given to the ancestors as an offering in the past.

Bibimbap is a Korean rice dish with robust flavors

9. Japchae

A classic glass noodle dish from Korea called japchae is as delicious as it is beautiful. The attractive look, powerful flavor, and chewy texture of this dry noodle dish have earned it widespread acclaim. The simplicity of Japchae is what makes it so appealing; one can add different flavors and textures to the meal. Japchae, which was once a regal delicacy, is now a common side dish (banchan) that is connected to festivities and special events in Korea.

Japchae is a simple side dish that is renowned during Korean culinary festivals

10. Chimaek

In actuality, “chimaek”, which is short for chicken and maekju (beer), is not a food but rather a tradition. Fried chicken and beer are the two delectable components in this amazing combination. Korean fried chicken is double-fried, giving it a crunchier taste and less oily skin, which improves the flavor overall. Chimaek is a common order among Korean adolescents and is chosen over eating chicken or drinking beer alone because of Korea's dedicated drinking culture.

The famed Korean fried chicken with beer is an excellent pairing for food lovers

Conclusion

One of the most lovely pleasures of visiting South Korea is eating. And no vacation would be complete without indulging in delectable Korean cuisine. Are you ready to conquer Korean impressive cuisine? Don’t forget to experience Travelner’s recommend must-try list above and access to Travelner website to get the best trips to Korea.