You can get delicious Korean dishes across bustling Seoul, from food stalls in back alleys to fine dining establishments in luxurious 5-star hotels. Some Korean treats date back more than two thousand years and were once reserved for the country’s royal family.
Changes in society and government over time influenced the development of Korean food. A Korean dinner consists of a main dish and several other dishes complementing it. Green, red, yellow, white, and black are the five primary colors of traditional Korean cuisine. However, each represents a different way to go, a different part of nature, and another way to improve your health. Here is a list of the best Korean dishes available in Seoul, which you should try if you find yourself in the capital of South Korea.
Need something to eat but have no idea where to find it? In search of the best restaurants in town? Order your food on Swiggy Food Order.
1. Bulgogi
Grilling thin slices of beef sirloin marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, and garlic with onions, green peppers, and garlic over a charcoal burner makes bulgogi. Before grilling, marinate the meat in soy sauce, sesame oil, black pepper, garlic, onions, ginger, and sugar for 2–4 hours to enhance taste and tenderness.
This meal also includes lettuce or spinach leaves to wrap a piece of cooked pork, ssamjang, and kimchi.
2. Rice Cakes in a Crimson Hue (Tteokbokki)
Tteokbokki is also a famous Korean food made of garaetteok (boiled rice cake), fish cake, onions, sliced garlic, salt, sugar, and other vegetables stir-fried in sweet red chili sauce. Its reddish-orange tint makes this popular snack easy to spot at food stalls and also on snack shops.
3. The Korean National Dish (Jjigae)
Jjigae, a Korean stew, also comes in a wide variety in Seoul. However, gochujang, doenjang, soybean paste, or salty fermented shrimp paste flavor the soup (Peugeot). Jjigae is a light, stew-like meal offered as a palate cleanser between more substantial courses.
Budae jjigae (army stew) is also a famous jjigae dish in Seoul that combines bacon, sausages, and Spam meat with ramyeon noodles, rice cakes, and gochujang sauce for a spicy flavor.
4. Jajangmyeon
Jajangmyeon is a fusion meal that combines Korean and Chinese cuisines. It has thick handmade wheat noodles, raw cucumber slices, salty black soybean paste, pork, and vegetables. This entire noodle dish starts at 5,000 won for a quick, cheap meal.
On Black Day, April 14, it is also common for single people to eat it. Those without Valentine’s Day gifts generally wear all-black and eat black jajangmyeon.
5. Bibimbap
Bibimbap, a substantial and healthful meal in many restaurants, food courts, and street markets, is another must-try in Seoul. Bibimbap can be served as either a meat-based or vegetarian meal, depending on the location and the ingredients utilized.
Common bibimbap ingredients include heated rice, assorted vegetables, meat or chicken, a raw egg, and seasonings such as soy sauce and chili pepper paste. In hoedeopbap, raw seafood like salmon, tuna, or octopus replaces beef.
6. Samgyeopsal
Samgyeopsal, grilled pig belly, is another easy Korean dish. Food wrapped in lettuce or sesame leaves is also served with kimchi, raw onions, garlic, and green chili peppers.
Samgyeopsal is also a popular meal among young, working people in Seoul, and it often comes with a shot (or two) of soju.
7. Kimchi
Over two thousand years ago, during the Shilla Dynasty, this meal became a national symbol of Korea. Koreans ferment cabbage, radish, pumpkin, onion, ginger, scallion, chili powder, crushed garlic, and salted fish.
This traditional meal comes in over 200 different forms in Seoul. It is delicious with white rice, porridge, soups, and rice cakes. Kimchi is also an ingredient in many other cuisines, such as kimchi fried rice, pancakes, and kimchi jjigae.
Read more: Benefits of Banana
8. Korean Fried Chicken
Korean fried chicken is also a creative spin on classic American fast food. In vegetable oil, chicken with a sweet and spicy sauce is fried twice (some places put, green pepper within the batter for a more intense sensation).
Therefore, the flesh is tender and juicy inside, while the skin is crispy and light on fat. However, It’s a common late-night munchie that pairs well with a cold one.