Oh, the duality of K-Dramas. You just can’t help but be tempted to hop on the next flight to Korea in order to try all the delicious food—the actors make everything look so good! So, we’ve compiled a list of food we’d love to try when visiting Korea.
1. Tteokbokki
Let’s start off with a K-Drama staple: tteokbokki. Tteokbokki, otherwise known as spicy rice cakes, is a mixture of rice cakes and fish cakes, with the occasional addition of boiled eggs, cheese, and other goodies. It is drenched in a savory sauce that can range from sweet to dangerously spicy. In dramas, we see tteokbokki coupled with other dishes or as a lone snack that can satisfy any cravings. Whether it’s at a restaurant or a side street cart, tteokbokki can be enjoyed everywhere and during any season.
2. Korean Barbeque
A visit to Korea would not be complete without multiple trips to Korean barbeque. This includes a variety of meat such as samgyupsal (pork belly) and bulgogi (marinated beef), accompanied with an array of banchan and sauces. The scene above from “Weightlifting Fairy Kim BokJoo” gives a rundown of how to optimize your Korean barbeque experience! Korean barbeque has such a wide selection of food that it can cater to anyone’s needs and cravings. Do you hear the sizzle of meat on the grill? Because we sure can!
3. Odeng
Another popular street food that can be seen in various K-Dramas is none other than odeng! These delicious fish cakes are often presented on a wooden skewer and cooked in a delicious, warm broth. This is the perfect snack on a cold day and can be found in street stalls all over Korea. Odeng is also very cheap, so you can have as much to your heart’s content!
4. Naengmyeon
Since we’ve had the spice of tteokbokki and the warm broth of odeng, let’s move onto something cool and refreshing: naengmyeon. This dish includes buckwheat noodles in a chilled broth, garnished with thin slices of cucumber, Korean radish, and can also include a boiled egg, along with a few slices of meat. It can be enjoyed at any time, but is better suited for warmer days, making it perfect for this upcoming summer. Having a bowl of naengmyeon will cool your body instantly and prepare you to tackle the warm rays of the summer sun.
5. Bibimbap
When in Korea, what better dish to try than bibimbap! It comes with a variety of vegetables and assorted meat, served on hot, steaming rice. You can add gochujang to your liking and even top it with a fried egg. What’s great about bibimbap is that there are so many variations! You can choose to have a bibimbap in a plain, stainless-steel bowl or you could opt for the dolsot version, which is bibimbap served in a stone bowl that comes out sizzling hot. There are some with pork belly, salmon, and at select restaurants, it can even come in the form of a taco. No matter the style, there’s a version of bibimbap waiting for you!
6. Kimchi jjigae
Another popular dish across Korea is kimchi jjigae. This dish has quite the range and versatility; it can be served on its own, as an addition to various meals, and can easily be prepared in the comfort of your own home. It can become a comfort food for many and, like in the scene of “Let’s Eat” above, kimchi jjigae can be a reminder of a mother’s cooking. Now that’s what you call a feel-good meal.
7. Korean fried chicken
So you might be thinking: Korean fried chicken? What makes it different? How is it so special? Well, for starters, it’s the way Korean fried chicken is prepared. The crispy, golden chicken you see in dramas are made to have a very thin crust with the use of thin batter. Not only that, but the chicken is also fried twice, allowing the crunchiness to remain longer. Korean fried chicken also boasts a variety of flavors compared to traditional fried chicken. This includes soy sauce, yangnyeom (sweet and spicy), and scallions, among others. And if you don’t want to limit yourself to one singule flavor, you can always do half and half. Doesn’t eating Korean fried chicken at Han River sound so good right about now? Our mouths are already watering at the end of this list. What food do you want to try when you visit Korea? Tell us in the comments down below! 8 K-Pop Idols Who Live By Fried Chicken (Part 1) KPOP STORIES|Apr 21, 2022
