As Seen on K-Drama
Foods from your favorite Korean dramas
The iconic dishes you've watched characters devour in Korean dramas and films.
This is a good theme to choose when you arrive in Korea and want to turn the scenes you have seen on screen into a meal. Ramen eaten straight from the pot at home, Tteokbokki eaten standing up near a school or in a market, and Gimbap grabbed by hand on a busy day are all easy to find while traveling and relatively simple to order. Since you can start with names you already recognize on an unfamiliar menu, they are useful for a first meal or a late-night snack.
These foods feel more everyday than elaborate. They are hot and spicy, easy to eat in bite-sized pieces, and fit naturally into moments shared with friends or family. Ramen has a clear broth flavor and distinct noodle texture, making it especially good on cold days or at night. Tteokbokki lets you feel the street-food atmosphere through chewy rice cakes coated in a spicy-sweet sauce. Gimbap combines rice with various fillings, making it an easy, low-pressure meal on the go.
Gimbap
김밥 · gimbap
A convenient meal made by rolling rice, vegetables, pickled radish, eggs, and ham in seaweed, seasoned with sesame oil and salt. It is enjoyed for picnics or quick meals, and unlike sushi, it is seasoned with sesame oil instead of vinegar.
Ramyeon
라면 · ramyeon
A quick noodle dish made by boiling flour noodles in hot broth, characterized by a variety of flavorful soups.
Yukhoe
육회 · yukhoe
A Korean raw beef dish made by slicing fresh beef thinly and seasoning it with soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and other ingredients. It is characterized by its chewy texture and savory taste, often served with pear.
Japchae
잡채 · japchae
A traditional Korean stir-fried dish made with glass noodles and various vegetables and meat, seasoned with soy sauce. The chewy noodles and crunchy vegetables create a rich and savory taste.
Tteokbokki
떡볶이 · tteok-bokki
This is a spicy and sweet dish made by boiling rice cakes and fish cakes in a gochujang seasoned broth. The chewy rice cakes absorb the spicy and sweet sauce, and fried foods or kimbap are dipped in the broth and enjoyed together. It is a representative snack that is enjoyed cheaply at snack shops and on the streets.
Rabokki
라볶이 · rabokki
A representative Korean snack dish made by adding ramen noodles to tteokbokki, cooked sweet and spicy. It is characterized by the harmony of chewy rice cakes and ramen, and is very popular as a street food.
Bibimbap
비빔밥 · bi-bim-bap
A representative Korean rice dish topped with various vegetables, meat, and eggs, mixed with gochujang.
Royal Court Meal
수라상 · sura-sang
Surasang is an honorific term for the meal table that was served to royalty such as the king and queen in the palace. The name comes from a table set with rice, soup, stew, kimchi, steamed dishes, hot pot, and fermented sauces, plus 12 side dishes, all made with the finest ingredients from across the country. Today it is recreated and served at some restaurants specializing in Korean full-course meals.
