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Thali

🇰🇷 The food of South Korea

64 dishes from South Korea, best known first, across 22 cities and regions.

Korean cooking centers on rice, vegetables, and fermented foods, with kimchi nearly always present. Meals are shaped by a balance of grains and many side dishes, using bold seasonings like chili, garlic, and fermented pastes. Regional specialties and a history of adaptation to new crops and influences give Korean food its variety.

  • Kimchi is served at almost every meal.
  • Meals are built around rice and many side dishes.
  • Fermented bean and chili pastes add depth and heat.
  • Kimjang, the communal making of kimchi, is UNESCO-listed.
  • Asian pears and persimmons are prized for gifts and ceremonies.

The cooking of South Korea

Korean food has grown out of a long history of farming, trade, and cultural exchange. It brings together rice, vegetables, seafood, and, in the south, meats, but rarely uses dairy. Fermentation is key, giving dishes like kimchi their signature tang. Flavors are built from ingredients such as sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and spicy chili pastes. Meals are organized around rice and a selection of small side dishes, with each region contributing its own specialties. Over time, outside influences—from Mongol to Japanese to Western—have added new foods and techniques, but the heart of the cuisine remains in its grains, pickles, and communal style.

Staple foods in South Korea

Rice is the main grain, often served plain or mixed with barley or beans. Other grains like millet, wheat, and buckwheat have also been important, especially before rice became common. Soybeans are widely used, both whole and as tofu, sprouts, or in fermented pastes. Vegetables, especially napa cabbage, are central, and seafood is common, especially along the coasts. Meats are more frequent in the south and in modern times.

From region to region in South Korea

The food of Korea changes from one area to another. Northern regions, like those once part of Goguryeo, are known for their skill with fermented foods. The southwest, where Baekje was located, favors cold and preserved dishes. Many local specialties, once unique to their home provinces, have spread across the country. In the past, the royal court gathered the best regional foods for its meals, blending local traditions into a national style.

Festival and religious food in South Korea

Making kimchi together, known as kimjang, is a major tradition and is recognized by UNESCO for its cultural importance. Certain fruits, such as Asian pears and persimmons, are given as gifts or used in ceremonies. Special foods mark holidays and important events, reflecting both seasonal ingredients and long-standing customs.

Where this page comes from

The facts in this overview come from the Wikipedia article "Korean cuisine", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Thali rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

Cities and regions of South Korea

Seoul 3Jeonju 2Jinju 2Andong 1Chuncheon 1Daegu 1Dongin-dong 1Gaegyeong 1Gyeonggi Province 1Hamyang County 1Incheon 1Jecheon 1Jeolla Province 1Namhansanseong 1Pyongan Province 1Sokcho 1Taebaek 1Tongyeong 1Uijeongbu 1Uljin County 1Wanju County 1Yangyang 1
MealBreakfastLunchTea timeDinnerSupperSnacks
KindMain dishStreet foodSoupStew or curryRice dishNoodle or pasta dishDumplingBreadGrill or roastSandwich or wrapPie or savoury pastrySalad or sideCheese or dairy foodSausage or cured foodSauce, pickle or fermentSweet or dessertDrink
DietVegetarianVeganFish and seafoodMeat
Blood sausageMeat 🇫🇷 France and 5 moreA sausage made with animal blood, fillers and spices, cooked or dried until firm Main dish, Lunch, Dinner BulgogiMeat불고기 🇰🇷 South Korea and 1 moreThin marinated beef grilled or pan-cooked, a classic of Korean barbecue Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Japanese curryMeatカレー 🇯🇵 Japan and 2 moreA thick, mildly spiced curry sauce served with rice, noodles or bread Main dish, Lunch, Dinner JjajangmyeonMeat짜장면; 자장면 🇰🇷 South Korea and 1 moreKorean Chinese noodles topped with a thick black bean sauce and diced pork Noodle or pasta dish, Lunch, Dinner GalbiMeat갈비 🇰🇷 South Korea and 2 moreKorean grilled beef or pork ribs, often marinated and cooked at the table Main dish, Lunch, Dinner SamgyeopsalMeat삼겹살 🇰🇷 South KoreaThick slices of pork belly grilled at the table and wrapped with vegetables Main dish, Dinner, Lunch YakinikuMeat焼肉 🇯🇵 Japan and 2 moreJapanese grilled meat cooked at the table and dipped in savoury sauces Main dish, Dinner, Lunch SamgyetangMeat삼계탕 🇰🇷 South KoreaWhole young chicken stuffed with rice and ginseng, simmered as a hot soup Soup, Lunch, Dinner Korean fried chickenMeat치킨 🇰🇷 South Korea and 5 moreCrispy fried chicken from South Korea, often served with sauces and pickled radish Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Buddha Jumps Over the WallMeat佛跳牆 🇨🇳 China and 4 moreA lavish Fujian soup with seafood, meat and rare delicacies Soup, Dinner Dak-galbiMeat닭갈비 🇰🇷 South KoreaChicken stir-fried with spicy sauce, vegetables, and rice cake Main dish, Dinner, Lunch SeolleongtangMeat설렁탕 🇰🇷 South KoreaMilky beef bone soup from Seoul, seasoned at the table Soup, Lunch, Dinner Spare ribsMeat 🇨🇳 China and 4 morePork ribs with meat and fat, slow-cooked or roasted in many cuisines Main dish, Lunch, Dinner BossamMeat보쌈 🇰🇷 South KoreaSlices of spiced boiled pork eaten wrapped in leafy greens with condiments Main dish, Dinner Sweet and sour porkMeat 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreCrispy pork pieces tossed in a tangy, colorful sweet and sour sauce Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Galbi-jjimMeat갈비찜 🇰🇷 South KoreaKorean short ribs simmered with soy sauce, vegetables and nuts Main dish, Dinner, Lunch

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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