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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 Udonうどん / 饂飩 🇯🇵 Japan and 4 moreThick wheat noodles served hot or cold in Japanese cooking Noodle or pasta dish, Lunch, Dinner Gimbap김밥 🇰🇷 South KoreaCooked rice and fillings rolled in seaweed and sliced into rounds Main dish, Lunch, Snacks Tteokbokki떡볶이 🇰🇷 South Korea and 1 moreChewy rice cakes simmered in spicy or savory sauce, a Korean street food staple Street food, Snacks, Lunch Japchae잡채 🇰🇷 South KoreaKorean sweet potato noodles stir-fried with vegetables, meat, and mushrooms Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Jeon전 🇰🇷 South KoreaKorean fritters of fish, meat, vegetables or flowers, coated and pan-fried Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Pajeon파전 🇰🇷 South KoreaKorean savoury pancake with scallions and a light, crisp texture Main dish, 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 Ssam쌈 🇰🇷 South KoreaKorean bite-sized wraps with meat, rice or vegetables in leafy greens or seaweed Main dish, Lunch, Dinner FishcakeFish or seafood 🇯🇵 Japan and 5 moreMinced fish mixed with starch, shaped and cooked as patties or balls Main dish, Snacks, 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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