Balanced flavor experiences
Hot and cold, mild and spicy, sweet and sour, solid and liquid… Korean food is a balanced taste sensation in which rice, vegetables, fish, and seaweed are complemented by many tangy and delicious “banchan.” Bowls of rice, soup, and the indispensable kimchi (fermented vegetables) fill the tables—dishes flavored with combinations of sesame oil, vinegar, soybean paste, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and chili peppers. South Korean barbecue is also very popular; it’s a social event where the meat is cooked at the table on a built-in round grill, heated by charcoal or gas.
Korean Street Food
With a vibrant food culture woven into everyday life, the streets and (covered) markets in South Korea are teeming with food stalls. The ingredients are fresher than fresh, and snacks are prepared right before your eyes. Highly recommended are tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes in a sweet-and-sour chili sauce), bibimbap (a bowl of rice with vegetables, egg, and gochujang), gimbap (stuffed seaweed rolls filled with rice), sundae (Korean blood sausage), and hotteok (a type of pancake with sugar and cinnamon). Also a must-try is a steaming bowl of ramyeon (ramen): fresh noodles in a spicy broth, found everywhere from food stalls to restaurants, and the ultimate comfort food for Koreans. We recommend that dedicated foodies stay at a traditional “hanok” homestay in Jeonju, designated by UNESCO as a City of Gastronomy and the birthplace of bibimbap. According to Koreans, everything tastes better in Jeonju. Where the world can’t find you…
