25 Traditional Korean Dishes That You Need To Try At Least Once

There's a lot to love about Korean food. The menu of the Korean peninsula has maintained its emphasis on fresh, nourishing cuisine — that's also heavily influenced by geography and tradition – into the modern day. In Korean culture, food is valued as much for its benefits as it is for its flavor, and the preparation of food is often a labor of love and time. This has led to a food culture that's distinct from any other, and it values preparation methods like fermentation heavily.

As the modern world developed, Korean food has become ever more popular across the globe. "Korean food is already popular, but thanks to recent pop culture influences there's going to be a lot more focus on, and demand, for authentic food and flavors from [that region]," research analyst Ranjana Sundaresan told The Food Institute. The rise of K-pop and K-dramas becoming widely consumed has led more people to investigate Korea's food culture and fall in love with it. 

But while most people may have tried kimchi and bibimbap by this point, that's just the tip of the iceberg. Korea's traditional cuisine is diverse, rich, and exciting. There are many dishes, including ones that you likely haven't tried, which combine flavors and textures in innovative and delicious ways. We've compiled a list of all our favorites right here.

Bulgogi is one of the most popular Korean dishes out there and has become somewhat of a symbol of Korean cuisine around the globe. It's also been around for a while. Bulgogi — which translates to "fire meat," indicating how it is cooked — has existed in various forms for thousands of years. Marinated, roasted meat has been a fixture in traditional Korean menus since as far back as the Goguryeo dynasty (which ended in the 7th century) when marinated roasted meat would be cooked over a fire, on a skewer.

Today, bulgogi still follows these cooking traditions and is most commonly cooked on a barbecue or griddle. When made at home, it's also cooked more simply, in a skillet on the stove. The meat (usually beef, although pork and chicken are also used) is marinated with the classic Korean flavors of soy, sesame, sugar, and garlic, cooked, and then served with rice or in soup.

Korean cuisine commonly employs the power of a barbecue to develop deep, caramelized flavors in meat dishes. Samgyeopsal is a great example of this. 

This dish is relatively simple in its bare bones, and in its most rudimentary form is simply grilled pork belly, cooked on a high heat to develop a brown, crispy exterior. Where it really shines, however, is in its serving style. Samgyeopsal is commonly eaten with ssamjang, a spicy, funky dipping sauce, and other grilled vegetables wrapped in a lettuce leaf to make a perfect, delicious bite of food.

Samgyeopsal differs from bulgogi due to its lack of marination: Whereas bulgogi is soaked in soy and sesame before cooking, samgyeopsal is cooked with minimal preparation. The dish gained wider popularity in the 1980s when a beef shortage caused Koreans to have to consider other meat sources, and pork and chicken became more widely eaten.

If you've watched a K-drama or spent much time on the food side of TikTok — otherwise known as "FoodTok" — you've probably seen tteokbokki. This Korean street food is taking over the food scene, as much for its taste as for its unique composition.

Tteokbokki is a rice cake dish, with distinctively shaped cylindrical rice cakes simmered in a sweet, spicy sauce flavored with anchovies and gochugaru. When simmered, the cakes soften considerably and develop a chewy, almost taffy-like consistency, while the sauce stops the dish from becoming too cloying.

This is traditionally a grab-and-go food, with tteokbokki stalls being a common feature at Korean food markets or in districts where there are a lot of bars. It's also a common convenience food, coming in ramen-style cup packets. Tteokbokki is commonly served on its own, but is also frequently adorned with proteins like fish cakes or boiled eggs, or bulked up with the addition of instant ramen or vegetables.  

Pancakes are a feature of many national cuisines around the world, and in Korea, things are no different. In Korean food, however, savory pancakes tend to take center stage, with pajeon being a common appetizer or bar snack. 

Pajeon, when translated, literally means "green onion pancake," and that gives a clue to the main ingredient. The dish is usually made up of sliced green onions that are bound together with a simple flour and egg batter, which is then poured into a pan and cooked until crisp on each side.

While green onions feature heavily, pajeon can also contain an abundance of other vegetables or meats. Some variations, like kimchi pajeon, rely more heavily on one ingredient to provide flavor. Pajeon was originally developed as a way to create a substantial meal from cheap yet filling ingredients, but it's also a dish commonly served around festivities and national holidays. ‌

Naengmyeon is a treat for the senses. This totally unique noodle dish is defined by its icy cold broth, into which cold noodles are mixed and various additions like sliced meat and vegetables are added. Naengmyeon is commonly served in the summer months, when the noodles have a cooling effect. But they can also be eaten in the depths of winter, and certain variations, like spicy Hamhung naengmyeon, are eaten to give the body some heat.

Pyongyang naengmyeon is a particularly well-known version of naengmyeon. As its name indicates, this dish was originally conceived in the North Korean capital. Pyongyang naengmyeon uses buckwheat noodles (which are commonly made by hand and using a noodle press) bathed in a semi-clear beef broth, with fermented vegetables and proteins, usually sliced beef, also included. Although this type of naengmyeon started in North Korea, it can also be found in South Korea.‌

Ginseng has a firm place in traditional Korean culture and has been associated throughout the years with miracles and gods, as well as being used widely in ancient medicine. It's little wonder that samgyetang, or ginseng chicken soup, is as well-regarded as it is. 

Samgyetang is a dish that's been around since the 1500s when ginseng was commonly used in cooking. The recipe, and its potential health benefits such as providing energy and strengthening the immune system, have been passed down throughout the ages, and it remains widely consumed today.

To make samgyetang, a small whole chicken is placed in a pot, after being stuffed with glutinous rice and ginseng. The chicken is then covered in water flavored with ginseng, garlic, and jujubes, and simmered until everything's cooked. The chicken and broth are then ladled into a bowl, and served topped with chopped green onions. ‌

Jajangmyeon might be one of the most recognizable Korean dishes outside of the country itself, thanks to it appearing regularly in Korean films and TV shows. The reason why it shows up so much, however, is because it's delicious. 

This dish is a great example of Chinese cuisine's influence in the country, with the dish originally developed by Chinese immigrants, who arrived in the Incheon area around the 20th century. The dish is inspired by zhajiangmian, a similarly saucy Chinese dish that contains many of the same ingredients.

Jajangmyeon is made by frying Chunjang, a dense, black paste made from fermented wheat flour. The paste is then seasoned and various ingredients are added to it, including meat and cubed vegetables, which give it body. The sauce is served next to, or on top of, thick wheat noodles, with everything mixed together. It has a savory, sweet, and slightly funky flavor.

Korean food is especially notable for its resourcefulness and resistance to food waste. Nowhere is this as clear as with gopchang. Gopchang is the small intestines of an animal whose meat is usually used for cooking, like beef or pork. The intestines are usually sliced into small pieces and when cooked, have a chewy consistency.

Gopchang has been eaten in the country for hundreds of years and was traditionally seen as a pricey delicacy. It was also eaten for its restorative properties, being abundant in minerals like iron. Gopchang is also prized for its versatility and is eaten in numerous ways. Arguably the most well-known of these is gopchang-gui, with the intestines grilled and served with other meats or fried onions. This is a popular meal to be eaten while drinking soju, with the richness of the meat helping to counteract the alcohol and stop people from getting too drunk.

Every cuisine has foods that nurture and revive, and in Korean food, juk is as restorative (and as simple) as it gets. Juk is Korean rice porridge, and it's made by extending the cooking time of rice and adding more water, so it breaks down further. Similar to congee, juk is rich in carbohydrates and is very easy to digest. As such, it is commonly served to those battling sickness or digestive issues.

Juk can be eaten any time of the day, but it's most frequently eaten at breakfast. It often has pine nuts or abalone stirred into it, but it can also serve as the base for a million different flavors. It's fairly common to find juk with mushrooms, vegetables, seafood, or eggs topping it. Juk is also a great meal to eat during the winter months, as it's both comforting and warming.

Korean cuisine is excellent at matching texture and temperature with the surrounding seasons, to create food that serves a function as well as tasting good. Kongguksu is a prime example of this. Kongguksu is a cold noodle soup with a broth made from soy milk, which often has ice cubes added to it just before serving. The dish strives to remain simple, sticking to just the noodles and broth, and potentially a few cooling toppings like fresh cucumber or tomatoes.

The chilling effect the meal has is perfect for a hot Korean summer day and the humidity that can come with it. The broth also provides the diner with important hydration. Kongguksu is also appealing as it's incredibly easy to make, even if you're making your own soy milk at home. Its vegan nature also makes it accessible for people who follow a plant-based diet.

Dotorimuk is one of the most distinctive Korean dishes there is. The dish is an acorn-flavored jelly, and today is usually made by preparing acorn starch bought from the store. The acorns in the dish give the jelly a deep brown color and a nutty, slightly bitter flavor, with the consistency of the jelly being slightly firmer than what you might expect from Jell-O.

Unlike Jell-O, too, dotorimuk is not served sweet. Instead, it's usually combined with savory flavors, and dressed with soy sauce, chili, and green onions. Vegetables like carrots or cucumber can also be stirred through with the seasoning sauce. This dish, known as dotorimuk-muchim, is a banchan and is served alongside a host of other small side dishes as part of a main meal. While it's possible to make dotorimuk from scratch, processing the acorns to be edible takes a lot of work. 

Gamjatang is a dish with a functional history. The stew, like many stews around the world, was championed by laborers who needed a filling, easy meal when the working day was done. In gamjatang's case, it was Incheon dock workers who led to the dish becoming so popular, with the combination of meat and potatoes serving to keep people satisfied without being too pricey.

Gamjatang is usually made with pig neck or spine bones, simmered with sliced potatoes and aromatics like garlic and onions. When the bones are boiled, the pieces of meat left on them are released into the broth, giving it a rich savory flavor. The dish has remained a workers' staple and is often eaten during a drinking session or as a hangover cure. When combined with rice and kimchi, it delivers a full, filling meal, with ample amounts of flavor.