• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Divert Living

Explore More

  • About Us
    • Business Relationships
  • Resources
    • Blog
      • Asia
        • Malaysia
        • Philippines
        • Singapore
        • South Korea
        • Sri Lanka
        • Thailand
        • Vietnam
        • Taiwan
        • Indonesia
        • India
        • China
        • Hong Kong
      • North America
        • New York
      • Central America
        • Mexico
      • South America
        • Colombia
        • Peru
        • Argentina
      • How To Travel
      • The Lifestyle
    • Accommodations
    • Travel Essentials
    • Our Gear
  • Shop
    • Cart
  • Support Us
  • Contact
  • My account
    • Privacy Notice
    • Disclaimer
    • Return and Refund Policy

Korean Food Culture – What Makes It Unique

November 30, 2019 By Jimmy Huss 5 Comments

One of the best aspects of Korea is its food culture! Indeed, the country has a rich and unique taste when it comes to food. Such is the food in Korea that you cannot ignore a separate food tour on your Korea itinerary while vacationing in the country. For a fact, food is everywhere when you are in South Korea, at all times of the day even late at night. Be it street food or the dishes that are served in the high-end restaurants, South Korea never misses a chance to astound food connoisseurs. Talking about the food culture in South Korea, well, the first thing that comes is that locals love to eat outside more than at their home. Koreans prefer to eat outside in places like Insadong, Hongdae, Myeong-dong, and Jongno-gu because it’s what they love, besides they offer cheap Korean food in South Korea. This post is going to be all about Korean food culture which is a must to know for all those who are planning a trip to this enticing country. 

Table of Contents

  • 1 Everyday Food Culture
  • 2 Street Food Culture
  • 3 South Korea Seasonal Food Culture
  • 4 Tea Culture In Korea
  • 5 South Korea Dessert
  • 6 Eating and Mealtime in South Korea
    • 6.1 You Might Also Like

Everyday Food Culture

Just to let you know, Koreans love rice. Hence, you can find rice in almost all Korean dishes. For them, rice is a staple food! Along with that, varieties of other ingredients like sesame seeds, pork, and beef are also loved by the locals. The other main dishes are pot-stews, soups, dried fish, and steamed ingredients. If talking about food specifically, there is a large variety of food for different seasons for different regions. Many tourist hubs like Insadong, Hongdae, and Myeongdong have a large variety of places to choose from for the best food in Hongdae. If you ask any Korean what are those food items that truly represent the traditional Korean food, well, the answer would obviously be Korean kimchi and fermented sauces. Another must thing to know is that Koreans use varieties of seasonings that are made of scallions, soy sauce, pepper, sesame oil, garlic, and red pepper powder. 

**Interesting fact about South Korea is they offer more than 250 kinds of Kimchi.**

Korean Food Culture




Street Food Culture

Street food in South Korea is bliss for every food lover. They are not just mouth-watering but are a great option for cheap Korean food. From sweet to savory, you get all sorts of food and snacks on the streets of South Korea. Some of the best places to get street food are Insadong, Myeongdong and Hongdae. Many tourists on their Korea trip make a complete meal from the street food itself. They eat two or three types of street food to make a complete meal. Korean fried chicken, fishcake, dumplings, gimbap, pancakes, spicy rice cakes, and fried snacks are some popular street foods that you can expect to enjoy at any time in South Korea. 

**In most cases when you eat Korean fried chicken is always paired with beer or Soju, they call it Chimaek. You can find this dish all over Seoul but some of the best places we have been are in Hongdae, the main drinking hub.**

Korean Food Culture




South Korea Seasonal Food Culture

There are various foods for every season in South Korea. People in South Korea have different tastes and preferences for each season. For like, in the summer season, locals have this habit of eating fruits not just before and after but even in between meals to beat the heat. Cherry tomatoes, cherries, clementines, and kiwis are some popular fruits that are available in the market in South Korea. As the season of winter started approaching, the fruits get replaced by different locals delights (though people also eat fruits during this time). Korean snow pears are one of the most famous local delights. The delicacy is best complemented with BBQ meat. 

Tea Culture In Korea

Tea in South Korea is irresistible! It plays an important role in Korean culture. Not many know that Koreans have a special place in their hearts for tea. Since ages, Korean enjoy drinking tea and now have made their tea ceremony which is said to help them meditate and nurture their virtuous spirit. It has been mentioned in the Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms, it was Korea where tea was first introduced. Earlier, tea leaves used to preserve for days. Usually, the people in Korea use the same leaves three times to make tea. At the present time, the country is dotted with thousands of dedicated tea clubs and shops that also together played a significant role in developing the tea culture in South Korea. 

Korean Food Culture




South Korea Dessert

Korean food culture is incomplete with the dessert. Korean desserts are meant for every occasion. Most of the sweet dishes in Korea are served with tea as refreshments. Not just the Korean desserts taste delectably good but are also appealing in colors and appearance. One of the best things about Korean desserts is that they not just serve as the best treats to tourists but great travel souvenirs as well. Songpyeon, Dasik, Chapssaltteok, Hodo-gwaja, Bungeoppang, Hotteok, Gotgamssan, and Bingsu are some popular desserts of South Korea. 

Eating and Mealtime in South Korea

Unlike in America or any other western country where people go out to have dinner they order a huge personal plate of one type of food, Koreans enjoy the communal dish. In Korea, meals are focused on one main item. But they also have ‘banchan’ – the small coastal-sized dishes that are stuffed with little bites. Kimchi, salads, and bean sprout are some popular types of banchan dishes. Just to let you know, eating banchan is a communal thing in Korea. It is shared with everyone on the table.

The meals in Korea usually feature one large communal dish for everyone on the table. From a large pot of ramen to grilled pork, you can see Korean sharing the same food while they sit for dinner. And to let you know, they don’t use plates, the dish directly picked up from the main plate and goes to the mouth. 

Korean Food Culture




You must have now understood the reason behind the Korean food culture of being so rich and unique. If you are planning to visit the country, I am sure you will definitely need a guide like must-have Korean food. Not just this, you can also know more about this country day or night through our Korea blog section. and neighborhood guides on all the top things to do. I hope it will help you plan a smooth and hassle-free holiday in Korea.

Love always,

Jimmy&Tah

**PIN IT**

Korean Food Culture

Korean Food Culture

You Might Also Like

  • Cheap Korean Food
    The Ultimate Guide - Mouthwatering Cheap Korean Food
  • Interesting Facts About South Korea
    The Most Strange and Interesting Facts About South Korea
  • Seoul Itinerary 7 Days
    Seoul Itinerary 7 Days - The Top Attractions In the City
  • The BEST Langkawi Food - What, Where, and When

Filed Under: Asia, DL Blog, South Korea

About Jimmy Huss

I left my career in the military to become a full-time traveler, documenting my memories along the way. Kicked off traveling in September 2017 with $4000 in my savings account and first started publishing my journey. Traveling and being able to work wherever I love ( as long as there are Wi-Fi and coffee)

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

About Us

I left my career in the military to become a full-time traveler, documenting my memories along the way. Kicked off traveling in September 2017 with $4000 in my savings account and first started publishing my journey. Traveling and being able to work wherever I love ( as long as there are Wi-Fi and coffee)

Recent Posts

  • Where to Go in Colombia – 14 Must Visit Spots

    Where to Go in Colombia – 14 Must Visit Spots

    August 3, 2020
  • How Many Days in Chiang Mai – Creating The Best Trip

    How Many Days in Chiang Mai – Creating The Best Trip

    July 22, 2020
  • Chiang Mai itinerary 3 days – Creating the BEST Trip

    Chiang Mai itinerary 3 days – Creating the BEST Trip

    July 20, 2020
  • Why Visit Chiang Mai – The 20 Best Reasons

    Why Visit Chiang Mai – The 20 Best Reasons

    July 18, 2020
  • What to Buy in Bali – 17 Things You Can’t Leave Without

    What to Buy in Bali – 17 Things You Can’t Leave Without

    July 13, 2020

Like Us On Facebook

Like Us On Facebook

Follow More

  • Bloglovin
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Think Tank

Travel Insurance We Use

Categories

  • Argentina (2)
  • Asia (121)
  • Bali (21)
  • Buenos Aires (2)
  • Central America (5)
  • Chennai, India (1)
  • China (1)
  • Colombia (6)
  • Delhi, India (6)
  • Divertliving Camera gear (1)
  • DL Blog (110)
  • Hong Kong (1)
  • How To Travel (31)
  • India (8)
  • Indonesia (21)
  • Jaipur, India (2)
  • Malaysia (8)
  • Mexico (5)
  • New York (3)
  • North America (3)
  • Peru (6)
  • Philippines (22)
  • Singapore (3)
  • South America (13)
  • South Korea (15)
  • Sri Lanka (8)
  • Taiwan (11)
  • Thailand (12)
  • The Lifestyle (2)
  • travel (5)
  • Travel Essentials (2)
  • Uncategorized (1)
  • Vietnam (10)

Before Footer

Travel is bigger than just us taking a trip. ⁣
⁣
To me It’s about helping people, learning about the cultures, and sharing them with the world. When I first arrived on a Sunday I was walking the streets of #istanbul🇹🇷 and couldn’t find any businesses open, actually after talking to some locals they said the only businesses allowed open were government-run restaurants, shops, and stores. The locally run shops weren’t allowed open on weekends and The local Turkish people weren’t even allowed outside on Saturdays and Sundays only the tourist were. ⁣
⁣
It was was their best effort to stop the spread of Covid. A street that receives 3 million people a day is now a ghost town(swipe right). I was really worried that it would be like that the whole trip. ⁣
⁣
Now that Monday rolls around you can see life in the city again smiles in the streets, children playing and helping their siblings (swipe right). Just know that this series coming up is more than sharing what I learn but helping people that need it in a time that’s hard for everyone.⁣
⁣
Support local business, help a friend in need and be kind to everyone. You never know when you will need help.⁣
⁣
Love you all and thank you for being here supporting this community. ⁣
⁣
📸 @whichchris_
Went to see the sunrise and saw a snowstorm.⁣
⁣
First time in my life I got to see a snowstorm and in Asia and Europe all on the same day! Did you know this was possible?⁣
⁣
In the last 30 days, I have completely filled up a brand new 2TB hard drive. These two series are the most in-depth ones yet and I am so happy that I got to see snow and sunshine in both Serbia and Turkey all in one trip. Most of the time it takes two trips to see both sides of a city but we got to see snow in both. Ironically both snow days were on my last day in each country.⁣
⁣
📸 @whichchris_⁣
Some of the best things are the things you least e Some of the best things are the things you least expect. I have a feeling 2021 is going to be the best year yet. 🎉⁣
⁣
Serbia blessed us with snow on the last day of the trip I’m hoping Istanbul will do the same!⁣
⁣
Feeling fresh, excited, and motivated. With the first trip of the year under the belt, I’m excited to get back home and continue to push out these two series.⁣
⁣
Where should I travel to next?⁣
⁣
@jrherrm and I will be in Puerto Rico soon so as long as things go as planned you can expect at least one video from there but if it doesn’t open in time where should we go?!⁣
⁣
📸 @whichchris_
A trip to Europe is even more beautiful with some A trip to Europe is even more beautiful with some fresh snow!⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Do you travel for warmth? Most of the time I avoid traveling to cold places but honestly, this was exactly what I needed!⁣⁣
⁣⁣
I didn’t expect to see snow this trip, with the weather forecasted for rain i was going to make the most out of it and see as much as I could. I really was super lucky catching the first snowfall of the year in #belgradeserbia⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Well, Serbia was full of surprises, from the food, people, and places It was a country I really need to see more of. Check out the newest video on Serbian food in Belgrade now live on the tube (link in Bio)⁣
⁣
📸 @whichchris_⁣
Holidays in Europe are something special⁣ ⁣ Ne Holidays in Europe are something special⁣
⁣
Never did I think I could experience Christmas twice in one year. Christmas is always the most special time of the year for me. I love the festivities and family spending time together. It’s just so magical to see the laughter and love that comes from it. ⁣
⁣
Merry Christmas!⁣
⁣
Did you know Christmas is January 7th for Orthodox?⁣
⁣
📸 @whichchris_
Happy New Year!⁣ ⁣ Like most places in the wor Happy New Year!⁣
⁣
Like most places in the world, Serbia is doing the best they can to help control Covid 19 so although New Years is normally spent staying up till 12 and ringing in the New Year with good drinks, friends, and loved ones. The cities shut down at 6 pm. ⁣
⁣
How did you spend your New Years Eve and Day?⁣
⁣
📸 @whichchris_

Footer

Connect With Us

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2021 • Divert Living • Site by Juicebox Branding

Free Shipping on all orders over $29.99 Dismiss