Korean Food
Korean food — how to choose and order, restaurant customs, local picks and Korean recipes to make at home.
Bungeoppang, hotteok, gyeranppang, roasted sweet potatoes, fish cake skewers and chestnuts, plus finding stalls that move and paying when there's no card reader
Carry small won notes. Bungeoppang ran from 3 for 2,000 won to 1,500 won apiece in 2025/26 news reports, some stalls refuse cards, and a transfer-only stall is off-limits without a Korean bank account.
Whole, quarter, cut pack or mini melon by living situation, dated KAMIS prices, the regional season calendar, and food-waste rules
No knife or fridge? Buy a supermarket cut tray. A whole melon (about 20,000–30,000 won in 2026) only makes sense for three or more people with a fridge, and the rind goes out as food waste.
Price per 100g, Hanwoo labels and grades, cut names, and what to do when you're eating alone
Choose the restaurant by group size and budget, then compare menus using the price per 100g, not per serving. Before paying Hanwoo prices, check the origin label. Solo diners often face a two-serving minimum.
Which cabbage, salt, chili flakes and fish sauce to pick at a Korean supermarket, and when a ready-made kit makes more sense
For one small batch of fresh kimchi in Korea, buy one albaechu, coarse sea salt, coarse chili flakes and anchovy fish sauce. If you'd never finish the pantry packs, a kit or ready-made geotjeori is the better buy.
A fresh cilantro-and-radish version, what to buy in Korean stores, and how long it keeps
Cilantro kimchi made at home in Korea is best treated as a fresh side dish. This recipe uses 100 g of cilantro and about 400 g of Korean radish for a batch to eat within two days.