A road map for S. Korean food culture for 2019

By Park Sae-jin Posted : June 21, 2019, 12:47 Updated : June 21, 2019, 13:52

[Gettyimages Bank]

SEOUL -- Trying new food is sometimes daunting and overwhelming, but if you are a food enthusiast, Korean food has to be on your bucket list if you have not tried it. Many people do not know the deep culture of Korean food and what it represents. Here is a basic guide for anyone adventurous enough to journey into the world of Korean food.

A little bit of back story: traditional Korean food embodies five main colors called Obangsaek – red, black, blue, white and yellow. They all represent a natural element (fire, water, tree, gold/metal and earth), positions (north, south, west, east and center), and seasons (spring, summer, fall and winter). These colors are also seen on Hanbok, a traditional Korean outfit.

Here is a basic template guide on your meal, starting from the main course, side dish and dessert:
 

[Gettyimages Bank]

1. Samgyeopsal (Korean BBQ)
Starting with the most well-known dish, you simply cannot go wrong with this choice. It is a Korean style barbecue with pork. The dish is pork belly meat sliced into thick pieces and grilled right in front of you. The strips of meat are then dipped in sesame oil for complimentary flavors.

​When you go to a restaurant, you will have the option to man the grill yourself or let a professional do it. Whatever your choice is, any meat lover is guaranteed to find themselves in contentment.

 

[Photograph by Lee Gwang-hyo]

2. Tteokbokki (Spicy rice cake)
One of the most popular street dishes in Korea, this is as accessible as it is tasty. You can find this at a sit-down restaurant or walking through street markets. The main components in this dish are rice cake, fish cake and Gochujang (red chili paste). 

 

[Gettyimages Bank]

3. Patbingsu (red beans shaved ice)
If you visit Korea during the spring or summer months, this dish should be your top pick. However, even if you’re visiting in the colder winters, you can still enjoy this dish in the comforts of an indoor café. Commonly used with different sweet toppings, this shaved ice is not like something you see at your everyday market.

It is usually served with shaved ice as the base with condensed milk, fruit syrup, rice cake and red beans. If you know anything about Korea, you will know that everything is customizable and you will find many different variations of this. You can mix and match what kind of toppings you like to create the ultimate Patbingsu of your choice.

(This article was contributed by Joseph Kwak, an Aju Business Daily contractor based in San Francisco)
기사 이미지 확대 보기
닫기