TastyKoreanFood

Category: Korean Eating Culture

This section explains how Koreans eat, share meals, and follow food-related customs and etiquette.

  • What Soups Do Koreans Eat in Winter? | Korean Winter Soup Culture

    What Soups Do Koreans Eat in Winter? | Korean Winter Soup Culture

    In Korea, the reason we enjoy warm guk (soup dishes) in winter is to warm our bodies in the cold climate, replenish nutrients, and find psychological comfort through warm food. There are dozens of representative Korean winter soups, but still, at home we make soups using ingredients that are easily available. Also, in the old days, traditional ondol culture and food culture intertwined, so soup culture has continuously developed and continues to this day.

    Emotionally, Koreans maintain and preserve body temperature through winter soup dishes. On cold days, warm broth makes you warm inside, raising your body temperature and giving psychological stability. Through soup dishes, we get nutrition and a sense of fullness. In winter, there’s a food culture of wanting to fill your stomach solidly with warm food, ease the emptiness, and gain energy. For most adults, there’s a soup dish that their mother preferred making at home.

    Korean homes have ondol heating culture. Korea’s traditional ondol culture developed a cooking method using heat from the fire pit, which made soup dishes commonplace in daily life.

    In traditional meaning, eating tteokguk on New Year’s Day and other holidays to wish for longevity and good fortune is one reason, including the tradition of eating seasonal winter foods. Major winter soup dishes include tteokguk, gomtang, galbitang, kimchi-guk, and ugeoji-guk. We spend winter healthily by drinking warm broth and sweating.

    Why Korean Soup Dishes Are So Diverse

    In Korean cuisine, soup dishes occupy an important position, and their types and flavors are very diverse. This diversity has been formed by Korea’s history, geographical characteristics, abundance of ingredients, and cultural factors. Now let’s look in detail at why Korean soup dishes are so diverse.

    Historical Background

    Like food in all countries, Korean soup dishes have a long historical background. Korea was an agricultural-centered society, and we made soup dishes using various ingredients obtained while farming. For example, doenjang-guk and kimchi-jjigae are representative soup dishes utilizing fermented foods. These traditions have been passed down through generations, becoming more diverse and developed. Even in high-class cuisine like Joseon Dynasty royal court cooking, various soup dishes developed. In the palace, they made deeply flavorful soup dishes using various ingredients and cooking methods, and these dishes gradually spread to ordinary households.

    Geographical Characteristics

    Korea has a climate with four distinct seasons, and various ingredients are produced for each season. In spring, fresh ingredients like mountain vegetables; in summer, seafood; in autumn, harvested agricultural products; in winter, stored fermented foods – these are used to create various seasonal soup dishes. For example, in winter, gomtang and seolleongtang are popular for warming the body, while in summer, cold naengmyeon broth is beloved.

    Abundance of Ingredients

    Korean soup dishes use distinctive ingredients by region. In coastal areas, seafood soups like maeuntang and haemultang developed using fresh seafood, while in inland areas, dishes like doenjang-guk and gamjatang developed using ingredients from mountains and fields. This abundance of ingredients makes soup dish diversity even richer.

    Cultural Factors

    In Korean food culture, families gathering together for meals is valued as important. Soup dishes are an element that cannot be missing from these family meals, as they’re suitable for many people to share together. Also, in traditional Korean table settings, soup dishes are basically provided with rice, and this is one reason soup dishes occupy an important position in Korean dietary life. Also, Koreans value health, and soup dishes are a way to consume various healthy ingredients all at once. For example, samgyetang is boiled together with chicken, ginseng, and jujubes, making it highly nutritious and popular as health food.

    Modern Changes

    Unfortunately, in modern times, various ingredients are cultivated regardless of season, and with diverse foods imported from abroad, soup is being somewhat neglected. Also, various cooking methods from foreign countries are influencing Korean soup dishes. For example, foreign soup dishes like Japanese ramen or Chinese hotpot have been transformed Korean-style and are establishing themselves as new soup dishes. These changes are further broadening the diversity of Korean soup dishes.

    When You Visit Korea in Winter, What Soup Dishes Do I Recommend?

    What Soups Do Koreans Eat in Winter001-20260129
    Sundaeguk – price is about $10.00

    You can expect costs of around $10-20 per person. For Korean restaurants specializing in soup dishes, I recommend galbitang, samgyetang, and mandu-guk.

    Once I was eating at a samgyetang restaurant and saw a traveling couple order samgyetang. They made an amazed expression when they saw the samgyetang come out – a whole chicken boiled thoroughly white. Of course, when you eat samgyetang, kimchi and kkakdugi are provided as basic side dishes. Basic side dishes are free. Chili peppers and doenjang are also provided. The main ingredient of samgyetang is young chicken. (No sugar is used.) When eating samgyetang, dip the meat in salt, or add or reduce salt according to your taste. Add a little pepper too. For reference, it’s not a spicy dish.

    I also recommend mandu-guk in winter. A dish similar to mandu is Chinese dim sum. The difference is that mandu-guk boils mandu submerged in water. At this time, the water used for boiling also uses broth for flavor. Ingredients for making mandu include minced beef, pork, various vegetables, and seasonings shaped into dumplings. It’s not a spicy dish. No sugar is used.

    There’s galbitang, and there are many restaurants that specialize only in galbitang. Galbitang is mainly made by cutting and boiling the beef rib part and the meat attached to the ribs. At this time, to make the broth delicious, each specialized restaurant mixes herbs and various ingredients. It’s mainly eaten in winter. No additional sugar or red pepper powder is used during cooking. In other words, it’s not a spicy dish. After eating a bowl in cold winter, warm energy fills your whole body. Prices are mostly around $10-20.

    This one has mixed preferences, but ppyeodagwi haejangguk might be a bit difficult for first-time visitors to Korea. Pork spine is boiled for a long time to remove the smell, then boiled with various vegetables and medicinal ingredients. The taste is spicy, and no sugar is used when making ppyeodagwi haejangguk. When you order ppyeodagwi haejangguk, you eat the bones, meat attached to the bones, and vegetables together. Side dishes come separately too. Of course, side dishes basically include kimchi and kkakdugi. The reason Koreans prefer it is that eating ppyeodagwi haejangguk makes you sweat a little all over your body, and with the added spiciness, your mind can reset momentarily. Many people say that after eating, stress is completely relieved.

    If you want to eat kongnamul-gukbap, I recommend trying ‘kongnamul-gukbap’ after visiting Korea. It costs around $10 at most. The reason people prefer kongnamul-gukbap is for winter warmth, and because kongnamul-guk contains a lot of asparagine acid which is very good for hangover relief. Bean sprouts themselves contain a lot of asparagine acid.

    Bugeoguk is also commonly eaten. It’s food made by thoroughly boiling dried pollack. There aren’t that many bugeoguk specialty restaurants, but if you’re interested in bugeoguk made with dried pollack, I recommend it once.

    Chueotang is soup made with loaches, and anyway this might have mixed preferences. Chueotang is rich in protein and preferred as very good food for men. Of course, it’s also eaten for health. Chueotang is a slightly spicy dish. My mother used to make it a lot in the past. The cooking method for chueotang in restaurants: loaches (similar to eels but much smaller in size. The size of loaches is about adult palm length) are thoroughly boiled, then strained through a sieve to filter out only the flesh. Then doenjang, gochujang, salt, and seasonings are added and thoroughly boiled – that’s loach soup. Personally, I eat chueotang about 5 times a month, and after eating, my stomach feels comfortable. The price is around $10-15, and all side dishes come out. Some people say chueotang is fishy, but it’s not particularly fishy. However, it is a slightly spicy dish. After eating, I think your stomach will feel full and satisfied.

    Also, soups commonly made at home in winter include beef radish soup (beef and radish boiled thoroughly), kongnamul-guk, kimchi-guk, radish soup, and mandu-guk. Simply put, you can think of Korean guk as boiling various ingredients in water to bring out the unique flavor of the ingredients. For reference, the difference between jjigae and guk is that jjigae has richer taste and slightly stronger seasoning than guk. Guk has clearer broth than jjigae and slightly milder seasoning.

    If you don’t prefer spicy things, I recommend samgyetang or mandu-guk. If you choose samgyeopsal or beef short ribs as your menu, one of kongnamul-guk, doenjang-guk, miyeok-guk, or oi-naengguk (cold cucumber soup) will come out as a side dish with the menu, so you can try that.

    For reference, in Korea, for beef short ribs, based on 1 serving (140g-200g), if it’s Korean hanwoo raised in Korea, you can expect a price of around $40-60. Honestly, if you’re considering beef short ribs as a menu with your family during Korea tourism, I’d recommend it even though the price is a bit expensive. Because you can feel various side dishes all at once. Above all, side dishes are free and continuously refilled.

    Really brand-name beef short rib specialty restaurants in Seoul are around $60 per person. The meat served differs by restaurant, but it’s likely one portion of 150g-200g. Honestly, the day you eat Korean hanwoo beef short ribs at a restaurant in Korea should be at least a birthday. Or when the company pays during a work dinner…

    If you eat food somewhere other than Seoul, I strongly recommend it. Seoul is 10% to as much as 30% more expensive for food than provincial areas. Due to expensive rent and labor costs.

    One interesting fact is that if you eat at restaurants outside Seoul, depending on the restaurant, you’ll feel that side dishes and food taste are distinctive.

    This winter soup tradition connects closely to Why Soup Is Served in Most Korean Meals

    Many winter soups rely on fermentation explained in Why Korean Food Uses Fermentation

    To understand rice and soup together, see How a Korean Meal Is Structured

    Everyday home soups are part of What Is Mitbanchan?

  • What Is Tang in Korean Food? Korean Soup, Broth & Stew Explained

    What Is Tang in Korean Food? Korean Soup, Broth & Stew Explained

    In Korean cuisine, tang refers to a type of soup made by boiling water with various vegetables, meat, or seafood. While often translated simply as “soup,” tang carries cultural, historical, and culinary meanings that go far beyond that single word.

    What Is Tang?

    The development of tang is closely tied to Korea’s traditional ondol heating system. Because Korean homes were heated using underfloor systems powered by fire, cooking heat from the same hearth (agungi) could be used efficiently. This constant access to heat made boiling and simmering foods natural and practical, allowing soup-based dishes to evolve deeply into Korean food culture.

    Another important reason soup culture flourished in Korea is the historical availability of drinkable water. Long before modern infrastructure, Korea had relatively easy access to clean water, making broth-based cooking sustainable and widespread.

    Why Did Soup and Tang Become So Common in Korea?

    Hot, lightly salted broth pairs naturally with rice, which is a carbohydrate-heavy staple. This preference is closely connected to Korea’s climate, with cold winters and humid summers making warm, cooked foods easier to digest and more comforting.

    Another practical reason is portion size. Historically and even today, Koreans tend to eat larger meal portions compared to neighboring cultures. To feed many people sufficiently, cooking methods that could expand ingredients with water were essential. Tang allowed small amounts of meat or vegetables to nourish entire households.

    Despite common assumptions, many Korean soups are not high in calories. In fact, soups simmered for long periods often contain rich nutrients dissolved into the broth, making them easy to digest and nutritionally efficient—similar to Western soups in purpose, though different in structure.

    Tang as Nourishing and Medicinal Food

    Sundaeguk (Korean Sundaeguk) – Side dishes are complimentary.
    Pork offal is simmered in water for a long time to create a broth. The red color is a seasoning made with red pepper powder, soy sauce, and other secret recipes from the restaurant. This sauce adds a savory flavor. The good news is that it contains no artificial sweeteners, colorings, or chemical seasonings. – pic by tastykoreanfood.com

    Soups made with precious ingredients were traditionally considered boyangshik (restorative foods). For people sensitive to raw or cold foods, boiled dishes were safer and gentler on the stomach.

    In both cold seasons, when digestion weakens, and hot seasons, when food spoils easily, boiled soups remained a reliable and safe option. This practicality reinforced the role of tang as everyday nourishment rather than an occasional dish.

    Tang, Jjigae, Jeongol, and Jorim: What’s the Difference?

    Tang is often confused with jjigae (stew), but they differ in structure and purpose.

    • Jjigae contains less water and more solid ingredients, resulting in a thicker, more intensely seasoned dish.
    • When even less liquid is used, the dish may resemble jorim (braised food). However, jorim focuses on cooking ingredients in minimal liquid rather than enjoying both broth and solids together.
    • Jeongol, on the other hand, is prepared at the table by adding raw ingredients to broth and cooking them together during the meal. Unlike tang or guk, it is interactive and communal.

    Tang, guk, jjigae, and jeongol all emphasize harmony between ingredients and liquid, while jorim focuses on the ingredients themselves.

    Tang in a Global Context

    In Western cuisine, soups and stews also fall under the broad category of broth-based dishes. If soup corresponds to guk or tang, then stew occupies a position closer to jjigae. All share the common principle of using liquid as the foundation of cooking.

    Japanese cuisine refers to soup-based dishes as shirumono (汁物), which includes miso soup and clear broths. Even Western consommé can be viewed within this broader category of soup-based cooking.

    The Korean word gukmul (broth) originally meant “the water that makes up soup,” but today it also refers to stock or base broth. Expressions like “There isn’t even broth left” evolved to mean that nothing remains to be gained—reflecting how essential broth was in daily life.

    What Does Tang (湯) Mean?

    The word tang (湯) is a respectful or elevated term for guk. Dishes such as gomtang, galbitang, and seolleongtang often require long cooking times, and seasoning is typically adjusted at the table with salt or green onions.

    Unlike guk, some tang dishes do not include the original cooking ingredients in the final bowl. Tang is usually served in individual bowls and emphasizes clear, deeply extracted broth.

    Representative Korean tang dishes include:

    • Galbitang (short rib soup)
    • Gamjatang (pork bone soup)
    • Samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup)
    • Maeuntang (spicy fish soup)
    • Chueotang (loach soup)
    • Haemultang (seafood soup)

    Interestingly, dakdoritang is not technically classified as tang due to its cooking method. International dishes such as shabu-shabu and mala tang are also examples of tang-style cooking.

    Historically, the term tang referred broadly to boiled liquids. Even plain water was once called baektang (白湯), and during Korea’s modernization period, coffee was sometimes referred to as “coffee tang.”

    What Is Jeongol?

    Jeongol is a traditional Korean dish cooked directly at the table. Raw meat, seafood, and vegetables are placed in a shallow pot, broth is added, and the ingredients are cooked together while eating. As the broth reduces, more stock is added, and the meal often ends with noodles or rice porridge cooked in the remaining broth.

    The key difference between jjigae and jeongol lies in preparation:

    • Jjigae is fully cooked before serving.
    • Jeongol is cooked gradually at the table.

    Tang Compared to Global Soup Cultures

    Nearly every country has its own representative soup dishes. Japan is known for ramen, with broth styles varying by region. China is famous for hot pot, mala tang, and wonton soup. Thailand has tom yum, and Vietnam has pho.

    In Europe, soup has historically been associated with poverty, stretching limited ingredients to feed many. French cuisine often elevated soup only by adding luxury ingredients. Colder regions such as Germany, Poland, and Russia developed hearty stew-like dishes instead.

    Germany’s Eintopf, often associated with grandmothers’ home cooking, and British stews are examples of how broth-based dishes symbolize comfort worldwide.

    So, What Is Tang in Korean Food?

    Tang is not just soup. It is a reflection of Korea’s climate, history, cooking methods, and philosophy of nourishment. It represents warmth, efficiency, balance, and care—qualities that define Korean food culture itself.

    Soup is only one part of the story. To understand how dishes like tang fit into daily meals, cultural traditions, and long-term eating habits, start with [What Is Korean Food?]

    Soup and tang are never served alone. They exist alongside rice and multiple side dishes, known as [What Is Banchan?], which together create balance and variety in a Korean meal..

  • Why Is Soup Always Served in Korean Meals? Culture, History, and Meaning

    Why Is Soup Always Served in Korean Meals? Culture, History, and Meaning

    In Korea, serving soup (guk or tang) as part of a meal is not accidental. It developed from a grain-centered diet, where soup helped digestion, provided warmth, replenished nutrients and salt, and allowed large families to share meals even with limited ingredients.

    KOREAN SOUP(KOREAN STREW), Yukgaejang AND side dishes (side dish made for long storage, KOREAN CALL Mitbanchan)

    Historically, Korea’s geography made water relatively easy to access, and meals often needed to be prepared and eaten efficiently. Combined with Confucian values that emphasized balance and harmony, the structure of rice, soup, and side dishes became the foundation of Korean meals.

    Soup was never just a way to drink liquid. It represented warmth, balance, and practicality—an essential component of Korean food culture.

    Why Is Soup Always Served in Korean Meals?

    Soup became essential in Korean meals because it supported digestion in grain-heavy diets, provided warmth and hydration, and helped families share limited food resources efficiently. It also reflected Confucian ideals that valued balance, order, and harmony at the table.

    How Did Soup Become Central to Korean Food Culture?

    Korea’s historical and geographical conditions played a major role. Water was relatively easy to obtain, and meals often needed to be prepared quickly for large households. Soup allowed ingredients to stretch further while maintaining nutritional value.

    Over time, the combination of practicality and cultural philosophy shaped soup into a permanent element of Korean meals.

    What Role Does Soup Play in a Traditional Korean Meal?

    Soup acts as a stabilizing element alongside rice and side dishes. This structure supports balanced nutrition and creates a comforting rhythm to daily meals.

    In Korean dining culture, soup is not optional. It completes the meal and connects the individual components into a cohesive whole.

    Is Soup About Nutrition, Digestion, or Efficiency?

    The answer is all three.

    By simmering small amounts of meat or vegetables in water for long periods, Korean households could extract protein and nutrients efficiently. This made it possible for many people to share a nourishing meal even when ingredients were scarce.

    Soup also helps soften grains, supports digestion, and replenishes electrolytes, making it both practical and nourishing.

    What Is Tangban Culture, and Why Does It Matter?

    Tangban culture refers to the habit of eating rice together with soup—sometimes even mixing the rice directly into the broth. This allowed meals to be eaten quickly, warmly, and efficiently, especially during physically demanding days.

    This practice reinforced soup’s role as the emotional and nutritional center of Korean meals.

    How Many Types of Soup-Based Dishes Exist in Korean Cuisine?

    Korean soup-based dishes are not limited to one category. They are generally divided into four main types:

    • Guk (국)
    • Tang (탕)
    • Jjigae (찌개)
    • Jeongol (전골)

    Each category reflects differences in purpose, cooking method, and how the dish is shared.

    What Is the Difference Between Guk, Tang, Jjigae, and Jeongol?

    The biggest distinction lies in the ratio of broth to solid ingredients and how the dish is served.

    Guk focuses on broth and is served individually. Jjigae emphasizes ingredients and is shared from a communal pot. Tang usually requires longer cooking times and is seasoned at the table.

    Jeongol is often prepared for group dining and finished together at the table. Although these definitions sometimes overlap in daily life, they are culturally understood.

    Why Do Koreans Consider Soup a Non-Negotiable Part of a Meal?

    In traditional Korean dining, when counting side dishes, staples such as rice, soup, kimchi, sauces, and stews are excluded. This alone shows how essential soup is—it is assumed, not optional.

    Even today, especially among older generations, a meal without soup feels incomplete. Some people will not even lift their spoon if soup is missing from the table.

    Why Do Koreans Focus on Broth More Than Noodles?

    This mindset is reflected in language and habits. Koreans often say they “boil” ramen rather than “cook” noodles, emphasizing the importance of the broth.

    Even when eating noodle dishes like udon, Koreans tend to judge the dish by the quality of the soup, while Japanese diners focus more on the noodles themselves.

    Is Korean Soup Similar to Western Soup?

    While Korean soup may resemble Western soup on the surface, the concept is different. Korean soup is meant to be eaten with rice as part of a structured meal, not as a standalone course.

    It functions as nourishment, balance, and comfort all at once.

    Final Answer: Why Soup Matters in Korean Everyday Eating

    Soup became essential in Korean meals because it brings together nutrition, efficiency, cultural philosophy, and emotional comfort.

    In Korean cuisine, soup is not simply something to drink. It is the element that ties rice, side dishes, and people together into a complete meal.

    Related Guides to Korean Food Culture

  • Korean Eating Culture: Why Eating Matters So Much in Korea

    Korean Eating Culture: Why Eating Matters So Much in Korea

    Korean eating culture reflects how food shapes daily life, emotional comfort, and social relationships in Korea.

    Why Eating Is So Important in Korea

    In Korea, eating is not just a daily routine—it is something people genuinely care about.
    The question “What should we eat today?” often marks the real start of the day, and it carries more weight than it might in many other cultures.

    Because eating matters so much, competition in the food industry is intense. Restaurants constantly work to satisfy demanding customers, and as a result, better and more creative menus continue to appear. New “hot places” are born every day. If I had to name one reason Korean food tastes so good, it would be simple: supply and demand.

    But this raises another question. Why are so many Koreans—including myself—so deeply focused on food?

    Like most parents in the world, parents are always concerned about whether their children are eating well.

    Korean Eating Culture - I made it
    Korean Eating Culture – Parents always worry about whether their children are eating well.

    Today’s menu, from top left, is pumpkin soybean paste stew, rice, spicy pepper jangajji (pickled spicy peppers in soy sauce), pumpkin pancake, dad’s rice, and dad’s soybean paste stew. Today, I made it myself, with my beloved son 😉

    Food and Stress in Korean Eating Culture

    One possible answer is stress.

    It often feels like many people in Korean society use food as a way to relieve stress, which has become a defining part of Korean eating culture. There are two ways to look at this.
    First, Korea is a high-stress society overall.
    Second, there are not many easy ways to release that stress.

    When stress is everywhere and options for relief are limited, eating becomes the fastest and most accessible solution. Of course, this is just my personal hypothesis—but it feels convincing.

    Korean Office Lunch Culture and Daily Eating Habits

    This pattern is especially visible in office life. Like workers around the world, most Korean office workers eat lunch out with colleagues. Seasonal preferences strongly influence these meals. In summer, people crave cold noodles. In winter, warm soups are everywhere. Younger generations lean toward foods like tteokbokki or pork cutlets—choices that reflect their era.

    In Yeouido, Seoul, where I work, I often go to a small baekban restaurant. It’s not especially cheap, but not expensive either. A typical meal costs around nine US dollars. You get a warm bowl of rice, soup, and several side dishes—simple, balanced, and comforting.

    When Food Becomes the Only Escape

    There is no doubt that eating delicious food brings joy. It is one of life’s great pleasures, and it is certainly one of mine. However, when food becomes the main tool for stress relief, problems begin to appear.

    Weight gain, lower self-esteem, guilt—and eventually, even more stress. This cycle is surprisingly hard to break.

    How Modern Korean Eating Culture Has Changed

    One big difference between my childhood and today is convenience. Now, chicken or pizza can be delivered within 30 minutes, almost anywhere. Another major change is the rise of ultra-processed foods.

    When I was younger, flour-based foods mostly meant noodles. Today, pizza and hamburgers are everywhere. They are still not considered traditional staples in Korea, but younger generations eat them far more often than we ever did.

    Finding Comfort Beyond Food in Korean Daily Life

    That’s why it’s important to find ways to comfort ourselves that don’t involve food. Something as simple as walking can help release stress while clearing the mind. Food should remain a source of pure enjoyment—not a coping mechanism. After all, we eat every single day.

    A Parent’s Everyday Reality

    After work, I often come home, look at what little food we have left, and ask my child,
    “Hey—what do you want to eat tonight?”

    I give him a few options and let him choose. On days when there’s almost nothing in the fridge, dinner becomes fried rice with eggs, kimchi fried rice, or soybean sprout soup with a fried egg and a few side dishes.

    In the end, parents everywhere are busy taking care of their children’s meals—and their own.
    And yes… I really hope this blog does well.

    This is why Korean eating culture continues to shape everyday life in Korea, beyond food itself.

    you may be more insteresting my article

  • Korean Banchan: How Seasons Shape the Korean Table

    Korean Banchan: How Seasons Shape the Korean Table

    Korean Banchan: How Seasons Shape the Korean Table

    Korean side dishes, known as banchan, change with the seasons.
    This is not a coincidence, nor simply a matter of ingredient availability. It reflects a way of life that moves in rhythm with nature.

    In spring, the table fills with shepherd’s purse salad, wild chive sauce, and blanched shoots.
    Summer brings cucumber salad, soybean sprout soup, and stir-fried eggplant.
    In autumn, mushrooms, braised mackerel, and kimchi pancakes appear more often.
    Winter is the season of dongchimi, dried radish greens, and aged kimchi stew.

    This seasonality is not just about variety. It is about time. Korean side dishes are foods shaped by weather, harvest, and patience. That is why meals do not feel repetitive even when rice is eaten every day.

    Banchan as a Culture of Sharing

    The Korean table is built for sharing, not individual plates.

    Everyone sits around one table and eats from the same set of dishes. This structure is deeply connected to Korea’s community-oriented culture.

    A piece of kimchi, a slice of savory pancake, a spoonful of seasoned greens—
    through these small shared moments, people talk, connect, and build relationships. Side dishes become a medium of communication. Sharing food becomes a way of sustaining human bonds.

    The Functional Role of Banchan in a Rice-Centered System

    At the center of Korean cuisine is rice. Every side dish exists in relation to it.

    Salty dishes break the monotony of plain rice.
    Spicy or sour dishes revive the appetite.
    Rich or oily dishes provide fullness and satisfaction.
    Vegetable-based side dishes complete nutritional balance.

    Each banchan gains meaning through its relationship with rice. Rice is the main character; side dishes are its supporters. This structure reflects a food philosophy refined over thousands of years.

    The Emotional Power of Side Dishes

    For Koreans, banchan symbolizes home cooking.

    When people say “mom’s side dishes,” they are not talking only about flavor. They are talking about memory and comfort. Opening a container and smelling familiar kimchi, stir-fried anchovies, or rolled eggs can instantly bring emotional relief.

    In this way, Korean side dishes are not just food. They are fragments of memory that provide psychological stability in everyday life.

    From Home Kitchens to an Industry

    In recent years, the side-dish culture has expanded beyond the home.

    The rise of home-meal replacement (HMR) products has transformed banchan into an industry:

    • side-dish delivery services
    • meal-kit side dishes
    • convenience-store banchan packages
    • export-ready Korean side-dish sets

    With the global spread of Korean pop culture, many international consumers now see Korean side dishes as a “complete table kit.” Today, they can be found in Korean markets, online shops, and even fresh food sections of global platforms.

    A meal completed with just rice and side dishes has become a competitive model in the global food market.

    Banchan in the Global Context

    In many food cultures, meals consist of one main plate per person. Multiple shared side dishes are rare. This is why foreign diners are often surprised when they see a Korean table.

    “Are all of these included?”

    Many interpret Korean side dishes as generosity food—a form of hospitality. The abundance, sharing, and openness of the table are understood as warmth rather than excess. What begins as a meal often becomes a cultural experience.

    More Than Side Dishes

    Korean banchan represents:

    • balance and harmony of flavors
    • seasonality and respect for nature
    • sharing and communication
    • a rice-centered food system
    • emotional comfort
    • industrial and global potential

    Together, these small plates form a complete culinary expression. A single table setting can comfort someone, tell a story, and reveal a culture.

    Today, someone finds comfort in a bowl of warm rice and a few familiar side dishes. In that moment, Korean side-dish culture continues to live and breathe.

    Tonight, my wife is working late. A message arrived telling me which side dishes to serve our child for dinner.
    In moments like this, I am reminded that banchan is not just food—it is care.

    Today

    Korean banchan on table

    My wife sent me a message asking me to pack lunch for the kids.

  • Why Korean Tables Are Filled with Side Dishes (Banchan)

    Today, it is widely known, but many foreigners visiting Korea for the first time experience a moment of surprise as soon as they sit down at a Korean restaurant.

    “I only ordered one dish—why are there so many plates?”

    This reaction is natural. In many countries, ordering one menu item means receiving one plate. In Korea, however, ordering a single dish often comes with several small plates of side dishes, known as banchan.

    Even something as simple as kimchi stew usually arrives with three to five different side dishes. For first-time visitors, this can be confusing. Some even wonder whether the price has multiplied because so many plates appear on the table.

    The Korean Table Is a System, Not a Single Dish

    A Korean meal is not centered on one plate. It is a system built on balance, seasonality, and harmony.

    Contrary to what many people assume, Korean tables were not always filled with numerous side dishes. About 30 years ago, a typical home meal often included only two or three side dishes. As time passed, economic growth, social change, the rise of the middle class, and advances in agriculture gradually increased both the variety and availability of side dishes.

    The number of side dishes grew naturally, not out of excess, but because the conditions allowed it.

    Side Dishes Change with the Main Dish

    One interesting feature of Korean home cooking is that side dishes are planned in relation to the main dish.

    For example, when a family prepares chicken soup (dak-baeksuk), the side dishes served alongside it tend to differ from those served with grilled meat or stew. Parents instinctively adjust side dishes to complement the main food.

    This process is rarely written down or taught formally. It is learned through repetition and experience, passed down through everyday meals.

    Side Dishes Are Not Made for Every Meal

    Another defining feature of Korean banchan culture is that side dishes are not prepared from scratch at every meal.

    Side dishes are made with storage in mind. Kimchi, for example, can be stored and eaten throughout the year. Lighter side dishes are often prepared in small portions to last about a week, taken out and served little by little with each meal.

    This system allows variety without requiring constant cooking, making daily meals practical yet diverse.

    A Table Built on Balance, Not Quantity

    A Korean meal is structured around balance rather than abundance.

    Side dishes are designed to complement one another and the main dish. The goal is not to showcase many flavors, but to create harmony. Salty, sweet, sour, spicy, and savory flavors coexist on the table, each playing a role.

    While every household and restaurant differs, the underlying logic remains consistent. People often know instinctively which side dishes belong with which main dish because they learned it through years of shared meals.

    The Philosophy Behind Korean Banchan

    Korean side dishes reflect a philosophy of balance.

    Spicy kimchi cuts through the richness of fatty meat. Salty stir-fried anchovies enhance the mild taste of rice. Light, bland foods are paired with stronger flavors, while rich dishes are balanced with refreshing or fermented sides.

    This interaction between dishes is the essence of banchan culture. No single item dominates the table. Instead, the meal is designed so that each component supports the others.

    A Culture That Values Harmony at the Table

    At its core, the Korean table is built on the idea of harmony.

    Rather than focusing on individual dishes, Korean meals emphasize the balance of the whole. This approach shapes not only what is eaten, but how meals are prepared, served, and shared.

    The result is a dining culture where the table itself becomes a complete experience—one that values cooperation, rhythm, and balance over simplicity or excess.

    Lately, I’ve been missing my late mother and father more and more. I guess I’m getting older.

    From Korea

  • Why Rice Is Central to Korean Meals?

    Why Rice Is Central to Korean Meals?

    Rice isn’t just “food” in Korea

    Rice isn’t just “food” in Korea—it has long functioned as the backbone of daily life, the economy, and even spiritual customs. In the Korean context, rice and cooked rice (bap) became more than a staple: they became a symbol of stability, prosperity, and the ability to live well.

    Memory

    During my mother’s time, barley rice was the staple food. Later, after I was born and went through elementary school, rice became the main meal.
    Back then, six families would sit around and eat rice, kimchi, and two or three other side dishes, with two or three side dishes.

    And during my time with my mother, everyone farmed rice. We either grew rice in the countryside or rented land and received rice in return once a year. We usually received about 180kg of rice.

    Thus, rice became my staple food while I was growing up in Korea.

    Why Rice Is Central to Korean Meals
    I ate at a restaurant selling plain rice in front of my house. It cost 8,000 won. Side dishes and various other dishes were served. I ordered kimchi stew. It was served in a clay pot with pork, kimchi, and various seasonings.

    Rice as Korea’s Most Important Staple Food

    Historically, Koreans did not always eat rice as their main staple. Early diets relied heavily on barley and other grains. Over time, however—especially after rice production expanded—rice became the core of the Korean table.

    Even today, despite modern diets including more wheat-based foods, meat, and dairy, Koreans still commonly describe energy and vitality as “bap power” (밥심). This reflects how rice remains the default image of a real meal: a “proper meal” often means a bowl of rice with accompanying dishes.

    Rice as a Measure of Wealth and Economic Value

    One of the script’s strongest points is that rice historically worked like a currency and price standard. In traditional society, rice served as the practical benchmark for value: goods and services were often measured in how much rice they were worth.

    This is why older expressions describe rice as the “king” of prices—because it wasn’t merely consumed; it was the standard unit of survival and economic activity. When a society treats a food as its clearest indicator of wealth, that food becomes deeply embedded in everyday life and social status.

    The script also highlights a cultural “ideal life” image: glossy white rice, meat soup, warm housing, and proper clothing—an ideal that shows rice as the starting point of comfort and success.

    Rice in Life-Cycle Rituals and Korean Spiritual Culture

    Rice is present throughout a person’s life in Korea—symbolically and practically.

    • Rice is tied to nourishment from the start, because even breastfeeding is connected to the mother’s ability to eat well.
    • Rice appears at death rituals too: the script mentions practices meant to ensure the departed does not travel hungry.
    • In ancestral rites, rice is central—offered as a core item on the ritual table.

    These customs reinforce a strong cultural logic: rice is not just daily fuel; it becomes a sacred food representing life, continuity, and respect for ancestors. This is also why traditional farming communities treated newly harvested rice with great reverence—sometimes storing it carefully and offering it in ritual-like ways.

    Why Rice Fit Korea’s Environment (Even If It Wasn’t Easy)

    Rice’s origins are often associated with warmer, subtropical regions, so the Korean Peninsula was not the easiest place for rice farming to dominate. The key obstacle was always water.

    Rice requires:

    • stable irrigation,
    • paddies that can hold water,
    • and systems (reservoirs, canals, storage) that keep supply reliable.

    That’s why rice becoming the main staple took time. It wasn’t simply a matter of preference; it depended on infrastructure and farming methods that could support large-scale paddy cultivation.

    The Turning Point: Transplanting and Irrigation Systems

    A major historical shift discussed in your script is the expansion of transplanting rice seedlings (모내기 / 이앙법).

    Transplanting offered clear advantages:

    • higher yields,
    • less weeding and labor in some stages,
    • and the possibility of more productive farming cycles.

    But it also carried a major risk: transplanting requires reliable water at the exact right time. If rainfall or water supply failed, the crop could collapse. For a state managing taxes, storage, and stability, this “high risk, high return” method could be seen as dangerous.

    The script’s key idea is that once irrigation and water-management systems improved—particularly during periods when these systems were expanded nationwide—transplanting could spread more safely. When that happened, rice production increased dramatically, and rice became more achievable as a nationwide staple.

    Rice Abundance and Social Change

    Once yields rose, the impact wasn’t only culinary—it reshaped society.

    When food becomes more stable and abundant:

    • communities can support more people,
    • labor can diversify,
    • and social energy increases (“people become generous when granaries are full”).

    The script connects rice expansion to broader developments such as:

    • stronger village cooperation (collective labor systems),
    • stimulation of commerce and crafts,
    • and an overall sense of renewed stability when harvests improved.

    This helps explain why rice is central to Korean meals not only because it tastes good, but because it became the foundation of social organization and everyday security.

    Modern Korea: From Rice Shortages to Self-Sufficiency

    Your script also covers a modern turning point: yield increases through new varieties and agricultural policy, culminating in national rice self-sufficiency in the 1970s.

    At the same time, modern Korea experienced a shift:

    • from “more rice” to “better rice,”
    • from survival to preference and quality.

    This period also included policies encouraging mixed grains or flour-based meals to manage supply and demand—something many people still remember through school lunch and “mixed meal” campaigns.

    Even as rice consumption later declined with Western-style diets and diversified staples, rice retained a unique national importance because it connects directly to food security.

    Rice and Food Security: Why It Still Matters Today

    The script emphasizes that rice cannot be treated like a normal commodity, because staples are strategically important. In times of global instability, staples behave differently in markets: a small drop in supply can cause massive price spikes.

    That is why rice remains central in Korea even when people eat less of it:

    • it is still a “last stronghold” crop for food security,
    • it supports national resilience,
    • and it carries cultural meaning beyond calories.

    In Korean culture, rice is both a meal and a safeguard.

    Folklore and Moral Meaning Around Rice

    Finally, your script uses folklore (like stories of “rice rocks” that stop producing when greed appears) to show how rice became tied to values such as:

    • restraint,
    • gratitude,
    • and respect for labor.

    Unlike something imagined as a limitless gift, rice is portrayed as a product of repeated human effort—something earned through work and therefore something that should not be wasted. This moral framing further strengthens rice’s symbolic power in Korean meals.

    Conclusion: Why Rice Defines Korean Meals

    Rice became central to Korean meals because it sits at the intersection of:

    • daily nourishment (a real meal = rice),
    • economic value (rice as a standard of wealth),
    • ritual life (ancestral rites and life-cycle customs),
    • agricultural history (water systems and transplanting),
    • and national security (a strategic staple crop).

    In short, rice is central to Korean meals not only because Koreans eat it, but because rice helped shape the structure of Korean life itself.

    You can find detailed information about the origin of Korean rice here. – KBS

    Want to know the origins of Korean food, as told by Koreans?

  • History of Korean Cuisine : The Central Role of Rice

    History of Korean Cuisine : The Central Role of Rice

    History of Korean Cuisine: The Central Role of Rice

    The history of Korean cuisine is inseparable from the history of rice cultivation. Before rice became the dominant staple, the ancestors of the Korean Peninsula relied mainly on coarse grains and cereals such as millet, barley, and sorghum. These grains formed the foundation of early Korean food culture long before rice agriculture was fully established.

    Agriculture itself began roughly 10,000 years ago, and during this period various regions of the world started cultivating grains as stable food sources. Barley, wheat, and other coarse grains originated in regions such as the Middle East, India, and Africa, later spreading eastward through China and eventually reaching the Korean Peninsula. Rice, however, followed a different path and would ultimately reshape Korean cuisine more profoundly than any other grain.

    Origins and Spread of Rice Cultivation

    Rice cultivation is believed to have originated in a broad region stretching from Assam in northeastern India to Yunnan in southwestern China around 6,000 to 7,000 years ago. From this area, rice agriculture spread throughout Asia. One major route extended along the lower Yangtze River, then moved north toward the Yellow River basin, before turning east and reaching the Korean Peninsula.

    Archaeological discoveries provide clear evidence of early rice consumption in Korea. Carbonized rice grains excavated in Gyeonggi Province and later in the Pyongyang area have been dated to approximately 3,000 years ago, indicating that rice was already cultivated during the Bronze Age. These sites also yielded millet, barley, and sorghum, showing that early Korean diets were diverse and grain-based rather than rice-exclusive.

    Rice and the Formation of Korean Food Culture

    As rice cultivation spread southward across the peninsula, favorable climate conditions, fertile plains, and abundant water resources allowed rice farming to flourish, particularly in the southern regions. Over time, rice production was actively encouraged by early states, and by the period of national unification, rice had become the primary staple food.

    This shift had a profound influence on the history of Korean cuisine. Rice became not only the main daily food but also the basis of taxation, seasonal rituals, and agricultural customs. Even language reflected this importance, as specific terms and characters associated with rice paddies and rice farming emerged uniquely in Korea.

    Initially, rice was likely consumed in powdered form, similar to other grains. Gradually, cooking methods evolved, and steamed rice became the standard form of consumption. Early steamers, known as siru, are frequently found in archaeological sites, and ancient murals depict rice being cooked in this way, suggesting that rice meals were already common among the elite.

    Expansion During the Medieval Period

    By the medieval period, rice was firmly established as the cornerstone of Korean cuisine. Governments invested heavily in irrigation systems, improved farming techniques, expanded arable land, and increased grain storage capacity. Rice production became so central to the economy that it was sometimes used as a form of currency.

    As population levels rose and preferences for rice-based meals strengthened, efforts to increase rice yields intensified. These developments not only ensured food security but also allowed Korean cuisine to diversify and become more refined.

    Rice-Based Foods in the Joseon Era

    During the Joseon period, rice cultivation reached new levels of efficiency through nationwide adoption of transplanting techniques and the reclamation of new paddy fields, even in northern regions. Rice solidified its position as the dominant staple food while also serving as the raw material for an extraordinary range of culinary creations.

    Rice cakes, or tteok, became one of the most distinctive elements of Korean cuisine. Unlike wheat-based cakes or confections found elsewhere in East Asia, Korean rice cakes developed into a unique category of food with more than one hundred known varieties. These included steamed rice cakes, pounded rice cakes, and filled rice cakes associated with seasonal festivals and life-cycle rituals.

    Rice also played a central role in traditional Korean alcoholic beverages. Through fermentation, rice was transformed into cloudy rice wine, refined rice wine, and distilled spirits. In addition, rice was used to produce sweet drinks, malt syrup, fermented rice bread, porridges, and even portable emergency foods made from dried or pre-steamed rice.

    Rice as the Foundation of Korean Cuisine

    By the late Joseon period, rice utilization had reached its peak. It was no longer just a staple food but the foundation of Korean culinary identity. From everyday meals of steamed rice to ceremonial foods, snacks, beverages, and preserved foods, rice shaped the structure, rhythm, and symbolism of Korean cuisine.

    In conclusion, the history of Korean cuisine is deeply rooted in the history of rice cultivation. While early diets relied on a variety of grains, rice ultimately became the cultural, economic, and culinary heart of Korea. Understanding this evolution offers essential insight into why rice-based dishes remain central to Korean food culture today.

    refer korea rice history