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
Leave a Reply