8 Popular Korean Street Foods You Must Try

Korea is renowned for its intriguing and delectable street cuisine in addition to its music, film, and fascinating history. The culture of Korea includes Popular Korean Street Foods. Without sampling some of Korea’s most popular and delectable street snacks, not to mention how reasonably priced they are, a trip there would not be complete. Let’s go over some of the Popular Korean Street Foods that you absolutely must sample when traveling there in today’s tour.

8 Popular Korean Street Foods You Must Try

Beondegi

Beondegi is a traditional street snack from South Korea made with insects that are silkworm pupae. These little creatures are typically cooked or steamed before being spiced and presented in tiny cups. Beondegi, although an acquired taste, is offered at various street booths across the nation, and the canned kind is occasionally seen in supermarkets. Even as a side dish, insects are offered in some establishments. During the Korean War, when food was scarce and protein-rich ingredients were hard to come by, beondegi rose in popularity.

Sundae

There isn’t much more authentic Korean street cuisine than this! Sundae, a type of blood sausage typically consumed at festivals and celebrations, is made from boiled pig blood, mince, glass vermicelli, and rice or barley. Sundae originated in Korea’s rugged north, close to the country’s current border with China, despite becoming well-known throughout the whole Korean peninsula.

The intestines of the plentiful wild pig that existed at the time were used to make sundae during the Goryeo period, which corresponded to the Early Medieval period of Europe. These days, domestic pigs and cows are frequently used to make blood sausage, which is available in a variety of regional variants that also include vegan and seafood options.

Mandu (Dumplings)

Mandu is the regional variation of the filled dumplings seen throughout Asia and is extremely similar to the more well-known Japanese gyoza, entering Korean cuisine via the Silk Road. Mandu, or Korean dumplings, served in the Joseon dynasty’s court for many years, from the Goryeo period’s collapse until Korea’s annexation by Japan in 1910.

On delectable days, a vast variety of these Korean dumplings could be found on every street corner. Travelers can choose from a broad selection of traditional and regionally-based fillings, and they can try fried, steaming, and boiled mandu as well as both balled and flat mandu.

Dalgona Candy

A traditional and sentimental treat from South Korea is called dalgona. It recently gained popularity because of the Squid Game famous Netflix series. Baking soda and sugar are combined after being melted to create dalgona. The mixture ought to begin to foam and resemble whipped coffee.

Before it solidifies and the texture turns brittle, it is poured out onto a flat surface, flattened into a thin disk, and stamped with a mold. When consuming dalgona, it’s important to eat around the pattern to prevent it from breaking. Some street food vendors will reward kids with another dalgona if they successfully tear off the candy’s outer shell while preserving the design.

Eomuk

A common meal called eomuk is made of flatbread and fish powder. Typically, fish cakes are dipped in salty soy sauce that has been spiced with sesame oil and green onions. Skewers of fish cake range in price from 50 cents to $1 depending on size, making them frequently the least expensive street food.

Fish cakes come in two varieties: a long fish cake and a folded and zigzagged fish cake. The long fish cake has the advantage of preserving a hot and bouncy texture for a longer period of time, while the folded and zigzagged fish cake is properly cooked in broth and has a soy sauce taste. The taste and quantity are comparable.

Bap Burger

Korean street cuisine is known as Korean Rice Burger because the word “Bap” in Korean means “Cooked Rice.” Bap Burgers are essentially hamburgers with buns made of compressed rice. Other ingredients atop the burger, such as the meat and vegetables, are held together in the middle by the compressed rice.

Bap Burger is not only a well-known Korean street cuisine due to how good it tastes, but it is also an affordable snack and supper, particularly for students. Tuna, kimchi, chicken, and spicy pork are some of the other bap burger contents that can be sandwiched between the compacted rice that serves as the buns.

Kimchi

Kimchi, a mainstay of Korean cuisine produced from fermenting and salted vegetables including radish and cabbage, is arguably the most well-known of all Korean meals. Kimchi has a long history in Korea, where it is typically kept in enormous earthen vessels buried in the soil. The dish became more well-liked as Buddhism flourished throughout the Silla dynasty, offering a good and affordable lunch for a growing number of vegetarians.

Kimchi underwent yet another transformation when New World spices like chili were introduced to the East Asian region, changing Korean tastes. Since then, gochugaru has been used frequently as a seasoning (chili powder). Among the toppings for kimchi fried rice are a full-fried egg, seaweed, and sesame seeds. Since kimchi is now the national cuisine of both North and South Korea, finding affordable, delicious kimchi should not be a problem.

Bindaetteok

The savory mung bean pancake known as Bindaetteok initially appeared in a cookbook as Binjatteok in the 1670s. The rich were the principal consumers of the original dish, which had delicious bits of pork on top. Plain versions were saved for the lower socioeconomic strata.

Modern Bindaetteok typically includes a wide range of other ingredients in addition to ground mung beans, such as cabbage kimchi, sprouts, scallions, glutinous rice, or ground pork. Bindaetteok is best consumed right away while the outside is still crisp from being fried in shallow oil. These thick pancakes come in a variety of flavors and are typically eaten on the street with a hot dipping sauce that is typically given on the side.

Conclusion

Immersing yourself in the amazing world of delectable Korean street cuisine is just an experience you cannot miss out on, wherever you go in Korea. Some of the nation’s most inventive and ingenious culinary innovations are on display in Korean street cuisine. The tastes, textures, and fusions in this dish are unadulterated and raw Korean cuisine that should not be missed. Have a list of all of these well-known Korean street meals ready before your trip, and make an effort to try them all. Visit the Popular Korean Street Foods, enjoy the ambiance, and eat till you’re stuffed!

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