Korean Cuisine

Korean cuisine is bold, healthy and deeply communal, built on rice, fermented flavours and an endless array of shared side dishes, or banchan. Its national icon is kimchi, the spicy fermented cabbage served at every meal, alongside Korean barbecue, where diners grill marinated meat at the table, the colourful mixed rice bowl bibimbap, hearty stews and pancakes. Eating is social, spicy and endlessly varied by region and season.

What you actually see

• Kimchi - the spicy fermented cabbage served at every meal.
• Korean barbecue - the marinated meats grilled at the table.
• Bibimbap - the colourful mixed rice bowl.
• The banchan - the array of free shared side dishes.

When to go

Year-round; Korean barbecue is a lively, social meal best shared, and the bustling street-food markets are a highlight, especially in the evening. Regional specialities and seasonal dishes reward seeking out.

Honest expectations

Korean food can be genuinely spicy, so pace yourself with the chilli. Meals are shared and social, and dining alone, though increasingly common, can feel awkward at barbecue houses geared to groups. Street food is excellent and cheap. The endless free side dishes are a delightful, generous feature of the cuisine.

Nearby

Seoul has everything; regions have specialities, from Jeonju's bibimbap to Busan's seafood.