Seven Top-Rated Korean Foods to try

Korea is a region in East Asia divided into two countries, North and South Korea. Popular K-pop songs such as “Gangnam Style” originated from South Korea and are also home to some of the best Korean drama movies. Korean food has become popular among tourists and locals alike. Do you want to know an interesting fact about Korean cuisine? Most of the recipes are over 2000 years that royal families consumed. Savory, hearty, spicy, and nutritious is the only way to describe Korean cuisine.

Here are seven top-rated Korean foods that tourists, as well as the locals, love;

1. Bibimbap: Mixed Rice with Vegetables

When you see Bibimbap on the menu, you will probably say that it is not interesting to try. You could be avoiding this dish because you do not know its contents. Are you wondering what Bibimbap means? Well, bibim means mixed while bap means rice. Bibimbap consists of rice topped with a mixture of different vegetables and meat.

Fun facts about Bibimbap is that it was a luxury dish served for wealthy court members. This unique bowl of rice as it contains different flavors for every bite. Koreans are known for having various side dishes during their meals, but instead of trashing leftovers, they use them to make a whole new meal. One of them being bibimbap.

There are different types of bibimbap. Some are suitable for meat lovers, seafood lovers, and vegetarians. Hoedeopbap is a type of bibimbap. Instead of meat, it is replaced with raw seafood such as tuna. Jeonju is a type of bibimbap consisting of thirty ingredients.

2. Kimchi (Fermented Vegetables)

There is always that dish in your culture prepared for the longest time. Well, ask Koreans about their oldest cuisine. And it just has to be kimchi. It is an essential side dish that you can never miss during a Korean dinner table.

If kimchi is a fermented vegetable then it is sour. What about its red color? Yes, that tells you that it is a spicy dish. It consists of different vegetables, cabbage being the main ingredient. The nature of this dish is its high fiber content and low calorie qualifying it to be nutritious.

Fun facts about kimchi are that it has a cultural value. Meals are never complete without a plate of kimchi. Kimchi's signature color is red because of the red chili paste used to make it since the 16^th century. It helps in weight loss, healthy skin, and a healthy digestive system.

3. Tteokboki (Red Rice Cakes)

Tteokboki is a dish you will want to try out with no hesitation. It is described as street food but is served in restaurants too. It contains thick boiled rice cakes, fish cakes, ginger, onions, salt sugar, and assorted vegetables in a red chili sauce. Its signature color is bright red-orange.

Fun fact, it is top-rated street food. That is why you cannot resist it. If you ever visit Korea, Seoul, South Korea, and you cannot resist the urge to try this super spicy dish, remember to wash it down with makgeolli. Oldest alcohol in Korea.

4. Bulgogi (Korean Barbeque Beef)

Meat dishes are always a must-try. Are you wondering why Bulgogi does not bring out the meaty tone? Only Koreans can relate. "Bul" means fire. "Gogi" means meat. "Fire meat" if directly translated. Well, it is meat on fire. Again it is about the seasoning used to make this dish.

 Bulgogi is marinated tender beef (sirloin) cooked in sauce plus its savory and juicy flavor makes it one of the best dishes for foreigners. Is your mouth watering yet? You should hurry down to South Korea and make sure you wrap the pieces of meat in spinach if you want to experience a splendid burst of flavor.

Bulgogi is a dish discovered back in 37 BCE. Since it is a meat dish, people ranking in the noble class were the only ones served bulgogi. The beef was expensive then. Bulgogi has not always been the name of this delicious dish, Maekjoek was its first name.

5. Korean Fried Chicken

But who does not like chicken? Well, not everyone eats chicken. But most people do love chicken. Chicken is one of the most loved foods in Korea and a must-try. Are you wondering why Korean fried chicken is the most loved? You will find the fried chicken in most countries. The sweet chili and soy sauce seasoning is the reason why Korean fried chicken is different.

Do you know why Korean fried chicken became mostly loved? Koreans ate this dish most of the time during a financial crisis. Do not forget your beer when trying out this dish. Korean fried chicken and beer are a classic. You would not want to miss calling it "chi-maeke" as Koreans do.

6. Ramyun (Instant Noodles)

Ramyun is the fastest, most simple, and most affordable dish in Korean cuisine. It is just like a snack which is instant noodles. Ramyun contains a chunk of precooked noodles, a packet of powdered, and solid seasoning.

Ramyun is the most loved dish in Korea. Koreans are the only people who eat a lot of it per person worldwide. It is not advisable to consume a lot of ramyun. One person in Korea eats almost 76 packets of ramyun. Shocking right?

7. Gimbap (Seaweed Rice Roll)

Rolled-up rice and ingredients such as egg and vegetables in dried seaweed are called gimbap. Do you want to go out for picnics or travel? Need something Korean to snack on? Gimbap is the dish for you.

There are different types of gimbap. Depending on the filing, It can be a beef filling or a tuna filling. Korean dishes always have a meaning to them. "Gim" is the seaweed." Bap" is the rice. Originally, gimbap is cuisine from Japan called kimbap. When Koreans adapted this dish, they seasoned the rice with sesame oil instead of rice vinegar.

In conclusion, you have seen that most of the top-rated foods in Korea consist of rice, noodles, vegetables, and meat. Meals in Korea always have side dishes. Korean cuisine is one of the best to try if you are adventurous and love trying out good food. Do you know why? It is considered one of the world's healthiest. It is because of the abundant use of natural components like tofu.