Korean menu explained

Meat dishes

Beef bulgogi

Thinly sliced, seasoned beef; versions range from juicy pan-cooked meat to a drier finish.

Meat dishes

Braised beef short ribs

Beef short ribs braised in a seasoned liquid, rather than grilled galbi.

Meat dishes

Pork bulgogi

Seasoned pork, with either soy-based or chili-based versions. Check the menu before assuming the heat level.

Meat dishes

Dakgalbi · stir-fried chicken

Seasoned chicken stir-fried with vegetables. Despite galbi in the name, this is a chicken dish.

Meat dishes

Jjimdak · braised chicken

Chicken braised with vegetables in a seasoned sauce. A brown sauce does not guarantee a mild dish.

Soups

Samgyetang · ginseng chicken soup

Chicken soup prepared with ingredients such as rice and ginseng. Fillings and presentation vary by restaurant.

Soups

Dak-gomtang · chicken soup

A chicken-based soup. It is distinct from beef gomtang and seolleongtang.

Soups

Galbitang · beef rib soup

A beef short-rib soup. Check the full name for spicy or specially seasoned versions.

Soups

Gamjatang · pork bone soup

A pork-bone soup, not a vegetarian potato soup despite gamja in the name.

Soups

Yukgaejang · spicy beef soup

A spicy beef-and-vegetable soup, distinct from chicken-based dakgaejang.

Stews

Pork kimchi jjigae

Kimchi stew with pork; specify the version rather than assuming all kimchi stews use the same protein.

Stews

Doenjang jjigae · soybean paste stew

A stew seasoned with fermented soybean paste. Visible tofu and vegetables do not establish a vegetarian broth.

Stews

Sundubu jjigae · soft tofu stew

A stew made with soft tofu. Ask whether seafood, meat or egg is included.

Stews

Budae jjigae

A stew often featuring processed meats. Check what comes in the base order and what is an extra add-on.

Rice dishes

Bibimbap · mixed rice

Rice mixed with assorted toppings. Sauce, meat and egg vary by restaurant.

Rice dishes

Kimchi fried rice

Rice stir-fried with kimchi. Check additions such as ham, pork and egg before ordering.

Rice dishes

Gimbap · seaweed rice rolls

Rice and fillings rolled in seaweed, then sliced. Named versions indicate different fillings.

Noodles

Japchae · glass noodles

Glass noodles mixed with vegetables and seasoning. Check the meat and portion size for the version you order.

Rice-cake dishes

Tteokbokki · rice cakes in sauce

Rice cakes cooked in sauce. Ask about fish cakes, add-ons and whether the heat can be adjusted.

Rice-cake dishes

Gungjung tteokbokki · soy-seasoned rice cakes

A soy-seasoned rice-cake dish, different from red chili tteokbokki; it may contain meat.

Soups

Tteok mandu guk · rice cake and dumpling soup

Soup with rice cakes and dumplings. Both the filling and broth ingredients need checking.

Noodles

Dak kalguksu · chicken noodle soup

A chicken-based version of knife-cut noodle soup. Kalguksu by itself does not specify one universal broth.

Noodles

Sujebi · hand-torn dough soup

Hand-torn dough pieces in soup, with broth and flavor varying across seafood, perilla and other versions.

Noodles

Bibim guksu · mixed noodles

Noodles mixed with a dressing rather than served as a broth soup. Check temperature, heat and toppings.

Noodles

Janchi guksu · noodles in broth

Thin noodles in broth with toppings. Check both the broth and any separate seasoning sauce.

Soups

Tteokguk · sliced rice cake soup

Soup with sliced rice cakes. Broth and garnishes vary, so a pale broth does not identify every ingredient.

Savory pancakes

Kimchijeon · kimchi pancake

A savory kimchi pancake. Check the kimchi ingredients as well as batter and any added seafood.

Savory pancakes

Pajeon · scallion pancake

A scallion pancake; names such as haemul-pajeon indicate seafood additions.

Side dishes

Gyeran jjim · soft cooked eggs

A soft cooked egg dish. Broth or salted shrimp seasoning may matter as much as the eggs themselves.

Side dishes

Dubu jorim · braised tofu

Tofu braised in seasoning sauce. Ask separately about chili and animal-derived sauce ingredients.