Korean Food: Everything you need to know

Structure of a meal

The main dish of a typical Korean meal is usually some type of soup or stew, served either in an individual pot or in a large communal pot, to be shared by everyone at the table. Korean food is often marked by the number of banchan, or side dishes, served with the meal, with the more offered meaning a more luxurious affair. Dessert is served at the end of the meal, and is often made with some sort of sweet bean paste, honey, and/or fruit.

Staples

Short-grain, glutinous rice is served individually to each customer, as opposed to the long-grain white rice that's popular in places outside of the Korean peninsula, for the basic starch of the meal. Porridge or noodles may also constitute the base of your meal.

Seafood is important in Korean food, given the peninsula's extensive coastline, and can be boiled, fried, stewed, or served raw. Chicken and pork are often served, though the most prized of all meats is beef, which was once outlawed by the Buddhist ruling class, but has now become regular in Korean food.

Root and sea vegetables, along with medicinal plants like ginseng and wild vegetables like Korean bellflower root, are popular ingredients in much of Korean food. Often served in season, these plants are sometimes served raw, to be consumed with condiments of your choice.

Of course, no overview of Korean food is complete without a description of kimchi, the ubiquitous condiment. Served at almost every meal, kimchi is essential to any authentic Korean meal. It's made by taking sliced cabbage, or another vegetable like radish or cucumber, and fermenting it with spices and often some type of brined seafood. Red chili sauce, anchovy paste, and salt are some of the most common spices used. Sound flavorful? It is—this is one Korean food that will earn you the respect of the locals, if you're brave enough to try it.

Minding your manners

Sitting on the floor at a low table is the customary way to eat a meal in Korea, but many restaurants in Seoul offer tables and chairs. Stainless steel chopsticks and shallow spoons are the usual eating utensils for Korean food, but don't be surprised (or insulted) if your server offers you a fork, as many restaurants have learned to accommodate their less dexterous customers.

If you do eat with chopsticks, be sure never to leave them upright in your rice. This is a gesture done at graveside ceremonies to honor deceased ancestors, so you can imagine the reaction it might get at a friendly dinner with hosts or colleagues. Also, be sure to wait until the eldest person at the table has begun eating before you pick up your utensils of choice and follow suit because it shows respect. And, as in many cultures, don't blow your nose at the table, or you risk blowing your image.

Drinking in Korea also has its own set of rules. You should not pour your own drink, but wait for someone else to pour it for you, cupping your glass with both hands as a sign of gratitude. Then return the favor by pouring drinks for those around you. When pouring a drink for someone older or of a higher social status than yourself, use both hands on the bottle or one hand under the elbow of your pouring arm, otherwise using one hand is fine.

Now that you know about the types and traditions of Korean food, discover the best restaurants in Seoul.