→ When you first visit Korea or start living there, one of the first things you’ll notice is the wide variety of everyday meals.
→ Korean meals are relatively affordable and well-balanced, typically including rice, soup, and several side dishes served together.
→ One thing that surprises many foreigners is that you can have a filling and satisfying meal in Korea at a very reasonable price.
→ From baekban, a home-style set meal, to jeyuk-bokkeum, donkatsu, and bibimbap, there are many dishes people eat regularly, and in many restaurants, side dishes can be refilled.
→ In this article, we introduce common everyday meals in Korea, along with various menu options that foreigners can enjoy without difficulty.
●●🟧 Everyday Meals Commonly Eaten in Korea (Baekban · Donkatsu · Juk · Jeyuk-bokkeum)
●🟦✓ Baekban (Home-Style Set Meal)
Source: Korea Tourism Organization Photo Korea – Lee Beom-soo
▶ Baekban is one of Korea’s most typical everyday meals, consisting of rice, soup or stew, and several side dishes served together.
▶ In Korean households, it is also common to eat meals with rice, soup (or stew), and side dishes,
so you can think of baekban as the restaurant version of a traditional home- cooked meal.
▶ At most restaurants, side dish refills are available,
and you can ask for a fork if needed.
▶ If you order extra rice, there is usually an additional charge of about 2,000 KRW (about USD $1.38).
●🟦✓ Donkatsu (breaded pork cutlet)
▶ Donkatsu came to Korea through Japan
and later developed to match Korean tastes.
▶ There are many types, including regular donkatsu, cheese donkatsu, fish cutlet, and hamburger steak cutlet,
and depending on the restaurant, some places offer only 1 or 2 items,
while others provide more than 10 different options.
▶ It is usually served with soup and a small portion of rice,
and while the meat itself is not refillable, soup, kimchi, and rice are often refillable.
(However, some restaurants may charge separately for extra rice.)
▶ The price is usually around 8,000 KRW to 13,000 KRW (about USD $5.52 to $8.97).
→ It is a popular dish enjoyed by people of all ages,
and it is one of the most commonly eaten menu items in Korea.
→ It is also easy to make at home,
and even frozen versions can still taste good,
so it is a dish that can be recommended to foreigners without difficulty.
●🟦✓ Juk (Korean rice porridge, similar to a thick soup)
▶ Juk is a dish made by slowly boiling rice until it becomes soft,
and many foreigners may think of it as something similar to soup.
▶ At first, some foreigners question whether it is enough for a full meal,
but in Korea, it has long been eaten as a recovery food for people who are sick, and more recently, it has become widely enjoyed as an everyday meal as specialty restaurants have increased.
▶ There are more than 15 different varieties depending on the ingredients,
and because the flavor is mild and not overpowering, most foreigners can enjoy it easily.
▶ The price is usually around 7,000 KRW to 12,000 KRW (about USD $4.83 to $8.28),
and it is common to ask for a small plate and serve yourself before eating.
💊 Depending on the menu, juk can sometimes be suitable for vegan or halal diets.
→ Vegan juk: vegetable juk, mushroom juk, kabocha squash juk, sweet potato juk, red bean juk
→ Halal juk: vegetable juk, mushroom juk
Abalone juk, seafood juk, and similar varieties may or may not be suitable depending on the ingredients and broth,
so be sure to check before ordering.
→ At some restaurants, side dishes such as kimchi, broth, or braised beef may be served together,
and if you want a vegan or halal meal,
you can ask them to leave out the meat side dishes.
●🟦✓ Jeyuk-bokkeum (spicy stir-fried pork)
▶ When people think of bulgogi, they usually think of beef bulgogi,
but there are also bulgogi-style dishes made with pork.
▶ Jeyuk-bokkeum is made by marinating pork and stir-frying it with a slightly spicy sauce, and most foreigners who try it are satisfied with it.
→ While beef bulgogi is relatively expensive,
jeyuk-bokkeum is a typical everyday dish
that is affordable and filling.
▶ The price is usually around 7,000 KRW to 10,000 KRW (about USD $4.83 to $6.90),
and at some restaurants, it may be around 12,000 KRW (about USD $8.28).
💊 Jeyuk-bokkeum is slightly spicy,
so if you ask for it to be less spicy, you can enjoy it comfortably.
●🟦✓ Oyster Specialty Restaurants
▶ In the U.S. and Europe, oyster dishes are generally considered premium foods.
→ For this reason, many foreigners
are surprised when they visit Korean oyster restaurants
because the prices are relatively affordable, the menu is diverse,
and the taste and freshness are excellent.
▶ Korea has a natural environment that is ideal for oyster farming,
and because its aquaculture and distribution systems are well developed,
you can enjoy fresher and higher-quality oysters
at more reasonable prices compared to many other countries.
▶ You can try a wide range of oyster dishes,
including oyster rice soup, seasoned oysters, oyster scallion pancakes, and steamed oysters.
→ Example price range
Oyster rice soup: about 8,000 to 12,000 KRW (about USD $5.52 to $8.28)
Seasoned oysters: about 10,000 to 15,000 KRW (about USD $6.90 to $10.34)
Oyster scallion pancake: about 15,000 to 20,000 KRW (about USD $10.34 to $13.79)
Steamed oysters: about 20,000 to 30,000 KRW (about USD $13.79 to $20.69)
💊 In Korea, oysters are available year-round, but they taste best in winter,
so they are also popular as a seasonal food and are great not only for lunch but also for dinner.
●🟦✓ Grilled Fish Specialty Restaurants
▶ In Europe or the U.S., whole grilled fish
is usually something you see mainly in restaurants.
→ In Korea, however, fish such as Spanish mackerel, mackerel, saury, and cutlassfish are often served whole, grilled, along with rice and several side dishes, so many foreigners are surprised when they see it for the first time.
▶ The price is usually around 7,000 KRW to 12,000 KRW (about USD $4.83 to $8.28), making it a lunch option with very high value for the price.
💊 Because you need to remove the bones yourself while eating,
it may feel a bit difficult at first.
→ If you use a fork to slowly separate the meat,
it becomes much easier to eat.
→ Cutlassfish is very tasty, but it has many small bones,
so it may feel difficult if you are trying it for the first time.
→ If it is your first time, it is recommended to choose fish that are easier to eat and have fewer bones,
such as Spanish mackerel or mackerel.
→ With Spanish mackerel or mackerel, after eating one side,
you can flip it over and remove the large center bone,
which makes it much easier to eat.
●🟦✓ Gisa Sikdang (Driver’s Restaurants)
▶ Gisa sikdang originally started as restaurants
frequently used by taxi drivers and truck drivers in Korea,
and because the prices are affordable and the portions are large,
they are now also popular with many young Koreans.
▶ They are often located outside busy downtown areas
in places that are easier to reach by car,
and for about 7,000 KRW to 12,000 KRW (about USD $4.83 to $8.28),
you are typically served rice, soup, several side dishes, and a main dish.
💊 At gisa sikdang, even foreigners who are not comfortable with spicy food
can eat without difficulty
by choosing milder menu items such as dwaeji-bulbaek.
→ Dwaeji-bulbaek is a pork dish made with a soy sauce-based seasoning,
and it is a very common and popular menu item in Korea.
→ These are regular restaurants that foreigners can freely use,
and you can eat there alone without feeling uncomfortable.
▶ In many cases, there is also a free coffee vending machine located near the entrance.
●🟦✓ Bibimbap (mixed rice with vegetables) Specialty Restaurants
Source: Korea Tourism Organization Photo Korea – Kim Ji-ho
▶ These are restaurants that specialize in bibimbap.
▶ Bibimbap is one of Korea’s most popular dishes.
made by placing various vegetables, meat, and egg over rice
and mixing everything together with gochujang.
▶ Depending on the ingredients,
many places offer more than 10 different types of bibimbap.
▶ Sanchae bibimbap specialty restaurants
focus on bibimbap made mainly with vegetables and wild mountain greens.
→ The main ingredients are vegetables,
but small amounts of egg or meat may also be included,
so it is a good idea to check when ordering.
▶ Depending on the ingredients used, the price is usually around 7,000 KRW to 15,000 KRW (about USD $4.83 to $10.34).
💊 Bibimbap is typically eaten by mixing all the ingredients together well,
and it is recommended to start with a small amount of gochujang.
→ If you are not comfortable with spicy food,
you can ask the staff for soy sauce instead of gochujang and mix it that way.
→ Using soy sauce gives it a milder flavor,
making it an easier option for foreigners.
→ If you add too much gochujang or soy sauce and it tastes too salty,
you can ask for a little more rice and mix it in
to adjust the flavor.
→ If you want more of a specific vegetable ingredient,
you can also ask the staff for an extra portion.
💊 For vegan or halal diets,
some bibimbap options are suitable and others are not,
depending on the menu.
Be sure to check the ingredients before ordering and eating.
●🟦✓ Gimbap (Korean rice rolls) / Bunsik (Korean casual snack restaurants)
▶ Bunsik restaurants are places
that serve simple and quick foods such as gimbap, tteokbokki, and ramen.
▶ Because the prices are affordable and ordering is simple,
they are commonly used by everyone from students to office workers.
→ Gimbap, in particular, is made by rolling rice, vegetables, meat, or other ingredients in seaweed,
and it is one of the most common grab-and-go foods in Korea.
▶ Many people order tteokbokki, ramen, and gimbap together
and enjoy them as a simple meal.
▶ Depending on the bunsik restaurant, they may also offer stew dishes
such as kimchi stew or soybean paste stew, as well as fried foods, rice bowls, and other menu items.
→ Because each place has a different menu,
one advantage is that you can order a variety of foods in one place.
▶ Prices are usually as follows
Gimbap: about 3,000 KRW to 5,000 KRW (about USD $2.07 to $3.45)
Tteokbokki: about 3,000 KRW to 6,000 KRW (about USD $2.07 to $4.14)
Ramen: about 3,500 KRW to 5,000 KRW (about USD $2.41 to $3.45)
💊 Bunsik restaurants are places where you can eat alone without any pressure, and they are also easy for foreigners to use.
→ In many cases, the menu is simple,
which makes ordering easy and convenient.
●🟦✓ Convenience Store Meals
▶ Convenience stores in Korea are often open 24 hours a day,
and you can buy a simple meal there at any time.
▶ A wide variety of foods are available, including lunch boxes, samgak gimbap, gimbap, and cup ramen, so foreigners can use them easily.
→ Microwaves and hot water dispensers are available,
so you can heat up or prepare your food right away.
▶ Prices are usually as follows
Samgak gimbap: about 1,000 KRW to 2,000 KRW (about USD $0.69 to $1.38)
Lunch boxes: about 4,000 KRW to 7,000 KRW (about USD $2.76 to $4.83)
Cup ramen: about 1,500 KRW to 2,500 KRW (about USD $1.03 to $1.72)
💊 Convenience stores are the easiest and fastest way to get a meal,
and they are especially useful late at night or while traveling.
→ However, while most stores allow you to eat inside, some smaller locations do not, so it is a good idea to check if there is a place to eat.
●🟦✓ Simple Breakfast (Toast / Milk)
▶ If you come to Korea, it is highly recommended to try Korean-style toast and milk at least once.
Toast and milk are common foods in most countries,
but the taste and combination in Korea are different, and many foreigners are highly satisfied with them.
▶ In fact, on YouTube and social media, it is easy to find reactions such as
“Why is Korean toast and milk so good?”
and many foreigners are surprised when they try them for the first time.
▶ In particular, some foreigners say that because strong sterilization is often used in their home countries due to distribution processes,
Korean milk tastes softer and better to them.
▶ Korean toast is also widely sold as street food,
and it is made with ingredients such as eggs, vegetables, ham, and sauce,
making it simple but still satisfying enough for a full meal.
●🟦✓ Other Various Restaurants
▶ In Korea, there are many restaurants where you can enjoy food from different countries in addition to Korean cuisine.
→ You can easily find a wide range of international foods,
including Vietnamese restaurants, Japanese ramen shops, curry specialty restaurants, Chinese restaurants, and kebab shops.
→ Especially in large cities,
it is easy to find familiar foods for foreigners,
so even if Korean food feels difficult, you can still eat without worry.
▶ There are also many options,
from fast food such as pizza, hamburgers, and fried chicken
to salads, pasta, and brunch cafés.
▶ Korean buffets (self-service restaurants) are also common,
and because you can freely choose from a variety of dishes and side items,
they are one of the best-value meal options.
→ They usually cost about 8,000 KRW to 10,000 KRW (about USD $5.52 to $6.90), and you can enjoy a wide range of food and go back for more as many times as you want.
💊 Korea offers a wide range of food choices,
so you can choose meals that fit your preferences and situation.
Q. Do Korean restaurants have break times?
A. Some general restaurants or international restaurants do have break times.
→ However, bunsik restaurants, gisa sikdang, bibimbap restaurants, juk restaurants, donkatsu restaurants, baekban restaurants, and convenience stores mentioned in this article are often open without break times.
→ Also, foreigners can visit these places alone and use them comfortably.
Q. Is it okay for foreigners to go to gisa sikdang?
A. Yes, gisa sikdang are regular restaurants that foreigners can freely use.
→ Because the prices are affordable and the portions are large,
they are a good option even for foreigners who are eating alone or have just arrived in Korea.
Q. Can leftover food be packed to go?
A. Yes, in Korea, most restaurants allow you to pack leftover food.
→ If you have food left after your meal,
the staff will often pack it for you if you ask.
→ However, buffets, some high-end restaurants, baekban, and noodle dishes
may have restrictions on takeout due to hygiene and operating policies.
▶ If you want to know how to use Korean restaurants, please refer to this article.
(👉 Dining at Restaurants in Korea)
▶ If you want to know how to use public transportation in Korea, such as buses, subways, and KTX, please refer to this guide.
(👉 Korean Public Transportation Guide)
▶ An easy Korean cooking guide that anyone can follow will be released soon.
(👉 Coming Soon)
▶ If you have additional questions
about life in Korea, Korean culture, visas, or related topics,
please contact us by email and we will provide detailed guidance.