Best Korean Food Ever

Kimchi (김치) (Chili Pickled Cabbage)

Kimchi is a national Korean dish consisting of fermented chili peppers and vegetables, usually based on cabbage. Cabbages and other vegetables are soaked in salt water, then seasoned with different spices before being fermented. Kimchi has been cited by Health Magazine as one of the world's five "healthiest foods", with the claim that it is rich in vitamins, aids digestion, and may even prevent cancer.


Gimbap (김밥) (Seaweed-rice)

Eaten as a meal or just an on-the-go snack, gimbap is one of South Korea’s most beloved foods.Sautéed vegetables, ground beef, sweet pickled radish, and rice, rolled and tightly wrapped in a sheet of laver seaweed (gim), and then sliced into bite-sized circles. These food are like Korean power bars. Grab one from the bus terminal before your long ride, snack on the triangular ones from the corner store, or sit down in any of the restaurants named after this versatile foodstuff to get a fresh one.


Bibimbap (비빔밥) (Mixed Rice)

Bibimbap is a signature Korean dish. In Korean, “bibim” means “mixed” and “bap” means rice. This Korean lunch-in-a-bowl mixes together a simple salad of rice, mixed vegetables, rice, beef, and egg, with sesame oil and a dollop of chili paste for seasoning. In 2011, it was listed at number 40 on the World's 50 most delicious foods readers' poll compiled by CNN Travel. One popular variation of this dish, dolsot bibimbap (돌솥 비빔밥), is served in a heated stone bowl, which permits the dish to continue cooking after it is served, and in which a raw egg is cooked against the sides of the bowl. 


Bulgogi (불고기) (Marinated Beef BBQ)

Bulgogi is one of Korea's most popular beef dishes that is made from thinly sliced sirloin or another prime cut of beef (rib eye). Before the meat is grilled, it’s marinated in sweet soy sauce with lots of garlic and sesame oil. The end result is a delicious sweet, savory, and soft slice of meat.  Bulgogi is listed at number 23 on World's 50 most delicious foods readers' poll compiled by CNN Go in 2011.


Seolleongtang (설렁탕) (Ox Bone Soup) 

Seolleongtang is an incredibly popular soup in Korea. It is a Korean soup made from ox bones (mostly leg bones), brisket and other cuts. Seolleongtang is typically simmered over a low flame over a period of several hours to an entire day, to allow the flavor to be gradually extracted from the bones.At most, seolleongtang broth will contain noodles, finely chopped scallions, and a few strips of meat. The broth is delivered to you unsalted and unseasoned so it’s up to you to add salt, pepper, chili paste and extra green onions to your own taste.


Japchae (잡채) (Stir Fried Noodles)

Japchae is one of the most popular Korean dishes. It is made from sweet potato noodles (called dangmyeon), stir fried in sesame oil with various vegetables (typically thinly sliced carrots, onion, spinach, and mushrooms). The vegetables are all lightly cooked so they retain all their flavor. Sometimes japchae served with beef, and flavoured with soy sauce, and sweetened with sugar. Garnished with sesame seeds, japchae may be served either hot or cold.


Gamjatang (감자탕) (Pork Bone Soup)

In Korean, “gamja” means potato, but the “gamja” in “gamjatang” actually refers to the kind of meat (pork spine) used in this filling stew. Gamjatang is a spicy pork bone stew that is considered a traditional Korean dish which is hearty and rich in flavors. This stew is assorted with vegetables such as cabbage, mushrooms, parsley, green onions and bean sprouts. And it is heavily seasoned with garlic, red chili peppers and roasted perilla seeds. The real appeal of this stew lies in the unique taste of the perilla seed, which is perhaps more important to the flavor than the meat. This dish is known to be rich in proteins, calcium and Vitamin B1 (from the pork bones) and is believed to prevent snoring as well as aging.


Samgyeopsal (삼겹살)

If you love meat and you’re a fan of bacon, then you’ll absolutely love it. Samgyeopsal is a popular Korean dish. Commonly served as an evening meal, it consists of thick, fatty slices of pork belly meat. The meat, usually neither marinated nor seasoned, is cooked on a grill at the diners table. Usually diners grill the meat themselves and eat directly from a grill. Served with lettuce, perilla leaves, sliced onions and raw garlic kimchi, it's smudged in ssamjang (a mix of soybean paste called 'doenjang' and chili paste called 'gochujang') or salt and pepper in sesame oil. 


Haejangguk (해장국) (Hangover Stew) 

Haejangguk refers to all kinds of guk (soup) eaten as a hangover cure in Korean cuisine. In translation, it means "soup to chase a hangover". There are a number of different variations of Haejangguk. Made from a beef broth, with cabbage, bean sprouts, radish and chunks of congealed ox blood, the deeply satisfying taste does wonders to kick-start your sluggish brain in the morning. 


Naengmyeon (냉면) (Cold Noodles)

Naengmyeon literally means cold noodles and it is one of Koreans favorite dishes during the summer. It consists of thin noodles typically made from arrowroot or buckwheat flour, and is served in a large bowl with a tangy iced broth. The two main varieties of naengmyeon are mul naengmyeon (물 냉면) and bibim naengmyeon (비빔 냉면). Mul naengmyeon, or “water” naengmyeon, hailing from North Korea’s Pyeongyang, consists of buckwheat noodles in a tangy meat or kimchi broth, topped with slivers of radish, cucumber, and egg, and seasoned with vinegar and Korean mustard (gyeoja). Bibim naengmyeon (비빔냉면),or “mix” naengmyeon, the drier, spicy variety. It  is served as more of a salad in a spicy dressing made primarily from gochujang which is red chili pepper paste.