What is South Korea national food?

South Korea is a country with a rich culinary tradition that goes back thousands of years. Like most cultures, Korean cuisine has evolved over time through different historical eras and has been shaped by geographic, cultural, and political factors. When it comes to picking a definitive national dish for South Korea, there are a few standout options that represent the unique flavors and ingredients of Korean food.

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Kimchi

If there was one food that is synonymous with Korean cuisine, it would likely be kimchi. Kimchi refers to any number of seasoned fermented vegetable dishes, although cabbage kimchi is the most common. It is made from napa cabbage, radish, green onions, ginger, garlic, chili powder, and fish sauce that is left to ferment and mature over time. The result is a tangy, spicy, and crunchy side dish that often acts as the centerpiece of Korean meals.

While kimchi may seem like a simple side dish, it holds an important place in Korean culinary tradition and culture. The origins of kimchi can be traced back over a thousand years to the Goryeo era in Korean history. As a method of food preservation before refrigeration, fermented vegetables like kimchi allowed Koreans to consume nutrients during the region’s harsh winters. Over the centuries, hundreds of varieties of kimchi developed based on ingredients, regions, and seasons. Given how deeply ingrained it is in daily Korean life, kimchi is sometimes referred to as “Korea’s national dish.”

Importance of Kimchi

Here are some reasons why kimchi holds such a significance in Korean cuisine and culture:

Kimchi is eaten at almost every Korean meal as a side dish or used as an ingredient in recipes.

There are over 180 recognized varieties of kimchi made from different main ingredients like radish, cucumber, eggplant, chives, mustard leaves etc.
Kimjang is the tradition where families gather in late fall to make huge batches of kimchi for the winter months. It is considered an important cultural tradition.
Kimchi is revered for its health benefits as a probiotic food full of vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants.

The global popularity of Korean cuisine has made kimchi an iconic national food.

Bibimbap

Bibimbap is another iconic Korean dish that could be considered a national food. It consists of warm white rice topped with sautéed and seasoned vegetables, gochujang (chili pepper paste), a fried egg, and sliced meat, usually beef. The ingredients are artfully arranged in bowl and tossed together before eating. Traditional bibimbap is served in a hot stone pot called a dolsot, which creates a crunchy layer of crisped rice on the bottom.

Bibimbap translates to “mixed rice” and was created as an easy, nourishing meal to feed farmers in rural areas. But it has become popularized as a national dish thanks to its balance of ingredients, flavors, textures, and visual appeal. Unified yet diverse, bibimbap is seen by some as representative of the shared Korean cultural identity. It has become so beloved that there is an annual bibimbap festival held in Jeonju.

Background of Bibimbap

Here are some key facts about the history and composition of bibimbap:

First mentioned in the Siuijeonseo, a 19th century cookbook, as a dish mixed by the wife of a countryside noble.
Originally made by mixing leftovers with rice, but evolved into more intentional combinations.

Vegetables usually include spinach, bean sprouts, carrots, burdock root, shiitake mushrooms etc.
Can be made with beef, chicken, pork, salmon, tuna, or vegetables for a vegetarian version.
Gochujang chili paste adds signature spice and red color.

Sesame oil and sesame seeds are other important flavors.
Served in a hot dolsot stone bowl at many restaurants.

Bulgogi

Bulgogi, also known as Korean barbecue beef, is a dish that has become internationally synonymous with Korean food. It consists of thin slices of beef, marinated in a sweet and savory sauce, then grilled. The meat is tender and full of umami depth from the marinade ingredients like soy sauce, sugar, garlic, sesame oil, ginger, and pear. Bulgogi is so beloved it has been called “the second national dish” of Korea.

Bulgogi became popular during the Goryeo era when Korean cooking incorporated more meat into its traditionally vegetable and grain focused cuisine. Its association with Korean royalty led it to gain a reputation as high-class cuisine. The dish is versatile as well – it can be served on its own, wrapped in lettuce leaves with rice and kimchi, piled on noodles, stuffed into buns, or added to hot pot dishes. You can easily find bulgogi on the menu at most Korean barbecue restaurants today.

Taste and Cooking of Bulgogi

Here are some key facts about the rich taste profile and cooking methods behind authentic bulgogi:

Marinade balances sweetness (sugar, pear) and savory umami flavors (soy sauce, garlic).

Sesame oil adds nutty aroma and olive oil creates richness.
Traditionally made with sirloin or rib eye cuts, but chuck or brisket work too.
Very thin slicing across the grain of the meat is vital.

Mostly grilled, but can also be pan-fried if no grill is available.
May include mushrooms, onions, zucchini for more vegetables.
Served sizzling hot off the grill with rice, lettuce wraps, and ssamjang sauce.

Tteokbokki

Moving beyond main courses, tteokbokki is a popular Korean street food that could be considered an iconic national snack. It consists of garaetteok, cylinder-shaped rice cakes, cooked in a spicy red chili paste sauce along with fish cakes, boiled eggs, and scallions. The rice cakes become super soft and saturated with the sweet, savory, spicy sauce. It can be found cooking away on the stovetops of pojangmacha Korean street food stalls late into the night.

This dish was originally made with leftover ingredients like rice cakes and chili paste, making it an economical everyday food. Vendors would sell tteokbokki from food carts to passersby looking for warm, filling snacks in the early 20th century. Over the decades, it became a staple street food and late-night comfort dish. The vibrant red sauce and chewy rice cakes are now a hallmark sight of Korean cuisine.

Characteristics of Tteokbokki

Here are some of the definitive traits that give tteokbokki its universally recognizable look and taste:

Thick, chewy garaetteok made from pounded steamed rice.
Bright red gochujang chili paste sauce with a sweet kick.
Incorporate eggs, fish cakes, scallions, onions, carrots to add flavor.

Served in small portions from street food vendors in paper or Styrofoam bowls.
Often eaten as evening or late-night snack when out socializing.
Adjumma brand tteokbokki sauce is the most popular packaged version.

Some add mozzarella cheese, ramen noodles, dumplings to customized versions.

Conclusion

While it is difficult to isolate just one national food for a country with such a rich culinary history as Korea, some standout dishes like kimchi, bibimbap, bulgogi, and tteokbokki have become truly iconic symbols of Korean cuisine. They exemplify important cultural traditions, flavors, ingredients, and cooking methods that create the beloved diversity of dishes we recognize today as quintessentially Korean. From spicy fermented cabbage to sizzling barbecued beef, the national cuisine of Korea is a window into the spirit and identity of its people.