INTRODUCTION

Famous Street food in South Korea is traditionally seen as part of Korean popular culture. Historically, street foods mainly included dishes such as eomuk, bunjeo-pang, and tetok-bokki. Street foods is sold through many types of retail outlets, with new ones being developed over time

Tteokbokki (Spicy Rice Cakes) (popular street food)

Tteokbokki is one of the best street foods in Korea. The main ingredient used is rice cake (glutinous rice), which is boiled in a red pepper paste-based seasoning to give it a spicy and chewy taste. It is usually served with various ingredients such as fish cake, onion, and glass noodles. If you like spicy food, be sure to give it a try!

• Spicy taste: Tteokbokki has a very spicy taste because rice cake (glutinous rice) and various ingredients are cooked together in a red pepper paste-based seasoning. Red pepper powder and red pepper paste give it a unique flavor and spiciness, which is one of the representative characteristics of tteokbokki.
• Chewy texture: Rice cakes have a chewy and springy texture, making it fun to chew when you take a bite, and additional ingredients such as fish cakes are also cooked to be firm and provide a good texture.
• Variety of ingredients: There are a variety of ingredients used in Tteokbokki that is famous street food in South Korea. It is mainly cooked with vegetables such as fish cake (oden), onions, carrots, and paprika, each adding its own unique taste and texture.
• Easy to find on the street: It is one of the street foods commonly found on street corners and markets in Korea. It can be purchased inexpensively and is convenient to hold in your hand and enjoy while walking.
• Modified versions are also popular: In addition to the traditional form of tteokbokki, various variations are also popular, such as cheese tteokbokki with added cheese or seafood tteokbokki with seafood.
• Instant versions and delivery services: Nowadays, there are options available that are sold in instant form so you can easily make them at home this street foods, and there are also services available that allow you to simply order them through delivery apps and enjoy them at home.

Hotteok(KOREAN SWEET PANCAKES best street foods in Korea)

Hotteok is another best street foods in Korea. It is favorite to Korean people.
Hotteok is a crucian carp-shaped dessert with a hard exterior and sweet filling. Walnuts, glutinous rice powder, sugar, etc. are used as fillings, and as they are placed on a plate and baked on both sides, they become crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. In winter, it is loved as a warming snack.

Sweet inside and crispy outside: Hotteok is made by baking sweet pumpkin dough with sugar and various fillings (mainly pumpkin sweet potato, soybean paste, etc.). It has the characteristic of being crispy on the outside and sweet on the inside. This contrasting texture is one of the charms of hotteok.

• Warm snack in winter: Hotteok is especially popular during winter. Hotteok, which is baked warmly, gives you a sense of warmth and stability when you hold it with your hands and eat it in cold weather.
• Various types and variations: In addition to the traditional rye walnut hotteok, there are various types and modified versions. For example, there are versions of cream cheese pancakes that add cream cheese, or versions that add chocolate chips, fruits, etc. to add flavor.
• Easily transported by packaging: Hotteok sold on the street is provided in paper cups or plastic packaging so you can enjoy it while carrying it in your hand. This packaging method has the advantage of being convenient to eat anywhere.
• Cheap and popular: Hotteok is one of the street foods that can be purchased relatively cheaply. Therefore, it is known as a popular snack loved by many people, from children to adults.

Eomuk (Fish Cake-best street foods in seoul Korea)

Fish cakes famous street foods in south Korea are made by processing various ingredients such as meat, fish, and potatoes, and are served with salty kelp broth. It has a crispy outside and chewy inside texture, and it provides warmth and whets your appetite on cold, dry days.

• Various types: Best street foods in Korea Fish cakes come in many different types and shapes. It is generally sold in the form of oden on a pallet, and can also be consumed by boiling it in ramen or skewering it and grilling it.
• Soft and springy texture: Fish cakes have a soft and springy texture because finely ground meat or fish are mixed together during the processing process. This texture makes it a pleasure to chew, which is one of the reasons why so many people love it.
• Versatile use: Fish cakes can sometimes be eaten on their own, but most often they are used as an ingredient in soups or grilled dishes. In particular, it can often be seen in representative Korean street foods such as fish cake soup and tteokbokki.
• Cheap and convenient purchase: Fish cakes can be purchased relatively inexpensively, and can be easily found on the streets or at food stalls. What’s also attractive is that most of them are pre-cooked, so you can simply cook and consume them.
• Various flavors and sauces: Fish cake itself does not have much flavor, but you can add flavor by combining it with various sauces. For example, you can use a red pepper paste-based seasoning sauce to eat it with tteokbokki or use it in soup form to make a soup.
• Healthy and Light: Fish cakes are generally made by steaming rather than oil frying, making them a relatively healthy and light choice.

Gimbap(Seaweed Rice Rolls-street food in Korea)

street foods include Gimbap is a roll-shaped food made by wrapping rice and various ingredients in seaweed. Mostly, seaweed that is baked with rice and various ingredients such as carrots, cucumbers, and fried eggs is used.

• Simple and portable meal: Gimbap is a convenient meal that can be consumed immediately, making it ideal for eating with your hands when going out or on the street. It is already packaged in roll form and, if necessary, can be simply wrapped in paper or plastic packaging for transport.
• Various ingredients and variations: Gimbap is a roll-shaped food made with rice and various ingredients wrapped in seaweed. It mainly uses tuna, egg rolls, and vegetables, but there are many different types and modified versions depending on individual tastes.
• Healthy and nutritious choice: Gimbap is a nutritious choice because you can eat it with various ingredients such as rice, which is a grain, vegetables, and protein. It is a healthy yet filling menu with a harmonious combination of vegetables and protein.
• With delicious sauce: Gimbap is usually eaten by adding the sauce yourself. Typical sauces include soy sauce-based seasoning sauce or red pepper paste-based seasoning sauce. Adding these sauces can add flavor and taste.
• Cheap and popular: Gimbap is one of the street foods that can be purchased relatively cheaply. Therefore, it is known as a popular food loved widely by everyone from students to office workers.

Dakgangjeong(Sweet Crispy Korean     Fried Chicken)

Dakgangjeong is a chicken dish street foods made by seasoning chicken with red pepper paste, soy sauce, sugar, etc. and then frying it. It is characterized by a crunchy and spicy taste, and has a texture that is crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. It is usually served with sauce and tastes even better when eaten outdoors.

• Crispy and sweet taste: Dakgangjeong is a food made by adding sweet seasoning sauce to crispy fried chicken. The combination of soft and chewy chicken with the savory fried surface stands out, and this taste is one of the reasons why it is so popular with so many people.

Consistency in size and shape: Generally, chicken gangjeong comes in similar sizes and shapes. It is sold as small pieces of chicken mixed with seasoning, fried, and then skewered. This consistent shape and size give consumers a sense of security.

• Variety of sauces to choose from: Seasoning sauces can be chosen according to personal preference. Typically, soy sauce-based seasoning sauce and red pepper paste-based seasoning sauce are used, and each provides a different taste and flavor.
• Easily transported by packaging: street foods Chicken gangjeong sold on the street comes in paper or plastic packaging so you can carry it in your hand and enjoy it. Due to the packaging method, it has the advantage of being convenient to eat even when you are out for a long time or while traveling.
• Cheap and popular: Dakgangjeong is one of the street foods that can be purchased at a relatively low price. Therefore, it is known as a popular food loved by a wide age group, from students to office workers.

Bungeoppang  (KOREAN FISH SHAPED PASTRY)

Bungeobbang street foods in Seoul Korea is a snack filled with red bean paste shaped like a carp. Red bean paste is added to flour dough and baked. It has a crispy texture on the outside and soft texture on the inside. In winter, it is one of the popular snacks on the streets along with its warmth.

• Carp-shaped appearance: Bungeobbang, as its name suggests, is a dessert shaped like a carp. Traditionally, it is baked in the shape of two hemispheres, and each hemisphere is filled with sweet red bean paste or cream.
• Soft and sweet interior: The inside of Taiyaki is filled with soft and sweet red bean paste or cream. Red bean paste is a savory and sweet red bean filling made by boiling and crushing, and the cream has various flavors and aromas such as vanilla, chocolate, and custard.
• Crispy and cooked outside: The outside of Bungeoppang is made of flour and sugar dough and is baked crispy. A yellow-brown, evenly baked exterior is formed on the outside, which further enhances the taste and texture.
• Warm winter snack: This food is more popular during winter. In cold weather, you can hold it in your hand and enjoy the hot contents, giving you a sense of warmth and security.
• Packaged and portable: Bungeobbang sold on the street comes in paper or plastic packaging, so you can carry it in your hand and consume it immediately.
• Cheap and popular: It is one of the street foods that can be purchased at a relatively low price. Therefore, it is known as a popular food loved by a wide age group, from children to adults.

Mandu (Korean Dumplings)

Dumplings are a dish that street food in Korea made from flour dough wrapped around meat or vegetables. There are many different types of dumplings and a variety of cooking methods, including steaming and baking. Most steamed dumplings contain juicy meat and vegetables and are often served with seasoning sauce.

• Various types and fillings: street foods Dumplings are made up of various types and fillings. It mainly uses a variety of meats and vegetables, such as pork, beef, chicken, and seafood, and each type has its own unique taste and flavor.
• Wrapped in a thin dough: Dumplings are wrapped in a thin dough and cooked by baking or boiling. The dough is usually made by mixing water and flour, and is baked gently to have a crispy yet chewy texture.
• Ingredients consisting of juiced meat and vegetables: The filling of dumplings is made up of both meat and vegetables. This combination is savory yet has a good texture, which is one of the reasons why it is popular with many people.
• Different Cooking Methods: Dumplings are cooked in a variety of ways. Typical ways include grilling or steaming, and you can also eat it by stir-frying or boiling in water.
• Warm winter snack: This food is more popular during winter. Warm boiled or baked dumplings provide warmth and stability when held in the hand in cold weather.

Hotdog (famous street food in Seoul Korea)

A hot dog is a street foods made with sausages wrapped in bread. Hot dogs in Korea are served in a slightly different style than in other countries. Typically, sausages are coated in cooking oil and fried to make them crispy, and then eaten topped with sauces such as ketchup and mayonnaise and lettuce.

• Portable food that is easy to eat: Hot dogs are a portable food that is easy to hold and eat with your hands. Typically, long-shaped sausages are grilled and served in bread or roll-shaped bread. This packaging method makes it easy to eat anywhere.
• Various sauces and additional ingredients: Hot dogs can be enjoyed with a variety of sauces and additional ingredients. Typical sauces include ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise, and various toppings such as onions, cheese, and shredded cheese can be added.
• Variety of Flavors and Sizes: Hot dogs are available in a variety of flavors and sizes depending on individual tastes and needs. Generally, the basic type is a simple combination, but modified versions such as cheese-filled cheese dogs (cheese hot dogs) and spicy hot dogs are also popular.https://kr.koreanculture.org/korea-information-tourism
• Affordable and popular: Hot dogs are one of the street foods that can be purchased relatively inexpensively. Therefore, it is known as a popular food loved by a wide age group, from children to adults.
• Global popularity and culture: Hot dogs are one of the most loved street foods around the world. Originating primarily in the United States, many countries produce and sell their own variations.

Haemul Pajeon (Seafood Scallion Pancake best street foods in Korea)

Seafood and green onion pancakes are made with seafood and green onions and are full of juiciness. It was cooked crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. It mainly contained seafood such as squid, crab meat, and mussels.

• Crispy and savory appearance and texture: Seafood green onion pancake is a crispy grilled dish topped with soft green onions and fresh seafood. It is crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, with a savory taste and texture, which is one of the reasons why it is popular with many people.
• Different types of seafood: Various types of seafood are used, mainly clams, squid, and shrimp. These various seafood are baked into pancakes, with each ingredient providing a rich flavor and texture.
• Flavor of green onions and vegetables: Green onions and other vegetables are also used in seafood green onion pancakes. Green onions are gently stir-fried to add a light yet fragrant taste. Vegetables are a visual delight with their freshness and beautiful colors.
• Popular prices and large quantities: Seafood and green onion pancakes sold on the street can be purchased at relatively low prices, and most are served in large pans so that several people can enjoy them together.
• A type of traditional best street food in Korea: Seafood and green onion pancakes have a deep connection with one of the traditional Korean foods. It is closely connected to Korean culture and is made using traditional cooking methods and ingredients.
• Consume with side dishes: It is usually served with finely chopped Cheongyang peppers and soy sauce-based seasoning sauce. You can enjoy it even more deliciously if you dip it in seasoning sauce while eating it with Cheongyang pepper.

Dakkochi (KOREAN CHICKEN SKEWERS)

street foods Chicken skewers are small pieces of chicken grilled on skewers. Seasoned chicken skewers are grilled over charcoal. It is the another famous street food in South Korea.

It is served with spicy seasoning sauce or soy sauce-based seasoning sauce, and is one of Korea’s representative street foods that can be enjoyed in a light yet delicious manner.

• Thin and tender chicken: Yakitori is made using thinly sliced ​​chicken. This thinly sliced ​​chicken cooks quickly with a short cooking time, and has a soft and chewy texture.
• Grilled on skewers: As the name suggests, yakitori is made by grilling several pieces of chicken on thick wooden or metal skewers. This shape makes it easy to hold and eat, and it can be easily packaged and transported.
• Various seasonings and sauces: Various types of seasonings and sauces are used for yakitori. Representative examples include soy sauce-based seasoning sauce and red pepper paste-based seasoning sauce, which can be selected according to individual taste.
• Grilled on a barbecue or grill: Typically, chicken skewers are cooked directly on a barbecue or grill. This allows you to enjoy a savory, crunchy exterior and a soft, thirst-quenching interior at the same time.
• Affordable and famous street food in South Korea: Among street foods, it is offered at a relatively affordable price point, making it accessible to many people. Therefore, it is a popular food loved by a wide age group, from students to office workers.

Street foods that is trending recently in Korea

A recently famous street foods in south Korea is tanghulu, which is made by skewering fruit on a skewer and coating it with melted sugar to harden it. It is a representative street snack in China. It is a famous street food in South Korea snack among young people in their teens and twenties, and is characterized by its sweet taste and crunchy texture from sugar syrup. On the other hand, after eating Tanghulu, skewers and paper cups are thrown away everywhere, making the streets dirty, and the sweetness of the fruit itself is coated with sugar, causing health problems due to excessive sugar intake, which is emerging as a social problem.https://tourticketer.com/10-local-foods-in-korea/