Best Korean Street Food in 2024 (My 10 pick-up)

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Korean Street Foods

Korea has a great reputation for street food. If you are in Korea and you’re not having street food, it’s unimaginable. I have fallen in love with Korean street food. You must visit the streets of Busan, Myeong-dong, Hongdae, Noryangjin, and Jeonju. These places are really famous in South Korea for street food, and it’s really worth it to visit them.

Table of Contents

Are korean food healthy?

Before diving deep into street food, it’s important to know whether the food in Korea is healthy or not. I would say that you can eat any kind of food in Korea without being concerned about hygiene. Korean people are very conscious about healthy food and they maintain it very well. I work in a Korean shop and I have come to know very well how they maintain food standards.

Tteokbokki

First, I’m going to talk about a food called Tteokbokki. It’s a kind of rice cake that is very famous in Korea, and I also love it. I learned about this food from my boss, who worked with me as a senior. He told me about Tteokbokki, and then I tried this dish, and it’s really delicious. You can also add spice if you love it spicy. I add spice because I’m a lover of spicy food. I do recommend trying it if you are in Korea.

Hotteok

Hotteok is a kind of pancake, and a sweet lover should not leave Korea without trying it. It’s just amazing. It was my favorite breakfast for a while. When I first joined my work at Myeong-dong, I had it on a daily basis because I had to go a bit early in the morning. A hotteok with a cup of coffee is the perfect start to the morning.

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Dakgangjeong

Dakgangjeong is crispy Korean fried chicken glazed in a sticky, sweet, and spicy sauce. Water comes to my tongue while I am writing about this delicious street food. Dakgangjeong is a big deal in Korean fried chicken culture. You’ll find the best spots for it in traditional markets and streets all over Korea, usually with long lines of people waiting to try it. Dakgangjeong is a must-recommend.

KOREAN FISH CAKE SOUP

Korean fish cake soup is pretty common in Korea. You never need to go to street markets such as Myeong-dong. I hope that if you are in Korea and enjoying your travel, you may find street shops somewhere either in Seoul or outside of Seoul. Everywhere, this traditional fish cake soup is available. Taste is well enough and the smell is fantastic. However, a great snack might be for you. It was my first street food that I had in Korea, by the way.

Bungeoppang

Bungeoppang is another one of the common street foods. The shape of the Bungeoppang is like a fish. When I saw it for the first time, I thought that it may be made of fish but it’s not. It is a bun filled with sweet red beans. You will have multiple options to choose from, such as custard, chocolate, Nutella, peanut butter, etc., as fillings. I like custard. You can try each one.

Gimbap

Gimbap is one of the favorite foods not only for Koreans but also among foreigners. Gimbap is a seaweed rice roll made of gim (a sheet of dried seaweed) and bap (rice). I eat it on a weekly basis. It is a must-try recommendation.

Egg Bread / Gyeran-ppang

Korean Egg Bread or Gyeran-ppang can be found at each Korean street food stall. This is a sweet, steamy, hot, and fluffy little loaf of bread with a whole egg inside. It is one of my favorite street foods. Whenever I get a chance to have it, I never miss it.

Galbi

This time I’m going to talk about Galbi. It’s such an amazing dish. Galbi makes the best Korean BBQ. It is typically cooked over wood charcoal but can also be cooked with a grill, oven, or a nonstick frying pan. However, I am not going to teach you how to make Galbi, but I want to say that you must try it when you are in Korea. If you don’t try it, I think your Korea trip will be incomplete :).

Sundae

Sundae is a type of blood sausage made with pig intestine, mixed with cellophane noodles, vegetables, and meat. It’s usually served sliced into small pieces and often comes with pig lung and liver on the side as a garnish. I do not recommend it, but if you are in Korea and exploring the diversity of different cultures, why not give it a try?

Gunbam

Gumban is another famous street food, but if you want to try it, you may have to come in Winter. If you are lucky enough and get the chance to take it. Sounds perfect.

Dak-kkochi

Dak-kkochi, spicy chicken skewers, I really liked it when I tried it for the first time. Whenever I get the chance to hang out with friends, we have it. It’s an amazing feeling enjoying it with your friends at night. A must-try! Customers can pick their preferred type based on the sauce or whether they want cheese added. I tried a few skewers, but I found the spicy one to be the most delicious.