Korea is well-known for too many things to count – music, television, and a rich, interesting history are only a few of the things that make Korean culture so unlike any other.

Another aspect of Korean culture that is unique and hard to beat is the incredible street food sprinkled throughout the country’s cities.

Whether you’re looking for a quick, salty snack or an adventure for your taste buds, read on to find out about some of the best Korean street food!

Sundae – 순대

Sundae, Korea’s unique take on the blood sausage phenomenon, is a dish that smells and tastes better than it looks. Sundae uses a variety of body parts from both pigs and cows to create an unbeatable, complex dish that’s easy to scarf down.

Have you ever tasted lung or liver? If not, sundae can be your introduction – most sundae is served with lung or liver as a garnish. Don’t knock it before you try it!

Fried snacks – 튀김

Yep, it’s exactly what it sounds like! Everybody loves a good fried snack. Korean street food vendors are well aware of this phenomenon, and as a result they offer a variety of flash fried vegetables and dumplings to satisfy your craving for flaky, fried goodness. Doctors say not to overdo it on the oil, but this is a great once in a while treat that’s easy to eat on the go.

Tteokbokki – 떡볶이

Tteokbokki is not for the faint of heart – this dish is comprised of unassuming, mild rice cakes saturated in an intense, spicy sauce. Korean spicy is definitely more intense than your everyday spicy, so tread lightly! This dish is an age-old crowd-pleaser and is loved by people of all ages. Give it a try the next time you’re wandering through Seoul!

Hotteok – 호떡

If you’re familiar at all with the Korean street food scene, chances are you’ve heard of hotteok. Hotteok is a dessert dish that involves griddle cakes fried on a hot plate stuffed with a variety of sweet additions including different types of sugar, fruits, and syrups. Grab some hotteok the next time you’re craving something sweet – these are especially sweet when the weather gets cooler!

Egg bread – 계란 빵

This dish, like fried snacks, is also pretty self-explanatory. A whole egg is stuffed and cooked inside bread, served warm and crispy. If you need some quick protein and carbs, egg bread is an efficient way to do it! Though traditionally eaten as a dessert snack, egg bread also makes a smart breakfast (it knocks out two food groups at once!).

Walnut cakes – 호두 과자

Take a walk on the sweeter sign and give walnut cakes a try the next time you’re out and about. Packed with protein (both beans and walnuts), walnut cakes are a Korean favorite that you can feel good about munching on.

Baby kimbap – 꼬마 김밥

Baby gimbap is one of the easier Korean street foods to eat on the go – it’s wrapped completely in seaweed, so it’s easy to pick up and snack on with minimal mess. There’s rice and your choice of topping in the seaweed – some of the more popular ingredient choices include kimchi and octopus. This snack is filling and easy to track down – give it a try the next time you want to snack without the mess!

Rice cake skewers – 떡꼬치

There’s no shortage of rice cakes on the Korean street food scene – this popular snack, for instance, is simply grilled rice cakes served on a skewer. Sometimes simple is best, and this insanely popular snack goes to show it! Try it out the next time you’re looking for a snack and find a new appreciation for rice cakes.

Sweet potato sticks – 고구마 스틱

Did you think we could get through a list about fast and easy street food delights without including some variation of fried potato?

Sweet potato sticks are a (slightly) healthier alternative to their cousin, the French fry. Though they’re prepared the same way – deep fried in hot oil that your doctor probably wouldn’t be too thrilled about – the sweet potato is densely packed with nutrients, and is therefore a better choice for snacking than the average potato. Get ‘em while they’re hot!

Kimchi fried rice – 김치볶음밥

You can’t get more Korean than a street food dish that combines kimchi and fried rice for your snacking pleasure. The dish also includes seaweed and can be topped with a fried egg – eat it warm and you’ll be quick to realize why this street food meal is loved by so many!

Bundaeggi – 번데기

Bundaeggi is boiled silkworm larva.

Wait, come back! Let me explain.

Does the fact that the larva are boiled with sugar and soy make it sound more appealing? Despite sounding (and looking) not as enticing as the rest of the dishes on this list, this snack is surprisingly popular and can be found throughout most Korean cities. Grab a cup the next time you come across a vendor serving bundaeggi – think of the story you’ll be able to tell your friends!

Hotba – 핫바

This popular dish is fried fish paste, served on a chopstick for easy access. Best served steaming hot, hotba is a great salty snack that has a kick to it. Give it a try with ketchup and mustard for the full effect.

Cup chicken – 컵 치킨

The Korean take on the fried chicken fixation in Western cultures, cup chicken is unlike any dish you’ll find at a Kentucky Fried Chicken. The spicy sauce that the dish is prepared in makes the dish uniquely Korean, while still delivering the crispy, satisfying experience that fried chicken is known (and loved) for. Most cup chicken is mixed with fried tater tots, as well – talk about a fried food experience!

 

Is your favorite Korean street food not on this list? Let us know in the comments below!