Korean Food Challenge That You Must Try When You Visit Korea

SANNAKJI

Although literally “live octopus,” sannakji is finely chopped octopus seasoned with sesame oil and sesame seeds. You can feel the tentacles wiggling and sucking in your mouth.

HONGEO SAMHAP

Skate, called “hongeo” in Korean, gives off a unique, ammonia-like odor when fermented. Hongeo samhap, or Skate trio, refers to slices of fermented skate, boiled pork and very ripe kimchi. Not all Koreans can eat this dish that requires an acquired taste, but it has avid fans as well.

SPICY FOOD

Korea has a great array of super spicy foods, such as bul jokbal (fiery hot pig’s trotters), bul jjamppong (fiery hot seafood noodle soup), nakji bokkeum (spicy stir-fried octopus), and buldak bokkkeummyeon (fiery hot noodles and chicken stir-fry).

Some say spicy food is a good stress reliever, and recently it has become a worldwide social media trend to join the Korean spicy food challenge.

GANJANG GEJANG

Cleaned and trimmed raw blue crabs are marinated in seasoned soy sauce to make this beloved Korean delicacy. This salty and sweet dish is the perfect side dish to pair with steamed rice, and is often called “bap doduk” (literally meaning “rice thief”).

CHEONG GUKJANG JJIGAE

Cheonggukjang, which is full of healthy lactobacillus, is made by fermenting boiled soybeans at a warm temperature for several days.

Koreans like to make a thick stew out of this rich soybean paste by adding kimchi, bean curd, and vegetables. Not everyone is fond of the smell, but its deep and complex flavor grows on people.