South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

is a country in

East Asia East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The modern states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. China, North Korea, South Korea ...

constituting the southern part of the

Korean Peninsula Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic ...

. It is bordered to the north by

North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu (Amnok) and T ...

, and the two countries are separated by the

Korean Demilitarized Zone The Korean Demilitarized Zone ( Korean: ; Hanbando Bimujang Jidae) is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula near the 38th parallel north. The demilitarized zone (DMZ) is a border barrier that divides the peninsula roughly in ...

. Some dishes are shared by the two Koreas. Historically,

Korean cuisine Korean cuisine has evolved through centuries of social and political change. Originating from ancient agricultural and nomadic traditions in Korea and southern Manchuria, Korean cuisine reflects a complex interaction of the natural envi ...

has evolved through centuries of social and political change. Originating from ancient agricultural and nomadic traditions in southern

Manchuria Manchuria is an exonym (derived from the endo demonym " Manchu") for a historical and geographic region in Northeast Asia encompassing the entirety of present-day Northeast China (Inner Manchuria) and parts of the Russian Far East (Outer M ...

and the Korean Peninsula, it has gone through a complex interaction of the natural environment and different cultural trends.

Rice dish This is a list of rice dishes from all over the world, arranged alphabetically. Rice is the seed of the monocot plants ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or ''Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). As a cereal, cereal grain, it is the most widely consumed st ...

es and

kimchi ''Kimchi'' (; ko, 김치, gimchi, ), is a traditional Korean side dish of salted and fermented vegetables, such as napa cabbage and Korean radish. A wide selection of seasonings are used, including '' gochugaru'' (Korean chili powder), ...

are staple Korean foods. In a traditional meal, they accompany both side dishes (''

Banchan ''Banchan'' (, from Korean: ) or bansang are small side dishes served along with cooked rice in Korean cuisine. As the Korean language does not distinguish between singular and plural grammatically, the word is used for both one such dish o ...

'') and main courses like ''

juk Juk may refer to: * JuK, software * Juk (food), Korean rice porridge * Juk language, a Mon–Khmer language spoken in Laos * Ukkusissat Heliport, in Greenland * Wapan language Wapan (Jukun Wapan) or Kororofa, also known as Wukari after the l ...

'', ''

Bulgogi ''Bulgogi'' (불고기; ; from Korean ''bul-gogi'' ), literally "fire meat", is a ''gui'' (구이; Korean-style grilled or roasted dish) made of thin, marinated slices of meat, most commonly beef, grilled on a barbecue or on a stove-top gri ...

'' or

noodles Noodles are a type of food made from unleavened dough which is either rolled flat and cut, stretched, or extruded, into long strips or strings. Noodles are a staple food in many cultures (for example, Chinese noodles, Filipino noodles, Ind ...

. ''

Soju (; Hangul: ; Hanja: ) is a clear and colorless Korean distilled alcoholic beverage. It is usually consumed neat. Its alcohol content varies from about 12.9% to 53% alcohol by volume (ABV), although since 2007 low alcohol soju below 20% h ...

'' liquor is the best-known traditional Korean spirit. Because of historical American influence, ''

Budae-jjigae ''Budae-jjigae'' (; ) or spicy sausage stew is a type of Korean '' jjigae'' (stew), made with ham, sausage, Spam, baked beans, kimchi, instant noodles, and gochujang. * The dish was created shortly after the armistice that ended the Korean War ...

'' or Korean army stew became one of its popular dishes.

Beverages

Alcoholic beverages

Alcoholic beverages are consumed in South Korea, and drinking is a part of the

culture of South Korea The contemporary culture of South Korea developed from the traditional culture of Korea which was prevalent in the early Korean nomadic tribes. By maintaining thousands of years of ancient Korean culture, with influence from ancient Chinese cult ...

Street food

Street food in South Korea has traditionally been seen as a part of popular culture in South Korea. Historically, street food mainly included foods such as ''

Eomuk A fishcake (sometimes written as fish cake) is a culinary dish consisting of filleted fish or other seafood minced or ground, mixed with a starchy ingredient, and fried until golden. Asian-style fishcakes usually contain fish with salt, water, ...

'', ''

Bungeo-ppang ''Bungeo-ppang'' (; "carp bread") is a fish-shaped pastry stuffed with sweetened red bean paste, which originated from the Japanese taiyaki. One of South Korea's most popular winter street foods, the snack is often sold at street stalls, gril ...

'' and '' Tteok-bokki''. Street food has been sold through many types of retail outlet, with new ones being developed over time. Recently, street food has seen a popular resurgence in South Korea, such as at the Night Market at Hangang Park, which is called "Bamdokkaebi Night Market".

Delivery culture

Delivery Culture in South Korea started in the Joseon era. It has since evolved into one of the most sophisticated and widely used service in the country, spanning from the 18th Century to present day. Nowadays, because of a fast-paced lifestyle and the role of technology in everyday life, people use delivery services to deliver anything from food, documents, presents, etc. at a cheap price. Although delivery is quite common in other parts of the world, Korean delivery is unique in a way because of the use of scooters and motorcycles to quickly transport food and services.

References

External links

* {{Authority control East Asian cuisine