10 Must-Try Korean Street Foods That Will Amaze Your Taste-Buds

The well-travelled foodie knows: street food is the ultimate gastronomic experience to immerse yourself in the local vibes and amazing flavours. And like all Asian cultures, South Korean street food is a world of their own, with an affordable and delicious array of unique authentic foods like no other. Savoury snacks, sweet treats, spicy wonders, light meal delicacies and many, many more, there are always fresh delights to explore and savour. The vibes are always friendly at these South Korean food streets and markets. All smiles in the crowd and vendors, and the whiffs of mouth-watering aromas are sure to take you in. There are also unique roadside food tents called Pojangmacha, where you can have a seat and enjoy a whole meal with drinks.

There’s just too many goodies to name! And the experience is sure to wow and satisfy. But to satiate your South Korean street food cravings before your next foodie trip, here are our top 10 favourite picks that you can make at home!

Spicy Korean Rice Cakes (Tteokbokki)

Invented in the 1950s by the celebrated Korean chef Ma Bok-Lim, and became widely popular since, the Tteokbokki rice cakes is among the most common delicacies you’ll encounter at any given Korean food street or market. The bracing aroma is sure to lure you over to the vendor, and the cylindrical rice cakes in vibrant red sauce may remind you of pasta. But they have a bouncier pleasant bite, while the spicy sauce excites your taste-buds in every mouthful. Tteokbokki is a beloved light meal on its own, enjoyed by South Koreans from all walks of life. Make yours warm and spicy with our authentic recipe!

Blood Sausage (Sundae)

The Korean Sundae Blood Sausage is made from the butchers’ leftovers of pig and cows. A thick meaty sausage cut into slices and stir-fried or steam-cooked. It may look a little gory for beginners, but don’t let that and the name turn you off. As with all Asian cultures, South Koreans believe every part of a feed animal is useful so as to not squander their sacrifice, and the Soondae is a testament of that concept. Besides that, the fragrance and tender, rich savoury taste is absolutely irresistible! Koreans often pair Soondae sausages with Tteokbokki rice cakes for an extra yummy street food meal. Here’s an authentic stir-fried spicy Soondae special for you to try.

Korean Corn Dogs

Korean-style corn dogs are hot dog sausages or fishcakes, coated in a flavourful batter that always includes a crispy ingredient such as panko breadcrumbs or potatoes; then deep fried to golden brown yumminess, and skewered. Korean street vendors have a variety of sweet, savoury and spicy dip sauces for these crunchy corn dogs. Make yours with our authentic recipe and have it spicy-savoury with an easy Gochujang mayo sauce!

Korean Fried Chicken

Everyone fries chicken, but what sets Korean-style fried chicken apart are the thin crispy batter that coats the skin, the perfectly tender chicken meat within, and the incredibly flavour-packed sauce blends. No wonder it’s an all-time South Korean street food darling. Come savour the awesome spicy Korean fried chicken, or its sweet-savoury cousin recipe!

Korean Chicken Skewers

Ddakkochi is Korean-style grilled chicken on sticks, traditionally coated with a scrumptious sweet and spicy sauce; though modern vendors also offer a variety of seasonings to choose from, such as mustard sauce, mayonnaise or plain salt. There’s also a fiery-hot version that can blast your taste-buds and make your eyes water if you’re up for the challenge. Here’s an award-winning authentic Ddakkochi recipe for you to try.

Korean Mung Bean Pancake

There’s a whole variety of delicious Korean pancakes to enjoy, but the Bindaetteok definitely stands out from the rest. Even its Korean name is a little offbeat, as Tteok usually refers to Korean rice cakes, while pancakes are called Jeon. This is because the Bindae-tteok isn’t made with flour like other Korean pancakes. Instead, it’s a blended mung bean mixture with finely cut veggies and minced meat that makes this pancake especially yummy and wholesome. Breakfast, side dish or street food snack, Koreans can’t get enough of it. Now you too can make your own Bindaetteok with our authentic recipe!

Korean Sweet Pancakes (Hotteok)

Another Korean pancake named a Tteok instead of Jeon, is the Hotteok fried sweet pancake. Also an uber-popular street food fave, enjoyed as a dessert pastry. Soft to chew with a richly aromatic and sweet savoury nuts-filling to please your taste-buds. There are also creative Hotteoks filled with ice-cream or cheese. Come grab our authentic recipe with a cinnamon, brown sugar and mixed nuts filling!

Korean Egg Bread (Gyeranppang)

This well-loved Korean street food delight has a self-explanatory name: Gyeran means egg, and Ppang means bread. Literally a whole egg baked in sweet, soft bread. For South Koreans, the Gyeranppang is an easy, yummy and comfy dessert street food that instantly cheers up your day.

Gimbap Rice Rolls

Shaped like Japanese sushi, the Korean Gimbap rice roll is wrapped with seaweed, but without the vinegar-flavoured rice and raw fish. Instead, Gimbap features white rice and is flavoured by the cooked meat and crunchy veggies filling. Wholesome umami satisfaction in every bite. Also a popular South Korean street food!

Korean Fish Cake

Made from ground fish meat into thick chewy slices, Korean Odeng or fish cake is typically folded and skewered, then cooked in umami broth. An instant tasty and cosy street food treat during cold seasons that comes in a warm soupy bowl-cup. You can actually find prepacked Korean fish cakes at grocers here in Australia as well, which speaks to the delicacy’s popularity. Have a cosy Korean Fish Cake soup with our recipe!

Visit South Korea for more!

That is just a very small sample of all the Korean street foods you can enjoy. The best way to taste the massive array of Korean street food is of course, a trip to South Korea. Discover the mesmerising sights and wonders you can explore in the capital city of Seoul, at the Visit Korea Year 2023-2024 and Korea Tourism Organization websites!

In the meantime, come check out the delicious traditional Korean delights you can add to your home-cooked repertoire, and take a gander at our extensive Korean recipes collection!