During the era of the Silla Dynasty, some 2,000 years ago, kimchi was the beloved spicy companion on every Korean table. It was made by pickling and preserving fermented cabbage on a bed of pepper, garlic, ginger and scallions.
Sensing adventure? Swap your plain red kale kimchi for ggakdugi (chopped radish kimchi) at a popular side of gimbap restaurants. Yeolmumul kimchi is a less spicy kimchi made with young radish stems floating in a strong broth.
For artisanal kimchi options, try online kimchi seller Real Kimchi.
2. Soft tofu stew
Soft tofu stew is one of the most popular stews in Korea.
Soft tofu, clams and eggs in a spicy broth? This popular stew is a prime example of unexpected flavor combinations that produce a pleasant sensation.
The soft tofu - broken into fluffy chunks in the stew - retains the flavor of the clams, which can mitigate the overall spiciness.
Propriately soft tofu comes into a traditional earthenware pot designed to retain heat. Eggs are cracked into a stew after serving and cooked in the bowl.
3. Grilled Pork Chops
The best part of eating at a sandwich restaurant is the atmosphere - a jovial party, shot on the grill, with pork chops sizzling on the grill and shouts of "more please!"
Serve lettuce, shiso leaves, sliced onions and raw garlic kimchi with soy sauce (called 'shoyu' and chili sauce 'gochujang') or salt and pepper mixed in sesame oil.
4. Ramen
Greasy and thick? Must be borrowed from Chinese cuisine.
Although originally a Chinese dish, the Koreans have taken away the noodles and created a thicker, chunkier version that bears only a vague resemblance to its Chinese predecessor. (Think New Yorkers and the wonders they've done with pizza.)
The Korean diet wouldn't be the same without this dish - most Koreans eat it at least once a week and speed-dial their favorite ramen delivery store.
5. Beer Fried Chicken
Chimaek, short for "chicken, maekju (beer)," isn't really a dish so much as an institution. This pairing boasts a surprisingly secular food: fried chicken and beer.
Neither chicken nor beer are particularly remarkable. But their popularity as a joint entity shows the glorious combination of millions of Koreans every weekend.