Korean Food for Beginners: What to Try First

Trying Korean food for the first time can feel overwhelming.

Is everything spicy? What should you order? And what exactly are all those small side dishes on the table?

The good news is that Korean cuisine offers everything from mild grilled beef and colorful rice bowls to spicy street food.

If you're new to Korean food, these five dishes are an easy place to start.

1. If You Don't Like Spicy Food: Bulgogi

Bulgogi (불고기) is one of the easiest Korean dishes for beginners.

Thinly sliced beef is marinated with soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil and a touch of sweetness. The result is tender, savory and usually mild.

Enjoy it with rice or wrap the beef in lettuce.

Traveler Tip: Bulgogi is a good choice for children and travelers who prefer non-spicy food.

2. If You Want a Balanced Meal: Bibimbap

Bibimbap (비빔밥) literally means “mixed rice.”

A bowl of rice is topped with vegetables, egg and often meat, then mixed with gochujang, Korea's red chili paste.

The best part for beginners? You control the spice level.

Add only a little gochujang if you prefer mild food.

Traveler Tip: Look for Jeonju bibimbap if you want to try one of Korea's best-known regional versions.

3. If You Want the Korean BBQ Experience: Samgyeopsal

Samgyeopsal (삼겹살) is thick-cut pork belly grilled at your table.

Wrap the cooked pork in lettuce with garlic, kimchi and ssamjang sauce and eat it together in one bite.

But Korean BBQ is about more than meat.

Cooking and sharing food around the table is part of the experience, making samgyeopsal a great introduction to Korean dining culture.

Traveler Tip: Korean BBQ is especially fun when shared with friends.

4. If You Love Spicy Street Food: Tteokbokki

Tteokbokki (떡볶이) is one of Korea's most recognizable street foods.

Chewy rice cakes are cooked in a bright red, sweet-and-spicy sauce. You'll find tteokbokki in traditional markets, street-food areas and casual restaurants across Korea.

For many Koreans, it is also a nostalgic comfort food.

Traveler Tip: It can be considerably spicier than it looks!

5. If You Want Something Familiar: Korean Fried Chicken

Korean fried chicken is crispy, juicy and available with many different sauces.

For your first order, try ban-ban (반반) — usually half original fried chicken and half seasoned chicken such as sweet-and-spicy yangnyeom chicken.

You may also hear the word chimaek (치맥), a combination of chicken and maekju (beer).

It has become a familiar part of modern Korean food culture.

Korean Food Words to Know

A few words will make your first Korean meals easier:

Kimchi (김치) — Fermented vegetables, commonly napa cabbage or radish

Banchan (반찬) — Small side dishes served with a meal

Gochujang (고추장) — Korean fermented red chili paste

Ssam (쌈) — A wrap, often made with lettuce and meat

Don't worry if you don't understand every dish on the table. Discovering unfamiliar foods is part of the experience.

Useful Korean Phrases for Travelers

These simple expressions can also help:

맛있어요! (Masisseoyo!)
“It’s delicious!”

안 매운 음식 있어요? (An maeun eumsik isseoyo?)
“Do you have any non-spicy food?”

이거 주세요. (Igeo juseyo.)
“This one, please.”

감사합니다. (Gamsahamnida.)
“Thank you.”

Even a few Korean words can make ordering food more enjoyable.

What Should You Try Next?

Once you're comfortable with these five dishes, there is much more to discover.

Try galbi for grilled ribs, japchae for stir-fried glass noodles, gimbap for a convenient meal or snack, kimchi jjigae for a warming stew, and naengmyeon for refreshing cold noodles.

You don't need to try everything at once.

Start with something that matches your taste, share a few dishes, and explore from there.

Korean food is not only about flavor. Meals can also be a window into how Koreans share food, socialize and enjoy time together.

Come to Korea hungry — some of your favorite memories may begin at the dining table.