While most viewers get starry-eyed for the handsome and pretty lead characters, the food they eat on screen comes a close second. Here's a list of popular Korean dishes in K-dramas and where you've seen them.
K-BBQ
Photo by Viu/Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo
Many beloved Korean dramas feature scenes of characters indulging in Korean BBQ. After all, it's such a community activity for friends and family. Think platters and platters of grilled meats - both plain and marinated - wrapped in greens if that's your thing. Wang Dae Bak is a fan favourite, and Burppler SG Foodie Fam says "the ratio of meat to fats is just perfect here so I don't feel like I'm just eating a lot of fats."
Where you've seen this: In Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo, the adorable Kim Bok-joo teaches her weightlifting teammates the best way to eat a full K-BBQ course.
Korean Pasta
Photo by Burppler Jia Li Lee
This one's not a Korean dish per se, but there's no shortage of dramas where you'll see the stars chomping down on pasta. Burppler Gwen Cheng is a fan of the pastas from Korean restaurant Pizza Maru, especially the Gochujang Spaghetti that has "a subtle gochujang for spiciness, cooked in Aglio Olio style." Burpple nathan leo even thinks their Cream Seafood Pasta is "almost as good and authentic as the cream pasta I had in Korea!"
Where you've seen this: In Legend of the Blue Sea, the Lee Min-Ho's handsome Heo Jun-jae cooks pasta for Shim Cheong. Similarly, you'll find plenty of cool pasta scenes in Oh My Ghost cooked by timid assistant chef Na Bong Sun.
Kimchi Fried Rice
Photo by Burppler A C
Kimchi-bokkeum-bap is easy to find and super delicious. Prepared like any other fried rice dish, ingredients like minced meat and vegetables are stir-fried with rice, and usually topped with a fried egg. Of course, the star is kimchi, making the dish a gorgeous shade of red. Burppler A C loves the version at Telok Ayer's Hyang Yeon Korean Restaurant, where the dish is continuously heated over a portable stove.
For something more simple, Burppler Khaw Han Chung recommends Su Superstar Korean Cuisine's version ($8.80) for the "generous amount of beef given and handful bites of kimchi. Not so spicy and excellent taste."
Where you've seen this: Remember when Ae-ra made Korean Fried Rice for Dong-man in Fight For My Way?
Korean Fried Chicken
Photo by Burppler M *
Korean fried chicken is loved all around the world, so no surprise that the characters in K-dramas are eating it too. We could even say it's a top tier Korean food. It's basically fried chicken, but prepared in a way that makes it so incredibly juicy and crispy, even while slathered in sauce!
Burpplers love Oven & Fried Chicken for the many flavours (from $20 for seven to eight pieces) to choose from, like garlic and honey and yang nyeom, a Korean spicy sauce. Burppler Rowena Cheng says "these sinful pieces of chicken brought me back to the days in Korea!"
Where you've seen this: There's at least a glimpse of fried chicken in every episode of Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo. For the gains!
Tteokbokki
Photo by Viu/Oh My Venus
Tteokbokki or spicy rice cakes is a popular street food that you’ll see everywhere in Korea, and no doubt often in Korean shows as a standalone snack or bar grub. Burppler Siming T likes the combination of Korean ramyeon and tteokbokki (Rabokki, $7.90) at Jinjja Chicken. Burppler Ivan Teh says the rice cakes there are properly done "with a bouncy soft tender chew and a gravy that lends a robust sweet spicy flavour."
Where you've seen this: Many K-Drama characters can’t resist their love for tteokbokki, such as Joo-eun in Oh My Venus.
Jajangmyeon
Photo by Burppler Xing Wei Chua
Don't be intimidated by how black these bowls are. Jajangmyeon is a thick noodle dish made tasty by its signature black bean sauce. As for where to find them, Noodle Star K is the new kid on the block with chewy caramelised noodles that Burppler Xing Wei Chua describes as " a good chew from the noodles, a bit of crunch of the onions and cucumbers, and a soft bite coming from the potatoes." The noodles at O.BBa Jjajang are another favourite - no points for guessing what they specialise in!
Where you've seen this: In Coffee Prince, it's the scene where Go Eun-chan scarfed down a whole lot of black noodles in a Jajangmyeon-eating contest against her sister’s suitor.
Kimbap
Photo by Viu/Goblin
Resembling Japanese sushi, kimbap are rolls of sticky rice and vegetables packed together in dried seaweed, great for a snack or light meal. These rolls are then cut up into smaller slices, which is how most restaurants serve them, or as a whole burrito like in Goblin. Burppler Kevin M likes the vegetarian version, which comes colourful and full of ingredients, from The Boneless Kitchen. Try the Traditional Beef Kimbap ($8.90) - stuffed with tender bulgogi slices and thick omelette - from Rolling Rice, as recommended by Burppler J W.
Where you've seen this:Â Followers of the 2014 series Healer would remember that motherly Jo Min-ja was obsessed with making these Korean sushi rolls!
Korean Ramyeon
Photo by Burppler Triffany Lim
What’s a K-Drama without all the instant noodles we’ve seen onscreen? While the dish is usually featured as a filling grab-and-go snack or an affordable meal for students or financially challenged characters, you sometimes see them with an elevated touch.
Burppler Triffany Lim says she would think of the ones from Su Superstar Korean Cuisine (from $6.80), especially on rainy and chilly nights. "The texture of the noodles are just right, slightly Q and chewy then served in piping hot sour and spicy kimchi soup with fresh and crunchy kimchi."
Where you've seen this: From Descendants of the Sun (when Yoo Shi-jin asked Kang Mo-yeon to eat ramyeon to express gratitude for saving his life) to What's Wrong With Secretary Kim, there's no shortage of Korean ramyeon on screen.Â
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