Obviously, the most important part about Korean dramas is the food, not the part where the protagonist suddenly loses her memory and the romantic leads turn out to be half-siblings. Here are 7 foods in K-dramas that keep your stomach growling while you cry for the couple to get back together.
1. Tteokbokki
Photo courtesy of Flickr user Robyn Lee
It’s almost impossible to find a Korean drama in which tteokbokki hasn’t appeared at least once. Commonly eaten when friends meet up to gossip, tteokbokki is readily available at street food vendors — plus, the price is quite friendly to wallets. All the tteokbokki scenes must have fueled your cravings, so give it a try now that you know the name of the dish.
2. Jjajangmyun
Photo courtesy of Flickr user Egg (Hong Yun Seon)
Jjajangmyun, which is the Korean take on Chinese black bean noodles, is second to only tteokbokki in terms of how frequently it appears in Korean dramas. Food delivery is a huge part of Korean culture, and jjajangmyun is the most popular dish to order. Some may recognize the dish from the drama The First Shop of Coffee Prince, in which the protagonist takes two bowls of jjajangmyun and devours it.
3. Korean fried chicken
Photo courtesy of Flickr user Jason Ting
Who knew KFC stood for Korean fried chicken? All jokes aside, Korean fried chicken actually has a distinct taste that justifies the placement of “Korean” in front of the name. The sweet and spicy sauce of Korean fried chicken is hard to resist, especially at night — fried chicken places often sponsor dramas to have their chicken featured, so that customers give in to their cravings and place orders once the eating scenes come on.
4. Patbingsoo (Korean shaved ice)
Photo courtesy of Flickr user Young Sok Yun
Dessert is a must in Korean dramas, and Korean shaved ice is the go-to option. Shaved ice has become quite a luxurious dessert, and trendy ones can cost up to $15. Many countries have their own versions of shaved ice, but the Korean ones have a distinct twist with sweet red bean paste. If you’re a huge shaved ice fan and want to try different kinds, check these out!
5. Kimchi jjigae
Photo courtesy of Flickr user Alan C.
How much more Korean can a stew get than Kimchi jjigae? This dish generally appears in scenes where the leads eat at home, as kimchi stew is a delicious classic that is easy to make and goes extremely well with freshly steamed white rice.
6. Cup ramen and soju from convenience stores
Photo courtesy of Flickr user Bigbirdz
If someone needs to rant in a Korean drama, they’re most likely to go to a convenience store and purchase some soju and cup ramen. Convenience stores in South Korea are everywhere and very popular: They’re known for their cheap food and dine-in areas with tables, utensils, hot water, and microwaves. For some reason, cup ramen always tastes better when eaten at convenience stores.
7. Omurice
Photo courtesy of Flickr user Your Hauness
Omurice is a Japanese dish, but its Korean version is also commonly eaten in South Korea. If you’ve seen Rooftop Prince, you know you developed an intense craving for this dish every time the actors ate it.
Despite all the drama happening in the background, it’s hard to not notice the recurring, mouthwatering dishes. When you give the dishes a try, you’ll know the characters at least had good food to heal their broken hearts.