26 Recommended Korean Foods to Enjoy the Feeling of Traveling to Korea at Home

Why not try experiencing the feeling of traveling to Korea from the comfort of your own home?

This time, we will focus on the most popular Korean food items, from instant noodles to classic drinks and snacks!  Our staff of Korea Lovers will introduce "Recommended Korean Foods" available in Japan.

Korea at home (instant noodles)

Speaking of Korea, first of all, instant noodles!

It often appears in Korean dramas and movies. In addition to the standard “Shin Ramen” and “Buldak Fried Noodles”, there are various instant noodles.

By the way, please prepare kimchi when you eat instant noodles! In Korea, it is not customary to add vegetables to instant noodles, so kimchi is added instead of vegetables. You can enjoy it in the local style.

"Nongshim | Chapagetti" loved in Korea for over 30 years

Chapaghetti is a very popular instant noodle in Korea, a Korean-style jajang noodle with olive oil. Its popularity is so great that 30 years after its launch in 1984, it still ranks among the top 10 in the Korean instant noodle market!

It looks like yakisoba, but it tastes like burnt soy sauce, not sauce. It's not spicy, so even those who don't like spicy food can enjoy it.

"Nongshim | Neoguri Ramen", where the umami of seafood spreads

“Neoguri Ramen” is characterized by its chewy and chewy thick noodles. "Neoguri" means "raccoon dog" in Korean. The name comes from the fact that the round and chubby noodles remind us of a raccoon dog.

The soup is a seafood soup made with a variety of seafood such as shellfish, squid, shrimp, and bonito. The umami of seafood spreads out. We can't stop eating even though we say it's spicy.

A big hit in the movie "Parasite"! "Chapaguri Cup Noodles"|Nongshim

“Jjapaguri” is a slightly unusual Korean gourmet dish that combines two types of instant noodles, “Noguri Ramen” and “Chapagetti”. Appeared as cup noodles.

A noodle dish that became famous in the movie "Parasite". In the movie, it was topped with beef, but we also recommend pairing it with kimchi!

Korean version of, "Demae Iccho" "Ottogi | Chamkkae Ramen Ottogi"

"Chamke Ramen" is the Korean version of "Demae Iccho".

Chamkkae means "sesame". Sesame is kneaded into the noodles and comes with a sesame oil flavored soup. It has a mild spiciness and a warm and gentle taste. In Korea, it is often eaten as a late-night snack.

Is Korean Champon spicy? ! "Nongshim｜Squid Champon"

Champon (a dish of noodles with seafood and vegetables) is very popular in Korea!

"Champon" is a spicy noodle dish with a bright red soup filled with seafood and chili peppers. The soup is full of seafood flavor, and the thick, sticky noodles are the perfect match. The seafood mix is also a delicious addition to the soup.

It's quite spicy, so if you don't like spicy food, we recommend arranging it.

Korea's summer staple "Bibim noodles" |Paldo

Speaking of Korean summer staple, Paldo's "Bibim noodles". "Bibim" means "mixed" in Korean. As the name suggests, it is eaten by stirring.

The noodles are very chewy. The sweet, salty and sour sauce will whet your appetite even on a hot day. Like chilled Chinese noodles "Hiyashi Chuka" in the Tokai area, you can also combine it with mayonnaise!

Korean breakfast? ! "Nongshim | Yukgaejang Ramen"

"Yukgejang Ramen" is a historical instant noodle that was released in the 1980s. It is a long-selling product like Japanese "Wakame Ramen". The retro packaging is cute, too.

Yukgaejang Ramen is a ramen that reproduces the taste of traditional Yukgaejang. The soup has a spicy gochujang flavor. It has a warm taste that makes you feel nostalgic even if you eat it for the first time.

Aluminum pots are essential for Korean instant noodles!

And for Korean instant noodles, a one-person aluminum pot (commonly known as a ramen pot) is indispensable!

Korean instant noodles fit perfectly in a 14 cm wide aluminum pot for one person. In Korea, the aluminum pot is served on the table and the lid is used as a saucer to eat the ramen.

Please get an aluminum pot and try to increase your Korean mood!

Korea at home (drink)

First of all, this! Korea's classic juice "Grated Pear Juice" | Haetae 

"Grated Pear Juice" made from sweet and juicy Korean pears. Plenty of pear pulp fills your mouth and you can eat the crispy pear.

Most Korean restaurants have pear juice on their drink menu! People who don't drink alcohol almost always order this pear juice.
When we ate super spicy food, our friends would often tell us to drink pear juice. Pears are also a “sweet ingredient” to adjust the spiciness.

For heat stroke prevention! "Sikhye," a traditional Korean fermented beverage|Paldo

Korean traditional drink "Sikhye". The ingredients are very simple: sugar, rice, maltose, ginger, and other enzymes. It is a Korean fermented drink similar to Japanese Amazake.

Korean sauna "Jjimjilbang" classic drink, perfect for heatstroke prevention! Even though it is a fermented drink, there is no alcohol, so children can easily drink it.

Korea's national carbonated drink "Chilsung Cider"

Chilsung Cider is a soft drink sold by Lotte Chilsung Beverage since May 1950. Korea's national carbonated drink!

Its popularity has exceeded 80% of the Korean market share. Convenience stores, supermarkets, restaurants, etc., you can meet them anywhere in Korea.

The taste is slightly carbonated. The fizzy feeling goes great with Korean spicy food and Chamisul.

"Pororo Juice," the national carbonated drink of South Korea

"Pororo Juice" with the popular Korean character "Pororo" drawn on it. In Japan, is it like "Anpanman"?

It's hard to imagine from the package, but it's licensed by the Korean Food and Drug Administration. The juice is made from ingredients that are safe for babies. There are various flavors such as strawberry, milk, blueberry, apple, and barley tea.

Existence like barley tea? ! "Okususu-cha (corn tea)"

In Korean, "Okususu-cha" is called "옥수수차". "옥수수" means corn, and "차" means tea.

It is like barley tea in Japan. It is basically served as a substitute for water in any restaurant. It has a diuretic effect and is rich in vitamin E and dietary fiber, so it is great for dry skin, spots, and freckles!

Chamisul's "Iseul" series

Speaking of shochu in Korea, Chamisul! It often appears in Korean dramas.

Even for those who don't like shochu, flavored series is easy to drink and recommended. As flavor chamiseul, various flavors such as pineapple, muscat, grapefruit, plum, and mango are on sale.

A popular way to drink it in Korea is to chill it and drink it straight. Drinking it quickly with a small cup, please enjoy it in Korean style.

Incidentally, in Korea, alcohol consumption is measured by how many bottles of soju (shochu) one can drink. The average is 1.5 to 3 bottles. The alcohol content is as high as 25%, indicating Korea's strength in alcoholic beverages..

Korean sparkling alcoholic beverage "Prime Draft"

"Prime Draft" is a product that is manufactured for the Japanese market, but it is made by the Korean company Hait Jinro. It is a so-called "third beer" made by adding distilled liquor derived from barley to low-malt beer made from malt and hops.

It has a mild taste with little bitterness, so it goes well with any dish. There is also “Prime Draft Green” with 50% less sugar.