Posted by : Contributory Writer
2020 has been a year of staying home and for the K-Drama and K-Pop fans, it became a little easier to follow that as we got a lot of new and interesting Korean content from time to time to keep ourselves entertained without going out of our homes and we are loving it !
In recent times , the ‘Hallyu Wave’ has been spreading all over the globe at a never seen before speed! Even in a country like India, where the home grown film industry occupies the heart of the Indians, K-Dramas have been trending on Netflix as well.
K-Dramas and K-POP have become an intrinsic part of the lives of millions of people but the ‘Hallyu Wave’ is a much broader and bigger phenomenon than just K-Dramas and K-POP . It brings with it a whole new world of Korean Culture , Korean Lifestyle , Food , Traditions and anything and everything Korean!
The food culture in Korea is also extremely vast and diverse, bringing the consumer with a wide variety of lip-smacking delicacies. From pure traditional to street style modern form snacks, from wide varieties of Seafoods , Soups , Stews , Meat dishes to hundreds of different types of Desserts. The deeper you dive in , the better and bigger your options get. As people usually get more interested in learning about Korean culture and lifestyle after getting into K-Dramas and K-Pop, we though what can be a better and an easier way to start learning more about K-Culture, than by K-Dramas themselves ?
So , we’ve made a beginners guide for all the K-Drama fanatics , foodies and everyone interested in learning more about Korean food culture to get to know a little bit more about common Korean dishes. We present to you with the list of 5 Korean dishes commonly featured in K-dramas. Get ready for some serious food cravings to hit in by the end of this article!
Source : maangchi.com
There’s no K-Drama without Kimchi because Kimchi takes up a major part of the lives of Koreans. An average Korean is said to consume almost 22 kg of Kimchi annually, according to The Korea Magazine.
It is a side dish made up of salted and fermented vegetables. But the Korean traditional Kimchi is mostly made by fermenting salted Napa Cabbage in Gochugaru ( Red chilly pepper flakes ) seasoning and based on personal preferences and taste, it can range from different types and styles making it a multi-version dish. Some of them are Radish Kimchi , Vegan Kimchi , Cucumber Kimchi and many more. As it is fermented, Kimchi does have a strong smell.
Kimchi can also be used to make different kind of dishes like Kimchi Jjigae ( Kimchi Stew ) , Kimchi Pancake , Kimchi Fried Rice to name a few. Overall , It can go well with anything and everything, be it as a side dish or a main dish.
Source : tumblr.com
Ramyeon in particular is something that can’t be missed out in a K-Drama. These Korean style instant noodles are easily available in almost all of the Korean convenience stores and make a good choice for inexpensive yet delicious late night snacks. It comes in different flavors but most has a distinct and spicy touch to it. It is usually made by adding Gochujang (Fermented paste of Chilly flakes , Soybean and Rice), Gochugaru (Korean Chilly Flakes) and sometimes Doenjang (Fermented Soybean paste) in the noodles and then add whatever you want like egg , kimchi ,chicken, cheese , seafood or anything as per your taste and preference and your Korean style instant noodles are now ready to eat ! Easy to make but extra tasty ! Ramyeon generally comes in cup style packaging or in rectangular packet.
What is your version of Ramyeon? Do tag us and share with us!
Source : aeriskitchen.com
Another very famous and very common convenience store food seen in K-Dramas is the Samgak Kimbap. It is mainly triangle shaped rice filling wrapped in seaweed sheet. In addition to Rice filling , it also contains Tuna filling , Garlic , Black Pepper, Hot Pepper paste , Kimchi , Sesame oil , Sesame seeds , Soy sauce , Vinegar , Sugar etc. It is a dry, crispy and non- spicy snack which is relatively cheap and easily available.
Since it comes in a triangular shaped plastic packaging, even if you’re busy and can’t sit and eat, this can be eaten while on the move. Have you tried this version of Kimbap yet?
Source : wikipedia.com
When it comes to street food , Tteokbokki can never be left out from K-Dramas. In a lot of K-Dramas the ‘Rich male lead’ tries street food with the female lead for the first time and then , they are shown eating Tteokbokki ! And of course, the male lead is found falling for its taste because why not!
One of the most popular street foods in Korea, Tteokbokki is stir fried Rice cake covered in spicy chilly sauce. It is a soft , sweet and spicy snack consisting of Korean Rice cakes , Korean Fish cakes , Korean Soup stock and Tteokbokki sauce as the main ingredients.
One can never get bored of it because it comes in multiple variations like spicy Tteokbokki , non-spicy Tteokbokki, Soy sauce Tteokbokki, Tteokbokki with Ramyeon and many more.
Source : maangchi.com
We now know about popular street food but when it comes to delivery food , Jjajangmyeon is the most commonly ordered/ home delivered food shown in K-Dramas !
This Chinese style Korean dish mainly contains Noodles in black bean sauce with vegetables and diced pork. It is a great choice for lunch or dinner.
The chewy noodles are cooked in a smooth and slightly sweet Chunjang ( Black bean paste ) which gives it a medium spicy to a mild sweet flavor with a rich and saucy texture. Now, toss in some vegetables, diced pork in it and your Jjajangmyeon is ready to eat ! Sounds easy but delicious, right ?
It can also be served with boiled egg or sliced cucumbers as well so, you can instantly add new flavors in it!
Have your food cravings started to hit in ? Mine started hitting in too while writing this article !
What’s your pick ? Are there some dishes we missed out on ? If yes, Do let us know.
Tags: Jajjangmyeon, Kculture, kdrama, Kfood, Kimchi, Kimpap, korean food, Ramyeon, Tteokboki
Previously, we looked at some amazing yet underrated OSTs (Original Soundtracks from K-Dramas) sung by our favourite K-pop idols.
2 weeks ago
Fantasy, creativity, storyline name it all; DVWN’s “FREE FLIGHT” takes you through the journey from home to flight with the MV featuring actress Park Shin Hye.
2 weeks ago
Have you watched the dramas from our previous article ‘5 K-dramas to Watch for Beginners’?
2 weeks ago
Alternative hip hop band Epik High is one of the oldest bands in the Korean Industry as they have been together for almost two decades. Tablo, Mithra Jin, and DJ Tukutz, the members, formed the band in 2001 and are known worldwide for merging different kids of music. They even marked history by becoming the very first Korean act to perform at Coachella in 2016. In 2018, after six years the group left YG Labels and made a comeback under William Morris Endeavor in 2019 and now, they are back again!
On October last year, Epik High released a video message announcing their comeback and on January 12, Epik High finally announced all information regarding the artists that they are collaborating with and the songs that will be included in part 1 of their new double album, ‘Epik High is Here’. The album is set to release on January 18, 2021 and has an amazing collaborations.
Line up 1 – CL and Zico
Line up 2 – Heize, Nucksal, ChangMo, and Kim Sa Wol
Line up 3 – Gsoul, Woo, Miso, and B.I
Epik High has been active on Instagram and Twitter, updating the public about their new album and even revealed the names of all their 10 songs. After the long wait, all the artists to be featured has finally been announced. The first song that is more likely to have its MV teaser released soon is ‘ROSARIO’, a title track that features CL and Zico. A combination that has set the fans on high expectation. Fans are also really excited to see Zico on the list as he is currently performing his military duties and will be inactive until 2022.
Further, fans have also extended their warm greetings to former leader of YG boygroup, iKON, B.I, as he prepares to make a comeback in the entertainment industry after an 18-month hiatus. Winner of ‘Song Writer of the Year,’ Kim Han Bin (B.I.) in September 2020 was appointed as on of the executive directors of IOK Company. “I would be lying if I deny that he is currently preparing for his return. However, whether he is coming back as solo, group, or producer, and other particular details are still undecided” representative from IOK disclosed.
The song list evidently shows that this album is going to be a culmination of a variety of genres revolving around the ongoing pandemic. Tracks like ‘Social Distance 16’ and ‘End of the World’ clearly back this up. Covid-19 has affected people in different ways and each song title sounds like a story to tell. The song ‘Based on a True Story’ from its very name is expected that the artists would sing about a unique story or stories that probably they personally experienced or about someone else’s experience.
All in all, although no further details have been released, this album is definitely going to be something that people can relate with and an EPIC album for sure.
Before the album is released, a documentary named ‘Epik High is Here’ will be released on January 15, 2021. “Based on A True Story” ft. HEIZE and “ROSARIO” ft. CL and Zico will drop on the 18th of January 2021, Korean Standard Time. Which song are you most excited for? Tell us everything in the comment section and stay connected with us to know more.
2 weeks ago
We all know how much netizens love their OST’s (Original Soundtracks from KDramas) but sometimes, OST’s sung by our beloved K-Pop idols slip under the radar and hence, we are here to bring some of those beautiful OSTs to your attention.
2 weeks ago
November 29th, 2020
2020 has been a year of staying home and for the K-Drama and K-Pop fans, it became a little easier to follow that as we got a lot of new and interesting Korean content from time to time to keep ourselves entertained without going out of our homes and we are loving it !
September 11th, 2020
Last updated on October 10th, 2020 at 12:25 pm
An important thing that you can’t leave out when talking about K-POP is the live concerts.
January 3rd, 2019
Last updated on January 11th, 2019 at 05:25 pm
A new year calls for new K-dramas to get hooked on!
December 13th, 2018
Live out your K-drama fantasy with these 10 K-drama Filming Locations!
December 4th, 2018
Wanted to venture into the world of Korean literature but didn’t know where to start? Let us nudge you in the right direction.
1 month ago
Last updated on December 13th, 2020 at 12:41 pm
NamasteHallyu is back with another week of new music releases!
2 months ago
November 29th, 2020
2020 has been a year of staying home and for the K-Drama and K-Pop fans, it became a little easier to follow that as we got a lot of new and interesting Korean content from time to time to keep ourselves entertained without going out of our homes and we are loving it !
