Korean Food Basics: Rice, Soup, Banchan, Kimchi and Jang

A Korean meal makes a lot more sense once you know how it's put together. Here's a quick guide to the classic table setup, kimchi and the UNESCO-recognized traditions of kimjang and jang-making, Korean BBQ and street food, and the table manners worth knowing before you eat.

Rice, Soup and Banchan

A typical Korean meal is built around rice and soup (or a stew, called jjigae), served with a spread of small side dishes called banchan. Banchan can include kimchi, seasoned vegetables (namul), braised dishes and salted seafood, and many restaurants will refill the basic ones if you ask.

Rice and soup usually come in individual bowls, while the banchan and stew sit in the middle for everyone to share.

Kimchi and Kimjang

Kimchi is made by salting vegetables such as napa cabbage or radish and mixing them with seasonings like chili flakes, salted seafood and garlic before fermenting. There are many kinds, from cabbage kimchi to cubed radish kkakdugi. Kimjang is the late-autumn tradition of families and neighbors gathering to make enough kimchi for the winter.

“Kimjang, making and sharing kimchi in the Republic of Korea” was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2013.

Jang: The Fermented Foundations

Jang are Korea's fermented sauces and pastes: ganjang (soy sauce), doenjang (soybean paste) and gochujang (chili paste). They start with meju, blocks of boiled and fermented soybeans, and households traditionally aged them in earthenware jars. Jang-making traditions in Korea were added to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2024.

Korean BBQ and Street Food

At Korean BBQ, meats like samgyeopsal (pork belly), galbi (ribs) and bulgogi are grilled right at the table and often eaten wrapped in lettuce or perilla leaves with ssamjang and garlic. Don't be surprised when staff cut the meat with scissors; that's standard.

Tteokbokki, eomuk (fish cakes) and sundae: classic snack-bar and street-stall fare
Gimbap: rice rolls for a quick meal or a picnic
Hotteok and bungeoppang: favorite winter street snacks

Table Manners

Wait until the eldest person at the table picks up their spoon before you start. The spoon is mainly for rice and soup, chopsticks for side dishes, and rice bowls usually stay on the table rather than being lifted. Avoid sticking chopsticks upright in rice, since it resembles ancestral rites.

When drinking, people fill each other's glasses rather than their own, and younger people often turn their head slightly away when drinking in front of elders.

FAQ

When did kimjang become UNESCO heritage?

In 2013, as “Kimjang, making and sharing kimchi in the Republic of Korea” on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Is jang-making also UNESCO-listed?

Yes. Korea's jang-making traditions were inscribed on the same list in 2024.

Should I lift my rice bowl when eating?

In Korea, the rice bowl usually stays on the table and you eat with a spoon. Lifting it isn't a serious faux pas, but it isn't the norm.

Sources

Last reviewed: 2026-10-28