The Korea Tourism Organization’s “About Korean Food” page, published on 25 July 2025, describes Korean meals through a range of foods including rice, soup, stews, kimchi and seasoned vegetables. It also introduces a table with several small dishes, known as 한상차림 (han-sang-charim). This is a helpful description of a familiar format, not a rule that applies to every household, restaurant or meal. What is served depends on the region, the cook, the venue and what you order.
반찬 (banchan): side dishes
반찬 refers to side dishes eaten with rice or a main dish. They can include kimchi, seasoned vegetables, braised foods and many other preparations. Whether side dishes are served, refillable or charged separately depends on the venue; ask if you are unsure.
나물 (namul): vegetable dishes
나물 is used for dishes made with vegetables, greens or edible plants. They may be blanched, seasoned, sautéed or prepared in other ways. Ingredients and seasonings vary, so check each dish if you have an allergy or dietary restriction.
쌈 (ssam): wrapping a bite
쌈 describes a way of wrapping ingredients—often in a leaf—with rice, meat or sauce. The leaves, fillings and sauces vary by menu and restaurant; there is no single fixed recipe. You may see ssam at Korean barbecue restaurants, but the word is not limited to barbecue.
Useful questions when ordering
- 이 메뉴에 뭐가 들어가요? — What is in this dish?
- 덜 맵게 해 주세요. — Please make it less spicy.
- ○○ 알레르기가 있어요. 이 음식에 들어가나요? — I have a ○○ allergy. Is it in this dish?
- 육수에 멸치가 들어가나요? — Does the broth contain dried anchovy?
If you have a food allergy, do not rely on a translation or menu label alone. Ask the restaurant directly about ingredients, broth, sauces and shared equipment, and confirm that your question was understood. A venue may not be able to accommodate every restriction.
Use dish names as search terms
비빔밥 (bibimbap), 김밥 (gimbap), 불고기 (bulgogi) and 냉면 (naengmyeon) are useful Korean menu terms to recognize. The same dish name does not guarantee identical ingredients, seasoning or portion size; check the menu or the restaurant’s own information.
For the seasonal practice of making and sharing kimchi, see our separate guide to Kimjang.