10 Most Popular Korean Dishes in the Philippines That Will Satisfy Your K Cravings!
With the rising popularity of K-drama, K-pop, and K-fashion in the Philippines, it’s not surprising that Filipinos learned to accept and enjoy Korean dishes.
If you are a K-drama addict like me, you will observe that Korean dishes are showcased in every series and even our favorite Oppa’s are cooking traditional foods like a pro.
For how can one resist the temptation of biting into that tasty meat straight from the grill (samgyupsal) as seen in “What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim”? Or feasting on rice cakes (tteokbokki) while gossiping with girlfriends and breaking goldfish bread with the boys just like in “Reply 1988”? [2] No one, right?
In this article, I will list down the 10 most popular Korean dishes in the Philippines.
1. Samgyeopsal (Pork Ribs)
Samgyeopsal (삼겹살; ) is a popular Korean food that is commonly served as an evening meal. It consists of thick, fatty slices of pork belly meat. The meat, usually neither marinated nor seasoned, is cooked on a grill at the diners’ table. Usually, diners grill the meat themselves and eat directly from a grill. [7]
Where can I find Samgyeopsal?
You can find Samgyeopsal in Samgyupsalamat Cebu which is very popular for Filipinos and Koreans!
2. Kimchi (Fermented Vegetables)
Kimchi is a Korean traditional dish with some combination of vegetables, garlic, ginger, chili peppers, salt, and fish sauce. It is mixed and fermented as a way to preserve vegetables usually in the winter months. But winter or not, Kimchi is popular in the Philippines because it is packed with nutrients and low in protein. It also offers probiotics, which may help prevent and treat several conditions.
Because kimchi is a fermented dish, its most prominent flavor is typically sour. Lactic acid produced by bacteria during fermentation creates a tangy, pungent flavor similar to that of sauerkraut. The garlic, if present in kimchi, intensifies in taste during fermentation. Kimchi can also be spicy, depending on how much pepper is used and what kind, and may have ingredients such as fish paste, fish sauce, or anchovies; anything fish oriented will give it a strong umami note. Kimchi made without fish will have a lighter, fresher taste, especially if it’s made with radishes or cucumbers.[4]
Today, many Korean Restaurants offer Kimchi as a side dish for a main dish. Some Koreans in the Philippines prepare Kimchi and sell it at a cheaper price.
Where can I find Kimchi?
Because of its popularity, it’s not that difficult to find Kimchi. You can go to your social media account (Facebook or Instagram) and you can find individuals who sell traditional and Filipino-style Kimchi that is placed inside a plastic container or jar.
AGV Korean Kimchi Sliced in Sauce 190g is one of my favorites. You can buy it in Lazada from this link.
3. Shin Ramyun
Shin Ramyun/Sin Ramyeon is a brand of instant noodles (including cup ramyeon) that has been produced by the South Korean food company Nongshim since 1 October 1986. It is now exported to over 100 countries and is the highest-selling instant noodle brand in South Korea.
Shin Ramyun, well known for its spicy flavor, is produced in two varieties: the original Shin Ramyun and Shin Ramyun Black, which was introduced in 2011. A standard package of Shin Ramyun consists of noodles, a packet of flavoring powder (soup base), and a packet of vegetable flakes. Shin Ramyun Black contains an extra packet of beef stock soup, which gives the soup a more intensely savory flavor.[5]
Where can I find Shin Ramyun?
Shin Ramyun is available in 711 stores or in K-Mart. If you don’t want to go out, you can order Shim Ramyun in Lazada from this link.
4. Bibimpab (Mixed Rice)
Bibimbap simply translates to “mixed rice with meat and assorted vegetables“. You can make endless variations to this dish depending on your preference and dietary requirements (e.g. microgreens bibimbap) and also based on the dish/bowl it is served in (e.g. dolsot bibimbap and yangpun bibimbap).
More traditional and authentic versions of Bibimbap are made with raw beef and raw egg yolk along with other vegetables, but I prefer making mine with cooked ingredients. [8]
Where can I find Bibimbap?
Pearl Korean Meat shop and Restaurant is popular for its delicious Bibimbap. They are open from 11 am to 11 pm Mondays through Sundays and offers takeaway for busy people on the go.
5. Kimbap
Kimbap is a Korean dish made from cooked rice and other ingredients that are rolled in gim — dried sheets of seaweed — and served in bite-sized slices.[1] The dish is often part of a packed meal, or dosirak, to be eaten at picnics and outdoor events, and can serve as a light lunch along with danmuji (yellow pickled radish) and kimchi. It is a popular take-out food in South Korea and abroad,[2] and is known as a convenient food because of its portability. It is usually well wrapped (traditionally with aluminum foil, but now sometimes in the paper) and does not have any liquid ingredients. [9]
Where can I find Kimbap?
You can buy Kimbap in Pearl Korean Meat shop and Restaurant or you can also check with your local Korean Restaurants near you.
6. Tteokbokki
Tteokbokki is one of Korea's popular street foods. Also known as Ddeokbokki / Dukbokki (떡볶이), Tteokbokki is one of the most popular street food in Korea. Tteokbokki is made with Korean rice cakes, Korean fish cakes, Korean soup stock, and Korean chili paste.
Unlike gungjung tteokbokki, which has been around for hundreds of years, the red spicy tteokbokki has a relatively short history. It was developed in 1953, the year the Korean War ended, by a woman named Ma Bok-rim in the Sindang-dong neighborhood in Seoul. The chewy rice cake in a spicy gochujang sauce instantly became popular as an affordable comfort snack.[10]
Where can I find Tteokbokki?
It is available in your nearest Big Plus Mart stores or you can go to Sinjeon Topokki’s Facebook page to inquire about delivery.
7. Japchae
Japchae (잡채) literally means “mixed vegetables.” However, the main ingredient of this classic dish is Korean sweet potato starch noodles (dangmyeon, 당면), also known as glass noodles. Japchae is an essential dish for traditional holidays and special occasions.
There are many variations using different ingredients, such as Spicy Seafood Japchae and Kongnamul Japchae.
For traditional japchae, the chewy and springy noodles are nicely paired with thin strips of beef (or pork) and various vegetables in a slightly sweet and savory sauce. It’s also common to add an egg garnish (jidan, 지단). Sometimes, I also sprinkle with some finely chopped pine nuts. [11]
Where can I find Japchae?
Japchae is available in Shopee from this link.
8. Bulgogi
Bulgogi is a marinated grilled beef of the highest quality, generally using sirloin, tenderloin, or ribeye with good marbling. It’s generally prepared in a sweet and savory sauce made of soy sauce, sugar, and Korean pear juice, then grilled on a barbecue or stove-top griddle, making for some flavorful meat. It’s best to let it marinate overnight so all the flavor has time to settle in and get comfy. [12]
Where can I find Bulgogi?
You can buy Bulgogi in Pearl Korean Meat shop and Restaurant or you can also check with your local Korean Restaurants near you.
9. Jjajangmyeon
Jajang (자장; alternatively spelled jjajang 짜장) is derived from the Chinese word zhájiàng (炸酱), which means “fried sauce”. Myeon (면) means “noodles”. The Chinese characters are pronounced jak (작; 炸) and jang (장; 醬) in Korean, but the noodle dish is called jajangmyeon, not jakjangmyeon, because its origin is not the Sino-Korean word, but a transliteration of the Chinese pronunciation. As the Chinese pronunciation of zhá sounded like jja (rather than ja) to Korean ears, the dish is known in South Korea as jjajangmyeon, and the vast majority of Korean Chinese restaurants use this spelling. [13]
Where can I find Jajangmyeon?
With jajangmyeon becoming more popular, food companies created instant noodle variation. You can buy instant jajangmyeon in Lazada through this link.
10. Chuncheon dakgalbi
Last but not the least, dak galbi / dakgalbi (닭갈비) is spicy chicken stir-fried in a large pan, which is often a cast iron pan.
Chopped chicken is marinated in a mix of spicy Korean sauce then stir-fried with rice cakes, sweet potatoes, green cabbage, and perilla leaves. [14]
But dak-galbi isn’t just a cheap, ubiquitous meal. Emerging in the 1960s after the Korean War, “commoner’s galbi” has become a symbol of the city’s resilience.
On June 25, 1950, the Korean War began with the Battle of Chuncheon, where a series of attacks all but leveled the city.
“After the war, chicken farms became the livelihood of people who were poor and almost begging on the streets,” says Jeong-Yern. “There was agony and pain, even after the conflict was over.”
During this dark era, dak-galbi was a happy discovery. The dish made use of cheap, copious ingredients, creating something comforting and communal that brought people together. [15]
Where can I find Chuncheon dakgalbi?
Chuncheon dakgalbi is available in Chuncheon Sutbul Dakgalbi.
There you have it! I hope you enjoyed the 10 Most Popular Korean Dishes. How about you? What’s your favorite Korean dish? Let me know in the comment section below.
References:
1. https://ph.phonebooky.com/blog/korean-restaurants-manila/
2. https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/food/760977/explaining-the-filipinos-k-foodies-phenomenon/story/
3. https://findwords.info/term/samgyeopsal
4. https://www.thespruceeats.com/kimchi-1328777
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shin_Ramyun
6. https://mykoreankitchen.com/bibimbap-korean-mixed-rice-with-meat-and-assorted-vegetables/
7.http://ryetour.net/bongsuni/#:~:text=Samgyeopsal%20(%EC%82%BC%EA%B2%B9%EC%82%B4)%20is%20a%20popular,eat%20directly%20from%20a%20grill.
8. https://mykoreankitchen.com/bibimbap-korean-mixed-rice-with-meat-and-assorted-vegetables/
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimbap
10. https://www.koreanbapsang.com/tteokbokki-spicy-stir-fried-rice-cakes?fbclid=IwAR06L6WF5ulfOa0gubwkuaCXEhVrGqQtOMV6iOVu1oMtqKSraMi_5Sb1e_k
11. https://www.koreanbapsang.com/japchae-korean-stir-fried-starch/
12. https://spoonuniversity.com/lifestyle/what-is-bulgogi
13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jajangmyeon
14. https://mykoreankitchen.com/dak-galbi/#:~:text=Essentially%2C%20dak%20galbi%20%2F%20dakgalbi%20(,green%20cabbage%2C%20and%20perilla%20leaves.
15. https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/dak-galbi-chuncheon-cuisine-south-korea/index.html