Korean Cuisine

Beat the Heat: 7 Lesser-Known Korean Summer Foods You Need to Try

When the scorching Korean summer hits and you start losing a gallon of sweat every day, you can turn to the traditional knowledge hidden in regional Korean cuisine to keep you cool through the hottest days of the year. Get ready to discover how Korea’s regional food traditions turn summer heat into deliciousness through the fascinating philosophy of iyeolchiyeol ( 이열치열) - literally “fighting fire with fire.”

While you might know naengmyeon, bingsu, or samgyetang, we’re diving deep into Korea’s lesser-known regional summer specialties that showcase the incredible diversity of Korean cuisine. From Jeolla Province’s soul-warming kongguksu to the refreshing simplicity of oi naengguk, these dishes represent centuries of Korean wisdom about staying healthy and energized during the hottest months of the year.

Ahjussi Taste: Best Traditional Korean Foods (아저씨 입맛)

Some of the best Korean foods are also the oldest. People who love traditional foods that usually have a strong flavor or repulsing appearance are said to have an 아저씨/아재 입맛, or ahjussi taste. Learn about some of these traditional foods below. 

곱창 Gopchang or Grilled Small Intestines

Small intestines of a cow or a pig. The word 곱창 by itself usually refers to grilled small intestines, also called 곱창구이. It can also be eaten in a hot pot (곱창전골) or as a sausage (cf. 순대). Prefer 양념곱창 (marinated 곱창) over regular 곱창 if you doubt the quality of the restaurant. 곱창 tastes best with soju.

장어 - Eel

Eel is a popular fish in East Asian countries. Korea has a lot of dishes featuring eel, some of the most popular being 장어구이, or grilled eel; 장어강정, or eel with a sweet soy sauce glaze, and 장어덮밥, or eel over rice.

The popular saying in Korea is that men should eat eel to improve their performance behind closed doors…