Discovering Korean Street Food (Tteokbokki, Eomuk, Hotteok)

A Delicious Adventure: Discovering Korean Street Food

If you’re planning a trip to South Korea, forget the diet—it’s time to feast on street food that’s spicy, crispy, chewy, sweet, and full of soul.

From the vibrant streets of Seoul to coastal markets in Busan, Korean street food isn’t just a snack—it’s a whole adventure.





Tteokbokki (Spicy Rice Cakes, 떡볶이)

Tteokbokki (often spelled tteokbokki or topokki) is one of Korea’s most beloved street foods. But did you know this spicy rice cake dish wasn’t always red and fiery? Let’s take a journey through the surprising history of tteokbokki — from royal courts to bustling street stalls.




 1) Royal Tteokbokki: The Original Wasn’t Spicy!

Long before gochujang (Korean chili paste) came into the picture, tteokbokki was a savory stir-fried dish served in royal palaces during the Joseon Dynasty.

  • Known today as "Gungjung Tteokbokki" (궁중 떡볶이), this version is made with soy sauce, sesame oil, beef, and vegetables.

  • Historical cookbooks like Siui Jeonseo (시의전서) from the late Joseon era included recipes for stir-fried rice cakes, proving its long-standing tradition.





2) Spicy Tteokbokki: A Happy Accident in the 1950s

The bright red, spicy version we know and love today? It’s actually a mid-20th century invention.

  • The most famous origin story credits Ma Bok-rim, a woman in Seoul’s Sindang-dong neighborhood, who accidentally mixed rice cakes with gochujang in the 1950s.

  • Her customers loved the taste, and soon, Sindang-dong Tteokbokki Alley was born — a spot still famous for tteokbokki lovers today.


3) A Beloved Street Food for Everyone

From the 1970s onwards, tteokbokki became a staple in school snack bars and traditional markets.

  • It was cheap, filling, and full of flavor — perfect for students.

  • New versions started to appear: with fish cakes (eomuk), boiled eggs, tempura (twigim), or even ramyeon noodles added to the mix.

  • Spicier versions became popular, and now you’ll find a huge range of flavors like cream tteokbokki, rosé tteokbokki, or even black bean sauce tteokbokki.


4) From Seoul Streets to the Global Stage

Today, tteokbokki is no longer just Korean comfort food — it’s a symbol of K-food around the world.

  • International fans of K-pop and K-dramas have embraced it, and many restaurants abroad now serve it under its Korean name.

  • Tteokbokki chains have expanded globally, and YouTube recipe videos get millions of views from curious foodies everywhere.

Eomuk (Fish Cake Skewers, 어묵)

If you've ever wandered through a Korean street market or popped into a humble snack shop (bunsikjip), you've probably noticed steaming skewers of fish cakes floating in a bubbling broth. That, my friend, is eomuk—a simple but soul-warming snack that Koreans have loved for generations.

Let’s dive into why this humble stick of fishy goodness deserves a spot on your Korean food bucket list.



1) What Exactly Is Eomuk?

Eomuk (어묵), also known as odeng (오뎅, a borrowed Japanese term), is a type of fish cake made by blending white fish meat with flour, starch, and seasoning, then shaping it into flat or curled sheets. These sheets are usually:

  • Skewered onto wooden sticks

  • Cooked and kept warm in a light, savory broth

  • Served with a small cup of soup on the side (free refills at most stalls!)





2) Perfect Comfort Food for Cold Days

Eomuk is especially popular in winter. Imagine walking down a chilly Seoul street, hands cold, and the smell of hot broth calling you toward a street cart. You grab a skewer, sip the warm soup, and suddenly the world feels just a little cozier.

It's no wonder eomuk is often described as “Korea’s winter soul food.”


3) Types of Eomuk You Might See

Not all eomuk is the same! Keep an eye out for these variations:

  • Flat eomuk sheets folded in waves on a skewer

  • Round balls with cheese or vegetables inside

  • Spicy eomuk with chili flakes

  • Stuffed eomuk with glass noodles or sausage

  • Busan-style eomuk, which is thicker and often handmade


 4) Where to Try Eomuk in Korea

  • Street food stalls (Pojangmacha) in areas like Myeongdong or Hongdae

  • Traditional markets like Gwangjang or Noryangjin

  • Busan, Korea’s seafood capital, where eomuk is on another level!


5) Why You’ll Love It

Eomuk might not be the flashiest Korean dish, but its warm simplicity makes it unforgettable. It's cheap, quick, filling, and oh-so-comforting. Whether you're a foodie or a casual traveler, don’t miss the chance to grab a skewer and sip that soothing broth.

Because in Korea, sometimes the best meals come on a stick.

Hotteok (Sweet Pancakes, 호떡) : Korea's Crispy, Gooey Winter Treat

If you visit Korea in the colder months, there’s one smell that will stop you in your tracks — the sweet, nutty aroma of Hotteok (호떡) sizzling on a griddle. One bite, and you’ll understand why this crispy-on-the-outside, gooey-on-the-inside pancake has been a favorite Korean street snack for generations.

Let’s take a bite into this wintertime classic.


1) What Is Hotteok?

Hotteok (pronounced ho-tok) is a Korean sweet pancake, traditionally filled with a mixture of:

  • Brown sugar

  • Cinnamon

  • Chopped peanuts or walnuts

  • Sometimes seeds, honey, or even green tea paste

The dough, made from flour and yeast, is filled and then pressed flat on a hot griddle until golden and crispy. When you take a bite, the sweet filling melts into a syrupy delight that warms you up from the inside out.

🔥 Be careful — the inside can be lava-hot when fresh off the pan!

 

2) Hotteok and Korean Street Culture

You’ll often find hotteok at street food stalls, especially during the fall and winter. It's a nostalgic snack for many Koreans, bringing back memories of school days and chilly evenings.

Some vendors use small metal presses to flatten the dough while it cooks, creating the iconic crispy edges and caramelized filling. It’s not just food — it’s a whole street-side experience.


3) Modern Twists on a Classic

These days, hotteok comes in all sorts of creative flavors:

  • Green tea hotteok

  • Cheese-filled hotteok

  • Savory hotteok with vegetables or noodles

  • “Ssiat hotteok” from Busan, stuffed with seeds and nuts

Each variation has its own charm, but nothing beats the original on a cold day with your hands wrapped around a warm paper sleeve.


4) Where to Try It

You can find hotteok in:

  • Myeongdong & Insadong (Seoul) – great for street food lovers

  • Traditional markets like Gwangjang Market

  • Busan’s BIFF Square – home of the famous Ssiat Hotteok

Or you can even buy frozen versions in Korean supermarkets and try making it at home!


5) Why You’ll Love Hotteok

It’s sweet. It’s warm. It’s crispy. It’s messy (in the best way).
Hotteok is comfort food at its finest, and one of those must-try bites when you visit Korea.

Whether you’re walking through a winter market or just craving something cozy, grab a hotteok and fall in love — one gooey bite at a time.


📍 Best Places to Try Street Food in Korea:

  • Myeongdong Night Market (Seoul) – Bustling, central, tourist-friendly.
  • Gwangjang Market – Iconic, and featured in Netflix’s Street Food Asia.
  • Hongdae – Trendy, creative bites & youth culture.
  • Busan’s BIFF Square – Try the seed-stuffed hotteok!


If you have any questions, please leave a comment.

Thanks for reading! :)

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