The best korean street food in Seoul (including Dalgona candy!)

This story was first published on 17 January 2017. It is now updated with the latest information on travelling to South Korea under the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL).

After more than a year of relying on K-dramas to get your South Korean fix, now we can finally start visiting the country once again via the Vaccinated Travel Lane!

In case you haven’t been there, one of the most exciting things about travelling to Seoul (other than the cosmetics and skincare shopping, of course) is the abundance of amazing snacks you can find on the streets. If you’re wondering where to buy or eat Korean street food, we reckon the best place to start is in the city capital!

We look into the best Korean street foods of Seoul and where to find them!

Remember, it’s best to carry light — bring with you a simple crossbody bag or a backpack, so you have your hands free to relish the delicious flavours of Korea!

1. Satisfy your sweet tooth with hotteok and dalgona candy

Try the goodness of hotteok, a sweet, pancake-like street snack popular in Seoul.

Hotteok (pronounced 'ho-tok') is such a famous street snack that you'll be able to find it everywhere in Seoul. It's a pancake cooked on a griddle and then stuffed with fillings such as cinnamon, brown sugar, honey and nuts. Delicious.

Where to find it:

The most famous place to find hotteok is by Sungnyemun or Namdaemun Gate (Subway line 1, Seoul station).

If you’ve watched Squid Game, then the Dalgona candy needs no introduction. It is widely available across Seoul and so very yummy. It’s essentially a very crunchy cookie made from sugar and baking soda. Enjoying this Korean street food is something of a tradition, where one eats around a shape in the middle (a heart, for example) with the aim of keeping it intact. If you succeed, some places will even let you eat it for free.

Where to find it:

The dalgona candy is everywhere – simply look for the carts in parks and at the busiest markets.

2. Spice things up with tteokbokki

No matter how you choose to eat it, tteokbokki is a must-have in Seoul. You can never go wrong with these famous Korean rice cakes!

Kids and adults alike can frequently be seen tucking into these spicy Korean rice cakes, flavoured with hot red pepper paste. Some people opt for them stir-fried in an old-style tteokbokki recipe, which involves wok-frying them in oil and topping with red pepper flakes. You can also opt for extras in the pot such as ham, seaweed or cellophane noodles.

Where to find it:

Mukshidonna Tteokbokki in Samcheong-dong is one of the most famous places in Seoul for tteokbokki. (Subway line 3, Anguk station).

3. How many legs does your jjukkumi have?

Spicy octopus is a must; in Korea, it's called jjukkumi.

If spicy food is your thing, and you don't mind your snacks with lots of legs, jjukkumi is a popular Korean food you mustn't miss. Jjukkumi is a stir-fried dish of very small octopus, made extra tasty with Korean gochujang (red pepper paste). To scoff your jjukkumi like a local, order it with fried rice and tuck in.

Where to find it:

This super-spicy Korean street food can be found at Cheonho-dong (Subway line 5, Cheonho station).

4. Get piggy with some traditional jokbal

Share a plate of jokbal with some friends while in Seoul. These delicious Korean-style pig trotters are cooked to succulent perfection!

Jokbal is hugely popular in Korea. It's basically pig’s feet, cooked for a long time in soy sauce and spices. Food recipes vary throughout the city but this tender, meaty dish has been a Korean favourite for years and is usually shared between several people, with a selection of side dishes.

Where to find it:

Jokbal Street in Gongdeok (Subway line 5, Gongdeok station) has some of the most famous Korean pig trotters in Seoul.

5. Eat some sausage with a soondae twist

Sundae is a must for the adventurous foodie, because this ain’t your typical ‘chocolate’ treat!

This is not the sundae you know and love. This Korean blood sausage dish consists of coagulated pig’s blood, glass noodles and barley, all stuffed in a skin made from pig or cow intestines. The street food version of sundae (pronounced ‘soondae’) is usually served with a side of lung or liver. It's not as bad as it sounds – it’s actually pretty well loved in Korea.

Where to find it:

Sillim-dong’s “Sundae Town” will give you a huge portion of soondae (Subway line 2, Sillim station).

Things to note while travelling in South Korea

• Different regions in South Korea impose different coronavirus regulations (which are updated often), so regularly check the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare website for the latest updates.

• The Greater Seoul area is under the toughest social distancing restrictions at Level 4 while the rest of South Korea is at Level 3. Refer to the latest social distancing system in South Korea here.

• Masks are compulsory for everyone, including those who have been vaccinated. Please stock up before your trip. You may choose to shop for facemasks online and collect them at any of the four terminals at Singapore Changi Airport before flying off.

• Restaurants and cafes in Seoul are open for dining until 10pm. After which, only takeouts and deliveries are allowed.

• South Korea’s version of contact tracing is implemented by way of Electronic Entry Logs. Entry log records are required at most places you visit in Seoul and other cities, so travellers will need to present a personal QR code, which can be generated by using Kakao Talk or NAVER on your mobile phone. 

• When in Seoul, make a beeline for all the interesting dishes you can find – it’s probably been a while since you’ve enjoyed some authentic Korean food in Korea itself. Now’s your chance to 
• treat your tastebuds to some cultural delicacies that aren’t so easy to find in Singapore.
• Enjoy them with some irresistible Korean soju and you’re sorted!

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