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Latest update: July 2026
Eating gluten-free in Korea is not easy at all because celiac disease is not widespread in the country, so there is little attention paid to this condition. However, finding gluten-free dishes is not impossible. In fact, rice, meat, fish, and vegetables abound in Korea. One just has to make sure that they are not prepared together with other ingredients containing gluten.
In this article, let’s look at some foods that will allow you to eat gluten-free in Korea as well!
Eating gluten-free in Korea
1. Yachae bibimbap (야채 비빔밥)
Yachae bibimbap, i.e., bibimbap (비빔밥) with vegetables (야채), is a rice dish with topping of different vegetables. They tend not to be cooked in soy sauce (which contains gluten), but just in case, you can always specify that you cannot eat it and to prepare it without it. You can use the expression:
저는 간장을 못 먹는데 간장 없이 만들 수 있어요?
Jeoneun ganjangeul mot meogneunde ganjang eobshi mandeul su isseoyo?
I can’t eat soy sauce. Can you remove soy sauce/not put soy sauce in the food?
On top of the bibimpap you can also choose whether or not to put a fried egg in the center. Important, however, is not to take the version of bibimbap with meat. It would in fact be bulgogi, which is beef marinated in soy sauce. Finally, it is better to also specify not to put chili paste. Sometimes it is served separately, while for many others, it is already put directly on the plate. So you can just ask the workers to serve without it: 고추장 없이 주세요 (gochujang eobshi juseyo).
2. Samgyeopsal (삼겹살) and moksal (목살)
Samgyeopsal and moksal are pork cuts to be grilled that are usually served raw and are then cooked directly by diners on a grill in the center of the table. They are generally never marinated beforehand, and by seeing the meat already when it is raw, you can be sure of what you are about to eat. Be careful, however, not to assume that you can eat everything in Korean barbecue cuisine. In fact, not all meat to be grilled is served unmarinated. In fact, another type of meat often found at Korean barbecue and it is called yangnyeom-galbi (양념갈비) and is marinated in a sauce that contains soy and therefore gluten. We therefore recommend playing it safe with samgyeopsal or moksal to eat 100% gluten-free in Korea.
3. Kimbap (김밥)
Kimbap is a roll of seaweed stuffed with rice and other ingredients. The filling to be included in addition to rice is varied and can contain with or without gluten. The most common types of kimbap that are definitely gluten-free in Korea are yachae kimpap (야채 김밥) and chamchi kimpap (참치 김밥), with vegetables and tuna, respectively. In any case, we recommend that you always take a look at the ingredients and choose those that suit your needs, but perhaps avoid meat that may have been marinated in soy sauce previously.
4. Korean soups
Meat soups are quite common in Korean cuisine. Some of them also contain noodles, but you can always ask not to put them in (“면 없이 주세요”, myeon eobshi juseyo). One example is gomtang (곰탕), a soup prepared from various parts of beef. Another very tasty and nutritious soup, however, is samgyetang (삼계탕), made with chicken, rice, ginseng and jujubes.
5. Cakes and bakeries
How can we resist sweet treats? While most desserts contain gluten, it doesn’t mean you can’t find anything gluten-free in Korea. If you’re living in or travelling around Korea, these are some popular places worth checking out.
Seoul
- Cafe Sosohage (소소하게) is a gluten-free bakery cafe selling a variety of fruit-flavored and seasonal cakes that you can choose from.
- Sunny House Bakery is a dedicated gluten-free bakery in Sangsu, Seoul. Not just a place to enjoy desserts, but they offer baking classes. Check out their Instagram page for more information and recipes!
- Viva Napoli offers gluten-free pizza with advance notice (around two days).
- VEGETUS, known for its signature menu, Vegetus burger & Jalapeño burger. Low in carbs, gluten-free, and vegan!
- INTERACT serves keto-friendly meals and desserts that are also gluten-free, vegan, and sugar-free.
- OMUOMU is known for its Canadian-vibe aesthetic. Offers a menu of delicious desserts and baked goods made entirely without butter, milk, eggs, white flour, white sugar, or preservatives.
- GLUNIC is located in Seongsu and specialises in gluten-free and vegan baked goods.
- Mokro Garden is popular for vegan cakes made without wheat flour. However, if you have celiac disease, it’s best to check with the staff regarding cross-contamination.
Busan
- Misam Rice Bread is a bakery and baking academy in Busan specializing in gluten-free, vegan rice bread.
- MUMIL Cafe mainly offers takeout and is famous for its gluten-free whole cakes.
- ANIVER serves a variety of fruit cakes, with gluten-free desserts available.
Jeju
- Chaesaek (Nohyeong Branch) is Jeju’s first rice dessert cafe, established in 2021. Their cakes are made using 100% Korean rice flour, organic unrefined sugar, and fresh cream, offering delicious gluten-free dessert options.
- Piece of Cheese Jeju specializes in Italian-fusion cuisine, with gluten-free alternatives available upon request.
Daegu
- Fronda Coffee Bar offers a small selection of gluten-free desserts.
- Salsalhadang Bakery specializes in 100% organic rice bread made without wheat flour or gluten.
Grocery shopping to eat gluten-free in Korea
In supermarkets, it will be easier to find gluten-free ingredients. In addition to the classic rice, vegetables, meat, fish, etc., rice noodles are also very common. In addition, in big supermarket chains, there is an entire gluten-free department, in which it will be easier to make such purchases.
Foreign cuisine can be gluten-free
Living in Korea does not necessarily mean giving up foreign cuisine, especially if it allows for gluten-free options. In fact, there are several cuisines that provide this option. One example is pizza, some brands offer the option of purchasing pizzas with rice flour dough.
Mexican restaurants, which are popular in Korea, also often allow you to order tacos with cornmeal and therefore gluten-free.
Another option might be Indian or Nepalese cuisine, also popular, which is mainly vegetarian and therefore gluten-free in Korea.
Don’t assume “rice bread” is gluten-free
One common misconception in Korea is that products labelled “rice bread” (쌀빵) are automatically gluten-free.
Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.
Many Korean bakeries use vital wheat gluten, a concentrated wheat protein, together with rice flour to improve the texture and help the bread rise. This means that although rice is the main ingredient, the bread may still contain gluten and is not suitable for people with celiac disease.
If you need to avoid gluten completely:
- Don’t rely solely on labels such as “rice bread.”
- Ask whether vital wheat gluten (글루텐) has been added.
- Look for bakeries that specifically advertise themselves as 100% gluten-free.
This small detail can make a huge difference if you have celiac disease or a severe gluten intolerance.
Ingredients to watch out for to eat gluten-free in Korea
In Korean cuisine there are three widely used ingredients to watch out for if you need to eat gluten-free in Korea. They are soy sauce (간장, ganjang), chili paste (고추장, gochujang) and soybean paste (된장, dwenjang). They are found very often indeed in various Korean dishes, and so, just to be on the safe side, if you go to a restaurant in Korea, you can always specify that you cannot eat them:
저는 간장, 고추장, 된장을 못 먹어요.
Jeoneun ganjang, gochujang, dwenjangeul mot meogeoyo.
I cannot eat soy sauce, chili paste or soy paste.
You can also directly say that you have celiac disease:
저는 셀리악 병 가지고 있어요.
Jeoneun selliak byeong gajigo isseoyo.
I suffer from celiac disease (I have celiac disease).
However, many people do not always know what this entails, so it is better to further specify which ingredients you cannot consume. For added security, you can also show restaurateurs the Korean Gluten Free Restaurant Card, downloadable online for free, which explains in Korean the needs of a person with celiac disease.
We hope you found this article helpful! As you can see, eating gluten-free in Korea is possible, you just need to arm yourself with a lot of patience and pay attention to the ingredients. For more information, follow the blog of Go! Go! Hanguk and feel free to contact us about living and studying in Korea.
