Every season is characterized by its typical dishes, and so summer is no different. Korean summer food consists mainly of very cold dishes and, surprisingly, also of hot soups that, by warming the body inside, are thought to counteract the heat outside. Since air conditioning is ubiquitous during the summer in Korea and also always set at very low temperatures, consuming hot dishes is not so problematic as long as one is inside the restaurant. In any case, typical Korean summer food includes both cold and hot dishes so as to please all tastes. Let us now take a look together in this article at the 5 popular Korean summer foods.
5 popular Korean summer foods you must try
1. Bibimnaengmyeon (비빔냉면)
These are cold noodles (냉면, naengmyeon) that are served together with a spicy sauce called gochujang (고추장) and other ingredients. There are several variations of this, but it is generally thin buckwheat noodles served with hot sauce, julienned zucchini, thin pear slices, and chopped peanuts.
The best way to enjoy this Korean summer food is to stir before eating, just as the name implies (bibim is in fact derived from the verb bibida, 비비다, meaning to stir). Since these noodles are very long and wrapped in themselves, they are usually cut with scissors before starting to eat the dish.
2. Mulnaengmyeon (물냉면)
Those who can’t stand spicy but still don’t want to miss the chance to try Korean cold noodles need not fear. Mulnaengmyeon is in fact a different version of naengmyeon that is served in equally cold broth (to which ice is often even added) and without hot sauce (unless it is a special variant or is not requested). Watch our Instagram reel on how to enjoy this cold and delicious Korean summer food!
In addition to the basic ingredients, other ingredients are always added, which can vary, but usually, these are chunks of meat, julienned zucchini, slices of pear, and half a hard-boiled egg. Again, it is advisable to cut these with scissors before you start eating. For other non-spicy Korean cooking options, we recommend you also read our article on non-spicy Korean dishes.
3. Kongguksu (콩국수)
This somewhat unusual dish consists of cold noodles served in a thick soy milk broth that is also cold. These noodles are also usually made of buckwheat, and always decorated with sesame seeds and julienne-cut zucchini or cucumber.
Kongguksu is one of the most highly-sought after Korean summer foods in Korea, solely because you will only find it available in summer and not all restaurants serve this dish. Nonetheless, if you visit Korea in the summer, you will have the opportunity to taste its uniqueness for yourself!
4. Samgyetang (삼계탕)
Samgyetang is a chicken and ginseng soup served piping hot and is eaten in summer to replenish energy lost due to mugginess. In fact, it is a very nutritious dish and is mostly eaten during boknal (복날), or the three hottest days of the year, which vary each year as they follow the lunar calendar. In 2024, they will be expected to fall on July 15, July 25 and August 14.
This dish consists of a whole chicken stuffed with glutinous rice served in a broth simmered with jujubes, ginseng, ginger and garlic. It is considered a healthy and energetic dish as jujubes help to protect the stomach and ginseng to recover from fatigue by replenishing energy and speeding up metabolism.
5. Bingsu (빙수)
Of course, there can be no shortage of desserts, and the quintessential Korean summer dessert is bingsu. It consists of shaved ice combined with other ingredients that give it its flavor. The traditional bingsu is patbingsu (팥빙수), that is with red beans and tteok (glutinous rice cakes), on which condensed milk is often enjoyed together.
For those who don’t like red beans, there are so many variations of bingsu and among the most popular ones we have mango, strawberry, chocolate, green tea, Oreo cookies, and many more! Not to mention that limited editions of bingsu come out in the most popular coffee shops every summer and the same happens at Seolbing, the chain specializing in bingsu open all year round, which offers several permanent versions of this dessert plus various limited monthly versions. Definitely worth trying.
We hope that with these five recommendations, you have gotten an idea of the most widely consumed Korean summer food. So if you are in Korea during this season, we recommend that you don’t miss the chance to try them all. For more information about life in Korea, keep following the Go! Go! Hanguk blog and do not hesitate to contact us.
