27 Best Korean Street Foods To Try in 2025
Korean street food is exploding in popularity, and there’s no trendier place on earth right now than South Korea. From K-pop and K-dramas to fashion and skincare, Korean trends are taking off worldwide, and that’s true in the food world, too.
According to Statista, nearly two out of three people worldwide have tried Korean food, driven in part by the Korean wave (Hallyu) and viral content like mukbang videos. Traditional dishes like tteokbokki and modern convenience foods both play a role, creating high demand in restaurants, grocery stores and online. Major Korean brands have expanded production abroad to meet this demand, ensuring that Korean cuisine’s global popularity continues to surge.
But if you’re new to the scene, it can be tricky to know exactly what is the Korean street food you’re seeing in those beautifully shot Instagram Reels. For an introduction to the trendiest and most delicious street food in Korea, look no further than this starter guide.
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27 Popular Korean Street Foods To Try
1. Tornado Potatoes
Halfway between potato chips and french fries, tornado potatoes (hoeorigamja) are one of the most fun Korean street foods to eat on the go. If you’ve ever wandered around a theme park snacking on a turkey leg, tornado potatoes on a stick have the same vibe!
They’re made by cutting a potato into a spiral shape, deep-frying it until crispy and seasoning it with various spices (like onion powder, garlic powder or chili powder) and often Parmesan cheese before being served on a skewer.
2. Gilgeori Toast
It’s called toast, but this Korean street food is more like a Western sandwich. It’ll usually be filled with a fried egg, cabbage, ham (though some variations omit it) and cheese. While there are variations, the egg is key, so it’s basically a Korean breakfast sandwich.
Even so, you may find both sweet and savory variations — some vendors even top their vegetables with sugar! Try gilgeori toast any time of day for a filling but nourishing snack. It’s notably one of the few street foods substantial enough to eat as a meal, too.
3. Tteokbokki
While many Korean street foods take inspiration from the cuisines of other countries, many traditional street foods are equally popular, and the most ubiquitous of those is tteokbokki.
These cylindrical, chewy rice cakes (tteok) are most commonly served in a spicy gochujang (Korean chili paste) sauce and often come with toppings like sesame seeds and scallions. If you’re looking for a warm, filling Korean street food with deep roots in Korean culture and you don’t mind a little spice, tteokbokki is a great pick.
4. Soondae
If you’re an adventurous eater, you might want to try one of the most unique Korean street foods: soondae, or blood sausage made of (usually) pig’s blood, glutinous rice and glass or cellophane noodles, wrapped in an intestine casing.
Ingredients vary, but what’s consistent across sellers and regions in Korea is its chewy texture, similar to mochi. It’s considered best to eat it at room temperature, since refrigerating changes the texture. Soondae is also a popular anju (food eaten with alcohol).
5. Gungoguma
As a general rule, the more traditional a Korean street food is, the better it is for your health and that’s especially true of gungoguma — steamed sweet potatoes. Korean sweet potatoes are different from the ones you’ll find in the U.S.: smaller, sweeter and purple on the outside. But they’re just as nutritious and possibly even more delicious when steamed and served piping hot.
All of that makes gungoguma one of the best Korean street foods for the health-conscious, but it’s delicious even if you’re not. Gungoguma is a popular winter snack in Korea for good reason.
6. Dalgona
Korean street food is trendy, but it’s not all about novelty: Dalgona candy is popular as a throwback to a simpler time. Though it owes some of its recent popularity to the smash hit Korean drama Squid Game, dalgona is a simple, nostalgic candy made of sugar and baking soda with origins in the 1960s.
Wondering what sugar and baking soda would taste like? Dalgona’s taste and texture are often compared to honeycomb. This Korean street food is served in the shape of a flat disc with a design carved into the surface, and you’ll most likely see it served on a stick like a lollipop.
7. Bindaetteok
This Korean street food has a lot going on. Bindaetteok, or mung bean pancakes, are much more than just mung bean-flavored: made with pork, kimchi, rice, egg and vegetables, they’re a great introduction to many of the most popular flavors in Korean cuisine.
Like many other varieties of pancakes popular in Korea, they’re healthy, filling and warm, but their complex flavor helps them stand out. You may want to choose this Korean street food if you’re looking for something savory and spicy. They are often served with a dipping sauce, such as a soy-vinegar sauce.
8. Croffles
From the traditional to the uber-trendy: ever thought about putting a croissant in a waffle maker and seeing what happened? Well, somebody in South Korea did, and the glorious result is now one of the most happening Korean street foods.
The croffle is chewy and crispy without totally losing the light, flaky texture of a regular croissant, and it’s often served with fruit, whipped cream and other waffle-esque toppings. This exceedingly Instagrammable Korean street food is also starting to take off in the U.S., so you may have seen these at an Asian café in your area.
9. Danpatbbang
Red bean paste (typically sweetened) is a widely loved flavor in many Asian desserts, and in Korea, you can try it in the form of a sweet, yeasty, fluffy red bean bun. (If you’ve heard of or tried the Japanese favorite anpan, you have a rough idea of what this Korean street food tastes like.) Slightly sweet red bean paste is surrounded by an enriched dough with a shiny finish and topped with black sesame for a dessert that’s satisfying but not too sweet.
10. Gyeran-Ppang
Although bread isn’t traditionally a part of Korean cuisine, the country has enthusiastically incorporated it into many of its recent culinary creations — like gyeran-ppang or egg bread. This Korean street food consists of a whole egg baked into a fluffy, slightly sweet loaf of bread that’s said to taste sort of like a pancake in loaf form. Served hot, this savory-sweet baked good would be a perfect breakfast, but it’s great for snacking anytime.
11. Mandu
It’s amazing how many countries seem to have a variation on the idea of meat wrapped in dough in their cuisines, and Korea’s take on that concept is mandu. If you’ve ever had dim sum, you’ll know roughly what to expect, this Korean street food usually consists of ground meat and vegetables in a thin, flour-based wrapper and often includes Korean ingredients like mung beans and dangmyeon (Korean sweet potato noodles).
You can find versions filled with pork, beef and much more, and mandu can be pan-fried, steamed or deep-fried. This versatile, easy-to-eat Korean street food is a delicious choice for a meal on the go.
12. Ddakkochi
This Korean street food will satisfy your kebab craving. Ddakkochi, or chicken skewers, are a simple snack or meal: chicken coated in a sweet-and-spicy gochujang-based Korean sauce is layered with scallions on a skewer.
While you might find skewers made with other types of meat or fish, the chicken version is accessible, popular and delicious. Whether you eat it while sightseeing in Seoul or pack it for lunch at work, ddakkochi is a delicious way to get your protein and vegetables in a single, mess-free meal.
13. Garaetteok
Rice cakes are a staple in Korean cuisine and the base of many of the most popular Korean street foods. Garaetteok is a specific type of rice cake, thicker and longer than the ones used in tteokbokki. They are typically served grilled on a skewer with different sauces and glazes. You can find them plain or dressed up, and many find the chewy-crunchy combination addictive. Garaetteok are a Korean classic and you’d be remiss to miss them.
14. Hotteok
Pancakes are a very common form of Korean street food (see bindaetteok), and hotteok is the beloved sweet version. It consists of a wheat-based pancake dough filled with a sugar syrup made of brown sugar, honey, nuts and cinnamon, and while it’s a wonderful warm snack for the wintertime, hotteok is a popular Korean street food year-round. Think cinnamon roll, but healthier, nuttier and more portable.
15. Gimbap
There’s nothing more convenient than rolling your lunch up in a piece of seaweed and taking it to go. That’s the concept behind this popular Korean street food: gimbap usually consists of vegetables, egg and sometimes fish or meat rolled up in rice (typically seasoned with sesame oil and salt) rolled up in rice (typically seasoned with sesame oil and salt) and seaweed, then cut into slices to snack on.
Many people mistake it for sushi because of its similar look, but there’s no raw fish here — Kimbap is often more of a vegetable or meat-based dish. You can find all kinds of flavor variations on this ubiquitous Korean street food, from squid to cheese, and it’s a great, mild choice for Korean food newbies who aren’t sure how much spice they can handle. It's also a popular picnic food.
16. Toasted Marshmallow Ice Cream
If you’ve seen any Korean street food online lately, it was probably this rectangular ice cream coated in a crispy toasted marshmallow shell. It’s ridiculously photogenic, delicious and sort of defies explanation (how do you torch the marshmallow fluff exterior without melting the ice cream?), all of which explains why this treat has exploded in popularity lately. It’s Korea’s summer answer to a s’more and the internet is obsessed.
17. Japchae
Japchae is another favorite on a foodie bucket list, especially for those who can’t handle much spice. These transparent sweet potato-based glass noodles are often stir-fried and served with vegetables and/or meat for a mild but flavorful mini-meal.
The potential variations on this dish (which is one of the easiest on this list to make at home, thanks to the growing popularity of japchae noodles in American grocery stores) are endless. Versatile and healthy, this is one of the best Korean street foods to add to your meal prep rotation.
18. Jjinppang
You might raise your eyebrows at the inclusion of not one but two types of bun filled with red bean paste on this list, but jjinppang are different from danpatbbang in one critical way: instead of the enriched dough that danpatbbang uses, jjinppang are made with a fluffy steamed dough.
The resulting bun has a light, airy texture similar to that of a Chinese bao bun, creating a totally different experience. Hot, fluffy jjinppang buns taste lighter and a little less indulgent, making them a perfect on-the-go breakfast. Fair warning, though: this Korean street food is seriously steamy, so you may want to open the bun before you take a bite so you don’t burn your mouth!
19. Dakgangjeong
Variations on American fried chicken have taken much of the world by storm, and in Korea, that’s resulted in dakgangjeong, a crispy, crunchy, sweet-spicy concoction halfway between the traditional American drumstick format and a chicken wing. Korean fried chicken is served in bite-sized pieces for even more crunch, but what really makes the dish is its sauce.
Incorporating both salty and sweet ingredients, dakgangjeong’s sauce is what makes a fairly global dish uniquely Korean — and so addictive. You’ll rarely find a Korean street food that packs as much flavor into such a small package. If you’re just getting acquainted with Korean cuisine, the familiar concept and unique flavors of dakgangjeong make it a fantastic place to start.
20. Bingsu
Summer in Korea can be sweltering, and the Korean street food answer to that dilemma is bingsu, a shaved ice dessert that can be just about whatever you want it to be. The most popular flavor is patbingsu, which is topped with red beans, but the flavor options are endless.
What’s more, it’s taken off in the U.S., too, so you’re likely to be able to find a bowl of bingsu near you. (In the U.S., though, you will probably find a more even mix of traditional Korean flavors and Westernized ones like Oreo or cheesecake on the menu.) If you’ve tried and enjoyed Hawaiian-style shaved ice, this is undoubtedly one of the best Korean street foods to start with.
21. Corn Dogs
Corn dogs are another Korean street food that’s gone viral in the past few years, and they’re still going strong. What you might not know, though, is that they’re actually not all hot dogs. Unlike American corn dogs, Korean corn dogs have a variety of fillings from cheese to fish cakes inside the traditional fried wrapper.
The batter, too, is also different: it uses rice flour instead of cornmeal for a different flavor and texture, and some vendors will coat the outside of their hot dogs with sugar or spices or even throw chopped-up french fries in the batter for some extra texture. All of this makes for a hot dog that looks like the kind you’re used to but really isn’t. Give it a shot — you might find that you like this kind of corn dog even better than the ones you grew up eating.
22. Gukhwa-Ppang
This Korean street food, which translates to “chrysanthemum bread,” is a small, warm pastry filled with red bean paste. The pancake-like batter is cooked in an appliance that looks like a waffle maker, but has flower-shaped molds that give the cakes their distinctive shape. Thanks to that cooking method, gukhwa-ppang are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
And since they’re served piping hot, they’d be a perfect sweet snack for a chilly day. Accordingly, you may not find them very readily in the warmer months, so enjoy gukhwa-ppang while they last.
23. Kkwabaegi
A cinnamon-sugar donut may not seem like a uniquely Korean treat, but kkwabaegi puts a local spin on a worldwide favorite by using glutinous rice flour. This results in a chewier interior than that of an American yeast donut, which would be much lighter and fluffier.
Though the twisted yeast donuts look much like other varieties, they’re not as sweet, allowing you to enjoy the flavors of both the dough and the cinnamon-sugar coating. Thanks to its slight sweetness, this Korean street food is a beloved afternoon snack among Korean children.
24. Cheese-Tteok-Kkochi
Many Korean street foods combine a Western (often American) concept or dish with Korean ingredients and cooking techniques, and this one does just that with a childhood classic: grilled cheese. Instead of layering melted cheese between slices of bread, cheese–tteok–kkochi consists of skewered garaetteok (cylindrical rice cakes) served with grilled mozzarella cheese melting on top.
The result is a crispy and chewy concoction with tons of salty, cheesy flavor. While it’s not quite the grilled cheese you’re probably used to, you’ll get the same warm, comforting feeling — and maybe an even better cheese pull.
25. Eomuk
Korean fish cakes (eomuk) are a versatile base. They can be eaten skewered or in soups, as a snack or in a heartier meal, and that’s because their mild fishy flavor lends itself well to combining with other foods. They’re chewy and often combined with rice cakes, another of the most versatile and traditional Korean street foods.
Depending on the region, you may not find much seafood-based street food in Korea, but this is one dish you’re likely to see and sample over and over. Eomuk is often served in a hot broth called eomuk tang.
26. Frozen Beer
This hasn’t been a very boozy list so far, but if you’re in the mood for a cold one, there’s a Korean street food for that, too. If you’re walking around in the summer, it’s common to find beer served with shaved ice on top for extra refreshing coolness.
And the best part? The ice is actually just frozen beer, so it won’t dilute your drink at all as it melts. Whether you’d prefer booze to bingsu or you’ve always wished there was a way to make a cold beer even colder, you can’t go wrong with this slushy summer treat.
27. Bungeoppang
If there’s an Asian ice cream store near you, you’ve likely seen this Korean street food without knowing it: they’re those fish-shaped waffles that are often served with ice cream and sometimes even as a cone. Similar to Japanese taiyaki, bungeoppang are grilled until crispy and golden and then filled with red bean paste.
These days, custard fillings are becoming increasingly popular, so you’re likely to find both–and maybe even more fillings if you’re lucky. Bungeoppang is a very popular snack in wintertime and is even available stateside in Asian grocery stores, making it easy to add to your list of winter comfort foods.
Learn How To Cook Korean Food
Korean street food is all the rage, but depending on where in the country you are, it can still be tricky to find a place near you to try some of the foods on this list. But there’s a solution to that: learn to make them yourself! Whether you opt for cooking classes near you or a few online cooking classes, you can learn the secrets to copycat Korean street food from an expert chef. So until a marshmallow ice cream stand pops up in your local mall, why not go DIY with it?
There’s almost no end to the delicious varieties of street food Korea has to offer, and we hope this list has given you a tantalizing taste of some of the most popular and tasty options. Which will you try next?
For more ways to explore your favorite foods, check out other experiences happening on Cozymeal.
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