Welcome to

South
Korea

Let's learn about

South Korea

SnackCrate hit the streets of Seoul, South Korea to show you around. Check out our recap above, and scroll on to learn more about your snacks from this amazing country.

Almost all restaurants deliver. They’ll even come back for your dirty dishes.

Almost half of the country’s residents have the last name Kim.

When you are born in South Korea, you are already considered a year old.

South Korea, known formally as The Republic of Korea, is a peninsular nation on the east of the Asian continent. Bordered by the Yellow Sea on the west, the East China Sea to the south, and the Sea of Japan to the east, South Korea is a small nation about the size of Indiana.

An extraordinary country filled with beautiful beaches, thriving cities, ancient temples, and remarkable natural scenery, South Korea is said to be the best of both natural and the human-made worlds. Dubbed the “Land of High Mountains and Sparkling Streams” as well as the “Land of the Morning Calm”, this country has it all.

To this day, South Korea remains one of the world’s most ethnically homogeneous countries. It is believed that the people of South Korea are direct descendants of several migratory Mongol tribes who ventured into the Korean Peninsula about a half million years ago. Today South Korea is home to approximately 51 million people making it one of the most densely populated countries in the world. South Korea currently maintains diplomatic relationships with over 170 different nations.

Culturally, South Korea has risen to global influence in recent years through K-pop stars along with K-dramas gaining popularity. South Korea is also known for its friendly people, delectable cuisines, and rich history.

Let's get to the good stuff

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Let's get cooking!

This month we are making tteokbokki, a spicy Korean rice cake dish. Check out our tutorial and recipe here!

Tteokbokki

Korean Fried Rice Cakes

Try one of Korea’s most popular traditional street foods! Literally meaning “fried rice cake,” tteokbokki was originally enjoyed in the royal court and it can now be bought from street vendors known as pojangmacha. While today it is associated with red color and spice, this dish was brown until a red spicy chili powder called gochujang was introduced in the mid 1900’s.

Total time

35 minutes

Serves

Difficulty

Moderate

image of ingredients listed below spread out on a white table

Main Dish

350 g Korean rice cakes (12 ounces)
150 g fish cakes
2 cups Korean Dashi Stock
1 cup sliced onion

Sauce

3 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
1 1/2 Tbsp raw sugar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)

Garnish

1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
1 tsp sesame oil
1 stalk green onion, finely chopped

Instructions

image of current step being described in text below

Step One

Using a shallow bowl, soak rice cakes in warm water for 10 minutes. Rinse fish cakes under hot water and chop into bite-size pieces. Thinly slice onion and chop green onion.

Step Two

While your rice cakes are soaking, measure quantities of gochujang, sugar, soy sauce, garlic, gochugaru, sesame oil, and sesame seeds.

Step Three

Combine gochujang, sugar, soy sauce, minced garlic, and gochugaru in a bowl. Mix well.

Step Four

Boil the soup stock in a shallow pot over medium high heat and dissolve the tteokbokki sauce by stirring it with a spatula. Once the seasoned stock is boiling, add the rice cakes, fish cakes, and onion.

Step Five

Boil everything for a further 3 to 5 mins until the rice cakes are fully cooked. Then, to thicken the sauce and to deepen the flavor, simmer it over low heat for a further 2 to 4 mins.