How Do Koreans Eat? A Guide to Korean Dining Culture
Learn how Koreans eat, from using a spoon and chopsticks to sharing banchan, making ssam, enjoying Korean BBQ, and following dining customs.
A Meal Moves Between Rice, Soup, and Side Dishes
When rice, soup, and several small side dishes arrive at a Korean restaurant, you may wonder where to begin. You might also be unsure which dishes are yours and how to share the stew in the middle of the table.
During a Korean meal, people often move between foods: a bite of rice, a little side dish, then a spoonful of broth. You do not need to finish one dish before moving on to the next.
Start by identifying your own rice and soup and the dishes meant for everyone. Some meals come with individual bowls of rice and soup. Others have separate rice bowls alongside a shared pot of stew or platter of meat. Dishes such as bibimbap or noodles may come in a single bowl with a simpler table setting.
To begin, distinguish your own food from the shared dishes, then try a little at a time with the utensil that feels comfortable. You do not need to know every food name or dining custom before taking your first bite.
Switch Between a Spoon and Chopsticks as You Eat
A spoon is useful for scooping rice and broth, while chopsticks make it easy to pick up a piece of kimchi or meat. Rice does not have to be eaten only with a spoon.
I use both utensils for plain rice. Sometimes I scoop it with a spoon; other times, I pick it up with the chopsticks I have been using for side dishes. For bibimbap and fried rice, I use a spoon because it lets me scoop up the rice and other ingredients together. Even within the same stew, I may use a spoon for the broth and chopsticks for a larger piece that is easy to pick up.
| What You Are Eating | A Comfortable Utensil to Start With |
|---|---|
| Rice | Scoop it with a spoon or pick it up with chopsticks. |
| Soup or stew broth | Use a spoon. |
| Kimchi, seasoned vegetables, or meat | Use chopsticks to pick up a manageable bite. |
| Bibimbap or fried rice | A spoon makes it easy to scoop up the rice and other ingredients together. |
| Noodles in broth | Use chopsticks for the noodles and a spoon for the broth. |
People generally put one utensil down before picking up the other. You do not need to switch after every bite. You might eat several spoonfuls of rice and soup before reaching for chopsticks to pick up a side dish.
Rice bowls generally stay on the table during a Korean meal. Where you keep the bowl and which utensil you use are separate questions. For more examples, see why Koreans use a spoon and chopsticks together.
Enjoy Banchan Throughout the Meal
Banchan, the small side dishes served with a Korean meal, may arrive before the meat or stew. You can try a little while you wait and continue eating them with rice and the main dish once those arrive.
Start with a small amount of something that interests you. If it tastes salty or strongly seasoned on its own, try it with rice. You do not need to eat equal amounts of every side dish or mix them all into your rice.
Banchan placed around the middle of the table are often shared. A dish directly in front of you is not necessarily yours alone, so take a moment to look at the table setting. Some restaurants do serve individual portions of side dishes.
If you would like more, point to the dish and ask, “Could we have a little more of this, please?” Many restaurants refill their basic banchan, but separately ordered dishes or special items may cost extra. If there is a self-service station, follow its instructions and take only what you need.
For more on tasting, sharing, and requesting refills, see how to eat Korean banchan.
Look for Serving Utensils With Shared Dishes
If a shared pot or platter comes with a ladle, tongs, or serving chopsticks, use those to transfer food to your own bowl or plate. Then eat with your personal spoon or chopsticks. You can ask the staff for a small plate or serving utensil if you need one.
Take a little at a time, and leave food on your own plate once you have served yourself. Do not return it to the shared dish, especially if you have already taken a bite. If a side dish is out of reach, ask someone nearby to pass it.
Some dishes, such as gukbap, are eaten with rice in the soup. If you would like to add rice to another soup or stew, do so in your own bowl. Keep your rice out of the shared pot: serve some soup or stew into your bowl first, then add rice there.
Once you have served yourself some tofu, meat, or other stew ingredients, use whichever utensil makes them easier to eat. Sharing an order does not mean sharing personal utensils. You can read more about this arrangement in why Koreans share food at the table.
At Korean BBQ, Check Who Will Grill the Meat
When raw meat and tongs arrive at your table, first check whether the staff will cook for you. At some restaurants, they handle the grilling from beginning to end. At others, they help briefly or leave the cooking to the diners. If you are unsure, ask, “Do we grill it ourselves?”
The tongs and scissors beside the grill are for cooking the meat and cutting it into manageable pieces. They serve a different purpose from your eating chopsticks. Keep utensils used for raw meat separate from those used for cooked meat and ready-to-eat side dishes. If you are unsure whether the meat is fully cooked, ask the staff to check.
Try a cooked piece on its own, then add a little salt or ssamjang, a seasoned dipping paste, if you like. You can eat rice and stew alongside the meat or order them after you have had some barbecue.
For help with your first order, ordering more, and asking for a grill change, see how to eat Korean BBQ for the first time.
Make a Small Ssam to Try the Flavors Together
Ssam is a wrap made by folding a leafy vegetable, such as lettuce or a perilla leaf, around meat and other accompaniments. To start, place one piece of cooked meat and a little ssamjang on a leaf.
You can add rice, garlic, kimchi, or shredded green onions according to your taste. You do not need to include everything. If the aroma of perilla leaves is unfamiliar, start with lettuce. If raw garlic tastes too sharp, leave it out.
Ssam is usually made small enough to eat in one bite, so a modest amount of filling makes it easier to manage. You do not have to wrap every piece of meat. Alternate between meat on its own, meat with a side dish, and a small wrap to find combinations you enjoy.
For more on choosing leaves and fillings, see Korean ssam with lettuce and perilla leaves.
Consideration for Others Helps With Dining Etiquette
When eating with older people, diners often wait for an older person to pick up their utensils before beginning. Watching the pace of the table can be helpful, especially at family gatherings or more formal meals.
Avoid rummaging through a shared dish to choose a piece or pointing at someone with your chopsticks. Do not leave your spoon or chopsticks standing upright in rice. When you pause, set them on a utensil rest or in the space provided.
When pouring or receiving alcohol from an older person or someone you are treating formally, you will often see people use both hands. If you do not drink, you can say, “I don’t drink alcohol,” and have water or another beverage.
The atmosphere varies when you eat with family, friends, or coworkers. Pay attention to the people around you, handle shared food considerately, and give others enough space to enjoy their meal.
Follow the Restaurant’s Instructions for Ordering and Self-Service
Ordering methods vary by restaurant. You may speak to a staff member, press a call button, use a tablet at the table, or order at a kiosk near the entrance. Pointing to a menu photo and indicating the quantity can also help.
For meat and other items sold by the portion, check both the minimum order and the listed weight. If you are unsure whether rice or stew is included, ask when you order.
Some restaurants have self-service stations for water and banchan. Payment arrangements also vary: some restaurants collect payment after the meal, while others ask you to pay first. Follow the instructions for where and when to pay. For a fuller walkthrough from arrival to payment, see your first Korean restaurant visit.
Eating a meal is often the easiest way to become familiar with a Korean table. Identify your own rice and the shared dishes, try a little banchan, and ask for any utensils or help you need. As you eat, moving between rice, soup, and side dishes will begin to feel more natural.
