CHARLOTTE POINTINGwrote . . . . . . . . .
When you’re choosing a vacation destination, there are probably a few things you’re aiming to check off your list. And it might go something like this: stunning scenery, vibrant nightlife, rich culture, and fascinating history. But without a doubt, for most vegan travelers, delicious food is one of the most important vacation must-haves. And South Korea has it in spades—as well as the scenery, nightlife, culture, history, and … well, you get the picture, it has it all.
When you think of Korean food, kimchi is probably one of the first things to come to mind. The spicy, pickled cabbage is popular all over the world and has become a symbol of the Asian country’s cuisine. When made without fish paste, kimchi can be veganized, which, despite the high rates of meat consumption in the country, is actually far from unusual for a traditional South Korean dish. Meat consumption didn’t start to surge until after the Korean War, which means that most of the country’s dishes have vegetarian roots. And in many Buddhist temples, you’ll find that plant-based cuisine is still the norm among monks and nuns (more on that later).
But South Korea’s modern vegan scene is surging—particularly in the capital of Seoul. In fact, Happy Cow actually has more than 750 listings of vegan-friendly restaurants in this one city alone thanks to the demand by the country’s young people. According to a survey conducted in 2022, South Koreans aged 18 to 29 are the group most likely to purchase vegan food products. And the Korean Vegetarian Union says about half a million South Koreans identify as vegan, while 1.5 million are vegetarian or flexitarian.
To get an idea of just how much plant-based cuisine is evolving, we spoke to several vegan travel experts (all of whom have spent time in South Korea) to get their recommendations for meat-free restaurants in Seoul, as well as their tips for finding the tastiest Korean street food. A warning for you and your bank balance: you’re going to want to book a flight immediately.
Types of Korean food
Korean barbecue is a staple of the restaurant scene in most major US cities. In fact, some reports suggest there are more than 7,000 Korean barbecue restaurants across the country. But while barbecue is one of the country’s most-loved exports, there is far more to South Korea than grilled meat.
When visiting, you’re bound to come across rice-based dishes such as the spicy, flavor-packed bibimbap. At its core, the dish is plant-based, although eggs and meat are often added (simply ask for it without). Like many popular dishes, bibimbap is made with assorted vegetables, including mung bean sprouts, spinach, and Korean radish, as well as namul (which refers to edible grasses or leafy greens) and a savory, sweet paste with a kick called gochujang.
There are also noodle dishes, like japchae, which features sweet potato glass noodles and can be veganized easily (just ask for no meat), mul naengmyeon (which is a seasonal noodle dish that’s vegan when made with radish water and no beef), and jjajangmyeon. The latter features a thick black bean sauce, vegetables, and pork, but you can also find vegan versions in several eateries (hint: check out our restaurant recommendations below).
“Jajangmyeon might not be the most attractive-looking food you will eat while you are in South Korea, but it is so yummy (and not spicy if you need a break from spice),” Verena Erhart of Vegan Tours New York says. “It also happens to be Korea’s most popular delivery dish, like pizza in the US. You might have even spotted it in K-dramas.”
Erhart also recommends ordering plenty of banchan, which are the small, often vegetable-centered side dishes offered in South Korean restaurants.
But if you’re a vegan visitor, one of the first places you should be heading for top-notch plant-based cuisine is a temple. “Don’t leave South Korea without trying temple food,” Erhart says. “It’s a vegan’s best friend.”
In these peaceful places of Buddhist worship, meat-free is the norm. You’ll find kimchi, of course, alongside straightforward, low-waste meals like tofu stew and rice soup. The food is allium-free (so you won’t find ingredients like onions and garlic), strikingly minimalist, healthy, sustainable, and vegan (except for the occasional use of honey).
Donna Zeigfinger of Green Earth Travel, who visited Jingwansa, a 12th-century Buddhist temple in Seoul’s Bukhansan National Park, agrees that temple food is next level when it comes to flavor and experience. “I loved the temple atmosphere,” she says. “I really thought that it would be bland food and boy, was I wrong.”
Korean street food is vegan-friendly
When it comes to Korean cuisine, you also can’t ignore the diverse range of street food that is always on offer for natives and tourists alike.
A significant piece of South Korea’s cultural DNA since the 1300s, food stalls are part and parcel of local life. In fact, the leading travel platform Culture Trip has even described Seoul as “one big open-air restaurant.” And in more great news for vegan visitors, while the scene is undeniably meat-heavy, you’ll still find it easy to come by plant-based options while you’re strolling the streets for a quick and tasty bite—if you know what you’re looking for. Zeigfinger recommends to start by seeking out the most traditional of dishes.
“Look for gimbap (seaweed rice rolls), tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), and japchae,” she says, which are either animal-free already, or can be made so with modifications. “Don’t hesitate to ask food vendors if they can make dishes vegan-friendly,” she adds.
Kim Giovacco, the founder of Veg Jaunts and Journeys, also recommends seeking out gimbap or tteokbokki. “This is very simple and casual food, and I absolutely loved it. It felt like comfort food to me,” she recalls. And Erhart is also an advocate of “the simpler, the better” motto when it comes to navigating the street food scene in South Korea. Like Giovacco and Zeigfinger, she has come across vegan-friendly gimbap and tteakbokki, but she also has a few different suggestions, too.
“Roasted chestnuts or ginko nuts are wonderful,” she notes. “If you are traveling in the fall, you should try fresh persimmons (or buy the dried kind, it is a whole process). Gamjajeon is also the Korean version of hash browns or Swiss Rösti and is a pancake that is usually just made of potato.” She adds that “some other pancakes such as bindaetteok (made of mung beans) are often, but not always, vegan (some use eggs).”
How to plan a vegan trip to Korea
Most tourists start in Seoul when they visit South Korea, which offers travelers the perfect blend of futuristic innovation and culture along with stunning temples, landscapes, and culinary delights. But don’t sleep on the rest of this beautiful country. For modern history, head to the Korean Demilitarized Zone; for volcanic beach resorts, Jeju Island is a must; and the port city of Busan has everything from coastline to nature reserves to natural hot springs.
To get the best out of your visit, consider booking a trip through a travel agent. Tour operator Sky Vacations just announced a vegan food tour of Seoul scheduled for this May, while World Vegan Travel is looking to run a luxury trip to Korea in the near future. But if you prefer to figure things out solo, you can also head to the Visit Korea website for advice and tips on activities, transportation, food, accommodation, and more.
Source: VegNews
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Cooking with Kathy Man 