Hey food lovers (and language lovers)! 👋

Welcome back to the “Learn Korean With Me” series. If you missed Part 1 where we covered 10 essential Korean verbs , go check that out first — it’ll help when you start using these food words. Today we’re doing something super useful and fun: 10 must-know Korean food words for beginners. These are the names you’ll see on menus, hear in K-dramas, and spot at convenience stores. I’ve grouped them by root so you can learn them in chunks.

📚 My Top Beginner-Friendly Korean Resources

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Before we start learning our first set of verbs, here are some helpful resources that can guide you along the way. These tools are great whether you’re just starting or want something to support what you learn here:

• Rocket Korean – Structured, beginner-friendly, and great for pronunciation.
• Talk To Me In Korean – Their Hangul course is perfect for beginners.
• Drops Korean – Gamified, visual learning with a focus on vocab and Hangul basics.
• LingoDeer – Perfect for structured, grammar-focused learning with bite-sized lessons.
• Go Billy Korean – Fun, visual grammar and vocab lessons for all levels.
• Duocards – Flashcard-style app with real phrases and spaced repetition.

📚 Quick notes before we start

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You should already know Hangul (the Korean alphabet). If you don’t, learn that first — it’ll make everything much easier.

Root 1: Rice / meal = 밥 🍚

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1.밥 (bap) – rice / meal

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💡 About 밥

Means both “cooked rice” and “a meal” in Korean. It’s central to Korean cuisine and culture.

🗣 Example Sentences

• 밥을 먹어요. – I eat rice / a meal.

• 친구랑 같이 밥을 먹었어요. – I ate with my friend.

• 오늘은 집에서 밥을 안 했어요. – I didn’t make rice at home today.

2.비빔밥 (bibimbap) – mixed rice

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💡 About 비빔밥

A colorful bowl of rice topped with vegetables, meat, egg, and spicy gochujang sauce — mixed before eating.

🗣 Example Sentences

• 비빔밥이 정말 맛있어요(tasty). – Bibimbap is really delicious.

• 저는 비빔밥에 고추장을 많이(many) 넣어요. – I put a lot of gochujang in bibimbap.

• 한국 식당에서(restaurant) 비빔밥을 시켰어요(to order). – I ordered bibimbap at a Korean restaurant.

3.김밥 (gimbap) – seaweed rice roll

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💡 About 김밥 Rice and fillings rolled in dried seaweed — often compared to sushi rolls but with unique Korean flavors.

🗣 Example Sentences

• 김밥 한(one) 줄 주세요. – Please give me one roll of gimbap.

• 저는 참치(tuna) 김밥을 좋아해요. – I like tuna gimbap.

• 학교 앞에서(in front of) 김밥을 자주(often) 사 먹어요. – I often buy gimbap in front of school.

4.볶음밥 (bokkeumbap) – fried rice

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💡 About 볶음밥 Rice stir-fried with vegetables, eggs, and sometimes meat or kimchi.

🗣 Example Sentences

• 어제(yesterday) 저녁에 김치볶음밥을 만들었어요(to make). – I made kimchi fried rice for dinner yesterday.

• 볶음밥에는 계란이(egg) 꼭 들어가요. – Fried rice always has egg in it.

• 저는 새우볶음밥을 제일(most) 좋아해요. – I like shrimp fried rice the most.

5. 돌솥비빔밥 (dolsot bibimbap) – stone-pot bibimbap

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💡 About 돌솥비빔밥 A hot stone-bowl version of bibimbap where the rice gets crispy at the bottom.

🗣 Example Sentences

• 돌솥비빔밥은 밥이 바삭해서 맛있어요. – Stone-pot bibimbap is tasty because the rice is crispy.

• 저는 돌솥비빔밥을 먹을 때 조심해요(to be careful). – I’m careful when eating stone-pot bibimbap.

• 식당에서 돌솥비빔밥을 처음(first time) 먹어 봤어요. – I tried dolsot bibimbap for the first time at a restaurant.

Root 2: Stew = 찌개 🍲

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6. 김치찌개 (kimchi jjigae) – kimchi stew

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💡 About 김치찌개

A spicy stew made with aged kimchi, tofu, and pork or tuna. It’s one of the most beloved comfort foods in Korea.

🗣 Example Sentences

• 김치찌개가 뜨거워요(hot). – Kimchi stew is hot.
• 오늘 점심에 김치찌개를 먹었어요(ate). – I ate kimchi stew for lunch today.
• 한국 사람들은 김치찌개를 자주 먹어요. – Korean people often eat kimchi stew.

7. 된장찌개 (doenjang jjigae) – soybean-paste stew

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💡 About 된장찌개

A savory stew flavored with 된장 (fermented soybean paste), tofu, and vegetables.

🗣 Example Sentences

• 저는 된장찌개를 좋아해요. – I like soybean-paste stew.
• 된장찌개에는 두부(tofu)가 꼭 들어가요. – Doenjang jjigae always has tofu in it.
• 어제 저녁에 된장찌개를 만들었어요(made). – I made doenjang jjigae for dinner yesterday.

8. 순두부찌개 (sundubu jjigae) – soft-tofu stew

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💡 About 순두부찌개

A spicy stew made with silky soft tofu, often cooked with seafood or pork.

🗣 Example Sentences

• 순두부찌개가 정말 맛있어요. – Soft-tofu stew is really delicious.
• 저는 순두부찌개에 계란을 넣어요. – I put an egg in sundubu jjigae.
• 친구랑 식당에서 순두부찌개를 시켰어요. – I ordered sundubu jjigae with my friend at a restaurant.

9. 부대찌개 (budae jjigae) – army stew

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💡 About 부대찌개

A hearty stew with sausages, spam, ramen, and kimchi — originally made after the Korean War.

🗣 Example Sentences

• 부대찌개에는 햄(ham)과 소시지(sausage)가 들어가요. – Budae jjigae has ham and sausages in it.
• 저는 부대찌개를 자주(often) 먹지 않아요. – I don’t eat army stew often.
• 어제 친구들이랑 부대찌개를 같이 먹었어요(ate together). – I ate army stew with friends yesterday.

10. 청국장찌개 (cheonggukjang jjigae) – fermented soybean stew

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💡 About 청국장찌개

A rich and pungent stew made with fermented beans, packed with protein.

🗣 Example Sentences

• 청국장찌개 냄새(smell)가 강해요(strong). – Cheonggukjang jjigae has a strong smell.
• 저는 청국장찌개를 처음(first time) 먹어 봤어요. – I tried cheonggukjang jjigae for the first time.
• 한국 사람들은 청국장찌개를 건강(health) 음식이라고 생각해요(think). – Koreans think of cheonggukjang jjigae as a health food.

✅ Quick study tips

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Group-study: learn by root (밥, 찌개) — it helps memory.

Visuals: match each word to a picture — food words stick fast that way.

Real-world practice: next time you order food online or look at a menu, try to spot 5 words you learned.

📬 Stay Tuned for the Next 10 Words

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Together, we’ll build your Korean word by word – but in a fun, natural way 🫰You’ve got this 💪 화이팅!