Eating vegetarian and vegan

It looks easy because of all the vegetable side dishes, but anchovy or meat broth and seafood seasonings like salted shrimp and fish sauce are often hidden in dishes. Strict vegans need to be careful. Big cities have a growing number of vegan and vegetarian restaurants, so researching ahead helps a lot. Get in the habit of asking about ingredients for each dish.

Often not. Traditional cabbage kimchi frequently contains fermented seafood such as salted shrimp or anchovy fish sauce. Vegan kimchi and temple-style kimchi made without seafood do exist, and for packaged kimchi you can check the ingredient list. At a restaurant, ask "Kimchi-e jeotgal deureogayo?" to find out whether seafood seasoning was used.

Yes, it is one of the easier choices if you ask for no meat and no egg. Some kitchens season the vegetables with fish sauce or top the bowl with seasoned beef, so be clear: "gogi ppae juseyo, gyeran-do ppae juseyo." Gochujang usually has no animal ingredients, but recipes differ by brand, so strict vegans should still check.

Say "Jeoneun chaesikjuuija-yeyo" (I am a vegetarian), then list what you avoid, such as "gogi, saengseon, gyeran, uyu an meogeoyo" (no meat, fish, eggs or milk). The word "vegan" is understood by many younger people, but interpretations vary. If broth matters too, add "myeolchi yuksu-do an dwaeyo" (no anchovy broth either).

Soups, stews and noodle broths are commonly made from anchovy and kelp stock or from beef, bone or chicken stock. Even soups that look purely vegetable, like doenjang-guk or kalguksu, often use anchovy broth. If you are vegan, it is safest to have soups at dedicated vegetarian restaurants or temple-food restaurants.

Search map apps for "vegan," "chaesik" (vegetarian) or "비건" to see nearby options, and there are several apps and online communities that collect vegetarian restaurant listings. They are more common in Seoul, other large cities and tourist areas. Hours and menus change, so check the latest information before you go.

Some lunch boxes, sandwiches and snacks now carry vegan labels, but selection varies by store and brand. Many triangle gimbap contain tuna, ham or meat, so read the ingredient list. Simple items like fruit, nuts, soy milk and roasted sweet potatoes are reliable fallback choices.

Many tteok are vegan because they are made mainly from rice or glutinous rice, but some contain or are brushed with honey, milk, butter or egg. At a rice cake shop, ask whether milk or egg is used, and read the label on packaged tteok. Traditional types coated with red bean, roasted soybean powder or sesame tend to have simple ingredients.

Potato and vegetable pancakes can work, but the batter often contains egg, and seafood or meat versions such as haemul-pajeon are very common. Kimchi pancakes may include kimchi made with seafood seasoning. Vegans should always ask "gyeran deureogayo?" (does it have egg?) and keep in mind that the same oil may be used for seafood pancakes.

Namul are often blanched or sautéed vegetables seasoned with sesame oil, soy sauce or salt, so many are vegetarian. However, some cooks season them with fish sauce or anchovy stock, or mix in minced meat. Strict vegans may not be able to ask about every small dish, but checking the main ones is worthwhile.

Eating eggs and dairy opens up many more options, including rolled omelet, steamed egg, cheese tteokbokki, bakery bread and desserts. Hidden meat and seafood in broths and sauces are still the main issue. Make it clear by saying you eat eggs and milk but not meat or fish: "gyeran-irang uyu-neun meogeoyo, gogi-rang saengseon-eun an meogeoyo."

Several private organizations issue vegan certifications in Korea, so marks and standards differ. A certification is a useful signal, but rules on things like cross-contamination can vary by certifier, so read the ingredient list as well when it matters to you. A product without a mark is not necessarily non-vegan.

Tofu itself is made from soybeans, but braised tofu sauce may include anchovy or fish sauce, and sundubu-jjigae often contains seafood or meat. Dubu-kimchi is frequently served with stir-fried kimchi and pork. Even with tofu dishes, ask about the broth and seasoning.

Snacks with simple ingredients, like roasted sweet potatoes, roasted chestnuts, steamed corn and fruit cups, are usually fine. Hotteok, bungeoppang and egg bread may contain milk or egg in the batter, and fish cakes and hot dogs are not vegetarian. Ingredient details are hard to confirm at stalls, so strict vegans should stick to the simplest items.

Often not, since many products use seasoning powder with beef or seafood extracts. Vegan instant noodles with vegetable-based seasoning are also sold, so look for a vegan label and check the ingredients of each product. Ramyeon cooked at snack restaurants often comes with egg or ham added.

Large cities have some vegetarian buffets and restaurants with vegan menus, as well as places serving temple food. Regular Korean buffets offer many vegetable side dishes, but it is hard to know what went into the broths and seasonings. Restaurants open and close often, so confirm on a map app or official channel before going.

Eating seafood opens up a lot of Korean food: seafood pancakes, grilled fish, raw fish, seafood noodle soup and most dishes made with anchovy broth. Some seafood dishes still use pork or beef stock or include meat, so it is worth asking "gogi deureogayo?" (does it contain meat?) to be sure.

Korean Buddhist temple cuisine traditionally avoids animal products and also the five pungent vegetables, including garlic, green onion, garlic chives and wild chives. Veganism focuses only on avoiding animal-derived ingredients, so garlic and onion are fine. Restaurants that serve temple-style food may still differ in details, so ask if dairy matters to you.

Japchae is mostly glass noodles and vegetables but is often stir-fried with beef or pork. Standard gimbap usually includes ham, fish cake, imitation crab and egg. At gimbap shops, you can often order vegetable gimbap and ask them to leave out the ham and egg. For japchae, ask first whether meat was added.

A note or card in Korean listing what you do not eat, a translation app and a saved list of vegetarian restaurants make things much easier. Carrying nuts or simple snacks helps in areas with few options. Booking accommodation with a kitchen also lets you cook with ingredients from local supermarkets.