Cyane Thomas is a student at Marlboro College and an ISA Featured Photo Blogger. She is currently studying abroad with ISA in Seoul, South Korea.
South Korea is known to be the land of carnivores, having meat in the majority of their main and traditional dishes. Unfortunately for me, I am a vegetarian, so I am unable to eat many of these dishes. I worried I would not have much to munch on besides convenient store foods and a couple of dishes, but I was wrong. Though it is true that there is not a vast variety of delectable foods for us vegetarians, we have to take advantage of what is available for us!
비빔밥 Bibimbap
Bibimbap was actually the first Korean food I’ve eaten, so I made it a necessity to make it the first meal I ate in Korea as well. Bibimbap, which literally translates to “mixed rice,” is a dish that is served in a bowl with rice, various of vegetables, kimchi and an egg on top. Because of the kimchi, it may be a little spicy for weaker taste buds, but it is really tasty nonetheless.
자장면 Jajangmyeon
Jajangmyeon is a type of noodles that is served with a tasty black bean sauce, vegetables such as onions and green peas, and is typically served with bits of pork or beef, but there are a few spots in South Korea that serves it without the meat!
빙수 Bingsu
Bingsu, or shaved ice, is ice mixed with either sweet milk or fruit juice/syrup and is topped with fruits ice cream and other sweet toppings. I love mango to death, so my bingsu always had chunks of mango and mango ice cream on it. It’s a great treat to have in the summer; when it is super hot outside, it cools you down quickly! It is definitely my favorite dessert in Korea. Bingsu is usually served in large portions, so always bring a friend to share the cold treat with!
(BONUS!) 피자 Pizza!
Now I know pizza is not an authentic Korean food, but it is my favorite food, and in Korea, they have their own secret ingredient that makes their pizza unique. Honey! Yes, honey, the sweet nectar from bees. Though they still have the normal cheese sauce bread routine, you have the option to have honey added into your pizza or as a dip. As well as that, you can also have 불고기 bulgogi (marinated meat), shrimp, sweet potatoes, and more!
The world awaits…discover it.