Category: Korean Food 101

  • Shrimp Burger vs. Squid Burger: The Fast Food Face-Off You Didn’t Know You Needed

    Shrimp Burger vs. Squid Burger: The Fast Food Face-Off You Didn’t Know You Needed

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    Fast Food in Korea: McDonald’s in a Hanbok

    Despite Korea’s deep-rooted culture of health consciousness, fast food chains have set up shop with reckless abandon. McDonald’s even dons its own metaphorical hanbok, offering up bulgogi burgers and other Korean-specific menu items to reel in the local crowd.

    But the real player in this game? Korea’s very own chaebol (mega-conglomerate) Lotte, with its flagship fast food chain: Lotteria. This place is like the Burger King of Korea—though foreigners tend to give it the side-eye. Why? Well, Lotteria isn’t the place for a typical burger fix. If you want a greasy, cheesy double cheeseburger, you’re probably better off somewhere else. But if you’re after a little adventure, Lotteria has some unique artery-clogging delights.

    Shrimp Burger vs. Hot Squid Burger: Let’s Get Weird

    Every time I find myself at Lotteria, I make it a point to try something new. Today, it’s the battle of the seafood titans: the Shrimp (“Sae-u”) Burger (새우버거) versus the Hot Squid (“Ojingeo”) Burger (오징어버거). You heard that right—fast food seafood burgers.

    In Korean fast food lingo, anything on a round bun is automatically called a “burger.” Sandwiches, patties, fried bits of sea critters—it all qualifies. So, let’s dive into this showdown.

    Round One: The Shrimp Burger

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    I’ll admit, I was skeptical of this one at first. One of my foreign friends raved about it, but I had images of a sad, flavorless shrimp-flavored patty dancing in my head. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

    The Shrimp Burger comes dressed in a black sesame seed bun (because aesthetics matter), with a crispy fried shrimp patty, iceberg lettuce, and a “special” sauce—a marriage of tartar sauce and Thousand Island dressing. The magic happens when you bite into it: it’s actually packed with shrimp, not some weird mealy filler. It’s like someone took a Cajun poboy, compacted it into a fast food burger, and sent it overseas.

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    I’m hooked. It’s become a guilty pleasure of mine, and I’ve even managed to convert other foreigners into Shrimp Burger fanatics. Sorry, waistline.

    Round Two: The Hot Squid Burger

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    Enter the Hot Squid Burger, which—unlike the round shrimp patty—comes in a weirdly rectangular shape. The bun is the same black sesame seed variety, but this bad boy is loaded with creamy sauce, a sweet and sour hot sauce, and the trusty iceberg lettuce. If the Shrimp Burger is all about nostalgia, the Squid Burger is here to spice things up. Literally.

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    It’s freakin’ spicy for fast food, which I didn’t expect. The squid itself? Pretty flavorless (because squid is more about texture than taste), but it has a satisfying chewiness that works well with the sauces. The hot sauce packs a tangy punch, making it a much bolder option than the shrimp burger. But beware: you might need to wash it down with something cold. Beer is my recommendation.

    The Verdict: Shrimp Wins, but Squid’s a Fun Sidekick

    After much deliberation and a borderline food coma, here’s my final take: the Shrimp Burger takes the crown for sheer volume of tastiness and nostalgic poboy vibes. But the Hot Squid Burger is a solid runner-up if you’re in the mood for something a little wild—and spicy.

    So, next time you’re in Korea and feeling adventurous, skip the basic burger. Head to Lotteria and grab yourself a Shrimp Burger or, if you’re feeling spicy, the Hot Squid Burger. Just make sure to pair it with something cold—your taste buds will thank you.

  • Gogi Buffets in Korea: Where You Can Cook Your Own Mystery Meat Adventure

    Gogi Buffets in Korea: Where You Can Cook Your Own Mystery Meat Adventure

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    Meat Buffets in Korea: Not Your Typical All-You-Can-Eat

    When my co-workers Julia and Lars wouldn’t stop talking about gogi (meat) buffets, I figured, “Why not?” I mean, I’ve been to buffets before. Grab some meat, maybe some soggy veggies under heat lamps, right? Wrong.

    This is Korea. And in Korea, everything starts raw until you cook it—DIY BBQ, if you will.

    How a Korean Meat Buffet Works

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    Imagine walking into the meat section of your local grocery store. Now imagine you can take a plate, load it up with any kind of raw protein you see, and then cook it all yourself. That’s a Korean gogi buffet. No mystery-meat under heat lamps here.

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    At the buffet, the options were endless. We’re talking pork, beef, chicken, duck, gizzards, intestines, four varieties of octopus, shellfish, marinated eel, shrimp—basically, a butcher shop on steroids. Some cuts we didn’t even know—we just cooked them to see what they tasted like (always a gamble, by the way).

    The Distraction of Side Dishes

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    But here’s the catch: these places would go broke if you just gorged on meat. So, they cleverly lay out an army of delicious side dishes to distract you from piling your plate sky-high with protein. One of my favorites is todok root—a crunchy, sweet-and-sour vegetable that’s a pain to prepare, which is why it’s usually expensive. But here, it’s part of the buffet. Grill it, and thank me later.

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    They also had one of my personal faves: raw marinated crab halves (gejang). If you’ve never tried sucking salty-sweet crab meat straight from the shell, you’re in for a slimy, glorious surprise.

    So… What Do You Do With All That Raw Meat?

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    The beauty of Korean meat buffets is that the cooking happens right at your table. Grab your chopsticks, toss your raw meat onto the grill, and listen to the sizzle. No frills, no fancy atmosphere—just raw meat and an open flame. The vibe is very much like your local steakhouse back home, minus the faux wood paneling and tractor décor.

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    Lars and I made a beeline for the weirdest stuff in the case (because why not?). We dove into cuts that looked questionable, only to circle back to pork and duck. Duck was a surprising hit. Seven plates of meat later, we were starting to wonder if we’d eaten our body weight in BBQ.

    The Sneaky “Don’t Waste Food” Rule

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    And just when we thought we were done, Julia drops a bombshell: if you leave food on your plate, there’s a per-dish financial penalty. So yeah, it’s all-you-can-eat, but it’s also “eat all you take.” Cue the mad scramble to finish every last bit of fat, gristle, and whatever-that-was from earlier.

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    By the end of the meal, I was feeling like I could easily swallow a box of nails—my throat was so slick with grease. I thought this would become a regular tradition, but let’s be honest: living in Korea has seriously cut down my tolerance for fat and grease. Now I feel woozy just thinking about it.

    Final Thoughts: Worth a Try, But Bring Your Appetite

    If you’ve got limited time in Korea and want to experience the full spectrum of meat dishes and sides, a gogi buffet is your ticket to adventure. Just be ready to cook your own food, explore some weird cuts, and avoid that food waste penalty at all costs.

    And remember, while it’s fun to try everything, your stomach might hate you for it later.

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  • Thanks, Crab Man! My Street Food Adventure with Steamed Crabs and Stuffed Squid

    Thanks, Crab Man! My Street Food Adventure with Steamed Crabs and Stuffed Squid

    Thanks, Crab Man! My Unexpected Street Food Adventure J 010

    Walking home from work on Friday night, I passed by a truck selling steamed crabs. Now, I’ve seen these trucks around before, but let’s be honest—would you buy seafood from the side of the road? Exactly.

    But that night, there was a small crowd gathered around the truck, and the crab man was handing out free samples. Free food? Okay, you’ve got my attention. I decided to give it a shot, and after a taste, I was sold. Three crabs for 20,000 won ($20)? Not bad for a street corner seafood splurge.

    The Ojingeo Sundae Surprise

    As the crab man was bagging up my haul, I noticed these lumpy purple things steaming away in a basket. At first glance, I thought they were Korean sweet potatoes, but upon closer inspection, I realized they were stuffed squids. He proudly declared, “Ojingeo sundae.”

    Naturally, I assumed this meant squid stuffed with Korean sausage. Why not, right? I bought three, along with the free gochujang he tossed in, and headed home, feeling pretty triumphant about my Friday night dinner haul.

    Crabs, Shears, and Gochujang—A Winning Combo

    Back home, Eun Jeong, my girlfriend, showed me a game-changing way to open the crabs—no clumsy crab crackers and mallets involved. She whipped out some kitchen shears and snipped those crabs open like a pro. It was so quick and easy, I was left wondering why I hadn’t thought of it before. Seriously, crab crackers are over.

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    We devoured the crabs with a mix of gochujang and melted garlic butter, which was as glorious as it sounds. I also roasted and steamed some sweet potatoes on the side for good measure. The crabs? Pretty solid for something I picked up from a truck.

    Stuffed Squid: Lost in Translation

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    Now, about those squid. Remember when I thought they were stuffed with sausage? Well, turns out I got that wrong. They were actually stuffed like sausage—with a bland mixture of mashed potatoes and carrots. Not exactly the flavor explosion I was expecting.

    After slicing into the first one, it was clear this was not going to be the culinary highlight of the night. Three slices in, we gave up and tossed the rest. But hey, I now have a brilliant idea for actual sausage-stuffed squid. Stay tuned—I think I’m onto something evil here.