Korean food has become popular world wide. Galbi, bibimbap, and kimchi jjigae have become terms known by Korean food connoisseurs as well as casual fans alike. One of the reasons for the success of Korean food is that it is generally well suited for taste buds all across the globe. There’s a wide variety that most anyone will enjoy.
But Korean food is more than just bibimbap and kimchi. There’s a whole range of food that most non-Korean’s have never even heard about. And there’s good reason.
Here’s a list of 5 Korean foods for the brave. Whether it be because of taste, smell, texture, or spiciness, these bizarre Korean foods are on the extreme end of the spectrum, so much that even some Koreans won’t eat these! Read on to see if you’re game!
Beongdegi (번데기)
(photo credit: http://maskfighter23.blogspot.com/)
Tip 1: Find these in markets and large parks with vendors in Korea. Also can be found in Korean supermarkets around the world.
Tip 2: Korean supermarkets in America will sell these in cans, but they are labeled as fish bait. “Don’t worry FDA! It’s not food, it’s bait!”
Jokbal (족발)
Mmmm… Looks like another Korean Barbeque! But hold on there cowboy. Jokbal is another type of Korean meat, just not what you expect. Jokbal is quite literally pig feet. Just like the other Korean meats, jokbal is often a food that accompanies alcohol, often late at night. It’s eaten like the other Korean meat offerings, wrapped in sangchu, with a bit of ssamjang and garlic. This dish is actually quite tasty and is wildly popular with the general Korean public. But if you’ve ever walked into a restaurant and seen a pig foot lying on the chopping board, you’re going to need some grits to get you to put it in your mouth.
Tip: If you’re living in Korea, these are delivered nation-wide, usually 24 hours a day.
Chicken Feet – Dalkbal (닭발)
Korea does chicken really well, but this chicken dish probably won’t be seen on the cooking network in the near future. Why is Dalkbal Korean food for the brave? First off, you are putting a whole chicken foot in your mouth. And when you put a chicken foot in your mouth, that’s exactly how it feels like… a chicken foot in your mouth (gross!). Once it’s in there, scrape off the little bit of meat that is on the bone with your teeth. And even if you can handle the talon scraping, there’s another reason you should be afraid. Dalkbal is known to be one of the spiciest dishes in Korea. Maybe its to make up for the lack of actual meat being eaten, or maybe it’s to help numb your mouth to make eating this easier. Either way, the combination of a chicken foot in your mouth and mind numbing spiciness requires a certain level of bravery for Korean food connoisseurs.
Live Octopus – Sannakji (산낙지)
Fermented Stingray – Hongeo (홍어)
Another seafood extreme that challenges eaters to go over the edge. Even if you consider yourself a sushi veteran, able to take mouthfuls of raw fish with no hesitation, this is no ordinary sushi dish. If you ever come across this, you would know instantly. The extremely pungent odor, which many liken to the stink of ammonia, makes this one of Korea’s true delicacies. Even coming across this dish at restaurants can be difficult; it’s probably not high on too many favorite foods lists. In actuality, for the Koreans that have had the courage to try this dish, many vow never to eat it again. The smell is that strong! Hold your nose, shove it in mouth, and pray that you don’t have a gag reflex…. if you’re brave enough to try this Korean delicacy that is!
Know any other Korean foods that require a bit of courage? Share with us in the comment section!
The chicken feet is not scary at all. It’s a delicacy in chinese culture too.
I love it.
Now.. the octopus is a different story….. I don’t think I can eat that.
I don’t like the title…calling things that are popular in other cultures ‘crazy, weird and bizarre’ is a little bit condescending. Chicken feet are popular in China…and pigs feet are eaten all over the world!
It’s very interesting to see what other country eat. The pigs feet and Chicken feet are very common things to eat in Puerto Rico which is were I come from. I’m willing to try the sting ray but the octopus and silk worm are a maybe for me lol.
Octopus is a lot of fun to eat. It’s dead, but moving
chicken feet are also common in our country, i’ts a popular Filipino street food and usually called “adidas”!..sure you’ve guessed easily why is it named like that
I’m guessing adidas is not the traditional name lol
Well that’s interesting but I’m gonna pass on all of the above lol.
Tried em all. They were all pretty good, except beondegi. That stuff is effing gross.
Oh it aiint too bad. Just gotta get used to the popping
I tried only 번데기, but would like to taste the others^^
Anyone tried dog meat yet? I heard it’s good… but cruel it sounds…
Toughest part about eating the stingray is that it looks like it’s smiling at you.
Chicken feet is quite a common dish in my country (I’m from Indonesia), although not everyone willing to eat it. And, silkworm larve also be eaten in some of our regions. I admit they’re not for everyone though, (not for me either). But that live octopus! God! I will never ever eat it!!
Octopus isn’t that bad! Just get the cut up version
Pigs feet? Pretty common in the grocery stores back home. In the South, anyway. Never have cared for it much myself.
I really don’t like fish or seafood, but I’m tempted to try the octopus. Apart from the wriggling, how’s the taste?
I have eaten 홍어 and loved it. But, you are right that it is weird and many of my korean colleagues are surprised that I (foreigner) like it
In the Philippines, we have chicken blood..very tasty! I wanna try the live octopus!
Chicken blood? Can you get a lot of blood from a chicken???
lol chicken feet and pig feet bring back alot of childhood memories of when my dad & uncles would try to get me to try them and the sting ray I remember seeing people eat them in soup’s around the beaches in Mexico. (I’m Mexican by the way)
I’ve eaten all of these foods many times over and I’m able to give some advice if needed. The live squid doesn’t taste unlike sushi, in fact it doesn’t taste bad at all if you’ve a liking for raw fish. But the texture is a tough go for some people. In addition to that, you need to chew it THOROUGHLY because the tentacle suckers are still working just fine and will stick to your throat on the way down if not crushed first. Several deaths a year result from improperly chewed live octopus. This might sound funny, but beware an unknawed eight-legger. They’re killers!
The worst of what is listed above if Bundeogi. Hands down. It smells worse that it tastes, but that’s no silver lining. Trust me. It’s a fowl food, disliked amongst almost everyone. And the few folks who claim to like it, are in fact just saying they can stomach it, and there’s a big difference there. I can stomach it too …. but it’s wretched. Straight up.
I’m fine with any of those except for the 번데기… I don’t know why, but I can’t stomach the thought of eating anything involving “worm” in its name…
And that is why I hate gummy worms xP
Better brush your teeth after eating any of those dishes
Recommended for a romantic meal? lol.
번데기 먹고 봤어요. 괜찮은데요 ^^ 우리 나라에 닭발이 있지만 아직 안 먹고봤어요. 한국 닭발이 맛있겠어요. will try it and live octopus next time I visit Korea. Thanks for this post!
[...] Think pigs feet is gross? Read Seoulistic.com’s list of 5 Crazy, Weird, Bizzare Korean Foods for the Brave! [...]
[...] Think pigs feet is gross? Read Seoulistic.com’s list of 5 Crazy, Weird, Bizzare Korean Foods for the Brave! [...]
Silkworm larvae is fine. The first time I tried it I only had two or three from a street vendor and thought they were pretty bad, but not disgusting. So I tried them twice more at friends’, just steamed or boiled. By the end I was eating them by the spoonful. I likened it to what it would be like if you could make popcorn soup. A sort of squishy popcorn soup.
I tried the silkworm cocoons in Vietnam, I ate around 10 of them, they wernt that bad apart from the skin which didnt break up.
I also Tried dog meat in Cambodia, as I only eat chicken I found this a bit harder to eat. I had barbaqued dog rib and a bit of leg meat, it was okay until I ate a charred bit which had so much flavour I couldnt take anymore. However the locals in Vietnam told me the best dog meat to eat is boiled, the flavour isnt as strong and its soft and good to eat. A lot of people I spoke to said that dog was their favorite food, Im guessing this will be the same as Korea =)
Chicken feet is quiet common in our country too (Philippines) haha lol but I don’t really like it, mainly bec of having the mentality that who knows where that chicken have stepped on while it’s alive XD lol
it’s basically a grilled blood, and it might sound revolting, but it actually tastes a bit sweet and really soft with a little burnt taste (depending on how it’s grilled). It looks like this http://www.blogalag.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/02/12/20080211betamax5x.jpg 
and chicken blood, yes. It’s called ‘betamax’, one of the local streetfood
Oh another weird local delicacy is called Isaw (barbequed chicken / pig intestines — I prefer chicken. lol) The intestines are cleaned, turned inside out, and cleaned again, repeating the process several times. They are then either boiled, then grilled, or immediately grilled on sticks. It’s quite popular, and you can choose variety of dips, sweet, sweet and spicy, etc!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/imgianamp/6126650154/
and yeah, when I get to Korea, I’d definitely try variety of food! (but maybe I’ll try to stay away from the silkworms and stingray XD ) haha I can’t wait!
Apart the first I can try the others XD
Suggestion for good restaurants in Seul ?
Look also to this horror of the italian cousine cheese with living worms :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfzPzPkSX3s&feature=related
[...] not used to chicken talons scrapping the inside of your mouth, you might considered this a bizzarre Korea food you might want to try. But even if you are ok with it, you’ll still need bravery because of [...]
[...] credit:http://seoulistic.com/korean-food/5-crazy-weird-bizarre-korean-foods-for-brave/ Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:Like Loading… [...]
[...] This super spicy tteokbokki truck 13. Eat live octopus at noyrangjin market 14. Eat tteokbokki at tteokbokki town (or any other food at a “food town”) 15. Grill [...]
I am going to try all.. but I am going to feel sorry for the live octopus:( lol
I’ve always been extremely intrigued by the live octopus. Definitely something I want to try!! The rest, I’m not so sure…