The Unique Charm of Korean Food: Side Dishes and Full Table Setting
One of the things foreigners often find most surprising about eating in Korea is the variety of side dishes. In many Western countries, a main dish usually comes with just one or two small accompaniments. But in Korea, before the main dish even arrives, the table is already filled with a colorful spread of food.
The Culture of Side Dishes. We call it, Banchan (반찬)
To understand Korean dining, you can’t leave out banchan—the many small dishes served alongside rice. These can include kimchi, seasoned vegetables, pickles, stir-fried items, pancakes, and much more.
We don’t consider banchan to be “extra sides.” Instead, we see them as an essential part of the meal. A proper meal means rice served with several different banchan. Even at home, a typical family meal includes at least three to four kinds of side dishes. In restaurants, basic banchan are usually complimentary, and you can even ask for more at no extra cost—something many visitors to Korea find both surprising and delightful. 😁
How Many Side Dishes?
The most common number of banchan you’ll see in an average Korean restaurant is around three to five. These usually include kimchi, bean sprouts, spinach, braised potatoes, or salad. In Korean barbecue restaurants, you’ll also find lettuce, garlic, and ssamjang (a savory dipping paste). At a casual diner or lunch set place, soups and stews are served with a spread of banchan, offering both flavor and nutrition in a single meal.
Korean Food Culture, Han-jeong-sik and Han-sang-cha-rim (한정식 & 한상차림)
If you want to experience the pinnacle of Korean dining culture, try hanjeongsik, a traditional Korean full-course meal. Historically, this was a luxurious spread prepared to welcome important guests. It features dozens of dishes arranged beautifully on one table—rice, soup, stews, grilled fish, steamed dishes, pancakes, kimchi, and seasoned vegetables, all in small portions but endless in variety.
The picture above is a typical Hanjeongsik meal.
Here, the key idea is hansangcharim, which literally means “a table setting filled with food.” Unlike Western-style dining, where dishes come out in courses, Koreans serve everything at once. This allows diners to freely combine different banchan with rice according to their taste.
We are so accustomed to the side dish culture that it actually feels difficult to eat a meal without them. Many even believe that at least one dish of kimchi must always be served. 😂
The Unique Aspects of Korean Food and Side Dishes
Korean side dishes and the hansangcharim style are more than just “a lot of food.” They represent a harmony of flavors—spicy, salty, sour, sweet, and savory all balanced in one meal. They also reflect nutritional balance, since vegetables, grains, and proteins all come together naturally.
Seasonality is another charm of Korean dining. Spring brings fragrant wild greens, summer offers refreshing cold soups, autumn highlights root vegetables and fruits, and winter showcases dishes made with well-aged kimchi. This means Koreans can taste the change of seasons directly at the dining table.
If it’s your first time trying Korean food, you’ll be amazed by the number of side dishes that come with just a bowl of rice. And if you experience hanjeongsik or hansangcharim, you’ll see how Korean dining is not only rich and generous, but also deeply rooted in the joy of sharing food together. ❤️
I hope this gave you a good framework for understanding Korean food.
Next time, I’ll introduce some of the basic Korean side dishes.
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