Breakfast in Korea
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- This topic has 18 replies, 1 voice, and was last updated 1 year, 12 months ago by Anonymous.
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- November 24, 2008 at 3:16 pm #48660PreesiMember
What is a typical breakfast like in Korea?
- November 26, 2008 at 2:51 am #51692UlzzangMember
A traditional Korean breakfast is like any other meal during the day! Nowadays, more Koreans are adopting the Western practice of breakfast– bakery items, cereal, etc. Many families still eat a traditional breakfast which is usually rice, several banchan, a soup of some kind, and a meat dish.
- December 2, 2008 at 1:14 am #51693jenrennerMember
I remember eating white rice, kimchi of some sort and fried eggs…our Korean moms in the neighborhood thought this would give us lots of energy for the day…
- December 4, 2008 at 2:08 am #51694MaangchiKeymaster
I have had very light breakfast for years. What is it? haha, coffee! Coffee gives me energy to start my day very energetically. I sometimes drink fat free milk and grape fruit juice along with coffee. Basically all are liquid. : )
Anyway, long time ago when I lived in Korea, I used to cook breakfast everyday for my family and myself. Doenjang soup (soybean soup vegetables), cooked rice, kimchi, bean sprout side dish, spinach side dish, steamed egg, roasted small fish..etc… I never cook bulgogi for breakfast which is too heavy.
Rice and soup! That’s basic breakfast in Korea.
- December 7, 2008 at 6:39 pm #51695unchienneParticipant
Whenever mom’s friends would come over for breakfast, they would expect to have rice and kimchi-jigae. A side dish or two might go with it, but usually the stew was enough. One thing I did notice that when eaten for breakfast, more emphasis was placed on the broth than the meat or kimchi.
So I’d go with soup and rice with maybe a side dish.
Me personally, I’m a grab and go girl. Instant coffee, a bagelful or kashi breakfast bar and I’m out the door.
- December 10, 2008 at 2:01 am #51696sueetMember
it’s usually a lighter soup (bean sprout soup or tofu soup) with simple side dishes… i remember when we were kids we would have cream soup and bread for breakfast too…
but yeah… a lot of ppl have “merican style”breakfast these days… like cereal or egg sandwich… :D
- December 12, 2008 at 8:06 am #51697motivasianMember
I remember eating soup and some rice before going to school but as my brother, sister, and i got older it was fried egg sandwiches or grilled cheese and fried egg sandwiches but mainly toaster strudels or toaster scrambles.
- January 2, 2009 at 1:47 am #51698RonPaulMember
As a korean child born in the states, the idea of eating Korean food for breakfast seems bizarre to me. But now that I think of it, whenever I was sick, my mom would make me a very simple Korean breakfast: rice porridge (“juke”?) and a side dish of like a pulled beef in soy sauce (anyone know what this is called?) and some sort of kimchi.
Is this a breakfast typically made in Korea for when you have the cold/flu?
- January 4, 2009 at 4:58 pm #51699kissmyappleMember
RonPaul
That dish you’re thinking of is JangJorim. :) Jook is very common to eat when your tummy isn’t well enough to handle more substantial food any time of the day.
- June 8, 2009 at 6:35 am #51700annabananaParticipant
Eh. When I was growing up we got toast, cereal, fruit, pancakes, etc. for breakfast…I thought it was weird that other Korean people ate…Korean food for breakfast. “It’s a dinner food!” 8P
- June 8, 2009 at 6:37 am #51701annabananaParticipant
Come to think of it, sometimes we’d get soup – tomato soup, usually, but a soup – very Korean!
- August 19, 2009 at 2:22 am #51702OrionParticipant
when i lived there, we pretty much just ate leftovers.. we had soup, several kinds of kimchi, some side dishes and some fish or meat and rice, of course.
i remember one time, my boss’s nephew bought some cakes (like chocolate cake) and some tomato juice. i was like EEEEWWWWWWWWW lol but i ate it anyway, so i wouldn’t look rude.
- September 4, 2009 at 1:12 pm #51703chirpParticipant
A bowl of steamed rice , (it’s the bread of korean diet)
soup(light soup, like bean sprout soup, light doenjang tofu soup)
(we don’t eat jjigae for breakfast. it’s for at least lunch or dinner )
with ordinary banchan right out of the frige.
(no to less meat. we usually don’t eat samgyupsal in the morning)
->that’s a traditional korean breakfast.
Takes more time and enthusiasm than cereal & milk
but it’s called “Mom’s Love”
- September 25, 2009 at 10:56 pm #51704Sci00Member
Hahaha, I feel weird. I grew up in San Diego with a Korean mom and I was never a big breakfast girl. I usually had my mom’s homemade salsa, tangerine or an avocado and a bowl of Rice! Talk about fusion of cultures!
- September 28, 2009 at 3:35 am #51705Shin Hang-Pyo51Member
When I was touring Korea this summer, I stayed with two host families. They both gave people from my group and me rice, soup (Miyuk Guk/ Birthday Soup ^_^ or an egg soup) and a lot of banchan (about 10 different dishes such as japchae, kimchi, quail eggs, Kim, etc.). I’m pretty sure they were up at 6 making breakfast for at least an hour for us.
The picture is part of one of our breakfasts. They actually made these mini burgers that we just called Asian burgers.
-신항표
- December 16, 2010 at 12:28 pm #51706maseParticipant
Hello Maangchi and friends above
Kamsa hamnida. I find this forum very stimulating and informative in helping me prepare lunch and dinner menus. Breakfast is usually coffee and some sweet buns for my family.
There are so many side dishes and soups/stews with a small bowl of rice, no wonder Koreans are slim.
Btw I read somewhere that spring onions help break-up fat. So I put loads of it in everything I cook from kimchee to japchae and spicy soup/stew. Also, can I prepare Miyuk Guk/Birthday Soup everyday – or is it for special occcasions only.
Have a nice day.
- June 10, 2013 at 4:18 pm #51707Austrian83Participant
I remember when I’ve visited my friend for breakfast, we often eat rice mixed with soja sauce, sesame oil and fried egg and some kimchi and other side dishes.
- April 19, 2019 at 4:22 pm #81600ChristinaCParticipant
@RonPaul: this reply is 10+ years too late, but jjang-jorim is what you’re thinking of. Maangchi has a recipe- all you have to do is pull it apart with a fork which is what moms often do for little kids. hope you’re still cooking with Maangchi!
- March 29, 2022 at 3:16 am #96078AnonymousInactive
Here are some foods that Koreans in their breakfast are;
1. Fried rice.
2. Dalgona coffee.
3. Kimchi pancakes.
4. Eggs.
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