Japchae is a South Korean dish made by stir-frying glass noodles and vegetables. The dish is often served with beef and additionally flavored with sugar and soy sauce. The name of the dish is translated to a mixture of vegetables. The original japchae did not contain meat nor noodles, and it was invented by King Gwangaegun's servant, who prepared the meal for a royal celebration.

The king loved the dish so much that the servant got promoted to an upper rank. Since many Korean foods feature five colors, japchae also meets that criterium: green for spinach, red for carrots, black for mushrooms, and yellow and white for a fried egg, typically used as a garnish in japchae.

Nowadays, japchae can often be found at numerous Korean birthdays or wedding parties, sometimes in varieties such as gochu japchae with chili peppers and vegetables, or haemul japchae with seafood and vegetables.