Search locations or food
OR
Sign up

What to eat in South Korea? Top 10 Korean Pork Dishes

Last update: Fri Feb 14 2025
Top 10 Korean Pork Dishes
VIEW MORE
01
Samgyeopsal
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Samgyeopsal is a South Korean delicacy consisting only of pork belly, the most expensive cut of pork in the country. It is so popular in South Korea that the residents eat it approximately once every four days. The name of the dish consists of three words: sam (three), gyeop (layered), and sal (meat), so it can be literally translated as three-layered meat, referring to the three visible layers of the meat.


It is believed that the dish became popular in the 1960s, when the price of soju decreased and people needed a dish to go with it, so they chose pork belly due to its low price at the time. Whether at home or in restaurants, samgyeopsal is traditionally cooked at the table in a special pan which is designed to let the fat run off the sides of it. 

MOST ICONIC Samgyeopsal

View more
2
3
4
02

Pork Dish

SOUTH KOREA
4.5
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Bossam is a South Korean dish consisting of sliced and steamed pork that is wrapped in leaves of vegetables such as chard, beetroot, lettuce, or Chinese cabbage. When properly prepared, the meat should have a delicately smooth, creamy taste. It is often accompanied by rice, sweet kimchi, and shrimp sauce.


The dish is traditionally served as anju, denoting dishes that go well with alcoholic beverages. Bossam is a classic example of a simple dish that really comes together with the addition of numerous condiments and toppings, so many restaurants like to serve it with side dishes such as kimchi stew, dwenjang jjigae, or seafood pancakes.

MOST ICONIC Bossam

1
2
3
4
03
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

This South Korean classic consists of thinly sliced fatty pork cuts that are marinated and then grilled or pan-fried. The marinade is based on gochujang - a spicy Korean chili paste - and additions such as soy sauce, chili flakes, rice wine, garlic, and ginger.


Also known as dwaejigogi bokkeum, this pork dish is commonly prepared at home, and it is a staple at Korean restaurants. Jeyuk bokkeum is usually served with lettuce or perilla leaves that are meant to be used as wrappers, while other accompaniments include ssamjang and kimchi.

04

Pork Cut

SOUTH KOREA
4.5
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Moksal is a Korean name for pork cuts obtained from the neck of the animal. This pork cut is nicely marbled, and its tough and stiff texture makes it great for grilling. Compared to samgyeopsal (pork belly), moksal doesn’t have as much fat.


This cut comes in pork chop size, and as it’s grilled, the meat is often cut into bite-sized pieces with special scissors. This is one of the most popular pork cuts in Korea and it’s mostly used for Korean barbecue.

05

Pork Dish

SOUTH KOREA
4.4
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Ogyeopsal is a pork belly cut traditionally used in South Korean barbecue (gui). The cut comes from the pork belly together with the skin. It is similar to more popular samgyeopsal, which does not include the skin. Ogyeopsal is typically sliced into strips that are then grilled on traditional Korean barbecue.


It is usually cut into smaller, bite-size pieces. Grilled ogyeopsal can be enjoyed plain—accompanied by side dishes and dipping sauces—but it is also commonly incorporated into ssam wrappers, together with the accompaniments. Ogyeopsal roughly translates as five-layered meat, due to the number of layers visible on the cut.

06

Pork Dish

SOUTH KOREA
4.2
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Jokbal is a popular South Korean dish consisting of boneless seasoned and steamed pig's legs. The meat is usually seasoned with a combination of soy sauce, ginger, and black taffy, giving the dish a unique flavor. Jokbal is traditionally served with side dishes such as kimchi, buchu, and shredded radish, while the condiment of choice is usually ssamjang, which is a combination of fermented bean paste and pepper.


It is recommended to serve jokbal wrapped in lettuce leaves.

MOST ICONIC Jokbal

1
2
3
07
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Hangjungsal or hanjeongsal is a Korean name for pork jowl, a pork cut that’s often used in traditional Korean barbecue. Due to the fact that a whole pig provides only about 200 grams of hangjungsal, the cut is less accessible than samgyeopsal (pork belly) and moksal (pork neck).


The texture of hangjungsal is crunchy and chewy, while the flavors are heavier than other pork cuts, so it’s not recommended to have too much of it. Hangjungsal has even marbling, and although the texture is chewy, it’s also tender and juicy once it’s been grilled.

08
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Pork ribs are one of the most common cuts used in the preparation of gui – traditional Koran barbecue. The ribs are marinated in a spicy gochujang-based mixture or a milder soy sauce marinade, both of which are typically enriched with rice wine, garlic, and ginger, as well as various other additions.


In restaurants, the ribs are traditionally grilled tableside and are then eaten by using lettuce or perilla leaves as wrappers. The whole meal is usually accompanied by a dipping sauce called ssamjang, different side dishes (banchan), and various fresh vegetables.

MOST ICONIC Dwaeji galbi

1
2
3
09
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Galmaegisal or kalmaegisal is a Korean name for skirt meat, a pork cut that’s sliced into thin strips after it’s been grilled on a traditional Korean barbecue. The texture of galmaegisal is chewy and tougher than other pork cuts due to the fact that the meat is attached to the diaphragm of the animal.


This cut is especially popular in the Mapo region and it’s a great alternative to the fattier samgyeopsal (pork belly). Interestingly, many people claim that it tastes less porky than samgyeopsal as well.

10
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Daeji galbi or daejikalbi is a Korean name for pork ribs, a cut of pork that’s usually used for traditional Korean barbecue. The ribs are marinated before grilling, often in a combination of ginger, onions, garlic, gochujang red chili pepper paste, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and black pepper.


If you order daeji galbi in a restaurant, in some places you might get a combination of ribs and moksal (pork neck). Once grilled, the pork ribs are often served with cold noodles on the side.

TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.

Show Map
Korean Pork Dishes