Naengguk is a common name for a group of South Korean cold soups that are usually consumed during summer. It is believed that there is no better refreshment than a bowl of cold naengguk on a hot summer day. The soups are typically divided into two main categories: for the first one, cold water is combined with vinegar and ingredients such as cucumbers, spring onions, garlic, wakame, or nori seaweed.
The second category of naengguk is reserved for soups that benefit health, such as the ones made with sesame, soybeans, or chicken. Naengguk first appeared in the 12th century in a poem written by Yi Gyu-bo, where it was referred to as soup with sunchae and was praised for its refreshing, clear flavor.
This hearty Korean soup consists of mudfish (loach), chili paste, soybean paste, and ginger, while the most common additions include various green vegetables such as mustard greens, scallions, and cabbage. In Seoul, the soup is prepared with the whole fish, but the most popular version comes from Namwon where the mudfish is typically ground.
Chueotang is praised for its health benefits and is best consumed from July throughout November when the mudfish are in season. It usually comes served with rice and traditional Korean side dishes (banchan).
Memil guksu is a traditional South Korean soba noodle soup, hence the name, with memil meaning buckwheat, and guksu meaning noodle soup. The dish consists of buckwheat noodles, eggs, green onions, and seaweed. They're boiled in a broth made from guksijangguk and Japanese hondashi.
Once cooked, the noodles are topped with the eggs and toasted seaweed strips. The dish can be enriched with lemon juice, and it's sometimes served with a dipping sauce based on tsuyu and rice wine on the side. Memil guksu noodles are always served cold.
Kongnamul guk is a traditonal South Korean soup prepared with soybean sprouts as the main ingredient. This typical everyday soup has many variations and can be made with different broths (especially the anchovy-based one) or even water. Red chili flakes are often added for a kick of spiciness.
Other common ingredients for the soup include scallions and garlic. It's important not to overcook the sprouts, and if properly prepared, the soup should have a subtle nutty flavor and the sprouts should remain crunchy.
Hand-pulled, wheat noodles are the star ingredient in this hearty Korean soup. The broth is traditionally flavored with anchovies, dry seaweed, and occasionally shellfish, while the additional elements may include sliced vegetables such as scallions and potatoes, or kimchi.
The dish was once considered a rarity that was only enjoyed on special occasions, but nowadays it is a common home-cooked meal. The name sujebi roughly translates as hand folded—referring to the process of pulling small pieces of dough by hand.
Soybean sprout soup is a hearty South Korean classic that is typically associated with Jeonju. Apart from the sprouts, the soup traditionally consists of a flavorful broth and rice, but the optional ingredients may include various vegetables or an egg, which is sometimes served on the side.
The soup is traditionally prepared and served in earthenware pots (ttukbaegi), and it can be topped with chili paste, scallions, or seaweed (kelp).
Kongguksu is a Korean summer classic that combines noodles and a cold, soy milk broth. Traditionally, the broth is made from scratch by cooking and puréeing soybeans, occasionally with the addition of sesame seeds or different nuts. The dish is usually prepared with somyeon noodles, and it is finished off with the addition of different toppings such as finely sliced cucumbers or tomatoes.
Occasionally, ice cubes can be added to chill the soup.
MOST ICONIC Kongguksu
Janchi guksu is a Korean dish consisting of somyeon wheat noodles served in a clear anchovy or beef broth, which is occasionally flavored with kelp. The dish is typically garnished with thinly sliced egg (jidan), seaweed (gim), carrots, shitake mushrooms, or zucchinis, and it usually served with yangnyeomjang – a spicy, soy sauce-based dip.
The name janchi translates as a banquet, suggesting that the dish was once traditionally served on special occasions.
The star ingredient in this hearty Korean soup is fresh or marinated pollack roe (myeongnan). The soup consists of a spicy broth, typically dashi-based, which is seasoned with gochujang paste. Apart from the roe, the soup usually incorporates sliced daikon radish, scallions, bean sprouts, and occasionally tofu or other additions.
It is traditionally served with rice on the side, and it pairs well with soju—traditional Korean spirit.
This festive Korean soup that combines a flavorful broth and Korean tteok rice cakes is typically enjoyed on Korean New Year. The base of the soup can be prepared with various types of broths—known as guk—such as beef, seafood, or kelp broth, while the additional ingredients usually include garnishes such as pan-fried and sliced egg yolks and egg whites, scallions, seaweed (gim), and finely sliced meat.
In Korean tradition, the soup symbolizes new beginnings, while sliced rice cakes, which are reminiscent of coins, represent wealth and prosperity.
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