Kimchi-jjigae, Doenjang-jjigae and Naengmyeon — A Visitor's Guide to Korean Stews and Cold Noodles

Jjigae (찌개) is the everyday Korean stew — bubbling, shared from one pot and eaten with rice: kimchi-jjigae is sour-spicy, doenjang-jjigae is earthy soybean paste, sundubu-jjigae is soft tofu. Naengmyeon (냉면) is the opposite: chewy buckwheat noodles in icy broth (mul) or spicy sauce (bibim). A stew lunch in Seoul usually costs around ₩9,000–12,000; naengmyeon at a famous Pyongyang-style house is often ₩13,000–19,000.

The stews (jjigae)

Dish	Taste	How it's served	Try it
Kimchi-jjigae 김치찌개	Sour, spicy, deep — made with aged kimchi and pork or tuna	A shared pot for the table, with rice	Guldari Sikdang 굴다리식당 in Gongdeok — a 30-plus-year-old kimchi-jjigae spot; order the rolled omelet too
Doenjang-jjigae 된장찌개	Earthy, savory soybean paste with tofu, zucchini and onion	Often comes after Korean BBQ, or as a set lunch	At almost any BBQ restaurant — ask for it with rice after the meat
Sundubu-jjigae 순두부찌개	Silky soft tofu in a spicy broth, a raw egg cracked in	Individual bubbling stone pot	Good for a quick solo lunch; choose seafood, beef or mild
Budae-jjigae 부대찌개	Spicy "army stew" with sausage, spam, ramen and cheese	Big shared pot cooked at the table	Fun with a group; add ramen noodles (라면사리)

How to eat jjigae: the pot goes in the middle and everyone ladles into their own bowl. Rice (gongi-bap, 공기밥) usually comes with it; a second bowl costs about ₩1,000–2,000. Side dishes are free and refillable, as everywhere in Korea.

Cold noodles (naengmyeon)

Type	What it is	How to eat
Mul-naengmyeon 물냉면	Buckwheat noodles in cold, light beef broth, sometimes with ice	Taste the broth first, then add vinegar and mustard
Bibim-naengmyeon 비빔냉면	Noodles mixed in sweet-spicy red sauce, little broth	Mix well; a cup of hot broth helps with the spice
Pyongyang style 평양냉면	Mild, subtle broth — locals love it, first-timers sometimes call it "bland"	Give it a few sips; it grows on you

Many places cut the long noodles with scissors for you — say "Jalla juseyo" (잘라 주세요) if they don't. Koreans eat naengmyeon all year, and Pyongyang-style naengmyeon was originally a winter dish.

Famous Pyongyang naengmyeon houses in Seoul: Woo Lae Oak 우래옥 (Jung-gu, one of the oldest), Pildong Myeonok 필동면옥 and Bongpiyang 봉피양. Expect lines at lunch. In Busan, try milmyeon instead — see our Busan Gwangalli milmyeon guide.

Useful phrases

Korean	Say it	Meaning
김치찌개 2인분 주세요	Kimchi-jjigae i-inbun juseyo	Kimchi stew for two, please
공기밥 하나 더 주세요	Gongi-bap hana deo juseyo	One more bowl of rice, please
덜 맵게 해 주세요	Deol maepge hae juseyo	Less spicy, please
잘라 주세요	Jalla juseyo	Please cut (the noodles)

Prices and Michelin listings change every year, so check Naver Map before you go. Pair this with where to eat samgyeopsal by area — or let us plan a food day around what you want to try.