Eomuk

Soft fish cakes threaded on skewers and simmered in a light, savory broth — the quintessential Korean winter street food.

Eomuk, sometimes called odeng (오뎅) in the older Japanese loanword, consists of processed fish paste formed into sheets or tubes, skewered on long sticks, and kept warm in a gently simmering kelp-and-radish broth at street carts across Korea. The broth itself is a key part of the experience: vendors offer small cups of it for free as a warming drink alongside the skewers, a gesture of hospitality unique to Korean street food culture. Eomuk's origins trace back to Japanese oden introduced during the colonial period, but Koreans adapted it so thoroughly — adding gochugaru, green onions, and the distinctive clear broth — that it is now considered entirely Korean. In winter, the sight of steam rising from an eomuk cart is as evocative of Seoul as any landmark, and commuters warm their hands on the broth cups between sips. The fish cakes themselves are mild and slightly springy, making them one of the least intimidating Korean street foods for first-time visitors. They also appear in many home-cooked dishes, from tteokbokki to stir-fries and dosirak lunchboxes.