Pajeon

Crispy savory pancake packed with green onions and often studded with seafood.

Pajeon is one of Korea's most beloved jeon — pan-fried savory pancakes — and rain is practically its unofficial season, as Koreans say the sound of falling rain on a roof resembles the sizzle of jeon hitting a hot oiled pan. The batter, made from wheat flour, rice flour, and egg, acts as a thin, lacy cradle for bundles of green onions laid lengthwise, creating long strips of pancake that are golden and crisp at the edges yet tender within. Seafood additions like squid, shrimp, or oysters are common, elevating the dish to haemul pajeon for festive occasions and market stalls. Dipped in a tart soy-vinegar sauce flecked with chili, each bite delivers a satisfying contrast of crunch, chew, and umami. Pajeon appears as an everyday banchan at home, a street-food snack at traditional markets, and a beloved anju — food eaten alongside alcohol — especially with makgeolli rice wine.