Tteokbokki

Chewy rice cakes simmered in a sweet-spicy gochujang sauce — Korea's most iconic street snack.

Tteokbokki is the beating heart of Korean street food: cylindrical rice cakes (tteok) simmered with fish cakes in a glossy, sweet-and-spicy gochujang sauce until they're soft, chewy, and coated in red. It's an after-school institution, an anytime comfort snack, and a national craving that ranges from cheap market stalls to trendy specialty chains. The chewiness of the rice cakes and the addictive sweet-hot sauce are the whole appeal, and people love to add boiled eggs, fried dumplings, ramyeon noodles, or cheese. It's communal and casual, eaten standing at a stall or shared from a bubbling pan. For many it's the flavor of nostalgia — and a rite of passage for visitors.