Tteokguk

A clean, clear broth soup filled with oval-sliced white rice cakes, traditionally eaten on New Year's Day.

Tteokguk is one of Korea's most culturally charged dishes: eating a bowl on Seollal (Lunar New Year) is how Koreans symbolically turn a year older, and children who ask for a second bowl are teased for wanting to age faster. The long cylindrical garae-tteok (rice cake log) is sliced into coin-shaped ovals that represent coins and prosperity, and the white colour signifies purity and a clean start to the new year. The broth is typically made from beef brisket or dried anchovies, kept deliberately clear and golden so the white rice cakes remain visually striking. In coastal regions, oysters or clams are added to the soup, while in the south dumplings (mandu) are often included, creating a dish called tteok-mandu-guk. Toppings of thinly sliced egg jidan (separately cooked egg strips), sautéed beef, and toasted nori lend colour and richness to the otherwise austere bowl. Although most powerfully associated with the New Year, tteokguk is eaten year-round at Korean restaurants and by families who find comfort in its simplicity.