Side dishes and allergies

❃ Side dishes and allergies

반찬 좀 더 주세요. [ Banchan jom deo juseyo. ]: Please give us more side dishes.
김치 더 주시겠어요? [ Gimchi deo jusigesseoyo? ]: Could you give us more kimchi?
이거 매워요? [ Igeo maewoyo? ]: Is this spicy?
안 맵게 해 주세요. [ An maepge hae juseyo. ]: Please make it not spicy.
덜 맵게 해 주세요. [ Deol maepge hae juseyo. ]: Please make it less spicy.
매운 걸 잘 못 먹어요. [ Maeun geol jal mot meogeoyo. ]: I can't eat spicy food well.
고기 들어있어요? [ Gogi deureoisseoyo? ]: Is there meat in it?
비건 음식이 있어요? [ bigeon eumsigi isseoyo? ]: Do you have any vegan dishes?
저는 채식주의자예요. [ Jeoneun chaesikjuuijayeyo. ]: I am a vegetarian.
고기는 빼 주세요. [ Gogineun ppae juseyo. ]: Please take out the meat.
고수 빼 주세요. [ Gosu ppae juseyo. ]: Please don't put cilantro.
땅콩 알레르기가 있어요. [ Ttangkong allereugiga isseoyo. ]: I have a peanut allergy.
해산물이 들어가나요? [ Haesanmuri deureoganayo? ]: Does it contain seafood?
돼지고기를 못 먹어요. [ Dwaejigogireul mot meogeoyo. ]: I can't eat pork.
할랄 고기인가요? [ Hallal gogiingayo? ]: Is it Halal meat?
고기 빼 주세요. [ gogi ppae juseyo. ]: No meat, please.
계란 알레르기가 있어요. [ Gyeran allereugiga isseoyo. ]: I have an egg allergy.
돼지고기 안 먹어요. [ dwaejigogi an meogeoyo. ]: I don’t eat pork.
너무 짜지 않게 해 주세요. [ Neomu jjaji anke hae juseyo. ]: Please don't make it too salty.
소고기 안 먹어요. [ sogogi an meogeoyo. ]: I don’t eat beef.
단맛을 줄여 주세요. [ Danmaseul juryeo juseyo. ]: Please reduce the sweetness.
술 안 마셔요. [ sul an masyeoyo. ]: I don’t drink alcohol.
이 소스는 뭐예요? [ I soseuneun mwoyeyo? ]: What is this sauce?
소스는 따로 주세요. [ Soseuneun ttaro juseyo. ]: Please put the sauce on the side.
이건 날것인가요? [ Igeon nalgeosingayo? ]: Is this raw?

Cultural notes

One of the greatest joys of dining in South Korea is the sudden appearance of numerous small plates on your table right after you order. These are called Banchan (반찬), the traditional side dishes that accompany almost every Korean meal. The most famous is, of course, Kimchi (김치), but you will also get marinated spinach, bean sprouts, pickled radishes, and more. The best part? Banchan are completely free and constantly refillable! If you run out, simply ask the staff for more by saying 반찬 좀 더 주세요 (Banchan jom deo juseyo). However, navigating Korean food can be extremely challenging if you have a low tolerance for spice, are vegetarian, or have food allergies. A vast majority of Korean cuisine is characterized by its vivid red color, coming from gochugaru (chili flakes) or gochujang (chili paste). If you cannot handle the heat, you must explicitly ask the chef to make it less spicy: 덜 맵게 해 주세요 (Deol maepge hae juseyo). For vegetarians, South Korea is historically a tough landscape. Even dishes that appear to be purely vegetable-based, like Kimchi or certain soups, frequently contain hidden animal products such as fermented shrimp paste, anchovy extract, or beef broth. If you are a strict vegetarian, you have to emphasize 고기는 빼 주세요 (Gogineun ppae juseyo - "Please take out the meat"), but be aware that broth might still be animal-based. Food allergies are also not as widely understood as in the West; if you have a severe peanut or shellfish allergy, it is highly recommended to carry a pre-written card in Korean explaining your condition to hand directly to the restaurant staff.

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