Some Korean food is very spicy, but much of it is not. Korean food is generally spicier than many cuisines, but Korean cooking also includes plenty of mild dishes.
🐰 Tosil: “Hodong, I’m going to Korea soon, but I’m a little worried.”
🐯 Hodong: “Worried about what?”
🐰 Tosil: “Korean food! I keep hearing that Korean food is really spicy. I’m not very good with spicy food.”
🐯 Hodong: “Korean food does have a lot of spicy dishes. But don’t worry. Not everything is spicy.”
🐰 Tosil: “Really? I thought Koreans were all good at eating spicy food.”
🐯 Hodong: “Not at all. Some Koreans love very spicy food. Others can hardly eat it.”
Is Korean Food Actually Spicy?
Let’s start with the honest answer: yes, Korean food is relatively spicy compared with many other cuisines.
Spicy flavors are common in Korean cooking. Ingredients such as gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) and gochujang (Korean chili paste) appear in many familiar dishes.
Think of kimchi, kimchi jjigae, sundubu-jjigae, tteokbokki, spicy chicken, spicy seafood dishes, and hot instant noodles. These foods help explain why Korean cuisine has developed such a strong reputation for heat.
But Korean food is broader than its spicy reputation. Korean cuisine also includes dishes such as bulgogi, galbi, japchae, samgyetang, seolleongtang, and gyeranjjim, where chili heat is not the main feature.
You are not alone in worrying about this. In a 2025 survey of about 11,000 people in 22 countries, kimchi was the most disliked Korean food, and 36.9% of those who disliked it said it was too spicy.
So if you are worried about spicy food, you do not need to avoid Korean cuisine. You simply need to know what you are ordering.
If you want to understand the different levels of Korean spicy food, see our guide to Korean Spicy Food: Find Your Level.
Why Are Koreans Often Comfortable With Spicy Food?
There is no special “spicy-food gene” that makes Koreans naturally better at eating chili peppers. A better explanation is familiarity.
Many Koreans encounter spicy flavors from a young age. Kimchi may appear at family meals, and foods such as spicy stews, tteokbokki, or spicy noodles become familiar over time.
That repeated exposure can make certain levels of heat feel normal. But being familiar with spicy food does not mean everyone enjoys it.
Some people gradually become comfortable with spicy flavors. Some enjoy them but have a clear limit. Others simply do not like them. Tolerance and preference are personal.
A Korean Company Dinner Can Tell You a Lot
Imagine a Korean company dinner with about ten people.
The main dish is somewhat spicy. Most people start eating without giving the heat much thought.
But one or two people take a single bite and immediately start sweating. They reach for water and slow down, while everyone else continues eating normally.
Eventually, someone may say: “Let’s order something else for them.” A separate, milder dish is ordered for those who cannot handle the spice.
That is a very normal part of Korean food culture. Spicy food is common in Korea, but not every Korean can eat it comfortably.
Korea Also Has Extremely Spicy Food
Korean spicy food has a fiery end, too. Some people actively seek out the heat.
Dakbal, spicy chicken feet, is a favorite among Koreans who love intense heat
Tteokbokki is a good example. A regular serving can already have noticeable heat, but some restaurants offer much hotter versions specifically for people who enjoy intense spice.
You can also find spicy galbi, spicy jokbal, and extremely hot instant noodles. Buldak-style spicy noodles are a famous example. For someone trying them for the first time, the reaction can easily be: “How can anyone eat this?” And yet some people genuinely enjoy them.
These foods represent the other end of the spectrum: food for people who love very intense heat.
They are not the standard you need to meet to enjoy Korean food.
You can learn more about tteokbokki in our beginner’s guide: Tteokbokki: A Beginner’s Guide to Korea’s Famous Rice Cake Dish.
Maepbusim and Maepjjiri: Two Korean Expressions About Spicy Food
Korean even has playful expressions for people’s very different relationships with spicy food.
맵부심 — Maepbusim
맵부심 (maepbusim) describes a playful sense of pride in being able to handle spicy food. Someone might eat a very spicy dish and proudly say that it is not a problem for them. It is usually used in a lighthearted way, especially among friends.
맵찔이 — Maepjjiri
맵찔이 (maepjjiri) is a playful term for someone who is particularly weak when it comes to spicy food. You might hear friends jokingly call someone a 맵찔이 when that person starts struggling after just a little spice.
Neither expression means that one type of person is “better.” They simply show how differently Koreans can react to spicy food.
Korean Food Wasn’t Always Spicy
Chili peppers are generally believed to have arrived in Korea around the late 16th or early 17th century, during the Joseon period. Before that, Korean food did not have the kind of chili-based heat seen in many familiar dishes today.
Over time, chili peppers became an important ingredient in Korean cooking and became deeply connected with kimchi, gochujang-based dishes, spicy stews, and many other Korean favorites. The spicy character of Korean food developed over time and became an important part of modern Korean food culture.
Is All Korean Food Spicy? Mild Dishes to Try
No. If you do not like spicy food, there are plenty of Korean dishes you can enjoy. Some good starting points include:
| Food | What to Expect |
|---|---|
| Bulgogi | Sweet and savory marinated beef |
| Galbi | Grilled beef short ribs, often savory and slightly sweet |
| Japchae | Soft glass noodles with a savory, slightly sweet flavor |
| Samgyetang | Mild chicken and ginseng soup |
| Seolleongtang | Gentle beef-bone broth that you season yourself |
| Gyeranjjim | Soft, warm steamed egg with a delicate flavor |
These dishes are generally mild, although recipes and seasoning can vary from restaurant to restaurant.
Buchujeon, a Korean chive pancake, is savory and crisp with no chili heat, an easy choice if you prefer mild food.
For a more detailed guide, especially if you are traveling with children or have a sensitive palate, see How to Eat Non-Spicy in Korea: A Guide for Mild Palates & Kids.
A Simple Way to Control the Spice
Some Korean dishes allow you to control how much spicy sauce you add. Bibimbap is a good example. Gochujang is often served separately, so you can start with a small amount and add more if you want.
Useful Korean Phrases for Ordering
If you are worried about spicy food, learning a few simple Korean phrases can make ordering much easier.
| English | Korean | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| Is this spicy? | 이거 매워요? | Igeo maewoyo? |
| Please make it less spicy. | 덜 맵게 해 주세요. | Deol maepge hae juseyo. |
| Please give me something that isn’t spicy. | 안 매운 걸로 주세요. | An maeun geollo juseyo. |
If you want more help with ordering and dining in Korea, see our Korean Restaurant Etiquette for First-Time Visitors guide.
Don’t turn spicy food into a challenge. If you’re not used to very spicy food, start with a small amount rather than trying to finish the whole dish.
It can also be helpful to have milk, banana milk, or a sweet milky-style drink such as Coolpis nearby when you’re eating something very spicy.
Most importantly, know your limit. Eating far more spice than you’re used to can cause stomach or digestive discomfort and seriously interfere with your plans the next day, especially when you’re traveling.
You came to Korea to enjoy the food, not to win a spicy-food contest.
There is no required level of spiciness for enjoying Korean food. Start mild if you need to, try something spicier when you are ready, and if something is simply too hot, choose something else.
I’m Korean, too, but I’m not very good with spicy food. If a restaurant lets me choose the spice level, I usually choose mild. If it doesn’t, I ask them to make it less spicy.
You don’t have to prove how much heat you can handle. Find the level that feels right for you, and enjoy Korean food your own way.
You May Also Like
Tteokbokki: A Beginner's Guide to Korea's Famous Rice Cake Dish
10 Korean Foods to Try First: Hodong's Picks for First-Time Visitors
Korean Spicy Food: Find Your Level
How to Eat Non-Spicy in Korea: A Guide for Mild Palates & Kids
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