Food Guide
The One Must-Eat Food for Korean Lunar New Year
Irene
January 24, 2025
Lunar New Year, or Seollal (설날) in Korean, is one of the most important national holidays, a time for family gatherings, honoring ancestors, and embracing a fresh start. While customs like jesa (제사) (ancestor memorial rituals) and sebae (세배) (bowing to elders) are central, food plays an equally important role in celebrating Seollal. Among the many dishes enjoyed during this time, the one must-eat food is tteokguk (떡국) – a traditional soup that symbolizes a fresh beginning and the passing of time. But if soup isn’t your thing, don’t worry—there’s another beloved dish that’s just as festive and delicious.
Tteokguk (떡국) is the must-eat dish during Seollal, offering a taste of tradition and symbolism that’s rich in flavor and meaning. This comforting soup is made with thin, chewy rice cakes served in a savory, milky beef bone broth or a lighter, clear dried anchovy-based broth. The beef bone broth adds depth and richness to the soup, creating a creamy, silky texture that perfectly complements the soft rice cakes. The anchovy-based broth is more delicate but still full of umami, offering a lighter, clearer taste that lets the other flavors shine through.
The rice cakes themselves are soft and slightly chewy, soaking up the savory broth’s flavors with each bite, creating a satisfying texture in every spoonful. Tteokguk is often garnished with thinly sliced egg, soy-marinated minced beef, seaweed, and green onions. These toppings add layers of texture and enhance the overall flavor profile, making each bite a balanced combination of savory, umami, and fresh elements.
For those who want something even heartier, Tteok Mandu Guk (떡만둣국) is a popular variation that includes plump, flavorful dumplings filled with minced meat and vegetables. The dumplings add extra richness and texture, while their pouch-like shape symbolizes good fortune and prosperity for the new year.
Similarly, the white rice cakes in tteokguk represent a clean slate, while their oval shape resembles yeopjeon (엽전), old Korean coins, symbolizing wealth and abundance in the year ahead. But eating tteokguk is about more than just symbolism—it’s a cherished tradition that marks the passing of time, as each bowl signifies gaining a year of age. This makes tteokguk an essential part of Seollal, a meal that welcomes the new year with warmth, meaning, and tradition.
Tteokguk is a dish that can be enjoyed year-round, but it’s especially cherished during Seollal. While Koreans love the comforting nature of the soup, its significance is heightened in the new year, symbolizing a fresh start and the passing of time. The tradition of eating tteokguk on Seollal is a reminder of family connections and cultural heritage, making it a dish that feels particularly meaningful during this time. Outside of the holiday, tteokguk remains a comforting meal, often enjoyed during cold months for its warm, nourishing qualities.
If you're ready to try it yourself, here are some great places where you can have tteokguk delivered straight to your door through Shuttle:
Seoul
Pyeongtaek
Available in select cities
If tteokguk or tteok mandu guk doesn’t sound too appealing to you, there’s another delicious option—one that everyone loves (as long as you're not vegetarian), so you can still enjoy a traditional Seollal feast.
Another beloved dish during Seollal is galbi-jjim (갈비찜), braised short ribs, which often makes an appearance on festive tables. Traditionally, beef was a rare and expensive ingredient, and galbi-jjim was served to elders and guests as a gesture of respect. This dish, with its rich and savory flavors, has become a symbol of celebration. The tender, fall-off-the-bone meat, slow-cooked in a sweet and savory marinade, pairs beautifully with the lighter taste of tteokguk, making it a favorite during Seollal meals.
Get Galbi-jjim delivered in Pyeongtaek:
Food is at the heart of Seollal celebrations, with each dish carrying deep cultural significance. Whether you enjoy the traditional tteokguk, its hearty variation with mandu, or the indulgence of galbi-jjim, these dishes reflect Korea’s rich heritage and the spirit of the holiday. This Seollal is the perfect time to experience these must-eat foods, which are believed to bring luck, prosperity, and a fresh start.
To make your Seollal celebrations even more special, use the promotion code TASTEYOURKOREA to get 4,000 KRW off your order! This exclusive offer is in collaboration with the Korea Tourism Organization, showcasing the authentic flavors of Korean cuisine.
Happy Lunar New Year!
Cover photo source: © Muan Times
