Korean BBQ (KBBQ) is both a cooking method and a full dining experience. Here is everything you need to know before your first visit — or to cook it at home.
What Is Korean BBQ?
Korean BBQ (KBBQ) refers to the experience of grilling meat at a gas or charcoal grill set into your dining table. It is simultaneously a cooking method, a social ritual, and one of the most enjoyable ways to eat. The grill is in the center of the table, everyone cooks together, and the meal is accompanied by rice, soup, and an array of banchan. Most Korean BBQ restaurants will have a staff member who cooks for you, or you can do it yourself.
The Essential Meats
Samgyeopsal (삼겹살 — pork belly): Thick slices of unseasoned pork belly grilled until the fat renders and the outside crisps. It is eaten dipped in sesame oil with coarse salt, or wrapped in ssam. Galbi (갈비 — beef short ribs): Cut in the "flanken" style (across the bone) and marinated in a soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and Asian pear mixture. More tender and sweet than samgyeopsal. Chadolbaegi (차돌박이 — thinly sliced brisket): Paper-thin beef that cooks in seconds. Bulgogi (불고기 — fire meat): Thinly sliced marinated beef sirloin, sweeter and more delicate than galbi.
The Ssam Ritual
Ssam (쌈) means "wrap" and it is the heart of the Korean BBQ experience. Take a fresh leaf — usually lettuce (상추) or perilla (깻잎) — and layer it with a piece of grilled meat, a small spoonful of rice, a tiny dab of ssamjang (fermented dipping paste), a slice of raw garlic, a sliver of fresh chili, and a small piece of kimchi. Fold the whole thing into a package and eat it in one or two bites. The combination of flavors is extraordinary.
The Banchan Spread
Korean BBQ is never just meat. It always comes with a spread of banchan: kimchi (several types), kongnamul muchim (soybean sprout salad), gyeran jjim (steamed egg custard), doenjang jjigae, onion with vinegar sauce, raw garlic and fresh chili, and sesame oil with coarse salt for dipping. These side dishes are refilled for free and are as important as the meat itself.
Korean BBQ at Home
You do not need a built-in table grill to enjoy Korean BBQ at home. A cast iron grill pan on your stove works perfectly for samgyeopsal and galbi. For bulgogi, a flat cast iron pan or wok works better. Prepare the banchan in advance — kimchi, kongnamul muchim, and ssamjang can all be made ahead. Set out the ssam leaves, rice, and sauces. The experience is absolutely achievable at home.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Korean BBQ?
Korean BBQ (한식 바비큐) refers to the method of cooking marinated or plain meat at a grill built into the dining table. The most popular meats are samgyeopsal (pork belly), galbi (beef short ribs), and bulgogi (thin-sliced marinated beef). It is typically eaten wrapped in lettuce or perilla leaves with rice and condiments.
What is the difference between samgyeopsal and galbi?
Samgyeopsal (삼겹살) is thick-cut plain pork belly — unseasoned, grilled until crispy, and dipped in salt and sesame oil. Galbi (갈비) are beef short ribs, typically marinated in a sweet soy sauce mixture. Galbi is more expensive and considered a special occasion dish. Both are eaten as ssam wraps.
How do you eat Korean BBQ?
Take a lettuce or perilla leaf, add a small piece of grilled meat, a spoonful of rice, a dab of ssamjang (fermented paste), a slice of raw garlic, and some kimchi. Fold the leaf into a package and eat it in one or two bites. This is called ssam (쌈).