A Korean dish can look vegetable-based and still contain fish, meat stock or seafood seasoning. This guide helps you ask about ingredients. It does not certify individual restaurants or assume that “vegetarian,” “vegan” and “halal” mean the same thing.
Before a trip, write down what you do and do not eat. A precise list is easier to discuss than a label that people may interpret differently.
Start with the ingredients you cannot see
| Korean | Meaning | Where to ask about it |
|---|---|---|
| 멸치 육수 | Anchovy stock | Noodle soups, stews and sauces |
| 고기 육수 | Meat stock | Soups, rice dishes and hot pots |
| 액젓 | Fish sauce | Kimchi and seasoned vegetables |
| 새우젓 | Salted fermented shrimp | Kimchi, side dishes and seasoning |
| 어묵 | Fish cake | Kimbap, tteokbokki and soups |
| 햄 | Ham | Kimbap and mixed dishes |
| 달걀 / 계란 | Egg | Garnishes, noodles, batter and rice dishes |
| 우유 / 버터 | Milk / butter | Drinks, bread, desserts and sauces |
Removing a visible topping does not remove an ingredient already mixed into broth or sauce. Ask before ordering. If staff cannot check a prepared ingredient, choose something whose preparation they can confirm.
Vegetarian: check tofu and vegetable dishes too
Plain tofu is plant-based, but 두부조림 can contain fish sauce or anchovy stock, and 두부전골 can contain meat or seafood. Ask about the finished dish, not just the tofu.
야채김밥 can still include egg, ham, fish cake or imitation crab. “Vegetable kimbap” is a menu name, not a vegetarian certification. Ask which fillings can be left out and whether the roll is prepared to order.
For 비빔밥, check meat, sauce and the seasoning used on vegetables. For 콩국수, check the noodles, broth and egg garnish. Recipes differ; neither dish should be labelled automatically vegan.
Side dishes deserve the same check. Kimchi may contain seafood seasoning, and a vegetable side can use fish sauce. Do not assume every small dish served with a meal matches the main dish’s ingredients.
Vegan: include eggs, dairy and preparation
Use 비건 together with a short ingredient explanation. A dedicated vegan menu can make the discussion easier, but still confirm the current menu and the ingredients relevant to you.
Korean Buddhist temple food often follows plant-based traditions. A restaurant’s “temple-style” description alone is not a guarantee about every item, drink or ingredient. Ask about the meal you will actually receive.
If avoiding shared cooking surfaces matters to you, ask separately. An ingredient request and a separate-preparation request are different things.
Halal: pork-free is not the same as halal-certified
The Korea Tourism Organization’s Muslim-friendly dining guide distinguishes several categories. They should not be converted into a simple reliability score.
- Halal-certified: certification by an accredited halal certification agency. Check the certificate’s scope and current validity.
- Self-certified: the restaurant makes its own halal claim under the guide’s criteria; this differs from external certification.
- Muslim-friendly: some halal dishes may be available. Check the particular dish and the establishment’s alcohol or other food service.
- Pork-free: absence of pork does not establish halal meat sourcing or halal preparation.
Ask about meat sourcing, alcohol-containing ingredients and preparation according to your requirements. A beef or seafood dish is not sufficient evidence of certification. Use the official guide to identify options, then confirm details directly with the restaurant before travelling there.
Korean you can show on your phone
저는 고기와 생선을 먹지 않아요. 육수나 소스에도 들어가나요?
I do not eat meat or fish. Are they also in the stock or sauce?
이 음식에 액젓이나 새우젓이 들어가요?
Does this dish contain fish sauce or salted shrimp?
달걀과 유제품도 먹지 않아요.
I do not eat eggs or dairy products either.
이 김밥에서 햄, 어묵, 맛살, 달걀을 빼 주실 수 있어요?
Could you leave the ham, fish cake, imitation crab and egg out of this kimbap?
할랄 인증을 받은 메뉴인가요?
Is this a halal-certified menu item?
재료를 확인해 주실 수 있어요?
Could you check the ingredients for me?
These sentences help start a conversation; they do not replace a clear answer. For an allergy, say that it is an allergy rather than presenting it as a preference, and confirm the preparation requirements you need.
Before you visit
- Check a current menu and contact the restaurant about your specific restrictions.
- Save its Korean name and address; map listings can have similar names.
- Keep a written ingredient list available when ordering.
- Confirm sauces, stock and side dishes, then decide whether the answer meets your requirements.
Practise food names with our five-dish introduction and restaurant Korean. This page focuses on language and ingredient questions; it does not maintain a verified list of restaurant openings or prices.