Korean Chinese Food: The Must-Try Fusion Cuisine You've Never Heard of [Photos] | Asia Society Skip to main content

Unsupported Browser Detected.
It seems the web browser you're using doesn't support some of the features of this site. For the best experience, we recommend using a modern browser that supports the features of this website. We recommend Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Microsoft Edge

  • Policy
    • Asia Society Policy Institute
      • Center for China Analysis
      • Topics
      • Countries & Regions
      • Publications
      • Initiatives
      • Watch & Listen
      • Events
      • About
      • Support Us
    • Center on U.S.-China Relations
      • Home
      • About
      • Projects
      • Events
      • Reports
      • COAL + ICE
      • ChinaFile
  • Arts
    • Arts & Culture
      • Film
      • Literature
      • Performing Arts
    • Asia Society Museum
      • Visit
      • Exhibitions
      • Programs
      • Collection
      • Asia Society Triennial
      • The Asia Arts and Museum Network
      • Learn
    • Asia Arts Game Changer Awards
      • About
      • Honorees
      • Ceremonies
      • Photos
      • Support
    • Creative Voices of Muslim Asia
      • Resources
      • Exhibitions
      • Videos
  • Education
    • Chinese Language Learning
    • Global Education
    • Discover Asia
    • About
  • Initiatives
    • Arts
      • Arts & Museum Summit
      • Asia Arts Game Changer Awards
      • Asia Society Museum: The Asia Arts & Museum Network
      • Creative Voices of Muslim Asia
      • U.S.-China Museum Summit
      • U.S.-Asia Entertainment Summit
    • Leadership
      • Asia Game Changer Awards
      • Asia 21 Next Generation Fellows
      • Diversity Leadership Initiatives
      • U.S.-China Dialogue
    • Policy
      • Asia Society Policy Institute
      • Center on U.S.-China Relations
    • Sustainability
      • Asia Society Policy Institute
      • Coal + Ice
  • Countries & Regions
    • Column One
      • Afghanistan
      • American Samoa
      • Armenia
      • Australia
      • Azerbaijan
      • Bahrain
      • Bangladesh
      • Bhutan
      • Brunei
      • Cambodia
      • Central Asia
      • China
      • Cook Islands

      • Cyprus
      • East Asia
      • East Timor
      • Fiji
      • French Polynesia
      • Georgia
      • Guam
    • Column Two
      • Hong Kong
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Iran
      • Iraq
      • Israel
      • Japan
      • Jordan
      • Kazakhstan
      • Kiribati
      • Kuwait
      • Kyrgyzstan
      • Laos
      • Lebanon
      • Macau
      • Malaysia
      • Maldives
      • Marshall Islands
      • Micronesia
      • Mongolia
    • Column Three
      • Myanmar
      • Nauru
      • Nepal
      • New Caledonia
      • New Zealand
      • Niue
      • North Korea
      • Northern Marianas
      • Oceania
      • Oman
      • Pakistan
      • Palau
      • Palestine
      • Papua New Guinea
      • Philippines
      • Qatar
      • Samoa
      • Saudi Arabia
      • Singapore
      • Solomon Islands
    • Column Four
      • South Asia
      • Southeast Asia
      • South Korea
      • Sri Lanka
      • Syria
      • Taiwan
      • Tajikistan
      • Thailand
      • Tibet
      • Tokelau
      • Tonga
      • Turkey
      • Turkmenistan
      • Tuvalu
      • United Arab Emirates
      • Uzbekistan
      • Vanuatu
      • Vietnam
      • Wallis and Futuna
      • West Asia
      • Yemen
  • Current Affairs
    • Topics
      • Business
      • Climate Change
      • Governance
    • Programming
      • Beyond the Headlines
      • Business of Asia
    • Center on U.S.-China Relations
      • Home
      • About
      • Projects
      • Reports
      • Past Events
      • ChinaFile
  • Look & Listen
    • Asia Society Magazine
    • ChinaFile
    • Podcasts
    • Video Gallery
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Past Events
  • Visit
    • Visit Us
      • Hong Kong
      • New York
      • Texas
    • Global Network
      • Australia
      • France
      • India
      • Japan
      • Korea
      • Northern California
      • Philippines
      • Southern California
      • Switzerland
      • Washington, D.C.
  • About
    • About Asia Society
    • Inclusion & Diversity
    • Background & History
    • Board of Trustees
    • Senior Leadership
    • Global Staff
    • Global Council
    • Careers
    • Interns and Volunteers
    • Financial Statements
    • For the Media
      • Press Releases
  • Support
    • The Campaign for Asia Society
    • Corporate Engagement
      • Business Council
      • Technology and Innovation Council
      • Global Talent and Diversity Council
      • Rising Executives Network
      • Enhancements to Membership
      • Corporate Membership
      • Global Corporate Leaders
    • Membership
    • Donate
    • Donor Privacy Statement
ASIABLOG
Subscribe
Search
  • Policy
    • Asia Society Policy Institute
      • Center for China Analysis
      • Topics
      • Countries & Regions
      • Publications
      • Initiatives
      • Watch & Listen
      • Events
      • About
      • Support Us
    • Center on U.S.-China Relations
      • Home
      • About
      • Projects
      • Events
      • Reports
      • COAL + ICE
      • ChinaFile
  • Arts
    • Arts & Culture
      • Film
      • Literature
      • Performing Arts
    • Asia Society Museum
      • Visit
      • Exhibitions
      • Programs
      • Collection
      • Asia Society Triennial
      • The Asia Arts and Museum Network
      • Learn
    • Asia Arts Game Changer Awards
      • About
      • Honorees
      • Ceremonies
      • Photos
      • Support
    • Creative Voices of Muslim Asia
      • Resources
      • Exhibitions
      • Videos
  • Education
    • Chinese Language Learning
    • Global Education
    • Discover Asia
    • About
  • Initiatives
    • Arts
      • Arts & Museum Summit
      • Asia Arts Game Changer Awards
      • Asia Society Museum: The Asia Arts & Museum Network
      • Creative Voices of Muslim Asia
      • U.S.-China Museum Summit
      • U.S.-Asia Entertainment Summit
    • Leadership
      • Asia Game Changer Awards
      • Asia 21 Next Generation Fellows
      • Diversity Leadership Initiatives
      • U.S.-China Dialogue
    • Policy
      • Asia Society Policy Institute
      • Center on U.S.-China Relations
    • Sustainability
      • Asia Society Policy Institute
      • Coal + Ice
  • Countries & Regions
    • Column One
      • Afghanistan
      • American Samoa
      • Armenia
      • Australia
      • Azerbaijan
      • Bahrain
      • Bangladesh
      • Bhutan
      • Brunei
      • Cambodia
      • Central Asia
      • China
      • Cook Islands

      • Cyprus
      • East Asia
      • East Timor
      • Fiji
      • French Polynesia
      • Georgia
      • Guam
    • Column Two
      • Hong Kong
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Iran
      • Iraq
      • Israel
      • Japan
      • Jordan
      • Kazakhstan
      • Kiribati
      • Kuwait
      • Kyrgyzstan
      • Laos
      • Lebanon
      • Macau
      • Malaysia
      • Maldives
      • Marshall Islands
      • Micronesia
      • Mongolia
    • Column Three
      • Myanmar
      • Nauru
      • Nepal
      • New Caledonia
      • New Zealand
      • Niue
      • North Korea
      • Northern Marianas
      • Oceania
      • Oman
      • Pakistan
      • Palau
      • Palestine
      • Papua New Guinea
      • Philippines
      • Qatar
      • Samoa
      • Saudi Arabia
      • Singapore
      • Solomon Islands
    • Column Four
      • South Asia
      • Southeast Asia
      • South Korea
      • Sri Lanka
      • Syria
      • Taiwan
      • Tajikistan
      • Thailand
      • Tibet
      • Tokelau
      • Tonga
      • Turkey
      • Turkmenistan
      • Tuvalu
      • United Arab Emirates
      • Uzbekistan
      • Vanuatu
      • Vietnam
      • Wallis and Futuna
      • West Asia
      • Yemen
  • Current Affairs
    • Topics
      • Business
      • Climate Change
      • Governance
    • Programming
      • Beyond the Headlines
      • Business of Asia
    • Center on U.S.-China Relations
      • Home
      • About
      • Projects
      • Reports
      • Past Events
      • ChinaFile
  • Look & Listen
    • Asia Society Magazine
    • ChinaFile
    • Podcasts
    • Video Gallery
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Past Events
  • Visit
    • Visit Us
      • Hong Kong
      • New York
      • Texas
    • Global Network
      • Australia
      • France
      • India
      • Japan
      • Korea
      • Northern California
      • Philippines
      • Southern California
      • Switzerland
      • Washington, D.C.
  • About
    • About Asia Society
    • Inclusion & Diversity
    • Background & History
    • Board of Trustees
    • Senior Leadership
    • Global Staff
    • Global Council
    • Careers
    • Interns and Volunteers
    • Financial Statements
    • For the Media
      • Press Releases
  • Support
    • The Campaign for Asia Society
    • Corporate Engagement
      • Business Council
      • Technology and Innovation Council
      • Global Talent and Diversity Council
      • Rising Executives Network
      • Enhancements to Membership
      • Corporate Membership
      • Global Corporate Leaders
    • Membership
    • Donate
    • Donor Privacy Statement

Korean Chinese Food: The Must-Try Fusion Cuisine You've Never Heard of [Photos]

July 24th, 2013
Jjajangmyeon is a "Koreanized" black bean noodle dish directly borrowed from China's zhajiangmian. (Pabo76/Flickr)
Jjamppong's spicy, flavorful broth is supplemented with seafood, noodles, and assorted vegetables. (dp.hotography/Flickr)
"Jjamjjamyeon," a portmanteau of jjajangmyeon and jjamppong, handily combines Korean Chinese cuisine's two big staple dishes into one partitioned bowl. (Pabo76/Flickr)
Tangsuyuk is crispy sweet and sour beef (or pork) mixed with an array of colorful vegetables. (세릭/Flickr)
Kkanpunggi is deep-fried pork simmered in a spicy, zesty garlic sauce mixed with assorted vegetables. (erin & camera/Flickr)
Mapu dubu is the Korean variation of the popular Sichuanese dish mapo doufu. Although the Koreanized dish didn't lose its spicy flavors, it did, however, gain local Korean flavors. (KFoodaddict/Flickr)
Mandu refers to fried, steamed, or boiled Korean-style dumplings. (Pabo76/Flickr)
Danmuji, or pickled daikon radish, is an indispensable Korean Chinese side dish item. (kattebelletje/Flickr)
No "Korean" meal is complete without kimchi. (kattebelletje/Flickr)
Enlarge Hide captions

It's well known that overseas "Chinese food" tends to straddle the fake-versus-fusion boundary. Peruvians have "airport" (a dish that mixes chow mein and fried rice), Indians have Manchurian chicken, Jamaicans have jerk chow mein, and Americans have the beloved fortune cookie, crab rangoon, and sesame chicken. What about Koreans?

If you think Korean cuisine is all about kimchi, tofu soup and Korean BBQ, you're missing the big picture. Korea and China share a rich history that goes back several centuries, so it's highly conceivable that there would be an exchange of culinary traditions over that span. According to historical accounts, the birth of modern Korean Chinese cuisine can most likely be traced back to the settlement of ethnic Chinese people in the west coast port city of Incheon in the latter half of the 19th century. Korean Chinese cuisine is highly influenced by Northeast Chinese culinary traditions, including those of Beijing and Shandong Province — both less than 600 miles from Seoul and Incheon.

While Korean Chinese food retains many elements from Northeast Chinese cuisine, it is still essentially Korean due to its localized flavors and concentration of restaurants in Korea and overseas Korean communities. Hence, the cuisine can accurately be described as Korean-style Chinese food and by no means masquerades as being entirely authentic. Outside of the Korean peninsula, Korean Chinese restaurants have popped up in major ethnic Korean communities in cities like New York, Los Angeles, and even parts of Beijing and Shanghai. Just like in the United States, Chinese food is well-regarded as an affordable, quick, and convenient eating option across South Korea. It's not at all uncommon to see Chinese delivery motorbikes with big, heated metallic boxes zipping across the street in any Korean town.

Below are some of the most well-known main and side dishes that comprise Korean Chinese food. Korean is a very tricky language to romanize, so the romanizations that appear below may not be the same you see on the restaurant menu. You may also refer to the Korean (left) and traditional Chinese (right) scripts.

Jjajangmyeon (짜장면 / 酢醬麵)

It's the ubiquitous black bean sauce noodle plate that graces every table in your local Korean Chinese restaurant. Jjajangmyeon's sauce typically includes seafood, diced pork pieces, and sliced vegetables like zucchini or cucumber. Jjajangmyeon's signature thick noodles are made from white wheat flour. Jjajangmyeon, which literally means "fried sauce noodles," is a "Koreanized" version of the Chinese dish zhajiangmian. "Jjajangbap" is a popular variation of this dish that swaps out noodles with rice.

Jjamppong (짬뽕 / 炒碼麵)

If you love spicy broth, seafood, and thick, chewy noodles, you'll probably love jjamgppong. Jjamppong, along with jjajangmyeon, are the two kings of Korean Chinese cuisine. Jjamppong is not to be confused with champon, a similar non-spicy Japanese noodle dish originating in Nagasaki. 

Tangsuyuk (탕수육 / 糖醋肉)

Tangsuyuk is essentially a Koreanized version of sweet and sour chicken with an array of mixed veggies and fruits such as carrots, cucumbers, onions, tree ears, apples and pineapples. Beef and pork are also popular substitutes for chicken, which is more commonly used in the American counterpart. Tangsuyuk's crispy outer layer and sweet jelly sauce coating are two unique characteristics to the dish. 

Kkanpunggi (깐풍기 / 宫爆鸡)

Those who love spicy garlic dishes must try kkanpunggi. Assorted veggies, including peas, peppers, onions, and dried red peppers add an array of colors to this beautiful dish. The deep-fried pork may be substituted with chicken, beef, or tofu. This savory dish is akin to General Tso's Chicken, but with added kick and personality.

Mapa dubu (마파두부 / 麻婆豆腐)

Mapa dubu is derived from mapo doufu, the irresistibly spicy Sichuanese tofu delicacy. Ingredients of this dish include: hard tofu, minced beef, red peppers, and green onions. Mapa dubu is known as mabodofu in Japanese Chinese cuisine. Mapa dubu is typically served with rice on the side to balance the spicy flavors.

Mandu (만두 / 饅頭)

Mandu is Korean-style dumplings, similar to jiaozi and gyoza in China and Japan, respectively. Mandu is a cognate of mantou, which in Chinese culture refers to steamed buns. Mandu can be fried, steamed, or boiled and is typically served with soy sauce.

Danmuji (단무지 / 蘿蔔)

Danmuji may actually be closer to Japanese cuisine than to Chinese cuisine. Danmuji, pickled daikon radish, is an essential side dish in any Korean Chinese meal set. Unlike the typical Korean restaurant, Korean Chinese restaurants keeps side dishes to no more than four small plates: danmuji, kimchi, raw onions, and black bean dipping sauce.

Kimchi (김치 / 泡菜)

Korean Chinese food affirms that no Korean meal is complete without kimchi. If anything, the standardization of kimchi as a side dish in Korean Chinese restaurants shows that the cuisine primarily caters to Korean clientele. 

Watch: A South Korean foodie pays a visit to "the best Chinese restaurant in Korea" in Incheon.

Watch: Two foreigners document their jjajangmyeon and tangsuyuk craze.

What is your experience with Korean Chinese cuisine? Which dish sounds most appetizing to you? Let us know in the comment box below!

Related Links

  • Photos: 10 Asian Desserts for Scorching Summer Days
  • Interview: 'Spice Spoon' Blogger Samples Pakistani
  • Afghan and Iranian Cooking
  • Interview: 'Top Chef' Kristen Kish on Her Korean Fried Chicken Addiction
  • and More
asiablog
asian food
china
chinese food
food
fusion food
incheon
india
korea
korean culture
korean food
lifestyle
north korea
photos
south korea
east asia
south asia

About the Author

Profile picture for user Paul Chung
Asia Blog contributor Paul Chung is a senior at Swarthmore College studying Economics and Chinese. He loves anything related to East Asia, news and media, arts and culture, and travel.
 @paulchung91
About
  • Mission & History
  • Our People
  • Become a Member
  • Career Opportunities
  • Corporate Involvement
visit us
  • Hong Kong
  • New York
  • Texas
global network
  • Australia
  • France
  • India
  • Japan
  • Korea
  • Northern California
  • Philippines
  • Southern California
  • Switzerland
  • Washington, D.C.
resources
  • Arts
  • Asia Society Magazine
  • ChinaFile
  • Current Affairs
  • Education
  • For Kids
  • Policy
  • Video
shop
  • AsiaStore
initiatives
  • Arts & Museum Summit
  • Asia 21 Next Generation Fellows
  • Asia Arts Game Changer Awards
  • Asia Game Changer Awards
  • Asia Society Museum: The Asia Arts & Museum Network
  • Asia Society Policy Institute
  • Asian Women Empowered
  • Center on U.S.-China Relations
  • Coal + Ice
  • Creative Voices of Muslim Asia
  • Global Cities Education Network
  • Global Talent Initiatives
  • U.S.-Asia Entertainment Summit
  • U.S.-China Dialogue
  • U.S.-China Museum Summit
Connect
Email Signup For the media
Asia Society logo
©2023 Asia Society | Privacy Statement | Accessibility | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap | Contact

Asia Society takes no institutional position on policy issues and has no affiliation with any government.
The views expressed by Asia Society staff, fellows, experts, report authors, program speakers, board members, and other affiliates are solely their own. Learn more.

 

 

  • Visit Us
  • Hong Kong
  • New York
  • Texas
  • Global Network
  • Australia
  • France
  • India
  • Japan
  • Korea
  • Northern California
  • Philippines
  • Southern California
  • Switzerland
  • Washington, DC