Read Korean menu names without guessing the ingredients
Use the Korean name to identify a dish, then ask about the restaurant's version. A translated menu name is a useful starting point, not a complete ingredient or allergen statement.
Read a menu in this order
- Name: match the Korean dish name with the article you read.
- Portion: check whether the price is per person, per portion or per dish.
- Included items: confirm rice, side dishes and any separately priced additions.
- Recipe: ask about the restaurant’s own broth, sauce and garnish when relevant.
Compare the Korean name first
Keep the Korean dish name alongside its English or other translated name in your own notes. Oseyo Korea’s food articles explain the dishes, their ingredients and the ways they are commonly enjoyed; read the full article as well as its title. Similar English descriptions can refer to different Korean dishes, so the original name helps staff identify what you mean.
Read the description as an introduction
A basic description explains the dish's usual identity, preparation or principal ingredients. Restaurants can vary the broth, garnish, sauce and accompaniments. Do not use a general dish description as confirmation of a particular meal's ingredients.
Ask about what the price includes
Check whether rice, side dishes or a drink are included, whether the price is per person or per dish, and whether a minimum order applies. If a photograph shows several bowls, ask which are part of the order rather than assuming that everything pictured is included.
Make requirements explicit
Tell staff the specific ingredients you need to avoid and ask whether they can confirm the preparation. For allergies, follow the dietary guide's distinction between ingredient information and cross-contact. Translated names alone cannot establish that a meal is suitable.
Clarify the words beside a price
“1인분” means one portion; “1인” refers to one person. “공기밥 별도” indicates that a bowl of rice is separate. Use “이 가격에 밥이 포함되어 있나요?” — “Is rice included in this price?” — to confirm the actual order. Menu wording explains the offer, while staff can clarify how it applies to the dish and portion you want.
Reference notes
- Korea Food Promotion Institute: 800-dish multilingual menu reference