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KVIBE IDOLS › Food guides › Korean dishes explained › 부대찌개 (budae jjigae)
🍜 Korean dishes explained
Budae Jjigae (Army Stew)부대찌개 · budae jjigae
What is it?
"Budae" means military base: after the Korean War, cooks combined US-army surplus ham, sausage and canned beans with kimchi and gochujang. Today it is a shared hot pot with instant noodles (ramyeon sari) and a slice of cheese, cooked at the table.
How to eat it
- Ordered per person (often minimum 2); add ramyeon sari.
- Wait until the noodles soften before serving into bowls.
- Rice is usually included or ₩1,000 extra.
- Typical price
- ₩11,000–14,000 per person
Where to try it
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Where is budae jjigae famous?
Uijeongbu, north of Seoul, has a well-known budae jjigae street; it is served all over Korea.
Is it very spicy?
Medium — the ham and cheese mellow the kimchi broth.
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