Dip it in soy sauce or spicy chili sauce. Try a piece of sashimi with soy sauce or Korean sweet-and-spicy chojang, depending on your preference.
GUIDE 13
How to Eat Korean Sashimi
Dip, wrap, then finish with spicy fish stew.
WHAT IS IT?
Korean sashimi is often served with dipping sauces, leafy wraps, side dishes, and a warm fish stew to finish the meal.
HOW TO EAT IT
Try it with Korean side dishes. Pair the fish with white kimchi, seasoned vegetables, or any banchan served at the table.
Make a Korean sashimi wrap. Place a piece of sashimi on lettuce or a perilla leaf, then add a little ssamjang, garlic, or fresh chili if you like.
Eat the wrap in one bite. Fold the leaf around the ingredients and keep the wrap comfortably bite-sized so the sashimi, paste, garlic, and chili come together.
Finish with maeuntang. After the sashimi, try the spicy Korean fish stew made with fish, vegetables, and a flavorful broth.
Add ramen noodles. If there is maeuntang broth left, ask for ramen noodles and cook them in the spicy broth for a popular Korean-style finish.
Take it one relaxed bite at a time.
LOCAL TIP
Keep your first wrap small. A bite-sized ssam is much easier to eat and lets the fish stay the focus.
TABLE TIP
Refill Your Side DishesNeed more banchan? Just ask the staff. Most Korean restaurants are happy to refill common side dishes at no extra charge, and some have a self-service banchan bar. A few dishes made with more expensive ingredients may be limited or not refillable. Don’t be shy—asking for more banchan is completely normal in Korea.
Don’t worry if…
You do not have to use every sauce or side dish at once—start with one simple bite and build from there.