Budae-jjigae
Spam, kimchi and ramen in one bubbling pot
Think of it as: Like a late-night dorm-room hot pot that got seriously good
Born from army-base cans. Still undefeated.
What does it taste like?
Spicy, tangy kimchi broth with salty Spam; the cheese smooths it out.
SweetSpicySourSaltyFunkSmellTextureSilky broth, slurpy noodles
What is it?
A spicy hot pot loaded with Spam, hot dogs, kimchi and instant ramen. It was born after the Korean War, when canned meat from U.S. army bases found its way into Korean kitchens.Source: Wikipedia
How locals eat it
Cooked at the table in a shared pot and eaten with rice.
Watch it
More videos on YouTubeWhere is it from?
🇰🇷South Korea
CapitalSeoul
Populationabout 51.6 millionUN estimate for 2026
IndustriesSemiconductors, Cars, Shipbuilding, K-pop and K-dramas
Common surnamesKim, Lee, ParkFrom national statistics and surname surveys; rankings vary by source
Famous peopleBTSGlobally popular group
HelloAnnyeonghaseyo
CurrencyWon
And JapanOne of Japan's closest neighbors. Fukuoka to Busan is about 200 km
Fun factPeople eat seaweed soup on their birthday
The flag🇰🇷 Called the Taegukgi: white is peace, the circle in the middle is yin and yang, and the four corner symbols are heaven, earth, water and fire.
From Tokyoabout 1,150 kmstraight line, Tokyo to Seoul
Getting thereabout 2.5 hours from Tokyo (direct)rough guide
✈ Check cheap flights Best timeSpring from April to May, or October to November for fall colors. Also tryBibimbapSamgyeopsalTteokbokki More from here🐛 Beondegi🐟 Hongeo-hoe🐙 Sannakji🪱 Gaebul🌭 Sundae
✈ Check cheap flights Best timeSpring from April to May, or October to November for fall colors. Also tryBibimbapSamgyeopsalTteokbokki More from here🐛 Beondegi🐟 Hongeo-hoe🐙 Sannakji🪱 Gaebul🌭 Sundae
🇰🇷 Sounds & life in South Korea
안녕하세요Hello（Annyeonghaseyo）
Hangul
Hangul
Right now…
Anthem"Patriotic Song" (애국가)
MusicK-pop Pop with seriously polished singing and dancing
SportBaseball (soccer is hugely popular too)
Son Heung-min (soccer; captain of the Korean national team) World HeritageSeokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple and more National animalTiger (unofficial) National flowerRose of Sharon (mugunghwa) FestivalChuseok (around September-October)
MusicK-pop Pop with seriously polished singing and dancing
SportBaseball (soccer is hugely popular too)
Son Heung-min (soccer; captain of the Korean national team) World HeritageSeokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple and more National animalTiger (unofficial) National flowerRose of Sharon (mugunghwa) FestivalChuseok (around September-October)
Ingredients
- 1/2 can Spam
- 4 hot dogs
- 150 g kimchi
- 1 pack instant ramen
- 2 tbsp baked beans
- 1 slice American cheese
- 1 tbsp gochujang
- 1 tbsp Korean chili flakes
How to make it (one way)
- Slice the Spam and hot dogs.
- Arrange kimchi, meat and beans in a shallow pot.
- Pour in stock mixed with gochujang and chili flakes.
- When it boils, add the ramen.
- Top with cheese and dig in once it melts.