If you have ever gone out for a drink in Korea, you have probably seen Tteokbokki on the menu. This spicy dish is made of chewy rice cakes in a spicy tteokbokki sauce, and is very popular among Koreans as a drinking snack, or even just as lunch or dinner. It is definitely a must-eat if you are in Korea. You can find lots of restaurants by yourself, or you can join a food tour, like the ones organized by Gastro Tour Seoul, to find the hottest Korean Tteokbokki places.
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What is Tteokbokki?
Korean tteokbokki, or 떡볶이 (pronounced ddukbokki) in Korean, literally means stir-fried rice cakes (tteok). These spicy Korean rice cakes are chewy, long, and cylinder-shaped and they are typically stir-fried in a spicy gochujang (chili paste) sauce, together with scallions, boiled eggs, and Eomuk (fish cakes). Tteokbokki originated in the 19th century, although back then they used to make it with soy sauce.
Nowadays, Koreans prefer to eat their Tteokbokki spicy, and they add many different tteokbokki ingredients. It is very common to see Tteokbokki with cheese, to negate the spiciness a little. Tteokbokki with ramyeon added, Rabokki, is also very popular, especially among students.
Tteokbokki’s spicy sauce and chewy rice cakes make it the perfect Anju – drinking snack. In Korea, people love to have hot, spicy food when drinking beer and Soju, so many bars sell Tteokbokki. You can also find Tteokbokki in little street stalls, called Pojangmacha, where you can enjoy the hot, steaming dish outside. As Tteokbokki increased in popularity, many restaurants have specialized in Tteokbokki and you can often customize the dish by adding the ingredients you like and changing up the sauce.
History of Tteokbokki
It is believed that Korean topokki originated in the 19th century when the dish was first mentioned in a cookbook. Back then, the dish was also known as tteokjeongol (rice cakes hot pot), tteokjjim (steamed rice cakes), and tteokjapchae (stir-fried rice cakes). The dish was made with a soy sauce rather than spicy gochujang, and it contained tteok (rice cakes), sirloin, sesame oil, rock tripe, scallions, pine nuts, and sesame seeds. This style of Tteokbokki is still eaten today and is known as Gungjung Tteokbokki (궁중떡볶이), which means royal court Tteokbokki.
The spicy variant of Tteokbokki first appeared in the 1950s. It is anecdotally told that Ma Bok Lim accidentally dropped a rice cake in spicy sauce during the opening of a Chinese restaurant. She loved the combination of the chewy rice cake and the spicy sauce and opened a restaurant in Sindang. The spicy, gochujang-based Tteokbokki has since become the most popular type of Tteokbokki and is sold all over the country.
Right after the Korean war, Tteokbokki was seen as a working-class dish. The Tteok/rice cake was often made with wheat, as rice flour was quite expensive, and wheat flour was cheaper and widely available. As Korea’s economy improved, rice Tteok became predominant again. With more and more global culinary influencers, Tteokbokki began to evolve to include many different ingredients, such as cheese, rose sauce, jajang sauce, and more.
Tteokbokki ingredients
Although there are many different types of Tteokbokki and many different ingredients, the most common, and most popular, variant of Tteokbokki is still the “traditional” spicy dish. This variant contains the following ingredients:
- Korean chewy rice cakes (cylinder-shaped. Also called Garaetteok/가래떡).
- Korea fish cakes (Eomuk/어묵), shaped into long thin pieces.
- Vegetables such as onions, scallions, and cabbage.
- Boiled eggs
- Spicy Gochujang-based sauce.
The tteokbokki sauce is made with the following ingredients:
- Korean chili paste (Gochujang/고추장).
- Soy sauce to flavor the sauce.
- Sugar to make it slightly sweet.
- Garlic.
- Korean chili flakes (Gochugaru/고추가루).
You can also add a lot of toppings to your Tteokbokki, such as:
- Cheese.
- Ramyeon or wheat noodles.
- Mandu (Korean dumplings).
- Ham & Bacon.
- Etc…
Types of Tteokbokki
There are countless Korean spicy rice cakes varieties. You could eat a different type every day for a year and still have more to try! We have already discussed Gochujang Tteokbokki and Gungjung Tteokbokki previously, so let’s go over some other common types of Tteokbokki. Many of these types of Tteokbokki can also be bought as instant tteokbokki in Korean convenience stores. Brands like Yopokki are popular around the world.
1. Jeukseok Tteokbokki
This kind of Tteokbokki is more like do-it-yourself Tteokbokki. It is prepared on the spot and boiled at your table on a little stovetop. You can choose your sauce (usually a variation of Gochujang sauce) and make it less or more spicy. You can also choose to add some more vegetables, ramyeon or udon noodles, cheese, and even dumplings (Mandu). Jeukseok Tteokbokki is often seen as a meal and can be enjoyed during lunch or dinner.
2. Rabokki
Rabokki is a very popular type of Tteokbokki that adds ramyeon noodles to the sauce. It is usually eaten in bars as an Anju and often combined with cheese. If you prefer something chewier than Ramyeon, you can order Jjolbokki, which contains chewy wheat noodles.
3. Cheese Tteokbokki
Cheese Tteokbokki remains one of the most popular types among foreigners and Koreans alike. Your traditional Gochujang Tteokbokki is topped with a thick layer of (mozzarella) cheese that slowly melts, creating a delicious, creamy-yet-spicy sauce. This kind of Tteokbokki is also good for people who are not huge fans of spicy food but still want to enjoy it a little as the cheese softens the spiciness.
4. Rose Tteokbokki
Similar to Rose Pasta, Rose Tteokbokki is based on a spicy creamy sauce. Cream is added to the traditional Gochujang sauce to create a dish that is soft with just a little kick. Some restaurants also sell Cream Tteokbokki, which is basically Tteokbokki in a creamy carbonara sauce, without any of the Gochujang sauce.
5. Samyang Tteokbokki
Did you know you can also easily have Tteokbokki at home? You can buy instant Samyang Tteokbokki at almost every convenience store. All you have to do is follow the instructions on the packaging, add boiling water, and you got some delicious Tteokbokki a few minutes after. There are two flavors: creamy carbonara and super spicy Buldak.
6. Jajang Tteokbokki
Jajang Tteokbokki is based on Jajang sauce, which is a sweet bean paste. Jajang sauce is often used to make Jajangmyeon, black bean noodles, and has a soft, sweet taste.
7. Fried Tteokbokki
You can also deep-fry the Asian rice cakes to make fried Tteokbokki. This type of Tteokbokki is often not served with sauce. It is also called Gireum Tteokbokki.
Best Tteokbokki in Seoul
So, where can you find the best Tteokbokki in Seoul? There are many different restaurants, each with their own specialties. If you want to take the hassle out of choosing, you can join a food tour! Gastro Tour Seoul has a special tour called the Hongdae Night Food Tour, during which you get to eat delicious night food in Seoul’s nightlife district, including Tteokbokki! The tour includes grilled pork or fish, coffee, Tteokbokki, Makgeolli, and even a dessert!.
Here are some of the most popular places to get Tteokbokki in Seoul.
1. Yeopgi Tteokbokki
Yeopgi Tteokbokki is well-known for its super spicy Tteokbokki. The store was founded in 2002 in Dongdaemun and has since then become a cult-favorite among people craving super spicy food. There are 5 different spice levels you can choose from. Many people go there to challenge themselves to eat the spiciest level possible. You can choose from many different toppings as well, such as cheese, hotdogs, mandus, and more.
2. Hongdae Jopok Tteokbokki
Located in Seoul’s nightlife district Hongdae, this restaurant is over 20 years old. There are rumors that a Korean gangster started a Tteokbokki food truck, which became so popular that it became a permanent restaurant in Hongdae not long later.
3. Mabongnim Tteokbokki
Remember Ma Bok Lim who accidentally dropped a rice cake in spicy sauce, and opened a restaurant in Sindang? This is her place. Opened in 1945, Mabongnim Tteokbokki has over 70 years of experience serving the most delicious Tteokbokki. It is conveniently located in Sindangdong’s Tteokbokki town, where you can try out many different kinds of Tteokbokki.
4. Night markets
There are many different night markets all over Seoul where you can get delicious street food, such as Tteokbokki. Most night markets, such as Dongdaemun Market, Myeongdong Market, and Seoul Bam Dokkaebi Night Market, sell Tteokbokki. Tongin traditional Market has been the place to go for fried Tteokbokki for over 30 years, so be sure to pay that one a visit as well!
5. Ichondong Smile Tteokbokki
Located near the exit 3-3 of Ichon station, since 1980. At first, they sold it on the street, however, since 2000, they moved the current place and run very well. This Tteokbokki is like soup. Called ‘국물떡볶이’.
Frequently Asked Questions
That depends a lot on what kind of Tteokbokki you are eating, but most commonly the dish contains cylinder-shaped rice cakes, spicy red pepper paste (gochujang), fish cakes, and onions or scallions. You can add different toppings, such as cheese, ramyeon noodles, different vegetables, etc.
Generally, Tteokbokki is quite spicy, which pairs well with the soft and chewy rice cakes. The taste is quite hearty and a little bit sweet, which makes it the perfect side dish for when you are drinking. If you are not keen on spicy food, you can opt for soy sauce Tteokbokki or rose or cream Tteokbokki.
The Korean rice cakes made of wheat flour are less chewy than the ones made with rice flour.