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Vegan & Vegetarian Guide to Korea: Eat Safely

Eating on a specialized diet in Korea is hard. Learn how to avoid hidden fish sauce or wheat and find certified vegan, Halal, or GF food with our guide.

Evan Han

CEO & Founder of FOHO, a housing platform for foreigners in Korea. Experienced in rental market trends, proptech innovation, and foreign tenant support.

Oct 27, 2025

TIP

Table of contents

01A Foreigner's Comprehensive Guide to Specialized Diets in South Korea: Vegan, Vegetarian, Halal, and Gluten-Free
•Section 1: The Vegan & Vegetarian Experience
•Section 2: A Guide to Halal Dining and Living
•Section 3: The Gluten-Free Survival Guide
•Section 4: Essential Toolkit for All Diets
•Glossary of Korean Terms
•Conclusion
•Need a Home in Korea? FOHO Makes it Simpler and More Affordable.
•Sources

A Foreigner's Comprehensive Guide to Specialized Diets in South Korea: Vegan, Vegetarian, Halal, and Gluten-Free

South Korea's celebrated culinary scene presents significant challenges for those with specialized diets. The country's food culture is dynamic, but it is not always transparent. Traditional recipes often rely on animal products, alcohol, or wheat in ways that are not immediately obvious.

This guide provides a practical, verifiable framework for navigating these challenges. Whether you are vegan, vegetarian, follow a Halal diet, or are gluten-free, this information can help you dine safely and confidently.

Section 1: The Vegan & Vegetarian Experience

The environment for plant-based diets in Korea is one of paradox. A rapid, health-driven trend has created a surge in dedicated vegan options, yet a low level of mainstream awareness persists.

The State of Plant-Based Eating

Interest in veganism is growing. In 2021, Korea's vegan population was estimated at 2.5 million people, a major increase over the previous decade [1]. However, only 18% of the population reports practicing or pursuing some form of vegetarianism [2].

This means that while you can find excellent dedicated vegan restaurants, you will also encounter a general lack of understanding in many traditional eateries [2].

Dining Out: "Safe Havens" vs. "Navigable Minefields"

A successful dining strategy involves knowing when to seek a "Safe Haven" (a 100% vegan restaurant) and when to navigate a "Navigable Minefield" (a traditional restaurant).

1. Safe Havens: Dedicated Restaurants & Temple Cuisine Most dedicated vegan restaurants are clustered in Seoul's foreigner-friendly neighborhoods, primarily Itaewon and the Hongdae area (including Yeonnam-dong) [4]. These spots offer everything from vegan burgers and lasagna to plant-based Korean-Chinese food [1].

Plant Cafe (Itaewon / Yeonnam): A popular spot known for burgers, salads, and baked goods [1].

Monk's Butcher (Itaewon): An upscale choice for vegan steaks, cheeses, and wine [1].

Balwoo Gongyang (Jongno-gu): A Michelin-starred restaurant offering refined, traditional Buddhist temple food [1].

Buddhist temple cuisine is an excellent and reliably vegan option. As part of Korean Buddhism, it is entirely plant-based. Many temples offer meals, and restaurants like Balwoo Gongyang specialize in it [1, 4].

2. Navigating Traditional Restaurants Outside of dedicated venues, you must order with caution. Many vegetable-forward dishes can be adapted, but this requires specific communication.

Bibimbap (비빔밥): Order without meat (고기, gogi) and egg (계란, gyeran). You must also ask if the gochujang (chili paste) contains a beef base, which is common [2].

Japchae (잡채): This noodle dish is often vegetarian but can include beef. Request it without meat [2].

Kimbap (김밥): These rice rolls usually contain egg, ham, and fishcake. You must request the removal of all three [4].

Kong-guksu (콩국수): A safe summer dish of noodles in chilled soy milk. Order it without the standard egg topping [1].

The Vegan & Vegetarian Pantry

Self-catering is essential for long-term residents [4].

Supermarkets (Emart, Homeplus, Lotte Mart) These chains are best for basic ingredients like fresh produce, tofu (두부), and noodles [9]. Some larger locations are improving. Select Lotte Marts have dedicated 'veggie garden' freezer sections [4], and Emart carries Pulmuone's "Earthly Veggie Meal" line of products [10].

Online & Specialty Stores For mock meats, vegan cheese, and other specialty goods, online shopping is a necessity.

Coupang (쿠팡): This is the most recommended e-commerce platform. It has a huge selection of vegan products and accepts many foreign credit cards, making it accessible upon arrival [4]. Its food delivery arm, Coupang Eats, is also useful [11].

Gmarket (지마켓) & iHerb (아이허브): Gmarket is another large, accessible online market. iHerb is popular for supplements and imported snacks [9].

Specialty Stores: In Seoul, shops like Vegan Space (Yongsan-gu) and Nono Shop (Itaewon) stock imported goods like Beyond Meat and vegan cheeses. Both also ship nationwide [12].

The "Umami Trap": Avoiding Hidden Animal Products

The greatest challenge is the "umami trap": the ubiquitous use of animal-derived ingredients as flavor enhancers in dishes that appear plant-based.

Kimchi (김치): The vast majority of restaurant and store-bought kimchi is not vegan. It is fermented with fish sauce (액젓, aekjeot) or salted shrimp paste (새우젓, saeujeot) [4, 15]. Vegan kimchi is a specialty item.

Broth (국, guk / 찌개, jjigae): Many soups, stews, and noodle dishes use a default broth made from dried anchovies (멸치, myeolchi) [5].

A simple request to "remove meat" (고기 빼주세요, gogi ppae-juseyo) is not enough. The staff may not consider broth or fish sauce to be "meat." You must be specific.

Section 2: A Guide to Halal Dining and Living

South Korea has a structured but centralized Halal ecosystem. Adhering to a Halal diet is achievable with planning and knowledge of the official certification system.

Understanding Halal Certification in Korea

The Korea Muslim Federation (KMF), established in 1967, is the oldest and most prominent Halal certification body [16]. To help consumers, the Korea Tourism Organization uses a classification system for restaurants [19].

Understanding these categories is essential for making informed choices:

Halal Certified: The highest standard. These restaurants are formally certified by the KMF. They often have a Muslim owner or cook and serve 100% Halal food [19].

Self-Certified: Owned by Muslims who attest that their food is Halal, but they have not undergone the formal KMF certification process [19].

Muslim-Friendly: These restaurants offer some Halal dishes but also serve non-Halal items, including pork and alcohol. There is a risk of cross-contamination [19].

Pork-Free: These establishments do not have a Halal menu but guarantee no pork or pork-derived ingredients are used [19].

Finding Halal Eateries

The center of the Halal food scene is Seoul's Itaewon district, home to the Seoul Central Mosque [19]. This area has the highest concentration of certified restaurants.

While many options are Turkish (Kervan [19]) or Middle Eastern (Petra [19]), a growing number of restaurants offer authentic Korean food prepared to Halal standards.

Makan Halal Korean Restaurant (Itaewon): Certified, known for Korean Fried Chicken and Jjimdak [21].

EID – Halal Korean Food (Itaewon): Certified, offers Samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) and Japchae [21].

Yang Good BBQ (Gangnam): A Muslim-friendly option for Halal lamb barbecue [21].

Many Korean dishes are adaptable, such as Bulgogi (grilled beef) [21], Bibimbap (mixed rice) [22], and Tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) [21], provided certified meat and alcohol-free sauces are used.

Stocking a Halal Kitchen

Mainstream Korean supermarkets do not typically stock Halal-certified meat [23]. For groceries, residents rely on international marts in Itaewon [3] and, crucially, a network of online Halal grocers.

These online stores are a lifeline, offering nationwide delivery of meat and pantry staples:

Mehran Foods Korea: Sells Halal meats (beef, chicken, lamb), spices, and ready-to-eat meals [25].

Albazaar Korea: Offers fast, next-day delivery of Halal meat and groceries [26].

Yes!Halal: Provides KMF-certified meats and Indonesian specialty items like tempe [27].

Navigating Menus: Common Pitfalls

When dining at non-certified (Muslim-Friendly) restaurants, be aware of two main risks:

Cooking Alcohol: Many Korean marinades and sauces contain mirin (미림, rice wine) or other forms of cooking alcohol [29].

Cross-Contamination: This is a risk in kitchens that handle pork or at K-BBQ restaurants where grills are shared [30].

Section 3: The Gluten-Free Survival Guide

Navigating a gluten-free diet is arguably the most difficult dietary challenge in Korea. This is due to low public awareness of celiac disease and the fact that wheat is a fundamental component of core Korean ingredients [3].

The Challenge: The "Three Jangs"

The core problem lies in the three foundational fermented sauces of Korean cooking:

Ganjang (간장, Soy Sauce): Most commercial soy sauce is brewed with wheat.

Gochujang (고추장, Chili Paste): This spicy paste almost always contains wheat flour or barley as a thickener [31].

Doenjang (된장, Soybean Paste): Many varieties include wheat [31].

These ingredients are in most marinades, stews, soups, and dipping sauces. This makes a large portion of traditional Korean food inherently unsafe for celiacs.

For this reason, you must adopt a "default unsafe" principle. Unlike asking to remove meat, asking a typical restaurant to cook without its core sauces is often not possible.

Dining Out Safely

The most effective strategy is to avoid modification and prioritize naturally safe foods or 100% dedicated gluten-free venues.

1. Dedicated Gluten-Free Establishments This is the safest and least stressful option. These businesses are concentrated in Seoul and eliminate the risk of cross-contamination.

Sunnyhouse (Seoul, Mapo-gu): A 100% GF restaurant and cafe run by an owner with celiac disease [8].

6Day Chicken (Seoul): A 100% GF restaurant specializing in Korean fried chicken made with a patented rice flour recipe [8].

Zero Bakery (Seoul, Songpa-gu): Offers a wide selection of rice flour-based cakes and breads [34].

2. Korean BBQ (K-BBQ) K-BBQ is widely considered the most reliable mainstream dining option [8].

What to order: Stick to plain, unmarinated cuts of meat that you cook yourself at the table. Safe options include samgyeopsal (삼겹살, pork belly) and moksal (목살, pork neck) [31].

What to avoid: You must avoid all pre-marinated meats, such as yangnyeom-galbi (양념갈비), as the marinade is soy sauce-based [31].

Pro-tip: Ask for a clean grill to prevent cross-contamination.

3. Other Potential Options (with careful verification)

Samgyetang (삼계탕): Ginseng chicken soup is often naturally gluten-free, but always confirm [31].

Bibimbap (비빔밥): This can be safe only if ordered without gochujang [32].

Japchae (잡채): The noodles are gluten-free (sweet potato starch), but the sauce is soy sauce-based. It is not safe unless the restaurant confirms they use a gluten-free tamari [35].

The Gluten-Free Shopper's Manual

Self-catering is a key strategy. Your most important skill will be reading labels.

South Korea's mandatory allergy labeling is a powerful tool. The essential character to look for is 밀 (mil), which means wheat [8].

Other terms to know are:

보리 (bori): Barley

호밀 (homil): Rye

귀리 (gwiri): Oats

In large supermarkets, Homeplus has been reported to have a dedicated gluten-free section in some stores [31]. You can also find certified gluten-free soy sauce (tamari) and gochujang from brands like Sempio and O'Food, which are essential for cooking Korean food at home [41].

Section 4: Essential Toolkit for All Diets

Success depends on having the right resources. This toolkit is essential for all specialized diets.

1. Decoding the Labels: Certification Marks

Recognizing official logos provides at-a-glance assurance when shopping.

Vegan: Look for the Korea Agency of Vegan Certification and Services (KVCS) mark, a green, leaf-like 'V' [44].

Halal: The Korea Muslim Federation (KMF) logo is the most trusted mark. It features green Arabic script and the KMF name [17].

Gluten-Free: The Korean Gluten-Free Certification (KGFC) mark can be found on some domestic products, like Lotte's "The Ssalro" snacks [40].

2. Your Digital Toolkit: The "App Trinity"

No single app does everything. You need a combination of three app types: Discovery, Navigation, and Translation.

Discovery (To find safe food):

HappyCow: The global standard for finding vegan and vegetarian restaurants [4].

Korehalal Trip: An all-in-one app for Muslims, showing restaurants, prayer rooms, and prayer times [55].

FindMeGF: Essential for celiacs. It's a user-rated database of restaurants with ratings for celiac safety [8].

Navigation (To get there):

Naver Map [1] or Kakao Maps [4]: Google Maps has very limited walking and driving directions in Korea. You must use a local app. Copy and paste the Korean address from your discovery app into one of these.

Translation (To communicate):

Papago: Developed by Naver, this app is widely considered superior to Google Translate for the Korean language. Its image translation feature is invaluable for reading menus and grocery labels in real-time [8].

3. Communicating Your Needs: Essential Korean Phrases

Direct communication is invaluable. These phrases can help you confirm ingredients and prevent misunderstandings.

English Phrase	Korean (Hangul)	Romanization	Context / Notes
General	ㅤ	ㅤ	ㅤ
I have a food allergy.	저는 음식 알레르기가 있어요.	Jeoneun eumsik allereugi-ga isseoyo.	A clear, direct way to state your condition [58].
Please remove [X].	[X] 빼 주세요.	[X] ppae juseyo.	A polite request to omit an ingredient [60].
Does this contain [X]?	이거 [X] 들어 있어요?	Igeo [X] deureo isseoyo?	The most important question to ask [61].
Vegan/Vegetarian	ㅤ	ㅤ	ㅤ
I am vegan.	저는 비건입니다.	Jeoneun bigeon-imnida.	The direct term for vegan [62].
Does this contain fish sauce?	이거 액젓 들어 있어요?	Igeo aekjeot deureo isseoyo?	Crucial for kimchi, soups, and side dishes [7].
Does this use anchovy broth?	멸치 육수 사용했어요?	Myeolchi yuksu sayonghaesseoyo?	Crucial for soups, stews, and noodle dishes [7].
Halal	ㅤ	ㅤ	ㅤ
I cannot eat pork.	저는 돼지고기를 못 먹어요.	Jeoneun dwaejigogireul mot meogeoyo.	Essential phrase for pork [29].
Does this contain alcohol?	이거 술 들어 있어요?	Igeo sul deureo isseoyo?	For checking sauces and marinades [29].
Gluten-Free	ㅤ	ㅤ	ㅤ
I have a wheat allergy.	저는 밀 알레르기가 있어요.	Jeoneun mil allereugi-ga isseoyo.	The most direct way to explain your condition [63].
Does this contain soy sauce?	이거 간장 들어 있어요?	Igeo ganjang deureo isseoyo?	Key question for almost any sauced dish [63].

Glossary of Korean Terms

Aekjeot (액젓): Fish sauce.

Banchan (반찬): Small side dishes served with a Korean meal.

Bibimbap (비빔밥): "Mixed rice" bowl with vegetables and other toppings.

Bori (보리): Barley.

Bulgogi (불고기): Thinly sliced, marinated, and grilled beef.

Doenjang (된장): Fermented soybean paste (often contains wheat).

Ganjang (간장): Soy sauce (usually contains wheat).

Gochujang (고추장): Fermented chili paste (usually contains wheat).

Gogi (고기): Meat.

Guk (국): Soup.

Gye (계란): Egg.

Homil (호밀): Rye.

Japchae (잡채): Stir-fried glass noodles made from sweet potato starch.

Jjigae (찌개): Stew.

Kimbap (김밥): Seaweed rice rolls.

Kimchi (김치): Fermented cabbage (usually contains fish/shrimp products).

Kong-guksu (콩국수): Noodles in a cold, savory soy milk broth.

Myeolchi (멸치): Anchovy (often used for broth).

Mirin (미림): Sweet rice wine used for cooking.

Mil (밀): Wheat.

Moksal (목살): Pork neck, a popular K-BBQ cut.

Samgyeopsal (삼겹살): Pork belly, the most popular K-BBQ cut.

Samgyetang (삼계탕): Ginseng chicken soup.

Saeujeot (새우젓): Salted shrimp paste.

Tteokbokki (떡볶이): Spicy rice cakes.

Yangnyeom-galbi (양념갈비): Marinated grilled ribs (marinade contains soy sauce).

Conclusion

Navigating South Korea with a specialized diet is a manageable challenge that requires preparation. Each diet presents unique difficulties: vegans must look for the hidden "umami trap," Halal-observant individuals must navigate a centralized system, and gluten-free individuals must treat most traditional food as "default unsafe."

Success requires planning, a heavy reliance on technology, and clear communication. By leveraging the tools in this guide, you can confidently and safely enjoy Korea's dynamic food culture.

Need a Home in Korea? FOHO Makes it Simpler and More Affordable.

Just like navigating the food scene, finding the right home in Korea involves its own set of challenges. Communication hurdles with landlords, high deposits, and uncertain fees can make the process stressful and expensive.

FOHO was designed to fix this. We give you access to verified, affordable listings across Korea with low service fees, helping you save money. More importantly, we provide reliable customer support and seamless communication assistance with landlords, ensuring a smooth process before and after you move in.

Settle in smarter. Start your housing search with FOHO.