Korean Street Food Guide: Tteokbokki, Hotteok, Hygiene & Cashless Pay

Street food carts line subway station approaches, bustling market alleys, and pedestrian high streets, serving hot freshly cooked comfort delicacies.

• Tteokbokki (떡볶이): Chewy cylindrical rice cakes simmered in sweet and spicy gochujang chili paste with fish cakes and scallions.
• Eomuk / Odeng (어묵): Skewered ribboned fish cakes soaking in steaming kelp and radish broth.
• Bungeoppang (붕어빵): Winter fish-shaped crisp waffles stuffed with sweet red bean paste (Dan-pat) or custard cream (Choux-cream).
• Hotteok (호떡): Fried yeast dough pancakes stuffed with brown sugar, cinnamon, and crushed nuts that melt into a molten syrup.

When eating skewered fish cakes at a street cart:

• Stand comfortably around the metal counter.
• Help yourself to small paper cups and ladle steaming hot savory broth (*Gukmul*) directly from the tank—it is 100% free and unlimited!
• Dip your skewer into communal soy sauce sauce pots using the designated brush rather than dipping food directly into the bowl.