Quick answer
South Korea is one of the hardest countries in Asia for vegetarians. Kimchi contains fish sauce or salted shrimp, soups and side dishes use anchovy stock, and meat appears in many dishes that look vegetable-based. It's manageable: temple food is fully vegan, bibimbap can be ordered without meat and egg, and Seoul has Indian and vegan restaurants. Outside Seoul, plan ahead.
How easy is it to eat well?
Vegetarian & Jain friendliness
5 = easy everywhere, 1 = plan every meal
Indian food availability
5 = Indian restaurants everywhere, 1 = rare
What to order (and what to ask about)
Temple food (sachal eumsik)
Buddhist temple cuisine: vegan and traditionally free of garlic, onion, leeks, chives and spring onion. Restaurants near Jogyesa temple in Seoul serve it, from simple sets to fine dining.
Bindaetteok (plain)
Mung-bean pancakes fried at Gwangjang Market. Choose the plain version; others contain pork or kimchi made with fish sauce.
Hotteok
Sweet griddled pancakes filled with brown sugar, cinnamon and nuts; a winter street-stall favourite.
Roasted sweet potatoes and chestnuts
Goguma and gunbam sold from street carts in autumn and winter. Simple, filling and egg-free.
Bibimbap
Rice with vegetables, chilli paste and usually beef and a fried egg. Order it without meat and egg; the hot stone-bowl version is the best.
Kimchi
Fermented cabbage, usually made with fish sauce or salted shrimp. Temple kimchi and some vegan restaurant kimchi are made without them.
Tteokbokki
Chewy rice cakes in red chilli sauce. Street versions usually use anchovy stock and include fish cakes.
Japchae
Glass noodles stir-fried with vegetables and often beef. Easy to request without meat; check for oyster sauce.
Gimbap
Seaweed rice rolls, normally with ham, fish cake and egg. Ask for yachae (vegetable) gimbap and confirm nothing else goes in.
Doenjang jjigae and sundubu jjigae
Soybean-paste and soft-tofu stews look vegetarian but are usually made with anchovy stock, clams or pork.
Korean barbecue
Grilled meat at the table, central to Korean social eating. Vegetarians can fill up on lettuce wraps, rice and some sides, but grills are shared.
Phrases that help
| Say | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Jeoneun chaesikjuuijayeyo | I am vegetarian |
| Gogi ppaejuseyo | Please leave out the meat |
| Haesanmul an meogeoyo | I don't eat seafood |
| Myeolchi yuksu deureogayo? | Is there anchovy stock in this? |
| Jeotgal deureogayo? | Does this contain salted seafood or fish sauce? |
| Gyeran ppaejuseyo | Please leave out the egg |
Is South Korea hard for vegetarians?
Yes, and it's better to know this before you go. Korean cooking leans on three things that catch vegetarians out: fish sauce and salted shrimp (jeotgal) in kimchi and many side dishes, anchovy stock (myeolchi yuksu) in soups, stews and tteokbokki, and small amounts of meat in dishes that look vegetable-based. Vegetarianism is also less widely understood than in India; some people take it to mean "not much meat", and seafood may not count as meat at all.
None of this puts Korea off-limits. It just means you eat strategically.
How to eat vegetarian in Korea
- Temple food: Korean Buddhist cuisine is vegan and avoids the five pungent vegetables, including garlic and onion. Seoul has several temple-food restaurants around Jogyesa and Insadong; it's the best meal a vegetarian will eat in Korea, and close to Jain-friendly.
- Bibimbap, adapted: order it without meat and egg, and ask for the chilli paste on the side. It's available almost everywhere.
- Vegan restaurants and cafes: Seoul's vegan scene is growing in Itaewon, Hongdae and Seongsu. Apps such as HappyCow list them.
- Indian restaurants: Itaewon, Dongdaemun and Hongdae have Indian and Nepali restaurants with clear vegetarian menus. Busan has a few.
- Convenience stores: plain rice, fruit, bread, nuts, milk and some triangle gimbap; check every label.
Day trips and Busan
Outside central Seoul, choices shrink fast. On DMZ and Nami Island tours, lunch is often fixed and meat-based, so tell the operator in advance or carry food. In Busan, eat at Indian restaurants or vegan cafes in Haeundae and Seomyeon.
Carry a Korean diet card and show it before ordering. Include no meat, no fish, no seafood, no anchovy stock and no fish sauce, plus egg, onion and garlic if you avoid them.
Plan meals around our 7-day Korea itinerary, choose a base with where to stay in Seoul, and budget with the South Korea trip cost. Indians need a visa; see the South Korea visa guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is kimchi vegetarian?
Can Jains travel to South Korea?
Is bibimbap vegetarian?
How we checked this page
Last reviewed
Written and fact-checked by the Elitech Travels editorial desk in New Delhi, drawing on our consultants' day-to-day booking work and the official sources below. Rules, fares and fees change — always confirm anything critical with the issuing authority before you travel. Our editorial policy.
