K-Dramas are so crazy popular, and for all the good reasons — the addictive plots, quirky characters and last, but not least, the mouth-watering food (made even more irresistible by the way the actors eat them ala mukbang!). We find it oddly satisfying when we are watching Seo Hyun-jin barbecuing clams for Eric in Oh Hae-young Again, Park Seo-joon slurping spicy ramyeon in What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim, or Jeon Ji-hyun waving her fried chicken thigh dramatically and finally biting into it in Man from the Stars. And, of course, it makes us want to do the same.

The good news is, after watching all these tantalizing food scenes, you can cave in to all the Korean food cravings with our specially curated list of 6 best foods in K-Drama. We even tell you where to get them right here in KL. Let the cameras roll for your very own mukbang!

In our humble opinion, fried chicken is the real soul food of every Korean. Fried chicken has taken over the streets of Seoul, so much that even the government limits the number of chicken joints that can operate on every block (that’s a whole story for another time!). In K-Dramas, fried chicken is often the food to celebrate with family, friends or simply to drown sorrows from all relationship problems.

Once upon a time, KFC is known to every Malaysian as the household brand name for fried chicken, but now, the acronym is being taken over by Korean Fried Chicken. So, what’s the big deal with this version of KFC? It’s in the distinctive marinades, either a combination of soy sauce and garlic, or of sweet and spicy red pepper paste. Both are equally addictive! Go extra and have your chicken wrapped in savory, melted mozzarella cheese too, at K Fry Urban Korean!

Where to get it?

K Fry Urban Korean

IOI City Mall, IOI Resort, 62502 Putrajaya, Selangor

Operating hours: 1:30am – 10:30pm daily

We’d say it’s almost impossible to find a K-Drama in which kimchi hasn’t appeared at least once. We call it the Ever Supporting Lead Actor in K-Dramaland. Kimchi is made of salted and fermented vegatables, typically Napa cabbage or mu (Korean radish), mixed with various seasonings including but not limited to gochugaru (Korean hot pepper flakes), jeotgal (salted seafood), garlic and ginger. You can find ready-made kimchi in any Korean mart in Kuala Lumpur, but our all-time favorite is Sopoong’s.

Where to get it?

Sopoong

12, Jalan Imbi, Imbi, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur

Operating hours: 10am – 10pm daily

Everyone has eaten instant noodles at some point in their lives, but your first ramyeon is definitely life-defining! We were told that the standard of a perfect ramyeon is one that is cooked in a traditional gold-colored pot found in every Korean household, cooked with kimchi, and a poached egg on top. Oh, and it should be shared over gossip of the day. As we know on some days, Maggi Kari just won’t do, we’re telling you that it’s easy to find some good ramyeon in KL too, and not just in convenience stores! We had one at Gangnam 88 Restaurant, and boy, did it bring us fond memories of Seoul!

Where to get it?

Gangnam 88 Restaurant

No 1-1, Jalan Solalis 3, Solaris Mont Kiara Off Jalan Kira, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur

Operating hours: 12–11:30pm daily

We are salivating as we’re writing the description of the bibimbap — assorted vegetables, strips of beef, chilli pepper paste, sesame oil and sometimes a sunny-side up, just waiting to be mixed together with rice into a versatile meal. A well-known and beloved Korean dish, you will often see the actors in K-Drama clearing the fridge and throwing whatever leftover Korean side dishes they could find into a big pot of rice. We tried several bibimbaps but we think you can’t get bibimbap anywhere as good as KimchiHaru’s.

Where to get it?

KimchiHaru

72, Jalan SS 15/4d, Ss 15, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor

Operating hours: 11:30am – 10:30pm daily except Sunday

Jjajangmyeon (or jajangmyeon) is the Korean take on black bean noodles originated from China. It’s a noodle dish mixed in chunjang (a thick sauce of soybean paste which gives the noodle its black color), diced meat and vegetables. In K-Drama, chances are you’ve seen the actors ordering a food delivery of jjajangmyeon, usually after a day of physical labor, such as moving into a new place. The standard way of eating jjajangmyeon is on the floor, with sheets of newspaper as placemats. Eating the noodles can be a messy affair so, we don’t recommend you have it on a date!

Alas, you may not be able to order a jjajangmyeon through delivery here, but you can certainly try this flavorful dish in Oiso Korean Restaurant.

Where to get it?

Oiso Korean Restaurant

No. 57, Jalan Kerinchi, 59200, Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia, 59200 Kuala Lumpur

Operating hours: 10am–10pm (weekdays), 11am–9:30pm (weekends)

The equivalent of Malaysia’s ais kacang, now we can also enjoy the patbingsu (Korean shaved ice dessert) we have always seen in K-Dramas, thanks to the mushrooming of outlets in KL. The Korean icy treat is topped with fruits, syrup, red bean paste and condensed milk. Shaved ice dessert has become quite a luxurious treat, with some trendy ones costing close to RM30 per bowl. Check out Hanbing Korean Dessert which has flavors such as blueberry cheese, green tea, mango and Oreo!

Where to get it?

Hanbing Korean Dessert

33, Jalan Telawi 3, Bangsar, 59100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur

Operating hours: 11am – 12am daily

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