Every time I travel to foreign countries or new cities, I try to eat food that I can only get there—or at least something rare. Every country has its own representative food, and many times that also affects imported food. For example, McDonald’s has special menus in each country. Because of this localization, sometimes I end up trying fast food. Here, I’ll talk about localized fast food in South Korea.
- Bulgogi Burger or Sandwich
Bulgogi is an amazing dish. It’s great on its own, but if you add it to another recipe, the food gets upgraded. Pretty much all major fast food chains have their own bulgogi burger, and they taste really good. I personally recommend McDonald’s Double Bulgogi Burger. The flavor is solid, and you can really feel what ideal localization food is. You can also find bulgogi sandwiches at most sandwich shops and even convenience stores.
<McDonald’s Double Bulgogi Burger> - Rice Burger
Asian people—especially Koreans—love rice. Some Koreans even believe that if they don’t eat rice, they haven’t had a proper meal. Based on this culture, Koreans created the rice burger. Lotteria, a major Asian fast food brand, tried rice burgers before but discontinued them. A couple of years ago, they re-released it, and the texture and flavor were pretty interesting. There’s also a chain called Bongus Bab Burger (bab means rice), and they basically only sell rice burgers. This one feels much more localized, and you can really enjoy a “Korean-style” burger there.
<Rice Burger> - Seasoned French Fries
I personally love French fries. There are lots of different styles, but have you ever tried fries with seasoning? Lotteria has “Seasoning Fries,” and I love them. They give you a seasoning packet—you put the fries in a paper bag, add the seasoning, shake it up, and the flavor is amazing. You should definitely try these if you’re in South Korea. This menu might be in Japan as well, since Lotteria’s parent company is Japanese, but I’m not 100% sure. - Military Burger (Gundaeria)
As you may know, Korean men must serve about two years in the military. Out of the typical military meals, there’s one famous burger. We call it “Gundaeria”—from “gundae” (military) and the “-ria” suffix from fast food chains. Some major fast food places used to sell this burger as a limited menu item, but it was never a regular one. Sometimes you can still find it in traditional markets. The flavor is honestly just okay—not bad, but not amazing compared to other options. Still, it’s a very memorable food for Koreans, which is why some places continue to sell it.
New foods always excite me, and often they come from mixing two different dishes. The foods I mentioned are good examples of that. If you’re in South Korea, these options will be fun (and tasty) to try.
