Appreciation for Seaweed!

Seaweed is a specific food that can take a variety of forms in Korean snacks and cuisine. It can be a delicious addition or main part of different dishes, of which shouldn’t be taken for granted. Through the variety of ways that seaweed can take, it manages to taste delicious in its own right; such as snacks, dishes, salads and more.

SNACKS

This is gim bugak, Korean seaweed chips. They are fried seaweed paper coated in glutinous rice paste and sometimes with sesame. It is a savory and crispy side dish or snack. People normally serve it as a dish to eat with beer as well.

Next up, is a packaged seaweed snack similar to gim bugak. It gives off a crispy texture as a piece of seaweed is coated on one side with rice pops or rice pops and almonds. As shown in the picture they have the original seaweed chips that mostly resemble gim bugak. There is also one where the seaweed is on top of a piece of fish.

There are also many different seaweed-flavored chips, so of course, this list is limited. It's not rare to find any seaweed-flavored snacks out there!

SOUPS AND SALADS

Seaweed soup, also known as miyeok guk in Korean, is traditionally eaten on birthdays or after giving birth because of its health benefits. The soup is very simply made with few ingredients and rich in iodine and calcium.

Seaweed like the one above can be used as a side dish with rice or can just be eaten as a snack on the go. Either way, the seaweed is a delight to eat.

Koreans also have a seaweed salad. The one above is called miyeok -muchim, which is a sweet and sour seaweed salad made primarily of seaweed and different sauces. It is tossed together, and "Voila!" we have a cool, tasty dish that many eat in the summer to cool off.

Overall, this list of appreciation for different seaweed snacks can go on forever. There is a huge range of seaweed-flavored food and incorporated dishes, but despite what form, seaweed never seems to disappoint. It's one of the most versatile additions and parts of Korean culture!