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There are so many foods you've got to try in Korea, a lot of them sure to make big impressions but did you know that a lot of them are super high in calories? We've listed up our top 10!

Ultra High-Calorie Foods in Korea

1. Fried Chicken

The very first dish that popped up in my head, of course, was fried chicken! The crispy breading, juicy meat, sauces that add sweet, savoury, spicy flavours, and sometimes cheese too. Yum! So good but so bad.

What's even better(worse)? The fact that fried chicken goes so well with beer. Hence the nationally beloved trend of chimaek(pairing fried chicken and beer).

Ultra High-Calorie Foods in Korea

2. Korea's Love for Cheese

We all know cheese adds a soft layer or two around the waist, but can we really blame ourselves for not resisting it? Lots of restaurants in Korea offer 'add cheese' options. It's probably because lots of Korean dishes are spicy in nature and cheese eases the spiciness while adding its own flavour to the dish.

Ultra High-Calorie Foods in Korea

3. Samgyeopsal (삼겹살)

Forget lean meat. Koreans love samgyeopsal because there's lots of fragrant oil that come out when cooked. Look at the fat-to-meat ratio in the pictures! Plus, Koreans love cooking garlic slices over samgyeopsal oil and although it's very tasty, fried garlic has to be super high in calories too.

Ultra High-Calorie Foods in Korea

4. Gopchang(곱창)

Okay, the idea of eating intestines might be strange to some of you guys, but gopchang is one of the most popular foods that Koreans love with their drinks. Different parts of the intestines offer a variety of texture and flavour, allowing people to pick and choose their favourites. The overall consensus is the more fat on the meat, the more delicious it is. 

Ultra High-Calorie Foods in Korea

5. Tteokbokki(떡볶이)

How is spicy rice cake high in calories? For starters, the starch-filled rice cake. Taking small bites one by one, you'll find that you've finished one portion in a flash. Often found on the streets and old corner restaurants, tteokbokki is enjoyed by many locals.

Ultra High-Calorie Foods in Korea

6. Jokbal(족발)

One of the dishes you'll very likely to try on your trip to Korea, many locals believe pig's feet are not high in calories because it doesn't seem to have a lot of fat on them. Surprisingly, pig's feet are also very high in calories. The sauces poured on top don't help either.

Ultra High-Calorie Foods in Korea

7. Street Food

We might underestimate street food because they come in small sizes and portions but they're also very high in calories.  Bungeoppangs (fish-shaped pastries) have sweet fillings inside, hotteoks (Korean pancakes) have fillings such as brown sugar and are deep-fried! Because they're so cheap and can be found everywhere, locals and travellers often buy big portions but we have to keep in mind that they are going to contribute to putting us out of shape.

Ultra High-Calorie Foods in Korea

8. Soju

The price of soju is basically on a par with the price of water here. But the calories contained in each are very different! If you take advantage of cheap soju here and drink a good amount of it, you'll be facing not just a bad hangover, but an extra pound or two.

Ultra High-Calorie Foods in Korea

9. Almond Snacks  

Not just almonds, any snack you would find in Korea, just like any other place on earth, is high in calories. Almonds are small light snacks so I often find myself finishing an entire bag in one seating.

Ultra High-Calorie Foods in Korea

10. Dessert

This last one is a given. There are so many cute cafes and bakeries that offer cakes, cookies, biscuits, etc. If you hit a cafe or two on a daily basis in Korea, the calories will likely add up.

You know what? Forget I mentioned anything about calories. Some of the foods on the list are unique to Korea and I still think you should try them if you plan on visiting Korea!

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