Food In Korea (푸드 인 코리아)

The Cold Korean Soups Calling My Name In The Summer

When summer hits Korea, it can be pretty hot, humid and sweaty… well for the foreigners anyway. My Korean husband seems to only sweat when he’s eating hot soup. While traditional Korean belief promotes the idea of iyeol chiyeol (이열치열), or the idea of controlling heat with heat which means that Koreans eat HOT soups on the HOTTEST of days in order to feel cooler, not all Korean summer soups are hot.

Some of my favorite summer meals in Korea are when we sit down to lunch on a delightfully cool bowl of Korean soupy goodness that may or may not also have some ice cubes floating around too. Looking for the cold soups that are delicious in Korean cuisine? Here’s is what you need to look for on the menu.

Sungeut Beach, Gangneung Korea

Prior to coming to Korea, the only cold soup I’d ever been privy to was gazpacho, a cold vegetable soup originating in southern Spain. Gazpacho does NOT have the market cornered on cold soups though as I soon found out. Keep reading to learn more about the cold Korean soups you need to eat while sweating it up this summer… though if you’re smart, you’ll head to the beaches as fast as possible and soak up the rays seaside.

Trust me, they are not only pleasantly cool, but they are tasty and will definitely hit that hot spot in your belly.

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Cold Soy Milk Noodle Soup or Kongguksu (콩국수)

Kongguksu is one of those soups that my husband gets urges for each summer. He takes his sweet time eating the noodles and then gulping down that soy milk broth that’s leftover. It’s refreshing, cool and will fill you up without being too heavy in the belly. Kimchimari does a great job of explaining why the soy milk in this dish is so special.

Basically though, the soy milk or  (duyu (두유)) is a bit different than the one you drink. The soy milk sold to drink has no solids and is often artificially thickened with xantham gum or carrageenan and is missing the natural fiber that comes from soybeans.

Kongguksu

Kongguk soy milk though still has the fiber AND has some delectable little bits that make the flavor nuttier. I also prefer this soy milk because it’s not as sweet as many of the soy milk drinks you can purchase in the store. The soy milk broth is a bit thicker than than the drink and may take a little adjusting to when you first begin to eat it, but you will soon find yourself slurping it up just like my husband does. Along with the handmade noodles, some carrots, cucumbers, sesame and an egg, the broth is the stand out that you’ll remember and want to go back for.


Pyeongyang Naengmyeon (평양냉면)

Naengmyeon has been made in Korea since the Joseon Dynasty but was a delicacy in northern Korea especially Pyeongyang originally. When it comes to naengmyeons, this is my husband’s choice all the way and we are known to frequent Eul Mil Dae, a popular Pyeongyang naengmyeon restaurant here in Seoul that’s been open since the 70s. 

Pyeongyang naegmyeon is served with buckwheat noodles and a mild cold broth and my husband will tell you that it is one of those love it or hate it dishes. He loves it… I… I wouldn’t say hate, but I like some other naengmyeons a bit better. 

Pyeongyang Naengmyeon

Due to it’s mild taste you may think it’s just not that appealing or it’s like you’re eating but nothing memorable so what’s the point? It wasn’t until I was walking down the street afterward the first time I had the icy dish that I felt the urge to go back and have more which my husband said was proof I was a lover and not a hater.

While I was eating though, I was a bit confused. Shouldn’t we add one of the spicy sauces Korean dishes are known for? Or some spicy mustard or vinegar like we add when we’re at a meat restaurant? The soup may seem simple enough to make, but the beef and water kimchi combination has to be just right for it to be refreshing and leave just the right aftertaste in the mouth. It’s cool and if you’re a Pyeongyang naengmyeon lover, it’s refreshing and delectable too. Try it and let me know which you are… a lover? Or a hater?


Mul Naengmyeon (물 냉면)

While traditional Pyeongyang naengmyeon is refreshingly simple and mild, the mul naengmyeon can be spiced up a bit. Not all Koreans like the mild taste of Pyeongyang naengmyeon so there is a spicier, tangier version. Combining julienned cucumbers, sliced Korean pear, radish, and a boiled egg or cold boiled beef, spicy mustard and vinegar make the broth quite tangy.

Naengmyeon

Long, thin buckwheat noodles would traditionally be eaten without cutting symbolizing longevity of life and good health, these days most servers will ask if you’d like the noodles cut as they wield scissors back and forth. I recommend getting those noodles cut. They are long and chewy.

To find a good dish, head to Gwangjang Market in Seoul and eat this along with some other delicious authentic Korean meals. The soup will likely have some ice cubes floating around to keep it cool as you savor each bite. And while you’re technically not supposed to pick up bowls and slurp down the broth in Korea, my husband and I are known to be unable to stop ourselves when this delight is on the table. This is one of my summer favorites.


The heat has arrived on the Korean peninsula but it will get hotter and when it does, make sure you know what to order to cool you down just a bit.

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9 Comments

  • ravenoustravellers

    It took me a while to get used to these cold soups, something just didn’t sit right when I first moved to Korea – but now I enjoy them! Never tried the soy milk noodle soup but it looks delicious from your picture!

  • Paige Wunder{

    It’s so interesting to hear about all of these cold soup options. The only cold soup I’ve ever had is peach soup or strawberry soup. I’m really weird about cold things, but I’m super intrigued by the Kongguksu, sounds so interesting.

  • Tara

    Generally, I’m not a fan of any cold soups (not even gazpacho), but I’m liking the sound of th Mul Naengmyeon. I love buckwheat noodles too, so I may just be a lover of Pyeongyang Naengmyeon as well. Can’t wait to find out. Stay cool1

  • Shelley @Travel-Stained

    Would you believe I have never tried 콩국수!! It sounds delicious though, so I may have to seek it out. I’m with you on the cold soups though…I just did not get it until I lived through one of Korea’s hot, humid summers. But now, I crave 물냉면 all the time. I definitely prefer the vinegary style ones over the Pyeongyang ones, which just taste completely flavourless to me…

    • Hallie

      I can’t believe you haven’t had Kongguksu. You’ll definitely have to try it this summer and see what you think.

  • Helena

    I’m bringing two kids who have grown up in Western Washington to Korea in late August. They are unused to heat and humidity. (August was definitely not my first choice, but we had to work around my husband’s schedule.) We visited my family in Ohio last year and that was bad enough. (My sister said, “It’s like living in somebody’s mouth!”) I am scared. I suspect we will be trying to utilize the morning and evening hours as much as possible. Unfortunately they aren’t really nappers, so I guess we’ll just have to find somewhere shady and/or air conditioned to hole up during the early afternoon.

    • Hallie

      I’m from Ohio! hahaha Seoul is pretty much the same as Ohio to be honest. If you were dripping and sweating there, that’s what you’ll be doing here. Definitely get out and about in the mornings and evenings but really the parks get good breezes most days. Maybe since I grew up in Ohio, it doesn’t affect me as much, but there are only a few days that I really mind the humidity here. There are plenty of museums and fun places with air-con to take advantage of though. For palaces and outdoor places, definitely go as early as possible just because they don’t offer a lot of shade most of them. Hope that helps.

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