Dak galbi is a dish made using diced chicken stir fried in gochujang (chili pepper paste) with vegetables such as sliced cabbage, onions, and scallions. It literally means chicken ribs, but ironically there is no rib meat in the dish. Other ingredients often added to the chicken include sweet potatoes, tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), and rice.
This inexpensive dish is a specialty in the city of Chuncheon, located about 73 kilometers (45 miles) northeast of Seoul. Chuncheon dak galbi first appeared in the 1960s as an alternative to more expensive grilled meat dishes.
There is a street in Chuncheon that contains a high concentration of restaurants selling this specialty. Every autumn, the city has a festival in honor of the dish.
Dak Galbi is popular with university students who do not want to spend a lot of money and want to eat something that is quick and easy to find in restaurants. They choose the more affordable chicken over the more expensive marinated beef and pork.
A great place to try the dish is at Yoogane. They have two branches in the Myeong-dong area.
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Last Updated on Dec 28, 2021