BTS Favorite Korean Foods: Noodles, Kimchi Stew & Korean BBQ
BTS members have talked about everything from comforting noodle soup to Korean BBQ. Start with four dishes: janchi-guksu, kimchi jjigae, samgyeopsal and perilla-oil makguksu. Here are the sources behind those connections, the Korean menu names and a simple way to choose your first meal.
By Kpop From Seoul · Published October 3, 2026 · Sources checked October 3, 2026
What is the BTS connection?
In Vogue’s March 27, 2026 Now Serving feature, Jin, Jimin and V make janchi-guksu. Jin chose a dish he cooks at home; kimchi stew and pork belly also come up as tour cravings. Jung Kook, meanwhile, describes his fondness for perilla-oil makguksu in a 2023 Weverse Magazine interview.
These are documented mentions from different occasions, rather than an official ranking shared by all seven.
Four Korean dishes to know
| Dish / Korean menu name | What you are ordering | Flavor guide |
|---|---|---|
| Janchi-guksu · 잔치국수 | Thin wheat noodles in warm broth | A gentler starting point; chili seasoning may add heat |
| Kimchi jjigae · 김치찌개 | A stew built around fermented kimchi | Tangy, savory and often spicy |
| Samgyeopsal · 삼겹살 | Pork belly grilled at the table | Rich meat; choose your sauces and wraps |
| Deulgireum makguksu · 들기름 막국수 | Buckwheat noodles dressed with perilla oil | Nutty and fragrant; Jung Kook’s variation adds spicy sauces |
The flavor notes are a guide to choosing, not a fixed spice scale. Recipes, toppings and seasoning differ between restaurants.
1. Janchi-guksu: a warm bowl of noodles
Janchi-guksu is often translated as “banquet noodles.” Its appeal is simple: warm broth, noodles and seasoning added to taste.
VISITKOREA describes a version with fish-and-kelp broth, scallions and egg strips. If you prefer less heat, ask for the chili seasoning separately and add a little at a time.
Order this if: you want a noodle soup before moving on to richer stews or spicy sauces. On a menu, look for 잔치국수; you may also see myeolchi-guksu, which emphasizes the anchovy broth.
2. Kimchi jjigae: kimchi becomes the main dish
The kimchi served in a small side dish and the kimchi in this stew have different roles. In kimchi jjigae, fermented cabbage is the foundation of the whole pot. Ripened kimchi brings a sour edge, while simmering it with the other ingredients builds a fuller broth.
Korea.net’s recipe uses pork, tofu and aromatics; it also describes variations with beef or seafood.
Order this if: you want a warming, tangy meal with rice. Check whether rice is included when ordering.
3. Samgyeopsal: Korean BBQ with lettuce wraps
Samgyeopsal means pork belly. A typical serving is grilled meat with accompaniments such as lettuce, garlic and dipping sauces. It is a different experience from ordering one finished bowl: you build each bite as you eat.
Make a manageable ssam, or leaf wrap, with lettuce or a perilla leaf, pork and a little ssamjang. Ssamjang is a seasoned paste based on soybean paste and chili paste.
Order this if: you want a shared meal and enjoy trying different combinations. Before ordering, ask how many portions are required and whether rice or stew is extra. Some restaurants grill for you; others expect you to cook at the table, so ask the staff if you are unsure.
4. Jung Kook’s perilla-oil makguksu: the recipe fans ask about
In his Weverse Magazine interview, Jung Kook explains that he already liked regular perilla-oil makguksu, then experimented with making it spicier and creamier. He describes testing and adjusting the sauce rather than simply combining ready-made noodles.
Deulgireum means perilla oil, and makguksu is a Korean buckwheat-noodle dish. VISITKOREA distinguishes traditional chilled servings from the perilla-oil variation, in which the noodles are tossed with the oil and laver flakes.
For a sourced cooking starting point, use VISITKOREA’s Jung Kook recipe. Its sauce combines perilla oil, Cham sauce, soy sauce, Buldak sauce, Buldak mayo and egg yolk; the cooked noodles are rinsed cold before mixing, then finished with laver and sesame.
Know the difference: ordering ordinary deulgireum makguksu does not mean a restaurant will serve Jung Kook’s Buldak-mayo sauce. Choose the plain oil-dressed dish for an introduction to the noodle style, or follow the linked recipe if you specifically want that variation.
Which dish should you try first?
| What you want | A practical starting choice |
|---|---|
| A warm noodle soup with controllable seasoning | Janchi-guksu; request chili seasoning on the side |
| A tangy stew to eat with rice | Kimchi jjigae; check the protein and rice inclusion |
| A shared Korean BBQ meal | Samgyeopsal; check the minimum portions before ordering |
| The noodle idea associated with Jung Kook | Perilla-oil makguksu; distinguish the plain dish from his spicy variation |
Choose a style you already enjoy for your first meal, then explore the others.
Useful Korean phrases for ordering
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 잔치국수 하나 주세요. | One janchi-guksu, please. |
| 양념장은 따로 주세요. | Please serve the seasoning sauce separately. |
| 밥이 포함되어 있나요? | Is rice included? |
| 삼겹살은 몇 인분부터 주문할 수 있나요? | What is the minimum number of samgyeopsal portions I can order? |
Show the Korean text to a server and ask before the dish is prepared.
Questions ARMY often asks
Is this every BTS member’s favorite-food list?
No. It follows specific cooking content and interviews. A food mentioned in one appearance should not become a permanent preference assigned to the whole group.
Is ordinary makguksu the same as Jung Kook’s recipe?
No. Makguksu has several serving styles. His spicy perilla-oil variation uses a particular sauce combination, while a restaurant’s plain perilla-oil noodles may be quite different.
Are these dishes vegetarian?
Not automatically. Samgyeopsal is pork; kimchi stew may contain meat or seafood; noodle dishes may use fish stock, eggs or other animal ingredients. Ask about the actual recipe rather than relying on the dish name.
If you are also learning the members and fandom, our BTS members and ARMY beginner’s guide is a good next read.
Sources and photo credits
Member references: Weverse Magazine — Jung Kook interview (2023); Vogue — Jin, Jimin and V in Now Serving (March 27, 2026).
Food background: Korea Tourism Organization — Jung Kook’s buckwheat-noodle recipe; VISITKOREA — banquet noodles; Korea.net — kimchi stew; VISITKOREA — Korean dining and leaf wraps. Sources checked October 3, 2026; older interviews retain their original dates.
The four images are real food photographs used to illustrate the dishes. They are not photographs of meals eaten or prepared by BTS. Each caption provides the photographer, source and reuse license.
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