Savor the irresistible taste of tteokbokki

When it comes to Korean street food, few dishes are as beloved and iconic as tteokbokki.

This spicy treat is a must-try for anyone seeking an authentic Korean culinary experience.

Tteokbokki is a popular Korean snack of chewy cylindrical rice cakes slathered in a spicy sauce made primarily with red pepper paste. Fish cakes and other vegetables are often added. The dish is spicy, sweet, chewy and addictive.

Tteoksan, a tteokbokki eatery, located in Seoul's Bukchon neighborhood, just a few minutes walk from Anguk Station on Line No. 3, is famous for its exceptional sauce, which won the grand prize at Seoul City's Jang Fermentation Sauce Contest in 2021. On weekends, a long line forms in front of this small eater, even half an hour before it opens.

The origin of Tteoksan can be traced back to a family-owned tteokbokki eatery in Busan from 25 years ago. The restaurant moved to Yeonseo Market in Yeonsinnae, northern Seoul, in 2017.

Over the years, the eatery has continued to gain popularity. Ha Min-ji, the daughter of the family, learned how to make the dish from her mother and opened Tteoksan in Bukchon in April.

Tteoksan's Bukchon restaurant defies the perception of tteokbokki as mere street food, right from the outside appearance of the restaurant.

The restaurant showcases a blend of traditional and modern in its interior, complete with the colors of tteokbokki -- red and white.