I have serious food allergies and I'm worried about eating out in Korea?

Managing food allergies in Korea requires some preparation but it is very manageable. Korean food culture is not as allergy-aware as some Western countries, so you need to be proactive. The most helpful thing is to have an allergy card written in Korean that lists your allergies. You can create one using Papago or ask a Korean friend to write it for you, and show it to restaurant staff before ordering.

Common hidden allergens in Korean food include sesame oil which is in almost everything, soy sauce in most marinades and soups, shrimp paste (새우젓) in kimchi, and wheat flour in many fried dishes. Nuts appear in some Korean desserts and side dishes. For severe allergies, the Korean words to know are 알레르기 (allergy), 땅콩 (peanut), 새우 (shrimp), 밀가루 (wheat flour), 계란 (egg), and 유제품 (dairy). The phrase 이것을 먹으면 죽을 수 있어요 (I could die if I eat this) gets the seriousness across very clearly. Convenience stores and supermarkets label allergens on packaged foods by Korean law, and the labels follow international standards. For dining out, Korean barbecue where you grill your own meat is one of the safer options since you can control exactly what goes on the grill.