"Tteokbokki," a popular snack made from rice cakes and red chili pepper sauce, has been voted the No. 1 food to lift the Korean people's spirits during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Seoul Metropolitan Government said Saturday.
In an online survey in September, the city government asked people to name their favorite comfort food and got more than 10,000 responses nationwide.
Tteokbokki was followed by fried chicken, kimchi stew, pork belly, "samgyetang" (chicken and ginseng soup), instant noodles, "doenjang" (soybean paste) stew, cake, beef, and chicken feet.
Other foods that didn't make it into the top 10 included pizza, ice cream, "galbijjim" (beef rib stew), kimchi, and seaweed soup, the government said.
The survey was carried out as part of Taste of Seoul, a culinary event that will run in the capital from Nov. 11 to 15.
More than half, or 57 percent, of participants were women, with people in their 20s and 30s accounting for the largest age group at 61 percent. By region, Seoul was the most common at 32.6 percent followed by Gyeonggi Province at 23 percent.
The city government said voters gave various reasons for choosing their favorite comfort foods.
One voter from Incheon was quoted as saying they chose tteokbokki because it releases stress and tastes good, and that if eaten together with "sundae" (Korean blood sausage) and fried seafood and vegetables, it can help them forget all their troubles and focus on enjoying the act of eating.
The government also noted that among the 50 foreigners in Seoul who took part in the vote, the result wasn't much different.
Aiyanyo Titi of Nigeria said she has tteokbokki often and once cried like an actress in a Korean TV drama because it was so spicy.
Sara Rousalova from the Czech Republic also chose tteokbokki, saying it's her go-to food whenever she feels sad or lonely.
"It's a great food to get rid of all negative thoughts," she was quoted as saying. "It gives me the spiciness, warmth and smoothness I need when I am feeling depressed."
Details of Taste of Seoul will be posted online Monday at www.tasteofseoul.visitseoul.net and on Facebook (www.facebook.com/tasteofseoul2020) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/tasteofseoul2020).
"We decided to try something new to add vitality to Seoul tourism in the age of the coronavirus, when many things are paused, distanced, and different," Joo Yong-tae, a city official overseeing tourism, said.
"As the saying goes, good food can provide comfort when no one and nothing else can," he added. "We hope that through food we will be able to encourage each other and experience the true taste of gastronomic Seoul."
Omona, what's been your comfort food in 2020?
source: The Korea Times
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October 17 2020, 22:01:16 UTC 1 week ago
Anything with high calories
I love tteokbokki too but here is too expensive
October 17 2020, 22:23:18 UTC 1 week ago
i feel a bit guilty for eating like trash, but there is also a pandemic happening..
October 17 2020, 22:24:18 UTC 1 week ago
October 17 2020, 22:26:54 UTC 1 week ago
mac n cheese and instant ramen
October 17 2020, 22:52:34 UTC 1 week ago
i like chicken or eggplant parmesan and chicken broccoli alfredo <3
October 17 2020, 23:24:32 UTC 1 week ago
October 18 2020, 00:33:21 UTC 1 week ago
October 18 2020, 00:39:25 UTC 1 week ago
also i'm making doenjang jjigae tomorrow now that its gotten a bit colder.
honestly pretty sure my comfort foods are mostly just sweets (cookies, ice cream) and instant ramen.
October 18 2020, 00:43:36 UTC 1 week ago
October 18 2020, 06:34:00 UTC 1 week ago
October 18 2020, 07:21:51 UTC 1 week ago
I know it's unhealthy AF, but my comfort food, well drink, has been Coke.
October 18 2020, 08:42:19 UTC 1 week ago
October 18 2020, 09:15:43 UTC 1 week ago
Why? Idk, but it warms my soul
October 18 2020, 11:34:47 UTC 1 week ago
I try not to eat them all the time (because I can) but 3 weeks ago I bought my first box of the year, and now I can't stop.
And I'm sorry for the people I will hurt but I'm a soggy cereals eater. With hot milk. YES.
October 18 2020, 20:34:10 UTC 1 week ago
*mind blown*
1 week ago
1 week ago
October 18 2020, 14:22:33 UTC 1 week ago Edited: October 18 2020, 14:26:33 UTC
i have never liked teokkbokki though, idk. if i had to choose a korean comfort food it’d be bingsu or dumplings
October 18 2020, 15:21:36 UTC 1 week ago
Bagels with kimchi spam and egg
Tamagoyaki
Soufflé pancake
Crepes
Rice cooker cheese cake
Hash brown with corned beef and cheese
Jian bing
Cheesy pasta (parmesan is a must!!!)
And yesterday I started baking cookies.
So cookies will probably be my latest thing until I get the recipe to exactly how I want it
I've also noticed that the things I make have gotten more calorific as I have gone along
During the summer I was making a lot of milkshakes.
Snacks wise. I literally just bulk ordered Haribo, and kinder Bueno is a fave of mine.
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