Here's the single most useful thing I can teach you about eating Korean food with a dietary restriction: you don't need fluent Korean, and you don't need to memorise every dish. You need a few specific questions — and the confidence to ask them before you order.
I've spent years on both sides of this: ordering carefully myself, and working in kitchens that handled these questions every day. Allergy and diet questions are normal and welcome in Korea. Here's exactly what to say.
1. What's the broth made from? 2. Is there meat or fish in it? 3. Can you make it without? Screenshot the Korean below and you're set.
The core phrasebook
- "What's the broth made from?" — 육수가 뭐로 만들어졌어요? (Yuksu-ga mwo-ro mandeureojyeosseo-yo?)
- "Is there meat or fish in this?" — 고기나 생선 들어가요? (Gogi-na saengseon deureoga-yo?)
- "Can you make it without meat?" — 고기 빼고 만들 수 있어요? (Gogi ppaego mandeul su isseo-yo?)
- "I have a food allergy." — 저는 음식 알레르기가 있어요. (Jeoneun eumsik allereugi-ga isseo-yo.)
The extra question for your situation
Ask specifically about fish sauce and anchovy broth — they're the hidden ones: "액젓이나 멸치 육수 들어가요?" (Aekjeot-ina myeolchi yuksu deureoga-yo?). And for egg: "계란 빼고 주세요" (Gyeran ppaego juseyo — without egg, please).
Two musts: pork — "돼지고기 들어가요?" (Dwaeji-gogi deureoga-yo?) — and the hidden cooking alcohol — "소스에 술 들어가요?" (Sosu-e sul deureoga-yo?). For meat, seek out certified halal restaurants.
This is the one to be most careful with — a mistake here can be a medical emergency, not just a disappointment. Name what you can't eat clearly (beef, pork — both mammalian for alpha-gal), and ask about cross-contamination, not just ingredients: "소고기나 돼지고기가 안 닿게 해주세요" (Sogogi-na dwaejigogi-ga an dat-ge haejuseyo — please keep beef and pork from touching it). If you can't get a clear answer, it's completely reasonable to order something else.
Those complimentary banchan are lovely, but they're a blind spot — many are seasoned with fish sauce, salted seafood or a little meat. If you're strict vegan or managing an allergy, ask about the banchan too, not just your main dish.
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This is a food and lifestyle guide based on real experience, not medical or religious advice. Ingredients vary by household, brand and restaurant. If you have a diagnosed food allergy, follow the plan your doctor gave you and confirm ingredients in person every time. For halal, rely on the restaurant's own certification. When in doubt, ask — and if you can't get a clear answer, choose another dish.
Default to the dishes you trust
When in doubt, fall back on dishes that are easy to make safe: a kelp-broth doenjang jjigae, plain tofu and rice, or one of our genuinely meat-free Korean dishes. And if you keep halal or eat vegan, our dedicated guides on halal Korean food and vegan Korean food go deeper.
Bottom line
One calm, specific question saves the whole meal. Save this page, screenshot the Korean, and order with confidence — Korean kitchens deal with these questions every day, and asking is completely normal.