Non-Koreans who come out for drinks with Korean friends often hit the same problem: everyone at the table nods when someone orders and 4 plates appear. Here's the anju cheat sheet.
With soju:
- 삼겹살 (samgyeopsal) — grilled pork belly, sizzling table, everyone's favorite. Beginner-safe.
- 골뱅이무침 (golbaengi muchim) — spicy chilled sea snail salad. Sounds intense, tastes amazing. Order.
- 계란말이 (gyeran-mari) — rolled omelet. Cheap, filling, buys you time between soju shots.
With beer:
- 치킨 (chikin) — Korean fried chicken. This is dinner-level, not a snack, know what you're committing to.
- 노가리 (nogari) — dried pollack. Salty, chewy, absurdly addictive with cold beer. This is the divey local pub move.
- 모듬 튀김 (modeum twigim) — mixed tempura-style fried plate. Safe order everywhere.
With makgeolli:
- 파전 (pajeon) — scallion pancake. This is the pairing. When it rains, Korean people literally get cravings for this combo. It's cultural.
Two things nobody tells you:
1. Pour drinks for others, not for yourself. Someone will pour yours. This is not optional.
2. "딱 한 잔" ("just one drink") is a lie every single time. Plan your morning accordingly.
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