The Blog

First, day-to-day resources on your phone can make all the difference. Although I am Korean, I used a translation app almost every day to help me communicate with locals, whether it be to find a bathroom or a certain store. I used Google Translate but any similar app would work. Fortunately, Seoul (the capital of South Korea) is very English-friendly and if you stay in touristy areas such as Myeongdong, Hongdae, or Itaewon, you’ll find that a majority of people can speak English and an app isn’t even necessary. Another app that I used is Find Me Gluten Free, a map resource that helps you locate gluten-free restaurants and cafés. Other restaurant review apps allow you to search for and read reviews of restaurants with GF options, however I prefer Find Me Gluten Free because it is dedicated to GF dining. One of my favorite features of the app was the review section, as many dedicated users left a variety of comments from which specific things were gluten-free to the availability of gluten-free menus. It is definitely worth the investment and these apps will help ease your journey in Korea.

Through Find Me Gluten Free, I discovered that South Korea is filled with a plethora of gluten-free cafés! One such was called 단밋쌀디저트 (mahn mee saal dessert), which translates to Sweet Rice Dessert (quick tip: 쌀, or saal, roughly translates to “rice flour” which usually means that it is gluten-free, but still do ask). This bakery, like many others, uses rice flour and sold a variety of pastries and tarts which were very delicious and filling. Cross contact is also often not an issue, as a decent majority of the goods they bake use this rice flour instead of regular flour. These gluten-free bakeries and cafés can be found all over Seoul!    

Alongside these gluten-free cafés, there are also many restaurants that have gluten-free options. Korean BBQ, for example, can be found nearly on every single street throughout Seoul. These places are particularly convenient for those with celiac or gluten intolerance as you order and grill the meat yourself, preventing cross contact and eliminating any worries about where your food is coming from or how it is cooked.

In addition to this, I recommend checking out Myeongdong, where you can find numerous stores, restaurants, and especially street food vendors. Shopping in this area is a lot of fun and very cheap, and a lot of the street food is actually gluten-free. From kebabs to garlic butter shrimp, you’ll surely find something you like! And to end the day, check out some of the many dessert stands such as tanghulu (fresh fruit covered in a crunchy-sugary coating) and marshmallow ice cream which is very filling and delicious.

I could continue forever about the gluten-free options in South Korea, but I’ll just talk about one last interesting place that I found: a gluten-free fried chicken restaurant called 쌀통닭 (saal tohng dahk). This chain uses rice flour in most of their products and has a variety of options ranging from their signature crunchy rice chicken to their french fries. Pairing this fried chicken with a cold bottle of Soju (a traditional Korean alcohol) or beer is an amazingly delicious combination for adults! Overall, if you put in the time to research Seoul, you’ll find that there is actually a plethora of gluten-free restaurants such as this one. And for one last measure of safety, I found it always handy to carry around (or show a picture) of an allergy card. Keeping an allergen card was very helpful for me and there are many you can find online.

Aside from food, there are so many cool things to do in South Korea. From exploring the culture to shopping in large malls, you’ll have so much fun while also staying full and nutritious with the many food options. I have no doubt that anyone can navigate and manage a gluten-free diet in Korea!

And lastly, here are a few resources to look to see more information on gluten-free traveling in Korea:

Gluten-Free in Seoul

Celiac Travel Language Cards

Study Abroad Seoul Experience