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Dish guide · Soups and stews

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Yukgaejang

육개장

Spicy beef soup

♨️ Served hot🌶🌶 Spicy🥬 Not vegetarian

A spicy red soup of shredded beef with lots of green onion, fernbrake and bean sprouts. It's eaten with rice, and Daegu is closely tied to the dish.

What it is

  • The beef is simmered, shredded and cooked again with green onion, fernbrake (gosari) and bean sprouts in a broth reddened with chili flakes fried in sesame oil.
  • Some cooks drizzle beaten egg into the boiling soup. Others add mushrooms or radish.

Styles & local versions

Ttaro-gukbap따로국밥

Daegu's version of yukgaejang, with the rice served in a separate bowl; ttaro means "separately". The spicy broth is made with beef, plenty of green onion and radish, and a little chili oil.

How to eat it

  1. 1Eat it with rice and kimchi. Add the rice a spoonful at a time, or tip it in.

History

  • The name means a beef (yuk) version of gaejang, a spicy stew once made with dog meat.
  • A Daegu version became popular in the early 20th century before spreading to Seoul and the rest of Korea. Today Daegu's ttaro-gukbap is a local yukgaejang with the rice on the side.

Allergies and diet

Usually contains

beefsoywheatsesameegg
  • The soup is seasoned with soy sauce, which usually contains wheat.
  • Egg is optional. Ask if you avoid it.
  • Some Daegu shops add seonji (congealed ox blood).

Recipes differ between restaurants. If you have an allergy, always ask the staff before you order.

🗣️ Allergy card for the staff

Pick your allergy to see the sentence in Korean.

📍 Where to try it

Sources

We check every fact against at least two sources and write it in our own words. Last checked: 2026-11-05.