Some foods are just made for certain weather: hot chocolate or creamy stew feel like a warm blanket on a cold winter day, while cold watermelon and shaved ice are perfect under the summer sun. Just as the sight of a campfire calls to mind well-roasted marshmallows, changing seasons and gentle breeze evoke cravings for familiar comforts. For Koreans, only one dish will do on a cloudy, damp rainy day: crispy, savory jeon.

Jeon, a traditional Korean dish, is a type of fritter made by coating ingredients like fish, meat, and vegetables in flour and egg before frying them, or by finely chopping the ingredients, mixing them into a batter, and frying them. Popular varieties include kimchi-jeon and pa-jeon (green onion jeon), but nearly anything – mushrooms, shrimp, beef liver, or stuffed green peppers – can be transformed into jeon. There’s a saying that even shoes taste good when fried, and jeon is a cooking method that embodies that sentiment. It’s a ubiquitous presence on Korean tables and takes the form of everything from snacks to side dishes and drinking food. And interestingly, it’s the food many Koreans crave whenever it rains – regardless of the season.

Mungbean jeon

Why do Koreans think of jeon on rainy days? It’s a question often pondered, and three popular theories try to explain it. The first is that the sizzling sound of jeon frying in oil resembles the pattering of rain, naturally linking the two in people’s minds. The second theory suggests that rainy days, with their lack of sunlight, reduce serotonin levels, prompting cravings for high-calorie, comforting foods like jeon to lift the mood. The third theory dates back to Korea’s agricultural past, when rain meant farmers couldn’t work in the fields, giving them time to cook simple dishes like jeon using whatever ingredients were available. While none of these theories can be definitively proven, one thing is certain: rainy days and jeon are inseparable in Korean culture.

For an authentic taste of this rainy-day comfort food, head to Mapo Jeon Alley, located near Gongdeok Station – just an hour from Incheon International Airport via the Airport Railroad Express. This bustling alley, at the entrance to Gongdeok Market, offers nearly every type of jeon imaginable. On the right-hand side, sits Cheonghakdong Buchimgae, a beloved traditional Jeon specialist that has been open since 2006.

Cheonghakdong Buchimgae

Buchimgae is another name for jeon, and this spot offers a fantastic selection of dozens of jeon varieties made with a wide range of ingredients. Simple shrimp jeon, pork patty jeon, and spicy kimchi jeon are a few of the favorites. Open nearly all day, the restaurant is always bustling with visitors – its first floor welcomes diners during the day, while the second floor comes alive in the evening as people pair jeon with drinks.

During major holidays like Lunar New Year and Chuseok (a mid-autumn harvest festival), the number of staff doubles to meet the demand, as jeon is an essential part of holiday feasts. In Korea, “frying jeon” is practically synonymous with the labor-intensive task of holiday food preparation, much like cooking for Thanksgiving in the United States. To ease the burden, many now choose to buy jeon here at Mapo Jeon Alley instead of making it themselves. Even if they forgo the effort of cooking, they won’t compromise on enjoying the delicious flavors of jeon.

Cheonghakdong Buchimgae

At Cheonghakdong Buchimgae, you can choose from dozens of pre-cooked jeon displayed on long shelves. Grab a basket and tongs, and explore the colorful selection neatly arranged in plates. Each item has a simple English label describing its ingredients, making it easy to navigate, even for first-timers. Once you’ve picked your favorites, hand it to the staff, who will weigh it or count the pieces to let you know the total cost. The jeon, which has already been cooked once, is placed on a large, well-heated griddle and fried again until it turns golden and crispy. After paying, you can enter the store and take a seat, and soon a perfectly freshly fried jeon will be brought to you in a dish.

Cheonghakdong Buchimgae

Essential to the Cheonghakdong Buchimgae experience is the accompanying soy sauce-based dipping sauce, which is loaded with finely chopped onions. The combination of marinated crunchy onions and fresh-out-of-the-pan jeon is unbeatable. Jeon also pairs wonderfully with makgeolli, a traditional Korean rice liquor. At Cheonghakdong Buchimgae, there’s an impressive variety of makgeolli, from classic versions to unique flavors like yuzu, corn, and pine nut. Each region of Korea has its own take on this traditional drink, so it’s the perfect opportunity to discover your favorite pairing.

The next time the rain falls, or you’re simply craving a bit of traditional Korean comfort, indulge in jeon. It’s a dish that warms the heart, rain or shine.

Yeonjoo JungYeonjoo Jung

Published on January 29, 2025

Related stories

photo of woman serving food in Seoul market
February 5, 2025

Scenes from Our New Seoul Tour: A Photo Essay

Seoul | By Culinary Backstreets
SeoulSeoul, a city that thrives on reinvention, is a masterclass in culinary adaptation. It bombards the senses the moment you arrive – vibrant neon signs, a crescendo of street sounds, and enticing aromas wafting up from countless food stalls. This is a city where tradition and modernity collide, where ancient culinary techniques are reimagined for…
February 3, 2025

Exploring Osaka by Night

Osaka | By Lee Chapman
OsakaEditor’s Note: We asked Lee Chapman, a photographer who has been living in Japan since 1998, to give us a peek into the bright lights and warm locales of Osaka’s nighttime food scene. His photos have appeared in the Guardian, New Statesman, Spiegel Online, Japan Times and The Economist, plus numerous other print and online…
January 30, 2025

Scenes from Our New Bangkok Tour: A Photo Essay

Bangkok | By Culinary Backstreets
BangkokOne of the most ubiquitous foreign cuisines in the US and abroad, the scope of Thai food served outside the country is largely limited to dishes from Bangkok and central Thailand. But many diners consider these dishes wholly Thai without being aware of the various influences that created them. In fact, “Thai food” is a…