Bibimbap

Bibimbap (pronounced BEE-bim-bap; Korean: 비빔밥, meaning “mixed rice”) is a Korean dish built around a bowl of warm white rice. On top go namul—sautéed or blanched seasoned vegetables—and gochujang, a chili pepper paste. Egg and sliced meat, usually beef, are also common, and everything gets stirred together just before eating. The word *bibim* refers to the mixing action, while *bap* means cooked rice. Cities like Jeonju, Jinju, and Tongyeong in South Korea are known for their own versions.

The earliest recorded names for bibimbap appear in Korean texts written in Chinese characters (hanja). Around 1590, Bak Dongnyang’s *Historical Notes of Gijae* called it *hondon-ban* (混沌飯). Later, in the 18th century, Gwon Sang-il’s *Diary of Cheongdae* used *goldong-ban* (骨董飯), and Yi Ik’s *Complete Works of Seongho* simply called it *goldong* (骨董). Yi Deok-mu and Yi Hak-gyu also recorded similar names in their works. By the 19th century, hangul transcriptions appeared: Jang Hon’s 1810 encyclopedia *Mongyupyeon* gave *beubwieum* (브뷔음), and the 1870 *Myeongmul giryak* noted that the hanja name *goldong-ban* was read as *bubaeban* (捊排飯), likely a version of the native Korean *bubim-bap* (부빔밥). Other hangul spellings from the late 1800s include *bubwiumbap*, *bubieumbap*, *bubwimbap*, *bubuimbap*, *bubwinbap*, and *bubimbap*. Hanja names also included *hondonban*, *bubaeban*, and *banyuban*.

The dish’s origins are unclear. Some scholars think it came from mixing all the food offerings from a *jesa* (ancestral rite) into one bowl before eating. At outdoor rites like *sansinje* (for mountain gods) or *dongsinje* (for village gods), people had fewer pots and dishes, so mixing rice with side dishes made sense. Two old writings offer different explanations. The *People’s Unofficial Story of Jeonju* describes Jeonju bibimbap being served at parties for government officials. The *Lannokgi* says farmers’ wives made it because they lacked time for a full meal with many side dishes, so they combined ingredients in one bowl, sometimes adding whatever they were growing. Bibimbap was rarely mentioned early on, mostly in hanja records, but references increased in hangul after King Sejong the Great created the alphabet to improve literacy.

The dish was served to the king, usually as lunch or a snack, and that version included more than just vegetables. Ordinary people ate bibimbap on the eve of the lunar new year to use up leftover side dishes before the new year began. Farmers also ate it during the farming season because it was the easiest way to feed many people with minimal time and space. Yi Gyu-gyeong’s *Collected Works of Oju* (1788–1856) recorded many varieties, including ingredients like hoe (raw fish), shad, prawn, salted shrimp, shrimp roe, *gejang* (marinated crab), wild chive, fresh cucumber, *gim* flakes, gochujang, soybean sprouts, and various vegetables. It also noted that bibimbap was a local specialty of Pyongyang, alongside *naengmyeon* and *gamhongno*. The first known recipe appears in the *Siuijeonseo*, an anonymous cookbook from the late 19th century.

The division of Korea in the 20th century created two distinct types: North Korea’s vegetable bibimbap from Pyongyang and South Korea’s Jeonju bibimbap. In the late 20th century, globalisation spread Korean culture and food worldwide. Many restaurant chains opened in international airports, and airlines connecting to Seoul and Busan began serving bibimbap. Its simplicity, low cost, and taste helped it become popular in the West. It is now seen as a symbol of Korean culture for non-Koreans, as Korea has become more accessible to foreigners and multicultural traditions.

Common vegetables in bibimbap include julienned cucumber (*oi*), courgette (*aehobak*), radish (*mu*), mushrooms, bellflower root (*doraji*), seaweed (*gim*), spinach, soybean sprouts, and bracken fern stems (*gosari*). Tofu (*dubu*), either plain or sautéed, or a lettuce leaf may be added. Chicken or seafood can replace beef.