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매운맛
Banchan.jpg · 국립국어원 · CC BY-SA 2.0 kr · Wikimedia Commons

매운맛

Spice and heat

Gochugaru vs gochujang vs fresh chili — how Koreans actually turn the dial.

Heat: you choose · Vegetarian: n/a

Three knobs

Gochugaru is dried chili flake — color and a clean burn. Gochujang is sweet-fermented heat. Fresh chili (청양고추 is the famous hot one) is sharp and immediate. “Less spicy” in a restaurant is 덜 맵게. Kids’ tteokbokki exists; you are allowed to want it.

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