Fruit (6)
Persimmon
Two kinds: crisp sweet persimmon (dan-gam) eaten like an apple, and astringent varieties dried i...
Tangerine
Jeju tangerines are the Korean winter fruit — sold by the box and eaten by the handful. Thin-ski...
Fig
Korean figs ripen soft and jammy on the tree rather than in transit, so the domestic season is s...
Korean Pear
Bae is huge, round, and closer to an apple in texture — crisp, watery and lightly sweet. Also us...
Apple
Autumn is when Korean apples earn their reputation — Fuji-type varieties from Daegu and Andong,...
Yuzu
Highly aromatic and too sharp to eat raw — sliced with sugar into yuja-cheong marmalade and diss...
Vegetable (5)
Carrot
Autumn carrots are sweetest after cold nights. Jeju is Korea's main growing region and supplies...
Korean Radish
Mu is fat, dense and mildly sweet, unlike a slim daikon. Winter radish is the sweetest — used fo...
Napa Cabbage
The backbone of kimchi. Late-autumn and winter baechu is dense and sweet, which is why gimjang k...
Lotus Root
Crunchy and lacy in cross-section, lotus root is simmered in soy and mirin (yeongeun-jorim) or s...
Burdock Root
Earthy and fibrous, burdock is julienned and braised in soy, or rolled into gimbap for texture.
Seafood (8)
Hairtail
A long silver ribbon fish, prized in autumn. Jeju hairtail is the premium grade — salt-grilled,...
Mackerel
Autumn mackerel carries the most fat of the year. Salt-grilled (godeungeo-gui) is the default pr...
Gwamegi
Half-dried saury or herring, freeze-dried outdoors through winter in Guryongpo. Rich and oily, w...
Oyster
Korean oysters are small, briny and best from late autumn through winter. Eaten raw with chogoch...
Cockle
Boseong-area cockles are a winter fixture — briefly boiled, shells twisted open, and dressed wit...
Small Octopus
Nakji is thinner-limbed and more tender than common octopus. Eaten in fiery stir-fries, or brief...
Spanish Mackerel
Samchi is softer and milder than common mackerel, with fat peaking in the cold months. Salt-gril...
Mussel
Winter mussels are plump and cheap, steamed by the potful with garlic and chili or simmered into...
Greens & Herbs (2)
Deodeok Root
Aromatic and resinous, deodeok is pounded flat, brushed with gochujang and grilled. The smell is...
Bellflower Root
Doraji is bitter, fibrous and slightly medicinal — soaked, hand-rubbed with salt to draw the bit...
At a glance
| Item | Korean | Category | Peak months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Persimmon | 감 | Fruit | Oct, Nov |
| Tangerine | 귤 | Fruit | Jan, Nov, Dec |
| Fig | 무화과 | Fruit | Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov |
| Korean Pear | 배 | Fruit | Sep, Oct, Nov |
| Apple | 사과 | Fruit | Sep, Oct, Nov |
| Yuzu | 유자 | Fruit | Nov, Dec |
| Carrot | 당근 | Vegetable | Oct, Nov |
| Korean Radish | 무 | Vegetable | Jan, Nov, Dec |
| Napa Cabbage | 배추 | Vegetable | Nov, Dec |
| Lotus Root | 연근 | Vegetable | Nov, Dec |
| Burdock Root | 우엉 | Vegetable | Nov, Dec |
| Hairtail | 갈치 | Seafood | Sep, Oct, Nov |
| Mackerel | 고등어 | Seafood | Sep, Oct, Nov |
| Gwamegi | 과메기 | Seafood | Jan, Nov, Dec |
| Oyster | 굴 | Seafood | Jan, Feb, Nov, Dec |
| Cockle | 꼬막 | Seafood | Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec |
| Small Octopus | 낙지 | Seafood | Sep, Oct, Nov |
| Spanish Mackerel | 삼치 | Seafood | Jan, Feb, Oct, Nov, Dec |
| Mussel | 홍합 | Seafood | Jan, Nov, Dec |
| Deodeok Root | 더덕 | Greens & Herbs | Oct, Nov |
| Bellflower Root | 도라지 | Greens & Herbs | Jan, Oct, Nov, Dec |