Korean royal court cuisine
Korean royal court cuisine (Joseon Wangjo Gungjung yori) was the style of cookery within Korean cuisine traditionally consumed at the court of the Joseon Dynasty, which ruled Korea from 1392 to 1910. There has been a revival of this cookery style in the 21st century. It is said that twelve dishes should be served along with rice and soup, with most dishes served in bangjja (bronzeware).

History

Collectively known as gungjung eumsik during the pre-modern era, the foods of the royal palace were reflective of the opulent nature of the past rulers of the Korean peninsula. The opulent nature of the royalty is evidenced in examples as far back as the Silla kingdom, where a man-made lake (Anapji Lake, located in Gyeongju), was created with multiple pavilions and halls for the sole purpose of opulent banquets and a spring fed channel, Poseokjeong, was created for the singular purpose of setting wine cups afloat during the writing of poems.

Reflecting the regionalism of the kingdoms and bordering countries of the peninsula, the cuisine borrowed from each of these areas to function as a showcase. The royalty had the finest regional delicacies sent to the palace. Although there are records of banquets pre-dating the Joseon period, the majority of these records note a vast variety of foods without mentioning the specific foods present. The meals cooked for the royal family were not seasonal, like a commoner's meal. Instead, they varied significantly day to day. The eight provinces were represented each month in turn in the royal palace by ingredients presented by their governors. This gave the cooks a wide assortment of ingredients to use for royal meals.

Food held a very important place in Joseon period. Official positions were created within the Six Ministries (Yukjo, 육조) that were charged with all matters related to procurement and consumption of food and drink for the royal court. The Board of Personnel (Ijo, 이조) contained positions specific for attaining rice for the royal family. The Board of Rites (Yejo) were responsible for foods prepared for ancestor rites, attaining wines and other beverages, and medicinal foods. There were also hundreds of slaves and women who worked in the palace that had tasks such as making tofu, liquor, tea, and tteok (rice cakes). The women were the cooks to the royal palace and were of commoner or low-status families. These women would be split into specific skill sets or "bureaus" such as the Bureau of special foods (Saenggwa-bang, 생과방) or the Bureau of cooking foods (Soju-bang, 소주방). These female cooks may have been assisted by male cooks from outside the palace during larger banquets when necessary.

Five meals were generally served in the royal palace each day during the Joseon period, and records suggest this pattern had existed from antiquity.  Three of these meals would be full-course meals, while the afternoon and after dinner meals would consist of lighter fare. The first meal, mieumsang (미음상), was served at sunrise on days when the king and queen were not taking herbal medicines. The meal consisted of rice porridge (juk, 죽) made with ingredients such as abalone (jeonbokjuk), white rice (huinjuk), mushrooms (beoseotjuk), pine nuts (jatjuk), and sesame (kkaejuk). The side dishes could consist of kimchi, nabak kimchi, oysters, soy sauce, and other items. The porridge was thought to give vitality to the king and queen throughout the day.

The sura (수라) were the main meals of the day. Breakfast was served at ten in the morning and the evening meals were served between six and seven at night. The set of three tables (surasang, 수라상), were usually set with two types of rice, two types of soup, two types of stew (jjigae), one dish of jjim (meat stew), one dish of jeongol (a casserole of meat and vegetables), three types of kimchi, three types of jang (장) and twelve side dishes, or called 12 cheop (12첩). The meals were set in the suragan (수라간), a room specifically used for taking meals, with the king seated to the east and the queen to the west. Each had their own set of tables and were attended by three palace servant women known as sura sanggung (수라상궁). These women would remove bowl covers and offer the foods to the king and queen after ensuring that the dishes were not poisoned.

This Korean food heritage has been inscribed by the government as Important Intangible Cultural Property No. 38. Han Bongnyeo (한복려 ; 韓福麗) is the current Living National Treasure as the keeper of this property.

Surasang setting

The surasang should be served with three tables and a hotpot. The largest round table at the right upper corner is the main table which contains main bowl, soups and stews, dishes, side dishes and fermented stored dishes. The small round table at the left upper corner contains red sura, gomtang or thick meat broth, dessert, tea, empty dishes and bowls. This table is also used to store the covers of bowls and dishes used in the main table. The rectangular table in the right lower corner contains eggs, sesame oil, various raw vegetables and several sauces. The hotpot at the left lower corner is heated with charcoal, and usually contains jeongol such as sinseollo.

The setting was as follows:

A, B, C: surasanggung (수라상궁)

 songsongi (송송이): cubed radish kimchi
 jeotgugji (젓국지): kimchi from Korean cabbage seasoned with jeotgal
 dongchimi (동치미): white kimchi
 jeotgal (젓갈): fermented, salted seafood
 jorigae (조리개): hard-boiled food with heavy seasonings
 namul (나물): seasoned vegetable side dishes
 saengche (생채): fresh salad
 jjim (찜): steamed or boiled dishes
 mareunchan (마른찬): dried foods
 janggwa (장과): braised seafood
 pyeonyuk (편육): boiled and seasoned meat pressed by heavy weight and then sliced thinly
 changui (찬구이): fried Codonopsis lanceolata (더덕, deodeok) and kim
 jeonyuhwa (전유화): pancake-like fried dish
 Jeotguk jochi (젓국 조치): kind of fish soup
 togu (토구): a plate used to hold bones during the meal
 jang (장): soy sauce
 chojang (초장): soy sauce with vinegar
 cho gochujang (초 고추장): chili paste with vinegar
 tojang jochi (토장 조치): soybean soup
 huinsura (흰수라): white rice
 gwaktang (곽탕): seaweed soup
 chaeso (채소): vegetables
 gogi (고기): meat
 jangguk (장국): soybean paste soup
 dalgyal (달걀): egg
 jeongol (전골): type of stew
 jaengban (쟁반) and chasu (차수): teapot and plate
 gongjeobsi(공접시): empty plate
 gonggi (공기): empty bowl
 suran (수란): poached egg
 hoe (회): raw fish and meat
 deoungui (더운구이): hot grilled meat
 hongban (홍반) or patsura (팥수라): rice with azuki beans
 gomtang (곰탕): soup from beef meat and bones

Main dishes served in a bowl

Sura

Sura (수라) is a bowl of boiled rice and grains. Two kinds of sura must always be served. This includes white sura.
 White Sura (): boiled rice without any additional ingredients.
 Red Sura (): boiled rice made with the boiled water of azuki beans.
 Five Grain Sura (): made by boiling rice, sweet rice, glutinous millet, and azuki beans
 Goldongban (): boiled rice mixed with steamed vegetables, roasted beef, and a fried egg. In the royal palace, bibimbap was known as goldongban.

Juk, mieum, and eungi
Juk () and mieum (미음) or eung-i (응이) are types of rice porridge usually served in the morning. Juk is thicker than mieum in texture, latter of which is similar to the Western gruel.
 Omija eungi (): Firstly, omija berries are boiled and honey is then added to the boiled omija. The boiled omija berries are taken out. Mung bean starch is then added, the liquid is boiled again.
 Sok mieum (): Sweet rice, red jujubes, ginseng root, and chestnuts are simmered.
 Jatjuk : rice is soaked and pine nuts are ground before being boiled in water.
 Hangin Juk (): Apricot kernels (also the flavoring agent of the popular Italian liqueur Amaretto Disaronno Originale) are peeled and ground with rice. The rice and apricot seed mixture is boiled.
 Heukimjajuk  (): Black sesame seeds are ground and boiled with rice.
 Tarakjuk  (): soaked rice is boiled with water, and then cow milk is added. It is then boiled some more.
 Janggukjuk (): ground beef and chopped shiitake mushrooms are boiled together.
 Other dishes include dalgyal samhap mieum, jo mieum, sok mieum, chajo mieum, yulmu eungi, nokmal eungi, omija eungi, etc.

Guksu

Guksu () are noodles that are prepared with buckwheat or wheat flour, with the former being preferred.
 Myeon sinseollo (): Boiled sliced beef shank, paeju (), Korean parsley, and sliced bamboo sprouts are boiled with beef stock. Boiled guksu is added to the ready beef stock mixture.
 Onmyeon (): stock made from beef brisket is added to roast beef, sliced egg pancake, and guksu.
 Nanmyeon (): Wheat flour is mixed with eggs to make noodles. They are then served with beef stock.
 Domimyeon (): noodle soup made with panfish, sliced egg pancakes, ginkgo seeds, walnuts, fried meatballs, and pine nuts.
 Other guksu dishes include jangguk naengmyeon, kimchiguk naengmyung, bibim naengmyeon, etc. Simple naengmyeon is also popular.

Mandu and ddeokguk
Mandu (만두) are boiled or steamed dumplings. Mandu dough is made from either wheat flour or buckwheat.  The dough is then stuffed with various fillings. Tteokguk (떡국) is a soup made of tteok (glutinous rice cakes)
 Jangguk mandu (): kimchi, pork, and tofu are used as filling.
 Saengchi mandu (): ring neck pheasant, dropwort, cabbage, and shiitake mushrooms are used as filling. Buckwheat dough is used. The prepared saengchi mandu is then boiled in meat stock.
 Donga mandu (): Mandu made with winter melon, chicken and starch. It is steamed and then boiled in meat stock.
 Pyeonsu  (): Mandu made with beef, cucumber, green bean sprouts, shiitake mushrooms, and rock tripe.
 Tteokguk  (): Tteok sliced round to resemble coins, and is boiled with meat stock. It is served with egg pancake slices and roasted ground meat.
 Other varieties include gyuasang () and junchi mandu ().
 Eo mandu (): Mandu made with a thinly sliced fish flesh as its wrap and stuffed with minced beef, vegetables, and several spices.

Dishes

Tang
Tang is a type of soup made with beef shank, intestines, a knuckle (bone) and beef brisket.

 Malgeun guk (): a hot and clear soup, and includes Mu-guk (), clear beef soup, Miyeok guk, dried pollock soup, etc.
 Gomguk: a thick soup made so by simmering for a long time. Varieties include gomtang (), seolleongtang  (), yukgaejang (), etc.
 Tojangguk (): a soup flavored with doenjang (fermented soybean paste). This includes cabbage tonjangguk, spinach tojangguk, etc.
 Naengguk : a soup served cold. This includes kkaeguktang, oinaengguk, and wakame cold soup.

Jochi and gamjeong
Jochi () and gamjeong (감정) are stew-like dishes which is called jjigae in nowadays. If seasoned with gochujang, they are called gamjeong. Jochi is seasoned with salt or  salted shrimp.  Other varieties include:
 Crab gamjeong
 Cucumber gamjeong
 Oyster jochi
 Zucchini jochi
 Fish jochi, etc.

Jjim and seon

Jjim (): steamed or boiled beef, pork, and fish seasoned with vegetables. Seon () is steamed vegetables, tofu, and fish stuffed with fillings made with beef or chicken and onions.
 Swellfish jjim
 Bure jjim ()
 Red sea bream jjim or Pagrus major jjim
 Tteok
 Ox tail jjim
 Dubuseon (두부선), steamed tofu with fillings
 Gajiseon (가지선), made with eggplant
 Oiseon (오이선), made with cucumber
 Hobakseon (호박선), made with zucchini
 Museon (무선), made with radish
 Baechuseon (배추선), made with napa cabbage

Jeongol and sinseollo

Jeongol and sinseollo are similar to Western stew or Chinese hotpot. Sinseollo (which is a variety of jeongol) is boiled in meat stock with various vegetables and mushrooms in a specific cooking pot with holes. Jeongol and sinseollo are served with a burner.
 Domi guksu jeongol, made with noodles and Red seabream
 Nakji jeongol, made with small octopus
 Dubu jeongol, made with tofu

Side dishes

Saengchae
Saengchae (생채) is like a salad seasoned with salt, vinegar, soy sauce, or mustard sauce.
 Mu saengchae, made of shredded radish
 Oi saengchae, made of cucumber
 Deodeok saengchae, made of deodeok root (Codonopsis lanceolata, a species of bonnet bellflower).
 Seomchorongkkot saengchae, made of Korean bellflower, etc.

Namul

Namul (나물) are any variety of steamed vegetables seasoned with hot pepper, garlic, green onion, salt, and sesame or perilla oil. Typical vegetables include spinach, radish, royal fern, bracken, zucchini, green bean sprouts, Korean bellflower, bamboo shoots, etc. In some cases, dangmyeon (potato starch noodles) and roasted beef can be used as well.
Gujeolpan
Japchae
Tangpyeonchae

Jorigae
Jorigae (조리개) hard-boiled foods with heavy seasonings. Meats, fish and vegetable are mainly used.
 Beef jorigae (우육조리개)
 Sliced steamed beef jorigae (우편육조리개)
 Sliced steamed pork jorigae (돈편육조리개)
 Small yellow croaker jorigae (조기조리개)

Jeonyuhwa

Jeonyuhwa (전유화) or sometimes jeon: a dish resembling a pancake. The main ingredients can be lightly battered with egg and wheat flour. Eggs, flour, and other ingredients can be mixed to make pancakes.
 Jogaejeon, made with shellfish
 Saeu jeon, made with shrimp
 Gochu jeon, made with hot pepper
 Bindaetteok (빈대떡) made from ground mung beans and other ingredients
 Yeongeun jeon, made with sliced lotus root
 Pajeon, made with green onions

Gui

Gui is a generic Korean cuisine term for roasted and seasoned dishes. The main ingredients include laver, beef, the root of deodeok (Codonopsis lanceolata; 더덕), fish, mushrooms, vegetables, Aralia elata sprouts (두릅), etc.
Garibi gui (가리비구이) or gari gui (가리구리), old term for galbi, grilled short ribs seasoned with soy sauce
Garibi gui (가리비구이), grilled scallops
Neobiani (너비아니), ancient form of bulgogi
Pogui (포구이), grilled po (either dried meat jerky, or fish)
Dak sanjeok (닭산적), grilled chicken and vegetables on skewers
Hwayang seok (화양적), various marinated ingredients grilled on skewers

Hoe

Hoe (회) is raw fish or raw seasoned beef
 Yukhoe, raw seasoned beef
 Gaksaek hoe (각색회)
 Gabhoe (갑회), etc.

Jang ()
 sauce
 Doenjang : soybean paste like miso, but containing some whole and partially crushed beans, fermented in crocks until very mellow
 Cheonggukjang : more pungent soybean paste, fermented for only a few days. Contains some whole or partially crushed soybeans.
 Cheongjang (): "bright" sauce (soy sauce with vinegar)
 Gochujang: hot pepper soybean paste sauce
 Chogochujang (): vinegar hot pepper soybean paste sauce
 Gyeojajeub (): mustard sauce

Banchan ()
 dishes
 Changui (): cold roast of laver and Codonopsis lanceolata root, a bonnet bellflower species called deodeok () in Korean
 Deoungui (): hot roast of meat, fish, etc.
 Jeonyuhwa (): pancake of meat, fish, and vegetables
 Pyeonyuk (): steamed meat
 Sukchae (): steamed vegetables
 Saengchae (): raw seasoned vegetables
 Jorim: lightly boiled meat, fish and vegetables with seasoning
 Janggwa (): fermented vegetables in soy sauce
 Jeotgal: fermented salty fish
 Mareulchan (): dried slices of meat seasoned with spices, fried kelp, and dried salty fish
 Hoe (): raw fish or beef, or fermented raw fish
 Chansuran (): cold soup with vegetables or boiled meat
 Chasu (): tea made from grains

Dessert
Tteok (rice cake)
Mostly made of rice, it is eaten as a dessert or on Chuseok, which falls on the 15th day of the 8th month in the lunar calendar. These rice cakes vary from containing sweet red bean rice to sesame seeds. Most of these rice cakes are mildy sweet and are enjoyed by everyone from young to old.

Tea and fruit punch
Sikhye:
A sweet rice punch. Being an iconic Korean traditional drink, several varieties of canned sikhye are now widely available.
Sujeonggwa:
A sweet drink flavored with ginger and cinnamon. Softened dried persimmons and pine nuts are added at serving time.
Fruit Hwachae: fruit punch made by mixing several fruits together, or only one fruit used. The ingredients are cherries, strawberries, peaches, or watermelons. There are also hwachae with floating azalea petals, boiled barley, pine pollen, or slices of pear in omija-flavored water, sweetened with honey or sugar.