A Year to Learn Korean Cooking: Dakgalbi
Today let’s learn about cooking dakgalbi (닭갈비) at home! Dakgalbi is a fabulous stir-fried chicken dish with with a gochujang-based sauce that often includes cabbage, sweet potatoes, rice cake (tteok 떡 ), scallions and other ingredients. You can enjoy this at your favorite restaurant. However this is a great dish to prepare ahead and cook directly on your table in front of your family or guests!
About the South of Seoul “A Year to Learn Korean Cooking’ Series
Many of us live in South Korea for only a year. However, time flies past faster than we can imagine. At South of Seoul, we decided to create a simple series that will offer 2-4 dishes to learn each month so that when you leave South Korea you have a slew of new dishes you feel comfortable making anywhere.
This series is a collaboration with Kimchi Rednecks. In 2020 they created the first blog in this series Online Resources for Learning to Cook Korean Food. These two love to have adventures in the kitchen and share the results with their community. Be sure to follow Kimchi Rednecks on YouTube for other great videos about living life in South Korea.
About Dakgalbi
Dakgalbi consists of chopped chicken marinated in a spicy Korean sauce and stir fried with cabbage, sweet potatoes, perilla leaves, rice cakes and other ingredients. The dish is very popular and there are many restaurants that serve this flavorful dish. Also, the most popular version of this dish now includes melted cheese to dip your chicken and vegetables.
The dish itself, originated from the Chuncheon (춘천) area. Chuncheon is the capital of the Gangwon Province and has beautiful mountain and lake areas. Since it was created in the area, it is often referred to as Chuncheon dakgalbi. There is even a street in Chuncheon with many dakgalbi restaurants where you can go to enjoy this dish.
Many restaurants will cook your dakgalbi on the table after you order it. However, there are some that will bring it to your table after it is cooked. Either way, you get to customize it with what you want in it (rice cakes, dangmyeon noodles, cheese, etc.). We always love to get ours with the rice cakes and plenty of cheese!
And before you complete your meal of dakgalbi, leave some chicken and vegetable and ask for bokkeumbap 볶음밥, stir-fried rice. Once you have eaten through most of your dish, you can add rice to the pan. Then, you cook it with the leftover chicken, vegetables, and sauce. This makes a fabulous end to your dakgalbi meal. In addition, this is easy to do if you are cooking at home too!
Biggest Hurdle in Cooking Dakgalbi
The biggest hurdle for us when cooking dakgalbi at home is that I tend to try to load the pot with way too much food at one time! When you cook this dish at home, remember if you plan to add cheese into the pan for dipping, you want to leave some room for making the cheese trough.
We love the ease of this dish. You can prepare all your ingredients ahead of time and have it in the pan and ready to be cooked when it’s time for dinner. Whenever serve it for family or guests, we have the portable gas stove on the table waiting for the pan of dakgalbi.
Three Recommended Cooking Dakgalbi Videos to Watch
Check out these three videos for recipes on how to cook dakgalbi at home. And remember if your family isn’t quite into the high level of spice, you can always choose to reduce the amount of gochugaru in the sauce to make it more pleasing to them.
Korean American Cooking Dakgalbi
Korean Cooking Dakgalbi
American in Korea Cooking Dakgalbi
Let Us Know How It Turns Out
When you make dakgalbi for the first time at home, be sure to leave a comment and let us know how it turned out! Also, if you live in Pyeongtaek, you can even share your success (or failure) with us in the Pyeongtaek Food & Fun Facebook group.
If you are looking for other dishes (Korean or otherwise) or reviews of restaurants, be sure to check out the KimchiRednecks channel or check out our social media accounts on Facebook or Instagram, where we often share what we are cooking or eating.
Read more in our Year to Learn Korean Cooking Series
About Melissa Edwards-Whittington & Chuck Whittington (KimchiRednecks)
Chuck and Melissa—also known as the KimchiRednecks—have been living in Korea since 2017 and documenting their life abroad since launching their YouTube channel in 2018. Originally created to share their adventures with friends and family back in the U.S., KimchiRednecks has since grown into a vibrant and dynamic platform that reflects their love for Korean culture, food, travel, and everyday life. From foodie explorations and recipe experiments to gaming, tech, and car projects (especially the BRZ), their content offers a fun and honest window into expat life.
Chuck Whittington is a graduate of Francis Marion University with a degree in Information Systems Management. With over two decades of experience in IT, Chuck combines his technical expertise with a long-standing fascination with Korea—having visited many times before moving permanently. He’s the tech-savvy side of KimchiRednecks and brings a love for innovation, gaming, and cars to the channel.
Melissa Edwards-Whittington holds a degree in Bible with a minor in Elementary Education from Mid-Atlantic Christian University. She has worn many hats over the years—working in customer service, marketing, and now also serving as a volunteer Co-Editor and Social Media Marketing Manager for United on the RoK Magazine. Her writing and digital work focus on building community and supporting military-connected and expatriate populations in Korea. Melissa also volunteers with South of Seoul, where she helps manage online social media groups, supports local language exchanges, and creates original content to assist newcomers and long-term residents alike.
Together, Chuck and Melissa share their lives with their three beloved Shih Tzu daughters—Minion, Sookie (forever in their hearts), and Mayhem—who are frequently featured in their videos and social media posts.
Whether they’re sipping coffee at a neighborhood café, exploring hidden corners of Korea, or experimenting with homemade whiskey and brandy on their second channel, Shining with KimchiRednecks, Chuck and Melissa are passionate about sharing the real and ever-evolving journey of life abroad. One of their greatest joys is cooking, and they frequently document their culinary adventures—especially their experiences learning to prepare Korean dishes and other global cuisines—on their YouTube channel, inviting others to celebrate food, culture, and connection alongside them.
Follow Chuck, Melissa & the KimchiRednecks Adventures:
YouTube: @kimchirednecks
YouTube: @shiningwithkimchirednecks
Instagram: @kimchirednecks
Facebook: KimchiRednecks
United on the RoK Magazine: www.unitedontherokmag.com
KimchiRednecks
About Melissa Edwards-Whittington & Chuck Whittington (KimchiRednecks) Chuck and Melissa—also known as the KimchiRednecks—have been living in Korea since 2017 and documenting their life abroad since launching their YouTube channel in 2018. Originally created to share their adventures with friends and family back in the U.S., KimchiRednecks has since grown into a vibrant and dynamic platform that reflects their love for Korean culture, food, travel, and everyday life. From foodie explorations and recipe experiments to gaming, tech, and car projects (especially the BRZ), their content offers a fun and honest window into expat life. Chuck Whittington is a graduate of Francis Marion University with a degree in Information Systems Management. With over two decades of experience in IT, Chuck combines his technical expertise with a long-standing fascination with Korea—having visited many times before moving permanently. He's the tech-savvy side of KimchiRednecks and brings a love for innovation, gaming, and cars to the channel. Melissa Edwards-Whittington holds a degree in Bible with a minor in Elementary Education from Mid-Atlantic Christian University. She has worn many hats over the years—working in customer service, marketing, and now also serving as a volunteer Co-Editor and Social Media Marketing Manager for United on the RoK Magazine. Her writing and digital work focus on building community and supporting military-connected and expatriate populations in Korea. Melissa also volunteers with South of Seoul, where she helps manage online social media groups, supports local language exchanges, and creates original content to assist newcomers and long-term residents alike. Together, Chuck and Melissa share their lives with their three beloved Shih Tzu daughters—Minion, Sookie (forever in their hearts), and Mayhem—who are frequently featured in their videos and social media posts. Whether they’re sipping coffee at a neighborhood café, exploring hidden corners of Korea, or experimenting with homemade whiskey and brandy on their second channel, Shining with KimchiRednecks, Chuck and Melissa are passionate about sharing the real and ever-evolving journey of life abroad. One of their greatest joys is cooking, and they frequently document their culinary adventures—especially their experiences learning to prepare Korean dishes and other global cuisines—on their YouTube channel, inviting others to celebrate food, culture, and connection alongside them. Follow Chuck, Melissa & the KimchiRednecks Adventures: YouTube: @kimchirednecks YouTube: @shiningwithkimchirednecks Instagram: @kimchirednecks Facebook: KimchiRednecks United on the RoK Magazine: www.unitedontherokmag.com
