Much of the food that exists in Korea today and the rituals surrounding it have originated from

royal cuisine and the complicated customs of the old court. The cuisine is a study in balance with meticulous thought paid to temperature, spiciness, color and texture along with deliberate presentation.

Starting with traditional bowls of rice and soup, the main meal is constructed around multiple shared side dishes intended to complement each other. The amount of side dishes may range from two to a dozen or more but daily dinners will feature at least a handful. All foods are presented at once to share, rather than in courses. A Korean feast comprises several foods prepared in different ways, including being steamed and simmered, pan-fried and stewed, fermented and uncooked.

Another cornerstone of Korean cuisine is rice, which provides the backbone of practically every meal, although is occasionally substituted with noodles. Because Korea is a peninsula, seafood is also quite popular.

The Koreans have mastered the technique of preserving food, thus many side dishes are plucked, fermented or salted and many are spicy. Kimchi, Korea's famed spicy cabbage, which has over a hundred variants employing various veggies, is a regular of every meal. It is renowned for its sour tart crunch as well as being a digestive aid