Eating well outside the big cities

Korean regional cuisine is strongly localised, and towns take their speciality seriously. Jeonju has bibimbap, Chuncheon has dakgalbi, Andong has jjimdak and its own salted mackerel, Masan has agujjim. Coastal towns are defined by whatever the boats bring in.

Following the local speciality is the single most reliable eating strategy in Korea. It is what the town has the most practice at, what the ingredients are freshest for, and what the competition between restaurants is fiercest over.

You will often find an entire street of restaurants serving the same dish. This is normal and is a good sign rather than a bad one.

Many regional specialities are cooked and served for two or more, and some restaurants will decline to serve a single diner a shared dish. This is not rudeness — the dish does not work in a smaller quantity.

The workarounds are real. Look for restaurants advertising 1인분 (one portion), eat the local speciality at lunch when set menus are more common, or head for a market food court where everything is single-serve.

Gimbap and noodle shops always serve individuals, and market stalls almost always will.

The small side dishes that arrive unrequested are banchan, and they are included in the price. Refills are free and asking for more is expected rather than cheeky.

Rice and soup are usually included with a main dish. Alcohol never is.

It is normal to leave banchan unfinished. It is not normal to take it away.

Outside tourist districts, an English menu is the exception. Photo menus are common and solve most of the problem. Failing that, a phone camera and a translation app handle printed menus well.

Pointing at what a neighbouring table is eating is completely acceptable and frequently produces the best meal of a trip.

Learning the written form of the local speciality before you arrive is worth five minutes. If you can recognise it on a sign, you can find it anywhere in town.