[Weekender] Feeling lazy but craving tteokbokki? Try a meal kit

A quiet revolution is sweeping through one of Korea’s most iconic street foods: tteokbokki.

Once the beloved snack of schoolgirls and the young at heart, these chewy rice cakes drenched in sweet and spicy sauce have transcended their street food origins, thanks to the relentless innovation of the local meal kit industry.

At an E-mart outlet in central Seoul, Korea's largest discount store chain, which this reporter visited on Aug. 27, there were over 20 different varieties of ready-to-make tteokbokki packages on the refrigerated shelves. However, this selection barely scratches the surface of the vast and growing wealth of options available via e-commerce platforms like Coupang, SSG and Market Kurly. An even greater assortment can be found off these major platforms, sold on the makers’ websites.

The rise of instant -- or near-instant -- tteokbokki has also unlocked a new world of flavors and varieties, offering options that go far beyond the traditional taste. Tteokbokki with seafood or beef? Stir-fried in royal court style or simmered in a brothy sauce? Or perhaps sauce variations with black pepper, Chinese mala, cheese or creamy rose flavors? You name it.

Im Eun-jin, 29, is loving this development. She used to think the umami flavor of restaurant-served tteokbokki was too difficult to replicate at home. "But with meal kit tteokbokki, I can easily make it at home,” she said. "I always have some in my fridge."

To help consumers navigate the vast options, The Korea Herald has conducted a taste test of five popular tteokbokki kits. These kits were either top-rated on Coupang or had gone viral online in Korea.

1. Cook-tok Tteokbokki (Original)

Meal kit components: Wheat flour rice cakes, red hot sauce, fried fish cakes, black sweet sauce

Price: 12,700 won for two (on Coupang)

Cook-tok Tteokbokki’s original flavor, introduced in 2007 as Korea's first tteokbokki meal kit, aims to replicate the sweet and umami taste of tteokbokki traditionally sold outside schools, evoking nostalgia for many in Korea.

The brand became better known internationally after being featured in the second season of BTS reality show “In the Soop.”

You can adjust the amount of black sweet sauce to taste, though it's recommended to start with one-third of the package. This sweetener plays a crucial role in shaping your overall impression of the dish.

Reviews:

“The brand name says it all. It tastes just like the tteokbokki that used to be sold in front of schools. The spiciness, rice cake, fish cake and sauce were all harmonious and delicious.”

“It was neither sweet nor spicy. I found it bland.”

“It’s the classic tteokbokki taste we all know.”

“The fish cakes could be smaller in size.”

2. Bibigo Cup Tteokbokki (Sweet & spicy)

Meal kit components: Rice cakes, seasoning packet

Price: 3,900 won (at CU convenience store)

This product, made by CJ CheilJedang’s globally recognized Korean food brand Bibigo, is as easy to prepare as instant noodles — just add hot water and microwave it.

However, the sauce can easily overflow in the microwave, so it’s best to stay close while preparing it — this happened to us!

The portion size is perfect for one person, making it ideal for single-person households as well as a convenient pantry staple, since it can be stored at room temperature.

Reviews:

“The visuals were off-putting, but it tasted better than expected. The rice cake texture was chewy, and the convenience is unbeatable.”

“It looked awful but was surprisingly decent. The rice cakes were small, and the sauce was sweet — great as a snack.”

“Just typical convenience store food. Low quality.”

“Tastes better than it looks. The rice cakes didn’t seem to have absorbed the sauce, but it turned out OK because the rice cakes themselves were salty.”

3. Pulmuone Woori Dongnae Tteokbokki (Black bean paste)

Meal kit components: Wheat flour rice cakes, seasoning packet

Price: 4,730 won (on Coupang)

For those somewhat less capable when it comes to spicy food, this tteokbokki is an excellent option. Drawing inspiration from jajangmyeon — noodles in black bean sauce, a beloved dish in Korean cuisine that holds a special place during significant events like graduations, exam days and birthdays — this version removes the usual spicy gochujang sauce and instead offers a delightful sweet and savory twist.

The chewy wheat flour rice cakes with rich black bean sauce create a dish that's flavorful, yet mild.

This tteokbokki has become particularly popular with children.

Reviews:

"Perfect if you’re craving both Chapagetti (black bean-flavored ramyeon) and tteokbokki."

"Too sweet, but nice when paired with spicy tteokbokki."

"If you love black bean sauce, this is your go-to. I bet kids would love it."

"The sauce didn’t seem to soak into the rice cake."

"It feels like eating instant black bean sauce with rice cakes — doesn’t quite work."

4. Sagua Tteokbokki (Spicy)

Meal kit components: Wheat flour rice cakes, spicy sauce, fish cakes, broth

Price: 7,500 won (on Naver Shopping)

This product went viral in 2020 as the "tteokbokki meal kit that takes three months to be delivered but is worth the wait."

Today, it's much easier to obtain, thanks to a rapid freezing facility and improved logistics, according to the product maker’s blog.

Ironically, despite its name, Sagua — "apple" in Korean — contains no apple at all.

The product is marketed as a tteokbokki recipe created specifically for the CEO’s wife, a dedicated tteokbokki enthusiast, and it proudly claims to be free of MSG. It also includes a variety of fish cakes, adding to its appeal.

Reviews:

“Spicy!!!”

“Great for Koreans who love spicy food — standard tteokbokki at its best. A bit too spicy for kids.”

“Has a refreshing aftertaste.”

“Loved the thick, chewy rice cakes.”

“Fluffiest rice cake of the bunch! Also the spiciest — recommended for those who prefer classic, less sweet tteokbokki.”

“Overhyped but decent.”

5. Seokgwan-dong Tteokbokki (Rose)

Meal kit components: Cheese-filled wheat flour rice cakes, noodle-type long wheat flour rice cakes, fish cakes, spicy rose sauce

Price: 6,660 won (on Coupang)

If you think meal kits lack the variety of ingredients typically found in popular tteokbokki chains, Seokgwan-dong Tteokbokki might change your mind.

Rose sauce, a recent favorite in Korea, is made by blending marinara sauce with cream and milk, with gochujang added for a spicy kick.

To cook this product, you’ll need to prepare 200 milliliters of milk separately, as it is not included in the meal kit.

Reviews:

“The creamy sauce is a crowd-pleaser, but the flavor can get tiresome quickly. The fish cakes were great though.”

“Sweet and rich. I liked it the most but got tired of eating it fast.”

“The two types of rice cakes balanced the spiciness and creaminess well.”

“I’d buy it again. Not too creamy and well-balanced.”

The taste-testers cast their votes for their favorite among the five products. The rose-flavored Seokgwan-dong Tteokbokki emerged as the top choice with six votes, followed by the spicy Sagua Tteokbokki with five votes.

With such diverse options available, which meal kit will you choose to satisfy your tteokbokki cravings?