South Korean cuisine is characterized by a wide variety of flavors and ingredients, with a strong presence of vegetables, rice, and proteins like pork, beef, and chicken. An iconic dish is kimchi, a spicy fermented vegetable, often made with napa cabbage, which accompanies almost every meal. Bibimbap, a mixture of rice, vegetables, meat, and spicy sauce, is also very popular. Bulgogi, marinated and grilled meat, and samgyeopsal, grilled pork slices, are beloved dishes, often shared with family or friends. Soups (tangs) like kimchi jjigae (kimchi soup) or sundubu jjigae (soft tofu soup) are also staples. Korean cuisine is renowned for its rich umami flavors, its use of fermented ingredients, and meals are often enjoyed together around the table.