Reading a Korean menu for allergies requires more than recognizing dish names. A menu may list a few key ingredients, use a regional or restaurant-specific name, or describe a sauce without spelling out everything inside it. If you have a serious allergy, combine menu reading with a direct question to staff and a clear explanation of what you cannot eat.
This guide covers the Korean food allergy phrases and menu vocabulary most useful in restaurants, cafés, markets, and convenience stores.
Start with the dish name, but do not stop there
Many Korean dish names reveal a main ingredient:
- 돼지고기 (dwaeji-gogi) — pork
- 소고기 (sogogi) — beef
- 닭고기 (dalgogi) — chicken
- 생선 (saengseon) — fish
- 새우 (saeu) — shrimp or prawns
- 오징어 (ojingeo) — squid
- 문어 (muneo) — octopus
- 조개 (jogae) — shellfish or clams, depending on context
- 계란 or 달걀 (gyeran or dalgyal) — egg
- 두부 (dubu) — tofu
For example, 새우볶음밥 means shrimp fried rice, and 돼지불고기 means marinated grilled or stir-fried pork. However, a dish without an obvious allergen in its name may still contain one through broth, seasoning, batter, garnish, or a side dish.
Essential Korean allergen and ingredient words
These terms commonly appear on menus, packaged foods, ingredient labels, and restaurant explanations.
- 땅콩 (ttangkong) — peanut
- 견과류 (gyeongwaryu) — tree nuts or nuts generally
- 호두 (h obu) — walnut
- 아몬드 (amondeu) — almond
- 우유 (uyu) — milk
- 치즈 (chijeu) — cheese
- 밀 (mil) — wheat
- 메밀 (memil) — buckwheat
- 대두 (daedu) — soybeans
- 참깨 (chamkkae) — sesame
- 고등어 (godeungeo) — mackerel
- 게 (ge) — crab
- 복숭아 (boksunga) — peach
- 토마토 (tomato) — tomato
- 아황산류 (ahwangsanryu) — sulfites or sulfur-dioxide-related additives
견과류 is a broad category, so if you react to a particular nut, ask for the exact ingredient. Likewise, 해산물 (haesanmul) means seafood and may include fish, shellfish, squid, or other marine ingredients; it is not precise enough for an allergy conversation.
Words that often hide ingredients
Some of the most important menu vocabulary does not name an allergen directly.
- 소스 (soseu) — sauce
- 양념 (yangnyeom) — seasoning or marinade
- 육수 (yuksu) — stock or broth
- 국물 (gungmul) — soup liquid or broth
- 튀김 (twigim) — fried food or fritter
- 반죽 (banjuk) — batter or dough
- 분말 (bunmal) — powder, often a seasoning mix
- 조미료 (jomiryo) — seasoning or flavor enhancer
- 마요네즈 (mayonejeu) — mayonnaise
- 된장 (doenjang) — fermented soybean paste
- 고추장 (gochujang) — fermented red-chili paste, usually containing soybean and often wheat
- 간장 (ganjang) — soy sauce
- 굴소스 (gulsoseu) — oyster sauce
- 액젓 (aekjeot) — fish sauce
For example, 김치 (gimchi) may contain fish sauce, salted shrimp, or other seafood even when the dish is made mainly from vegetables. 튀김 can involve wheat-based batter, and shared frying oil may be a concern. 육수 may be made from anchovies, kelp, beef, chicken, pork, or shellfish.
How to ask whether a dish contains an allergen
The most useful general question is:
이 음식에 ___ 들어가요?
I eumsige ___ deureogayo?
“Does this food contain ___?”
Insert the ingredient before 들어가요:
- 땅콩 들어가요? — Does it contain peanuts?
- 우유 들어가요? — Does it contain milk?
- 계란 들어가요? — Does it contain egg?
- 새우 들어가요? — Does it contain shrimp?
- 밀 들어가요? — Does it contain wheat?
- 참깨 들어가요? — Does it contain sesame?
A slightly more formal version is:
___가 들어 있나요?
___ga deureo innayo?
“Is ___ in it?”
When pointing at a menu item, you can say:
이거 ___ 들어가요?
Igeo ___ deureogayo?
“Does this contain ___?”
If you need to ask about several possible ingredients, say:
알레르기가 있어서 성분을 확인하고 싶어요.
Allereugiga isseoseo seongbuneul hwaginhago sipeoyo.
“I have an allergy, so I would like to check the ingredients.”
How to explain that an allergy is serious
Do not rely only on the word 알레르기 (allergy) if accidental exposure could be dangerous. Explain the consequence clearly:
저는 ___ 알레르기가 있어요. 조금만 먹어도 아파요.
Jeoneun ___ allereugiga isseoyo. Jogeumman meogeodo apayo.
“I am allergic to ___. Even a small amount makes me ill.”
For a severe allergy:
심한 알레르기라서 조금이라도 들어가면 안 돼요.
Simhan allereugiraseo jogeumirado deureogamyeon an dwaeyo.
“It is a severe allergy, so it must not contain even a small amount.”
You can also say:
교차오염도 조심해 주세요.
Gyocha-oyeomdo josimhae juseyo.
“Please also be careful about cross-contamination.”
같은 기름에 튀기나요?
Gateun gireume twig inayo?
“Is it fried in the same oil?”
For a life-threatening allergy, carry a written Korean explanation listing the ingredient, the seriousness of the reaction, and whether shared utensils, cooking oil, or surfaces are unsafe. Translation apps can help, but they should support—not replace—your own safety plan.
Useful words for checking how food is prepared
- 빼 주세요 (ppae juseyo) — Please leave it out.
- 넣지 마세요 (neotji maseyo) — Please do not add it.
- 따로 조리해 주세요 (ttaro jorihae juseyo) — Please cook it separately.
- 같은 도구를 사용하나요? (gateun dogureul sayonghanayo?) — Do you use the same utensils?
- 원재료 (wonjaeryo) — raw materials or ingredients
- 성분표 (seongbunpyo) — ingredient list
- 알레르기 유발 성분 (allereugi yub al seongbun) — allergen ingredients
Be aware that 빼 주세요 is not enough for a severe allergy. If an ingredient is already mixed into a sauce, broth, marinade, or batter, removing visible pieces will not make the dish safe.
Reading packaged-food labels
For packaged foods, look for 원재료명 (wonjaeryeomyeong), meaning “ingredient names,” and 알레르기 유발물질 (allereugi yubalmuljil), meaning “allergy-causing substances.” A label may separately highlight allergens or state that a product is made in a facility that also handles another ingredient.
Important label terms include:
- 함유 (hamyu) — contains
- 무첨가 (mucheomga) — no added
- 무설탕 (museoltang) — sugar-free or no sugar added, depending on the product context
- 무유제품 (muyuje pum) — dairy-free
- 밀봉 (milbong) — sealed
- 같은 제조시설 (gateun jejosi seol) — same manufacturing facility
- 혼입 가능 (honip ganeung) — possible accidental inclusion or mixing
Do not assume that a product described as 채식 (chaesik, vegetarian) or 비건 (bigeon, vegan) is automatically safe for your allergy. A vegetarian dish may contain dairy or egg, and a vegan dish may still contain soy, wheat, sesame, nuts, or shared-facility warnings.
Common menu situations that need extra caution
Side dishes and banchan
반찬 (banchan) can contain fish sauce, shrimp, sesame, soy, or other ingredients not obvious from the vegetable itself. Ask about each side dish rather than assuming that “vegetable” means allergen-free.
Soup and stew
찌개 (jjigae) and 탕 (tang) often depend on a broth base. Even tofu stew or vegetable soup may use anchovy stock, shellfish, meat, or fermented seasoning.
Street food
떡볶이 (tteokbokki) sauce may contain wheat or soy, and fried street foods may share oil. 어묵 (eomuk, fish cake) is made from fish and may contain wheat or other additives.
Cafés and desserts
Cakes, cookies, shaved ice, and drinks may contain milk, egg, wheat, nuts, soy lecithin, or nut-based toppings. Words such as 라떼 (latte), 크림 (keurim, cream), 버터 (beoteo, butter), and 휘핑크림 (hwipingkeurim, whipped cream) are useful clues, but ask about syrups and premade mixes too.
A practical ordering script
You can combine the phrases into a short exchange:
저는 땅콩 알레르기가 있어요. 이 음식에 땅콩이나 땅콩기름이 들어가요? 교차오염도 괜찮지 않아요.
Jeoneun ttangkong allereugiga isseoyo. I eumsige ttangkongina ttangkonggireumi deureogayo? Gyocha-oyeomdo gwaenchanji anayo.
“I have a peanut allergy. Does this contain peanuts or peanut oil? Cross-contamination is also not safe for me.”
If staff cannot confirm the ingredients or preparation method, choose a different dish. The safest Korean phrase is sometimes not another vocabulary item but a clear decision to avoid uncertainty.