If tteokbokki is the king of Korean street food, Twigim(튀김) is the loyal knight by its side. These crispy, golden, deep-fried treats — vegetables, sweet potatoes, shrimp, squid, boiled eggs, and glass noodle rolls — are the essential companion. Dip a piece into that spicy red sauce and you will understand why Koreans never order one without the other.
Ingredients and Calories
Various ingredients — sweet potato, shrimp, squid, vegetables, glass noodles, boiled eggs — coated in light flour batter and deep-fried. Each piece about 80-150 kcal.
Types
Goguma Twigim
Sweet potato slices. The crowd favorite — sweet, crispy, universally loved.
Saeu Twigim
Shrimp tempura Korean-style. Always the first to sell out.
Yachae Twigim
Assorted vegetable fritters. The most common variety.
Japchae Twigim
Glass noodles and vegetables rolled and fried. Uniquely Korean.
Gyeran Twigim
A whole boiled egg, deep-fried. Simple but amazing.
Where and Price
Anywhere you find tteokbokki. Every traditional market, every bunsikjip. 500-1,000 KRW ($0.40-$0.75) per piece. The holy trinity: tteokbokki + twigim + sundae.
Twigim vs. Japanese Tempura
Japanese tempura is light, delicate, served with tentsuyu. Korean twigim is crunchier, heartier, and dipped in sweet-spicy tteokbokki sauce. That sauce dip is what makes twigim unforgettable.
The Perfect Supporting Actor
Twigim may not be the main character. But that satisfying crunch dipped in spicy sauce proves that sometimes the sidekick steals the show. Next time you are at a Korean market, get the twigim too.
