Budae-jjigae: The Korean Stew Built From a US Army Base's Leftovers

Spam. Sausage. Baked beans. Sliced cheese.

Line those ingredients up on their own, and it's hard to believe this is Korean food. Add kimchi and gochujang, though, and the whole story changes.

Today I want to talk about budae-jjigae.

budae-jjigae

Quick Answer

• Budae-jjigae ("army base stew") started near US military bases in Korea after the Korean War. Ham and sausage sourced from the base got boiled together with kimchi and gochujang — that's the origin.
• Core ingredients: Spam, sausage, ham, ground meat, kimchi, instant ramyeon noodles, tofu, mushrooms, onion, scallion, rice cake, baked beans, and sliced cheese.
• It splits into two major styles: Uijeongbu-style and Songtan-style, each named after the city where American bases were stationed.
• Itaewon has a lesser-known third branch: Johnson-tang. Its defining difference is that it skips kimchi and ramyeon noodles entirely.
• The name "Johnson-tang" is most commonly traced to US President Lyndon B. Johnson's 1966 visit to Korea — though another origin story circulates alongside it.
• Today it's one of Korea's most mainstream stews, available at chain restaurants and as ready-to-cook meal kits at any grocery store.

1. What Budae-jjigae Is: A Story That Starts at a US Army Base

Budae-jjigae took shape near US military bases stationed in Korea after the Korean War.

Food was scarce back then. Ham, sausage, and Spam that made their way out of American bases got boiled by Koreans together with kimchi and gochujang — and that combination became the dish's foundation. It spread outward from the towns where US forces were stationed: Dongducheon, Yangju, Uijeongbu, Pyeongtaek, Gunsan.

Before boiling

The basic ingredient list looks like this:

Category	Ingredients
Meat / processed meat	Spam, sausage, ham, ground meat
Vegetables / fermented	Kimchi, onion, scallion
Noodles and starches	Instant ramyeon noodles, glass noodles, rice cake
Other	Tofu, mushrooms, baked beans, sliced cheese

Looking at a broth this spicy and savory, packed with ham and sausage, you might wonder if this is even Korean food. But that exact combination of ingredients is, in itself, a piece of postwar Korean history sitting in a pot.

2. Uijeongbu-Style vs. Songtan-Style: Same Stew, Different Personality

Budae-jjigae splits into two major camps: Uijeongbu-style and Songtan-style — each one named directly after the city where a US base once stood.

	Uijeongbu-Style	Songtan-Style
Broth	Relatively clean and light, built on a seafood/anchovy base	Thicker and richer, built on a bone broth base
Main vegetable	Heavy use of well-fermented kimchi for a tangy, spicy edge	More napa cabbage, comparatively less kimchi
Meat character	A wider variety of sausage and ham	Pork, Spam, and sausage, with cheese and baked beans playing a bigger role
Seasoning feel	Spicy but balanced, built on gochujang	Spicy and salty at once — deeper, heavier flavor
Overall impression	Feels like the birthplace of the dish — the classic version	Feels modern — a hearty, cheese-topped comfort food

In short: Uijeongbu-style leans toward "the clean, original version," and Songtan-style leans toward "the richer, more indulgent expansion." Neither one beats the other — it's more a matter of which mood you're in that day.

3. Johnson-Tang: The Third Branch, Found Only in Itaewon

There's a third branch here that even a lot of Koreans don't know about: Johnson-tang. You'll find it in Itaewon.

Compared to standard budae-jjigae, the broth runs clearer and lighter, while the meat flavor actually comes through stronger. It's built on a bone or beef broth, simmered with ham, sausage, cabbage, potato, scallion, and cheese.

The defining trait of traditional Itaewon-style Johnson-tang is that it skips both kimchi and ramyeon noodles. Those are the two ingredients most people would consider central to budae-jjigae's identity — and here, neither one shows up. Yet the dish still gets grouped under the budae-jjigae family.

4. Where the Name Comes From: The President and the Other Theory

The story behind the name "Johnson-tang" is its own rabbit hole.

The most widely known theory goes like this: in 1966, US President Lyndon B. Johnson visited Korea. The stew supposedly picked up his name from that visit and became known as "Johnson-tang."

But another account travels alongside that one. Back then, "John" was an extremely common first name among American soldiers stationed in Korea. The dish, this theory goes, was originally called "Jones-tang" — meaning "John's stew" — and its pronunciation, similar enough to "Johnson-tang," eventually merged into the name used today.

Neither theory is fully confirmed. Rather than picking a winner, it's more accurate to say multiple origin stories are passed down side by side.

5. Tonight, I Made Mine From a Meal Kit

Budae-jjigae is genuinely everyday food in Korea right now. Chain restaurants serve it everywhere, and grocery stores stock a wide range of ready-to-cook meal kits.

Tonight, I made mine from a meal kit too. The broth came fully prepared — all I had to do was bring it to a boil. It was a Uijeongbu-style kit, though, which meant no cheese included, so I added that myself.

Budae-jjigae Meal Kit

I'd actually gone through a stretch of eating budae-jjigae so often that I ended up avoiding it for a while. This was the first time back in a bit. Eating it tonight, I found myself thinking about Odeng Sikdang, my favorite budae-jjigae spot in Uijeongbu.

6. Where to Eat It: Recommendations by Region

Since it's already come up, here's a region-by-region rundown of standout budae-jjigae restaurants. It's a genuinely different experience from kimchi-jjigae.

(The restaurant details below were compiled through research. Addresses and hours can change — worth confirming right before you go.)

Uijeongbu-Style Standouts

Restaurant	Why It's Worth a Visit	Location / Tips
Odeng Sikdang (Main Branch)	A budae-jjigae specialist dating back to 1960 in Uijeongbu, credited as the first restaurant to turn budae-jjigae into a commercial menu item. A solid benchmark for classic Uijeongbu-style	7 Hoguk-ro 1309beon-gil, Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi-do. The flagship of Uijeongbu's Budae-jjigae Street
Hyeongne Sikdang	An old street-side restaurant frequently mentioned alongside Odeng Sikdang	9 Hoguk-ro 1309beon-gil, Uijeongbu
Boyeong Sikdang	A long-running fixture on Budae-jjigae Street — a solid alternative when Odeng Sikdang's wait is too long	26 Taepyeong-ro 133beon-gil, Uijeongbu
Gyeongwon Sikdang	Recommended for anyone who prefers the clean, spicy edge that comes from well-fermented kimchi	12 Hoguk-ro 1309beon-gil, Uijeongbu (a separate main branch operates near City Hall Station)

Songtan-Style Standouts

Restaurant	Why It's Worth a Visit	Location / Tips
Kimnejip	A landmark restaurant near Songtan's International Central Market — one of the most frequently compared spots for travelers seeking Songtan-style	15 Jungangsijang-ro 25beon-gil, Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi-do. No dedicated parking — use the public lot near the market
Songtan Choinejip Budae-jjigae (Main Branch)	An old-school Songtan-style restaurant operating since 1969, certified as a "Hundred-Year Store" by Korea's Ministry of SMEs and Startups	1401 Gyeonggi-daero, Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi-do. Has dedicated parking
Sutgogae Budae-jjigae (Songtan Main Branch)	The go-to third option in Songtan when Kimnejip and Choinejip don't fit your schedule or the wait's too long	Songtan area, Pyeongtaek. Confirm current hours before visiting

Jongno Recommendations

Restaurant	Why It's Worth a Visit	Location / Tips
Jang Hyeok-min's Budae-jjigae Jongno Direct Branch	Beyond standard budae-jjigae, offers hot-pot style options like Nagasaki and pork-loin budae-jeongol. Reviews note a relatively mild broth	26 Jongno 14-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul. May have a break between lunch and dinner service
Italy Budae-jjigae Jonggak Station Branch	Right outside Jonggak Station. Offers stir-fried budae-bokkeum alongside the stew, known for pairing it with butter rice	204, 2F, Tongil Building, 77 Jongno, Jongno-gu, Seoul — about 190m from Jonggak Station Exit 3
Songbaek Sikdang	A long-mentioned budae-jjigae spot in the Gwanghwamun/Doryeom-dong office district	60 Doryeom-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Myeongdong Recommendations

Restaurant	Why It's Worth a Visit	Location / Tips
Namginam Budae-jjigae	The easiest specialist to remember in central Myeongdong. Premium budae-jjigae comes standard with noodles and rice, known for mixing butter into the rice with the broth	2F, 16-1 Myeongdong 4-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul. About a 5-minute walk from both Myeongdong Station and Euljiro 1(il)-ga Station
Embassy of Korea Sausage Stew	A sausage-stew specialist near City Hall/north Myeongdong — a good option for introducing budae-jjigae to English-speaking travelers	103, 1F, 74-1 Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul. Near City Hall Station and Deoksugung Palace

FAQ

When did people start eating budae-jjigae? After the Korean War, during a period of food scarcity, near US military bases. Ham and sausage from the bases, boiled with kimchi and gochujang, gave rise to the dish.

Which is spicier, Uijeongbu-style or Songtan-style? Both carry heat, but Uijeongbu-style leans toward a balanced spiciness, while Songtan-style tends toward a heavier, saltier kind of spicy.

Where can I find Johnson-tang? Mostly in the Itaewon area. It's not a widely known dish even among Koreans, so restaurants serving it are limited.

Is there an easy way to make budae-jjigae at home? A grocery-store meal kit is the simplest route. The broth comes ready-made — just bring it to a boil — and you can customize it toward Uijeongbu-style or Songtan-style by adding cheese or baked beans yourself.

What to Do Next

Budae-jjigae started as food born out of wartime hardship, and it's since become one of Korea's everyday comfort foods. Knowing the ingredients' history might change how the dish tastes to you.

Three things worth doing:

1. Try Uijeongbu-style and Songtan-style each once, and see which one you gravitate toward.
2. If you're ever in Itaewon, track down a restaurant serving Johnson-tang and experience the kimchi-free, noodle-free version.
3. For an easy home version, grab a meal kit and customize it with cheese or baked beans to match whichever style you prefer.

TL;DR

1. Budae-jjigae started near US military bases after the Korean War, built from processed meats like ham and sausage boiled together with kimchi and gochujang.
2. It splits broadly into a lighter Uijeongbu-style and a richer, thicker Songtan-style, with Itaewon's Johnson-tang forming a third, clearer branch that skips kimchi and noodles entirely.
3. The name "Johnson-tang" is most often traced to President Johnson's 1966 visit to Korea, though a competing theory ties it to "John's stew," from how common that name was among US soldiers.

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Related reading: The Magic That Will Transform Your Korea Trip: A Guide to 'Korean Broth' Inspired by Netflix's 'A Nation of Broth'

Sources: 부대찌개 - Wikipedia (Korean); 의정부 부대찌개 거리 - Wikipedia (Korean); 의정부 오뎅식당, '부대찌개'를 최초로 상품화한 음식점 - ncms.nculture.org; 부대찌개 '존슨탕' 화제, 이름 속에 담긴 의미 알고보니… - Etoday