CU, GS25, 7-Eleven and Emart24 will feed you on a ski trip, but the labels are all in Korean. How to find the allergen box and the eight words worth memorising.
Korean convenience stores (CU, GS25, 7-Eleven and Emart24) are a lifeline on a ski trip. They cover breakfast, late-night snacks and, on some evenings, dinner. Most resort bases and ski towns have at least one. If you have allergies or avoid certain foods, though, the wall of Hangul on every package can feel impossible. It gets much easier once you know where to look.
Packaged food in Korea has to list major allergens. On most products you will find them in a separate, highlighted box or line on the back, usually headed 알레르기 유발물질 (allergens) and ending with the word 함유 (contains). Korea's list of labelled allergens includes pork, beef and chicken as well as egg, milk, wheat, soy, peanut and shellfish, which makes the box useful even if your concern is religious or ethical rather than medical. You may also see a line noting that the product was made in a factory that handles other allergens.
Save these on your phone and match the characters:
| English | Korean | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Pork | 돼지고기 | dwaeji-gogi |
| Beef | 쇠고기 / 소고기 | soe-gogi / so-gogi |
| Milk | 우유 | u-yu |
| Egg | 알류 / 계란 / 달걀 | al-ryu / gye-ran / dal-gyal |
| Peanut | 땅콩 | ttang-kong |
| Shrimp | 새우 | sae-u |
| Crab | 게 | ge |
| Wheat | 밀 | mil |
Triangle kimbap is the classic grab-and-go meal. Tuna mayo (참치마요) usually has no meat besides fish, but the mayonnaise contains egg and the rice may use soy-based seasoning. Flavours like Jeonju bibim often contain beef or other meat, so check the box every time rather than going by colour or name, because recipes change.
Seasoned boiled eggs are one of the best snacks in the store. Look for packs of soft-boiled salted eggs such as the Gamdongran brand, or roasted eggs (구운란). Banana-flavoured milk is a Korean favourite and contains milk.
The HACCP logo means the factory follows a certified food-safety management system. It says nothing about halal, vegetarian or allergen-free status. Treat it as a hygiene mark only.
The Papago app's image mode, or Google Lens, can translate an ingredient list from a photo in seconds. Translations are not perfect, so for serious allergies double-check the allergen box against the word list above. If you see pork (돼지고기) or lard (돈지 or 라드), put it back. For more help with eating out, see our dietary restrictions guide and the phrases for ordering food.