회 (hoe)
Korean sashimi — fresh raw fish served sliced, with sides like ssamjang, raw garlic, and lettuce wraps.
- Meaning: Korean sashimi — fresh raw fish served sliced, with sides like ssamjang, raw garlic, and lettuce wraps.
- Pronunciation: /hwe/ (hoe)
- Part of speech: noun
- Formality: Neutral — works in most everyday settings.
- Literal: raw / sliced raw meat — Sino-Korean 膾
What does 회 mean?
Hoe (회) is Korean-style raw fish — fresh fish sliced and served sashimi-style, but eaten the Korean way: wrapped in a perilla or lettuce leaf with 쌈장 (ssamjang), raw garlic, and green chili. It is a coastal specialty and the centerpiece of celebratory Korean seafood dinners.
회 (hoe) is the Korean word for raw fish — Korea's answer to Japanese sashimi, but with a distinctive serving style. Where Japanese sashimi is paired with soy sauce and wasabi, Korean 회 is typically eaten by wrapping a slice in a perilla or lettuce leaf with 쌈장 (ssamjang, a thick fermented sauce), raw garlic, and green chili. The dish is a coastal Korean specialty — Busan, Sokcho, and Jeju are famous 회 destinations — and is the centerpiece of celebratory dinners (회식, hwesik) and family gatherings. Variations: 광어회 (gwangeohoe, flounder sashimi), 우럭회 (ureokhoe, rockfish), 연어회 (yeoneohoe, salmon — controversially Western-influenced), and the polarizing 산낙지 (live octopus, technically not 회 but adjacent). The Sino-Korean character is 膾 (hoe), originally meaning "minced raw meat" in classical Chinese. K-drama scenes set in coastal cities or upscale Korean restaurants feature 회 as the centerpiece. The dish signals respect, occasion, and Korean coastal cuisine literacy.
Examples in context
Talking preference / suggesting
The coastal-trip ritual
회 뜨다 (hoe tteuda) = to slice raw fish to order.
Ordering at a 횟집
모둠회 (modumhoe) = an assorted sashimi platter.
Reacting / describing
쫄깃 (jjolgit) describes a springy, chewy texture.
회in K-pop & K-drama
Coastal-trip culture
Eating 회 is bound up with travel to the coast — Busan’s Jagalchi Market, Sokcho on the east coast, Tongyeong, and Jeju are pilgrimage spots where you pick a live fish and have it sliced to order.
회 + 소주 celebration
A platter of 회 with 소주 (or 소맥) is the canonical Korean celebratory seafood dinner — promotions, reunions, and family gatherings by the sea. A host ordering 모둠회 (the assorted platter) signals an occasion.
산낙지 & pop-culture shock
The live-octopus dish 산낙지 — adjacent to 회 — became globally infamous through the film Oldboy and countless reaction videos, cementing a somewhat exaggerated image of Korean raw-seafood daring.
When to use 회
- Korean coastal cuisine and seafood discussions
- Restaurant settings — sashimi specialty places (횟집)
- K-drama food scenes featuring upscale dinners or coastal trips
- Comparing Korean vs Japanese seafood culture
When NOT to use 회
- Direct equivalence with Japanese sashimi — the serving style and accompaniments differ meaningfully
- Casual snacking — 회 is typically a destination meal, not an everyday snack
- Specifying salmon — say 연어회 since 연어 (salmon) sashimi is a relatively new Korean dish
회 vs. similar terms
Korean raw-fish dishes — how 회 is served
| Dish | What it is | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 회 (hoe) | sliced raw fish, wrapped with ssamjang & garlic | The base dish; eaten 쌈 (wrap) style |
| 물회 (mulhoe) | raw fish in a cold, tangy chilled broth | Summer dish; soup-like, sweet-and-sour |
| 회덮밥 (hoedeopbap) | raw fish over rice with veggies & gochujang | A rice-bowl meal version |
| 산낙지 (sannakji) | live (still-moving) octopus, sliced | Adjacent raw seafood, not technically 회 |
Related terms
More in Food & drink
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"Chicken and beer" — the iconic Korean food pairing of fried chicken and cold beer, considered a national pastime.
"Soju and beer" mixed — the Korean boilermaker, a soju-into-beer bomb shot famous at company dinners and friend gatherings.
Spicy stir-fried rice cakes — Korea's most beloved street food, a chewy red dish made with cylindrical rice cakes in gochujang sauce.
Spicy seafood noodle soup — the bright-red Korean-Chinese dish that's the fierce rival of 짜장면 in every Korean-Chinese restaurant.
Frequently asked questions
What is 회 (hoe)?
회 (hoe) is Korean raw fish — fresh fish sliced and served with sides like 쌈장 (ssamjang sauce), raw garlic, green chili, and perilla or lettuce leaves for wrapping. It is the Korean equivalent of Japanese sashimi but with a distinct ssam-style eating ritual.
What is the difference between 회 and Japanese sashimi?
Both are sliced raw fish, but Korean 회 is wrapped in lettuce or perilla leaves with garlic, ssamjang, and chili — a savory, layered bite. Japanese sashimi is eaten with soy sauce and wasabi, focused on the fish itself. Slice thickness and pairings also differ. They share roots but evolved into distinct culinary cultures.
Where is the best 회 in Korea?
Coastal cities are famous for 회: Busan (especially Jagalchi Market), Sokcho on the east coast, Jeju Island, and Tongyeong. Inland cities like Seoul have plenty of 횟집 (sashimi restaurants), but coastal trips are the canonical 회 experience.
How is 회 pronounced?
회 is pronounced [hwe] — a single syllable with an "h" + "weh" glide. Some speakers say it closer to [he]. Common Romanizations include "hoe" (Revised, often confusing for English speakers), "hwe" (closer to actual sound), or "hweh." Despite the spelling "hoe" in Romanization, the pronunciation has nothing to do with English "hoe."
Is Korean 회 safe to eat raw?
Yes, when prepared properly. 회 uses fish kept alive or very fresh and sliced to order by trained cooks at 횟집 (sashimi restaurants). As with any raw fish, freshness and hygiene matter — which is why coastal markets that slice live fish on the spot are so prized.
What fish is used for 회?
The most common are 광어 (gwangeo, flounder/halibut) and 우럭 (ureok, rockfish), prized for their firm, chewy texture. 연어 (salmon) hoe is popular but a newer, Western-influenced addition, and a 모둠회 (assorted) platter mixes several white fish.
Further reading
External references for cross-checking the information on this page.
- Hoe (food) — Wikipedia
The Korean raw-fish dish and its preparation traditions.
- Sashimi — Wikipedia
The closely related Japanese raw-fish style for cross-comparison.
More Korean slang?
Browse the full Korean Slang Dictionary or read the deep-dive: Korean Slang Ultimate Guide.