Kimchi

오이소박이 Oisobagi

Cucumber pieces slit and stuffed with chili flakes, garlic and green onion or chives, served cold as a side dish.

Cucumber Kimchi
Spice: Mild
Contains seafood

Stuffed cucumber pieces in a small side dish, seen from above — AI-generated image

At a glance

Fact	Details
Main ingredients	Cucumber, garlic chives or green onion, chili flakes, garlic, fish sauce or salted shrimp
How it's served	Short stuffed pieces in a small dish, set out cold with the other side dishes
Spice level	Mild — A little warmth. Fine for most people.
Diet	Contains seafood — Fish, shellfish, fish sauce, salted seafood (jeotgal) or anchovy stock is a standard ingredient.
Allergens	Fish · Crustacean shellfish
Ask about	The filling paste may be thickened with wheat flour; seasonings vary by restaurant.
On the menu	오이소박이 (Oisobagi)
Also called	oi sobagi · oisobaegi · oi kimchi · stuffed cucumber kimchi
Region	Nationwide

Based on the usual recipe. Restaurants vary, so always tell the staff.

How to eat Cucumber Kimchi

Take a piece with chopsticks
Oisobagi comes in a small dish for the table to share. Lift one piece with its filling inside.
Pair it with rice or the main dish
Eat it between bites of rice, grilled meat or noodles. It is cool and crunchy.
Ask for a refill
Side dishes are often refilled for free. Oisobagi is most common in summer, so not every table has it.

On the table

Order it as 오이소박이. You rarely need to: restaurants that make it serve it free as a side dish, mostly in summer.

On the menu: 오이소박이
Usually sold: Included with a meal, as a side dish

Where it comes from

The first written record is in Jeungbo Sallim Gyeongje, as cucumber stuffed with chili peppers and garlic. Imwon Gyeongjeji and Siui Jeonseo describe the modern way, with green onion, garlic and chili flakes in the filling.

Sources: Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (encykorea.aks.ac.kr)