Gimbap

Gimbap
Sliced vegetable gimbap
Place of originKorea
Main ingredientsGim, bap
VariationsChungmu-gimbap, samgak-gimbap
Korean name
Hangul
김밥
RRgimbap
MRkimbap
IPA[ki(ː)m.bap̚]
[ki(ː)m.p͈ap̚]

Gimbap (Korean: 김밥; lit. seaweed rice; IPA: [kim.p͈ap̚]), also romanized as kimbap, is a Korean dish made from bap (cooked rice), vegetables, and optionally cooked seafood or meat, rolled in gim—dried sheets of seaweed—and served in bite-sized slices. Some sources say it originates from Japanese norimaki, introduced during Japanese colonial rule, while others argue it is a modernized version of bokssam from the Joseon era. The dish is often part of a packed meal, or dosirak, to be eaten at picnics and outdoor events, and can serve as a light lunch along with danmuji (yellow pickled radish) and kimchi. It is a popular takeaway food in South Korea and abroad.