Bap isn’t a single thing. There are countless variations built around it. The names are easy to remember once you know the pattern: ingredient name + 밥 (bap).
By Main Ingredient:
- kongbap (콩밥): bean rice
- mubap (무밥): radish rice
- gondrebap (곤드레밥): thistle rice
- japgokbap (잡곡밥): mixed-grain rice
- hyeonmibap (현미밥): brown rice
- boribap (보리밥): barley rice
By Cooking Method:
- deopbap (덮밥): rice topped with sauce, meat, or vegetables
- e.g. 불고기덮밥, 낙지덮밥, 장어덮밥, 회덮밥
- sotbap (솥밥): freshly cooked rice made in a traditional pot, prized for its texture, aroma, and the scorched rice, nurungji (누룽지), left at the bottom
- bibimbap (비빔밥): “mixed rice,” topped with seasoned vegetables, meat, and egg
- bokkeumbap (볶음밥): fried rice
- chobap (초밥): vinegared rice; Korean term for sushi
- ssam bap (쌈밥): rice wrapped in lettuce, perilla or any other leafy greens
- gimbap or kimbap (김밥): rice rolled in seaweed, filled with vegetables, egg, and meat
- Variants: 김치김밥, 참치김밥, 소고기김밥, etc.
- jumeokbap (주먹밥): hand-formed rice balls, often mixed with seasoning or fillings, made for convenience, portability
By Quality of Cooked Rice (Texture & Doneness)
- doenbap (된밥): firm, dry rice cooked with less water; grains hold their shape and feel stiff
- kkodeulbap (꼬들밥): slightly firm rice with a gentle bite; often considered the ideal texture
- jinbap (진밥): soft, wet rice cooked with more water; sometimes comforting, sometimes criticized as mushy
