Traditional Korean onggi jars lined up outdoors beside a wooden pavilion and green hillside

Gochujang, Doenjang, Ganjang: Why Jang Defines Korean Food

The Culture of Jang in Korea If you eat Korean food for the first time, you may notice something that feels repetitive. The flavors are different, the dishes look different, but there is a shared depth underneath. A certain saltiness. A fermented weight. A quiet persistence. Eventually you begin to hear the word “jang.” “Gochujang.”