In our last post, we compared five gisa sikdangs in Seoul. But once you’re actually sitting at the table, there’s a moment almost everyone hesitates over. Your banchan is running low, and you’re not sure if it’s okay to ask for more. Maybe there’s a hidden fee. Something that feels obvious to a Korean diner can turn into a real source of anxiety for a foreign traveler.
To make it more confusing, a handful of restaurants in Korea have recently started charging for banchan refills. Today we’ll walk through the banchan you’ll typically see at a gisa sikdang, whether refills are actually free, and which side dishes tend to come with limits.
Banchan You’ll Typically See at a Gisa Sikdang
A standard gisa sikdang set usually comes with kimchi, seasoned bean sprouts, julienned radish salad, stir-fried anchovies, and either steamed egg or a rolled omelet, along with something like seasoned seaweed stem. On top of that base, each restaurant tends to have its own signature side. At Gamnamujib Gisa Sikdang in Yeonnam-dong, that might be a soy-marinated crab dish, while at Songrim Sikdang in Jayang-dong, it leans toward a duruchigi-style stir-fry.
Since the main dish is usually so simple, the banchan lineup is really where a restaurant’s skill shows. Regular customers often judge a gisa sikdang more by the variety and quality of its side dishes than by the main entrée itself.
So Is Banchan Actually Free?
Strictly speaking, not entirely. Most Korean restaurants build the cost of banchan ingredients into the price of the main dish from the start. That said, getting one or two extra rounds without an added charge has long been standard practice in Korean dining. Not every side dish gets refilled equally, though.
Pricier items like grilled fish or wild garlic leaves are sometimes limited or require a separate order if you want more. Casual, low-priced places like gisa sikdangs tend to have fewer of these restrictions, which actually makes them a more relaxed choice for foreign travelers.
The Current Debate Over Charging for Refills
In March 2026, a survey from the market research firm Embrain Trend Monitor made headlines. More than six out of ten respondents said they were uncomfortable with the idea of charging for banchan refills. Asked why, the most common reason was the belief that the cost of side dishes is already baked into the price of the main dish, followed by concerns that dining out would simply become more expensive, and a sense that charging for refills feels stingy.
Notably, most respondents see free banchan refills as something uniquely tied to Korean food culture itself. Restaurants that refill banchan before being asked got overwhelmingly positive marks, while restaurants that showed any reluctance when refilling were ones people said they wouldn’t visit again.
Kisa in New York shows a similar pattern. As we mentioned in an earlier post, Kisa charges $2 for additional banchan beyond kimchi, specifically to cut down on food waste. A few restaurants in Korea have started experimenting with something similar, but based on the survey, consumer reaction here is still pretty cool toward the idea.
What to Know Before Asking for a Refill at a Gisa Sikdang
A gisa sikdang exists for people who need to eat quickly and heartily before heading back to work, so there’s really no reason to feel self-conscious about asking for more. Holding up your empty banchan dish slightly toward the staff, or simply saying “more of this, please,” is more than enough.
If the language barrier feels like too much, pointing at the dish and giving a small nod gets the message across just fine. That said, a few items beyond kimchi, especially something like raw fish or grilled whole fish, might come with a small extra charge if you ask for more, so if cost is a concern, it’s cleanest to just ask staff upfront.
You don’t need to finish every last bite, either. Plenty of foreign travelers feel pressure to clear their plate, but leaving a bit of food behind is actually normal here. What matters more is a quick “thank you” when staff comes by to refill your side dishes.
Across these last three posts, we’ve gone from Kisa in New York to real gisa sikdangs in Seoul, and now into the banchan culture itself. Next time you walk into a gisa sikdang in Korea, asking for more and leaving a little behind should both feel completely natural. Don’t hesitate, just show your empty dish to staff. That’s usually the most natural way to start a conversation at a Korean table.
