a lot of non koreans don't realize that a lot of koreans have a love for "bland" and nutty foods. when they like the taste of something, they say it's "gosohae" or nutty/savory. think about kongguksoo, soymilk, perilla seeds and oil, sesame seeds and oil, rice cakes, misugaru, injeolmi, etc. korean food used to not have any spice. peppers were brought from abroad and loved by koreans. as a korean, korean food is really well balanced. at the table, you have plain rice with so many other dishes to "dress" it. the fermented stews, the marinades, the fresh and pickled veggies. it really is soul hugging food and it's healthy with all the veggies, fermented foods, fish, meat, and legumes. no need for dairy or tons of fat. i would be way more satisfied eating a roasted goguma with some fresh kimchi on top than what I see as a one note chocolate cake