Seoul has been a capital city for over six hundred years, since the early Joseon Dynasty, and the tradition of the food culture of the royal court has survived and had a great influence on the food culture of the noble class and the middle class. Families of high-ranking officials prepared dishes based on the foods of the royal court. Naturally, the food of the nobility and of the royal court have many things in common. The nobility also stressed formality due to the influence of Confucianism. However, true-born Seoulites are frugal and don't cook excessive amounts. Instead, they prepare a great variety of dishes and make them look attractive by preparing the foods in small and appealing shapes.
Food in the Seoul area is showy and includes splendid dishes such as sinseollo, gujeolpan (platter of nine delicacies) and tangpyeongchae (mung bean jelly mixed with vegetables and beef), which are decorated using garnishes in five different colors, such as paper-thin slices of fried egg, sliced chili peppers and manna lichen. Food is often seasoned with salted shrimp juice but moderately salted. A variety of side dishes are enjoyed, including dried salted fish and pickled vegetables. Rice served in broth, such as seolleongtang (ox bone soup) and gomtang (thick beef bone soup), is popular in Seoul. The origin of seolleongtang (ox bone soup) is the royal plowing ritual held in February at the Seonnongdan alter outside of Dongdaemun in the Joseon Dynasty. In addition, envoys and high-ranking officials returning from China brought with them pots set over a burner in which all sorts of delicacies were placed and boiled. This was called yeolgujatang, which is referred to as sinseollo (royal hot pot) today.