Tteokbokki was also a part of Korean royal court cuisine in the Joseon dynasty. While the modern tteokbokki is red and has a spicy taste, the original tteokbokki was brown and plain. It was called "gungjung tteokbokki ", Palace Tteokbokki. Just like the name implies, gungjung tteokbokki was a main example of Korean haute cuisine. It was mainly composed with a combination of tteok, meat, vegetables and different kinds of seasoning. After the introduction of gochujang (Korean spicy paste made of chili peppers) during the Joseon dynasty, tteokbokki became red and spicy. It is believed that the main transition from plain to spicy tteokbokki occurred during the 1950s after the independence of Korea. In modern days, most of the tteokbokki sold in street vendors is red and spicy.