When I first moved to Morgantown, the first thing I looked for was a place that sold Korean ingredients. I can't eat rice without gochujang, haha.

Honestly, I was quite disappointed at first. There's no H-Mart here, and no large Korean market.

However, as time went on, I found some solutions, and now I've adapted quite well. I've put together this guide for those who share the same concerns.

There are a few places in Morgantown where you can find Asian ingredients. Asia Royal Grocery is one of the best-known Asian grocery stores in the Morgantown area. They offer a variety of Asian ingredients from China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia, including basic items like noodles, dumplings, and seafood. The stock can be a bit inconsistent, so some specific items might not be available, but they generally have most of the essentials. It's located near WVU, so students often shop there.

You can also find basic Asian ingredients at Walmart Supercenter, a major grocery chain. Common items like Korean noodles, soy sauce, and sesame oil are now often stocked at Walmart. Prices are generally lower than at specialized Asian markets, and the location is convenient.

Regular supermarkets like Kroger and Giant Eagle also have an Asian Foods section where you can find basic Asian sauces. Products like tofu and edamame are now easily available at regular stores. At first, I didn't know where to look, but once I figured it out, I realized there are more options than I expected.

If you need a wider variety of Korean ingredients, you'll have to make a trip to Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh is about 70 miles from Morgantown via I-79. There are Asian markets in Pittsburgh where you can find a greater selection of Korean ingredients. Many people have settled into a routine of going there once a month for bulk purchases. Sometimes, the Morgantown Korean community organizes group shopping trips to Pittsburgh, so it's a good idea to coordinate with others through chat groups. Once you get used to driving, a day trip to Pittsburgh isn't too daunting.

Actively using Amazon is another option. Purchasing gochujang, doenjang, various sauces, and dry goods on Amazon can be more convenient and sometimes competitively priced. While items that require refrigerated shipping can be tricky, dry goods are a sufficient alternative.

After living in Morgantown for a few years, you naturally develop a route for sourcing Asian ingredients. What was once inconvenient due to a lack of options eventually gets replaced with alternatives, and after a trip to Pittsburgh, you can stock up for a month. The order of operations becomes: if it's not available at Asia Royal Grocery, check Amazon, and if that doesn't work, go to Pittsburgh.

While it's true that the absence of a Korean market can be inconvenient, not many people feel that this is a critical flaw of the city. In fact, adapting to the lack of resources can enhance cooking skills and provide opportunities to explore new ingredients. In the Morgantown Korean community, it's common for someone returning from Seoul or LA to bring back ingredients for group purchases.

There's a culture of requesting hard-to-find specialty items or specific brand products, so if you're well-connected within the community, many market accessibility issues can be resolved. The culture of looking out for each other within the community plays a more significant role than the inconvenience of not having a Korean market.

The process of sourcing ingredients can also lead to new connections. Ultimately, I've realized that eating and living with Korean food in Morgantown isn't difficult. You just need to know how. And I've learned that there are people in the community who can help you find those ways.