Sesame and Perilla Oils

Traditional Korean cooking uses oil sparingly, and the oils it does use are distinctive. A few drops of toasted sesame oil (chamgireum, 참기름) finish a bowl of namul, and nutty perilla oil (deulgireum, 들기름) has its own devoted following. They come from different plants, behave differently in the kitchen and differ sharply in their fats.

Two oils with a long history

Researchers describing the traditional Korean diet note that oil production in Korea was historically limited. Camellia, castor, sesame and perilla oils were all pressed, but only sesame and perilla oil were used for cooking. Sesame oil, prized for its aroma, went into soups, namul and bibimbap, while perilla oil was used for pan-frying and for making yugwa, a puffed rice confection. Because oil was scarce, deep-frying never became central to Korean cooking; methods that need only a little oil, such as pan-frying jeon and stir-frying, developed instead.

Sesame seeds are usually roasted before pressing, which gives Korean sesame oil its color and toasty flavor. Perilla oil comes from the seeds of the same plant whose leaves are eaten as kkaennip.

How their fats compare

Both oils are almost entirely fat, but the kinds of fat differ.

• Sesame oil: USDA FoodData Central lists 100 g of sesame oil as providing about 14 g saturated, 40 g monounsaturated and 42 g polyunsaturated fat. Nearly all of the polyunsaturated fat is linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid; the omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) makes up only about 0.3 g.
• Perilla oil: Perilla oil is one of the richest plant sources of ALA. A 2025 review reports ALA at 54 to 64 percent of the fatty acids in perilla seed oil, and a 2024 review's compiled table puts perilla oil at roughly 9 percent saturated, 14 percent monounsaturated and 78 percent polyunsaturated fat. Figures vary with variety and processing.

ALA is an essential fatty acid, which means the body cannot make it and must get it from food. Harvard's Nutrition Source notes that the body converts only a limited amount of ALA into the longer omega-3s found in fish, so it is uncertain whether ALA alone provides optimal omega-3 intake.

Stability, heat and storage

The same chemistry that makes perilla oil rich in omega-3 also makes it fragile. Fatty acids with more double bonds react more readily with oxygen, and a 2024 review of perilla seed describes the oil's low thermal-oxidative stability and tendency to turn rancid in storage. It also notes that temperature mattered more than humidity for the buildup of oxidation products during storage.

Sesame oil is much more forgiving. A 2026 study names its oxidative stability as one of the main reasons for its appeal, and the oil contains natural compounds called lignans, including sesamin, sesamolin and sesamol, that are studied for their antioxidant properties. A 2026 study of roasting found that roasting time and temperature changed the oil's aroma considerably, from green and nutty after short roasting to strongly roasted and burnt with longer roasting, while the fatty acid profile stayed largely the same.

Published smoke points for these oils vary widely with how they are pressed and refined. In practice, toasted sesame oil is used mostly as a seasoning and finishing oil, added at the end where its aroma matters most.

• Buy small: Choose bottle sizes you will finish while the oil is fresh, especially for perilla oil.
• Keep it cool and closed: Since temperature drives oxidation, storing perilla oil in the refrigerator, tightly capped, is a sensible habit.
• Trust your nose: An oil that smells stale, sharp or off has started to oxidize and is best replaced.

In the kitchen

• Namul: Sesame oil, with soy sauce, garlic and sesame seeds, is the classic dressing for blanched greens such as spinach namul. See blanching and seasoning namul.
• Japchae and bibimbap: A last splash of sesame oil brings the dish together, as in japchae.
• Pan-frying: Perilla oil's traditional role in pan-frying makes it a natural fit for jeon.
• Gim: Sheets of seaweed brushed with oil and salt, then toasted, as in gim-gui, are another classic use.

Things to keep in mind

• Energy-dense: USDA lists sesame oil at 884 kcal per 100 g, as with most oils. Both are used by the spoonful, which suits their strong flavors.
• Sesame allergy: Sesame became the ninth major food allergen in the United States under the FASTER Act, with labeling requirements from January 1, 2023. Highly refined oils are exempt from allergen labeling, but toasted sesame oil is an unrefined, flavorful oil; people with sesame allergy should avoid it unless their allergist advises otherwise.
• Freshness: Rancid oil tastes unpleasant and has lost quality. Perilla oil in particular is best used soon after opening.