This study examined the background of the dietary life of North Korean defector adolescents born and raised in NorthKorea and their new South Korean dietary experiences after being settled in South Korea. The study included six NorthKorean defector adolescents enrolled in an alternative school located in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. This study’s qualitativeresearch methodology included two-by-two group interviews, followed by individual interviews and field observation. Thestudy period was from September 14 to October 26, 2019. Before entering South Korea, they primarily ate food pickled withsoybean and salt, a cooking method by which foods are preserved because refrigerators were unavailable. After settling inSouth Korea, they had difficulty adapting to South Korean foods because of the unfamiliar ingredients and recipes. On theother hand, they quickly adapted to some foods, such as chicken. The participants reported that North Korean foods aregenerally light, whereas South Korean foods are sweet, salty, and spicy; hence, they do not taste delicious. The resultssuggest that attention be paid to menu improvement and the provision of nutritional education by schools and thegovernment to prevent undernourishment or malnourishment because of unfamiliar ingredients and recipes.