Whisk the Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, mirin, gochujang, sesame oil, black pepper, and cornstarch until smooth. Ensure the cornstarch is fully dissolved so your sauce becomes glossy, not lumpy.

Brown the Beef: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and chopped onion. Cook for 5-7 minutes, breaking up the meat with a spatula, until browned and cooked through. Drain excess fat if necessary.

Bloom the Aromatics: Add the minced garlic and ginger to the beef. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Don't skip this—it wakes up all those bold flavors!

Simmer & Glaze: Pour the whisked sauce over the beef. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the beef in a rich, shiny glaze. Remove beef from the pan and set aside.

Flash-Fry Veggies: In the same skillet (don't wash it!), heat 1 teaspoon of oil. Add zucchini, peppers, and carrots. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until crisp-tender.

Assemble: Divide rice into bowls. Top with the saucy beef and veggies. Garnish generously with green onions and sesame seeds.