Korean Cuisine
I have been watching people eat delicious food in Korean movies for years
As a precursor to movie night some time ago, my partner and I got takeout from moonbowls — a delivery-first restaurant that serves gluten-free Korean inspired dishes. Specifically, they specialize in a gluten-free twist on bimbimbap. Bimbimbap, for the unfortunately uninitiated, is a typically simple bowl of rice topped with veggies, sometimes meat, sometimes sesame oil and always (if done right — in my opinion) mixed thoroughly with the holy grail of sauces — gochujang. Great experiences are heightened with great food and moonbowls was the perfect companion for the start of our night. It was perfect because I love bimbimbap and I love bimbimbap because I love Korean food.
My tongue was first graced with the compelling flavors of Korean cuisine during my university freshman year at a Korean taco truck parked across from my apartment complex. Humble beginnings, I know. But the epiphany from that first bite kicked off years of food discovery that I hope will no time soon come to an end. Still, while I can carry on endlessly about my Korean restaurant conquests, the reality is that the food is only part of the story. The truth is that I fell in love with Korean food long before I took a bite out of that Korean chicken taco so many years ago. I had been watching people eat delicious food in Korean movies for years.
Korean movies are coming to the fore in popular America media and it is astonishing to see. Netflix is investing heavily in Korean content on its platform. And last year’s academy awards saw Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite making history as the first non-english language film to win Best Picture. This broad recognition of Korean cinema was only a matter of time. There is a certain charisma and boldness to the filmmaking that sets it apart. At its best, the stories are uniquely human while providing a similar universality that Hollywood films use to garner broad worldwide appeal. Korea is producing great content and the side effect of seeing great content from other cultures is the curiosity it births to explore that culture, including the food!
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