Hallyu The South Korean Wave

BY LINDA GARSON

A couple of years ago, the most popular food trends for new restaurant openings were pizza, bubble tea, and Korean (when we say ‘Korea’, we are referring to South Korea), and guess what? Nothing has changed!

We’ve talked at length about Alberta’s love of pizza as well as bubble tea – and now with so many new Korean restaurants opening, it’s Korea’s turn to shine. But why has it become so prevalent? The culinary traditions have evolved over centuries, but it’s only in this century, with easily available internet, social media - sites like Spotify and YouTube – and the rise of delivery services, that Korean culture has been promoted worldwide because of the Korean wave (‘Hallyu’), which includes K-pop (rapper Psy’s 2012 ‘Gangnam Style’ was the first YouTube video to be viewed a billion times!) K-dramas, and yes - Korean cuisine.

So let’s take a closer look. At the heart of Korean food culture is communal eating. We have many Korean BBQ restaurants where people will grill meats together and eat ‘banchan’, small – usually vegetableside dishes and pickles that come with the dish. And ‘jang’, the fermented sauces and pastes used in cooking, such as gochujang (fermented chili paste that packs some heat), doenjang (like miso, a fermented soybean paste), and ganjang (wheat-free soy sauce), that balance the sweet, spicy, sour, and umami flavours. You’ll also notice a distinct lack of dairy in Korean cuisine.

So what are the most popular dishes?

Fried chicken – the other KFC (Korean Fried Chicken!) has become popular all over the world for its super crunchy batter, usually a potato starch base, and double-fried to be extra crispy. It was likely introduced by US soldiers in the 50s during the Korean war, and in the 70s, when the country experienced a period of rapid economic growth, demand for fast food increased and we saw the first fried chicken restaurants. It became even more popular in 1984 when Kentucky Fried Chicken opened across Korea.

Bibimbap is perhaps one of the most well known Korean dishes: a bowl of cooked rice topped with sautéed vegetables such as mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, spinach, and beansprouts, and marinated meat – usually thinly sliced beef. A sunny-side-up fried egg goes on top, and it’s finished with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and the addictive sweet-spicy bibimbap sauce made from gochujang, sesame oil, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar.

Kimbap is a Korean mainstay found in grocery and convenience stores everywhere for snacks on the go. Translated as seaweed (kim) and rice (bap), it looks like sushi but it has its own identity – the rice is seasoned with sesame oil and you don’t use wasabi or soy sauce. As kimbap doesn’t use raw fish fillings, it keeps longer and doesn’t have to be eaten the same day.

Kimchi is spicy and sour fermented veggies, usually napa cabbage amongst others, that is served as banchan, or incorporated into other dishes such as jeon - a savoury pancake, jjigaeKorean stew, and fried rice.

Bulgogi is thinly sliced meat, most commonly beef, marinated in a sweet and savoury sauce, and grilled or barbequed. It’s used as a topping for bibimbap and in kimbap - and these days in tacos!

Japchae is a dish of stir-fried glass noodles made from sweet potatoes, with vegetables and marinated meat in a soy and sesame-based sauce.

Galbi means ‘ribs’, and is usually beef short ribs marinaded in a sweet sesame soy sauce, and grilled or barbequed.

The Kimbap Cookbook 50+ Delicious and BeginnerFriendly Recipes for Rolls, Rice Balls, and More Convenience Store-Style Snacks.

Chef Seung-Ju Choi has made it so easy for us to make our own kimbap with her easy-touse book. She shows us how to make the seasoned rice, prep the ingredients, and gives tips for making ‘pretty rolls’, then fills her four chapters with tasty recipes for kimbap, rice balls, rice rolls, and sandwiches. We can’t wait to make her Mayak Kimbap – so called because ‘mayak’ is Korean for ‘drug’ - because she says it’s addictive! The large type, simple directions, and photos of every recipe, mean our kids can have fun in the kitchen making their own snacks too! Ulysses Press $27.