FOOD FOR THOUGHT Exploring Student Connections to Food Media We asked students to explore how food connects people across different media channels. They chose their favorite TV shows, art, video, or movie and reflected on how food plays a significant role in their everyday life to tell stories, create memories, and celebrate milestones. K-Drama Business Proposal by Daniela Meyo
The K-drama Business Proposal (2022) shows a heart-warming scene where the main protagonist (Shin-Ha-ri) and her love interest (Kang Taemoo) discuss Shin Ha-ri’s reason for working at the GOfood company. In this scene, Shin Ha-ri mentions a snippet of their childhood, and how she felt comfortable and happy eating frozen foods. Shin Ha-ri works for a food company to better understand the food industry, so that she can create affordable food. She understands that not everyone can go to super high luxury restaurants or have enough fresh produce. This scene was engraved into my brain when I saw it. I could understand and relate to her desire to work in the food industry. In addition, Business Proposal has a fantastic selection of actors and actresses and did an excellent job in their product placements. Since most of the scenes are already set at a food company, it made sense whenever actors mentioned the food brand Bibigo. An example of this was when Kang Tae-Moo is overseas explaining the reasoning behind the packaging decision on Bibigo’s kimchi product and the importance of the traditional kimchi pot packaging. Although the advertisement for Bibigo was not very subtle, it made perfect sense why it was even a scene since it was still in the story’s plot.
The Princess and The Frog by Abigail Anton
The Princess and The Frog was one of my favorite Disney movies as a kid; years later, it’s still one of my favorites. Ever since she was little, Tiana and her father dreamed of opening their own restaurant in their neighborhood in New Orleans. But before she can make this dream come true, he passes away. With him in her memory and her growing up to be a young woman, she decides to follow their dream and make it a reality. She works two timeconsuming jobs to save enough money to buy an old sugar mill, with plans to renovate, and turn it into her restaurant. In the scene where Tiana sings “Almost There,” she imagines what her restaurant might look like, and all the food she would make! All the food in this movie looks delicious, from Tiana’s beignets to her dad’s gumbo. This scene shows what you can accomplish when you set goals and how determination is crucial in getting somewhere in life. The scene is important to food media because it shows diversity in the Disney princess universe. It shows how being wealthy isn’t a determining factor in how successful you can be. This movie shows how a woman doesn’t need a man to rescue her to make something of herself. Tiana is a symbol of independence and ambition.
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