Kimchi, a new frontier of Korean Cultural Invasion

“Squid Game, BTS, Gangnam style, Korean BBQ, Soju - what’s next?”

It was only ten years ago that “Gangnam Style” rang out from every club, bar, and car through the streets of America, resonating around the rest of the world. This iconic song and dance by South Korean singer, Psy, was the start of something new.

"Unbeknownst to the people at the time, a Korean cultural invasion had begun"

Gangnam style became the first YouTube video to reach 1 billion views, bringing Korean culture into the limelight overnight. It was unanticipated by YouTube, which ended up increasing their Programmatical max view count limit to accommodate such popularity. Since then, we have seen the rise of K-pop music idols such as BTS and Black Pink, capturing musical minds and souls across the genres. In the meantime, K-dramas slowly infiltrated the American household through major networks such as Netflix, taking a good bite out of their entertainment hours. It would be a great disservice not to mention the Network’s most-watched series to date: The Squid Game - the latest controversial South Korean version of Hunger Games that has been the center of conversations for months.

“Why does it matter?”

Riding on the back of K-Dramas is the cultural culinary world and pastimes of Korea, which is often exposed and celebrated in mixed media. The unique foods and enticing nightlife has gained great popularity and a secure place in American social standards. Korean BBQ, chimaek (Korean fried chicken), soju cocktails and soju bombs are sure to be a part of weekly dinner plans. Whether it is traditional Korean cuisine and cocktails or unique fusion foods, the Korean culture has certainly graced the streets as a staple all across America.

What has recently become a product of great interest is: Kimchi, a staple food of Korean Cuisine. This blend of fermented vegetables, with a long history, is literally served with every single meal in all Korean households.

“What makes it so unique?”

Besides the acclaimed digestive health benefits from probiotics resulting from fermentation, its ingredients are healthy plant based with a long shelf life. The common practice of cooking home cooked meals has unfortunately seen a significant decline over the years due to a combination of inflation and the allocation of time to long hours of work. It is understandable to desire a wide variety of healthy foods paired with convenience of preparation with the fast paced, health conscious world of today. This is leading to the exploration of superfoods such as kimchi.

In a unique culinary competition, we are working with the world’s top culinary schools such as Culinary Institute of America and Le Cordon Bleu with a generous sponsorship from Daesang, one of largest and original Korean food companies. We wish to invite you to engage your culinary creativity by joining the second annual, 2021 Kimchi Cookoff. Whether you are a culinary expert, home chef, or foodie, come explore the possibility of bringing this unique food closer to everyone’s dining table.

Sincerest thanks to Brad Barnes from the Culinary Institute of America and Marja Vongerichten from Kimchi Chronicles for making this year’s event truly exceptional. We hope to see you join us in the next exciting chapter of the explosive Korean movement. After all, joining the Korean cultural invasion would be quite entertaining.

Join us today at https://www.kimchicookoff.org for $10,000.00 in prizes.

“Who will be the one to walk out with prizes? “

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Team Kimchi Cookoff