Hallyu with you

“Mukbang” has become one of the most popular types of content on YouTube. Celebrities have joined in, preparing their favorite dishes and other interesting recipes on camera. How about trying some Korean dishes based on recipes from your favorite Hallyu stars? In this feature, we introduce two fusion K-foods that will capture the palate of foreign visitors.

‘2PM’ Wooyoung | Honey Hotteok Galbi Patties Burger

2PM’s Wooyoung presented a special recipe for the ‘Honey Hotteok Galbi Patties Burger,’ alongside a composer friend who visited his place on an entertainment program. This recipe replaces the traditional bun and patties with honey hotteok and galbi patties, both of which can be easily found in supermarkets and convenience stores. The sweet, savory, greasy, yet light flavors captured Wooyoung’s palate.

Hotteok and grilled galbi patties add sweet and savory flavors that are enjoyed by both Koreans and foreign visitors alike. Grilled galbi patties were historically a royal cuisine and are still regarded as a premium menu item. The process of making it is arduous, as it involves finely mincing beef or pork meat, seasoning the minced meat, and then grilling it over a charcoal fire. Songjeong-dong in Gwangju and Damyang-gun in Jeollanam-do are regions known for their specialty grilled galbi patties.

1) Ingredients

- Honey hotteok (2 pieces)
- Grilled galbi patties
- Lettuce
- Cheese
- Eggs
- Butter
- Mayonnaise
- Mustard

2) Recipe

(1) Put butter on a heated frying pan. Grill honey hotteoks and galbi patties, and fry an egg.
(2) Apply mayonnaise on one honey hotteok and place the grilled galbi patties, cheese slice, fried egg, and lettuce on it.
(3) Put mustard on the other honey hotteok and place it on top of the lettuce.
(4) Wrap foil around the burger to hold its shape.

• Editor’s review: With a bit of exaggeration, it’s better than a ‘Whopper.’ It is easy to make but tastes like one sold at fast food restaurants. It’ll be a go-to recipe whenever I crave a burger. For deeper flavors, add onion.

TV Host Jun Hyun-moo | Salted Pollack Roe and Cucumber Toast

TV host Jun Hyun-moo, a former newscaster, is known for his love and interest in food. He earned the title of ‘trendsetter,’ after creating a special toast with salted pollack roe and cucumber on the MBC entertainment program ‘I Live Alone’. The show’s panels burst into laughter, joking about how much slimmer he is compared to the amount he eats, as he piled a generous amount of sliced cucumber on the toast. Meanwhile, Jun Hyun-moo licked his lips, saying he was craving it again.

Salted pollack roe and cucumber toast is a fusion K-food that combines the British cucumber sandwich, one of the ‘23 major sandwiches from around the world’ according to CNN, with salted pollack roe. Salted pollack roe is whole pollack roe preserved in salt, offering savory saltiness and a slightly grainy texture.

1) Ingredients

- Cucumber
- Plain sliced bread
- Salt
- Cream cheese (2 spoons)
- Salted pollack roe (1 spoon)
- Butter
- Olive oil
-Black pepper

2) Recipe

(1) Slice the cucumber into thin, long slices. Sprinkle salt on it and let it sit for 10 minutes.
(2) Halve a pollack roe sack. Separate the skin and roe with a spoon and mix the roe with cream cheese to make a sauce.
(3) Spread the salted pollack roe cream cheese sauce on butter-grilled bread and placed the cucumber slices on top.
(4) Add a bit of olive oil and black pepper for extra flavor.

• Editor’s review: Even if you don’t like cucumber, you’ll love it. The crunchiness of the cucumber, the popping pollack roe, and the soft cream cheese create perfect harmony. Enjoy it with a glass of cold fizzy drink on a hot summer day.

* This column was last updated in June 2024, and therefore information may differ from what is presented here. We advise you to confirm details before visiting.