“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? Here are two super-easy dishes you can whip up quickly with simple ingredients.

BTS Jungkook | Buckwheat Noodles with Perilla Oil

Our first recipe is from Jungkook, who shared it with fans during a BTS Weverse LIVE: Buckwheat Noodles with Perilla Oil! Jungkook’s love for Buckwheat Noodles (makguksu) is well-documented, and his version of Buckwheat Noodles with Perilla Oil includes the super-spicy “Buldak” Hot Chicken Sauce for an extra kick.

Buckwheat Noodles are traditional dishes associated with Gangwon State and the eastern regions of Gyeonggi-do Province. These noodles are typically boiled and topped with sauce, kimchi, cucumbers, boiled eggs, and cool radish water kimchi (or beef broth). Buckwheat Noodles with Perilla Oil is a more recent variation involving buckwheat noodles tossed in perilla oil and laver flakes. Its popularity has led to it being made into ramyeon-like packages.

1) Ingredients

- Buckwheat noodles (200g)
- Perilla oil (3 spoons)
- Cham sauce (2 spoons)
- Soy sauce (1 spoon)
- Buldak Hot Chicken Sauce (1 spoon)
- Buldak Mayo Sauce (1 spoon)
- Egg yolk
- Pepper powder
- Roasted sesame seeds
- Seasoned laver

2) Recipe

(1) Mix the Cham sauce (2), Buldak Hot Chicken Sauce (1), Buldak Mayo Sauce (1), perilla oil (3), soy sauce (1), and egg yolk to make the sauce.
(2) Boil the buckwheat noodles and rinse them in cold water to remove the starch.
(3) Add the sauce to the chilled buckwheat noodles and mix well.
(4) Sprinkle with pepper powder and top with seasoned laver and ground roasted sesame seeds.

• Editor’s review: The scent of perilla oil is very appetizing, but these noodles are surprisingly spicy, making them difficult to slurp down. If you don’t enjoy heat, we recommend replacing the Buldak Mayo Sauce with regular mayonnaise and frying the remaining egg white as a garnish.

(G)I-DLE Soyeon | Kimchi-less Kimchi Pancake

Soyeon, the leader of the girl band (G)I-DLE, surprised viewers and co-stars alike with her take on “Kimchi-less Kimchi Pancake” on the MBC show "I Live Alone". According to Soyeon, this recipe came about because she didn’t like the texture of vegetables and the sound of chewing. Many viewers noted the unique approach of creating a dish without its standout ingredient.

Pancakes, made with flour batter and called jeon (or buchimgae) in Korean, are a popular part of holiday food in Korea. Many people also associate them with rainy days and makgeolli (unrefined rice wine), because the sound of frying these pancakes is said to resemble raindrops hitting the ground. Kimchi Pancakes are particularly popular because their spicy kick makes them seem less oily, and they can be expanded to include seafood, vegetables, and other ingredients.

1) Ingredients

- Sauce water from kimchi (2 ladles)
- Korean pancake powder (buchimgaru; 1/2 cup)
- Frying powder (twigimgaru; 1/2 cup)
- Cooking oil
- Soy sauce

2) Recipe

(1) Mix together the pancake and frying powders.
(2) Add the sauce water from kimchi to taste and to achieve a slightly runny consistency.
(3) Add cooking oil to a heated frying pan and pour some batter into the pan.
(4) Continue frying the batter, flipping occasionally, until golden and crispy.

• Editor’s review: Unlike most Kimchi Pancakes, which are characterized by the crispy texture of kimchi, this “Kimchi-less” Kimchi Pancake is chewy and tender, much like other types of pancakes. The flavor is identical to that of Kimchi Pancakes. We recommend this recipe for children, the elderly, and others who may find chewing difficult.

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