A Roll of Gimbap, a Bowl of Ramyeon, and a Moment Offstage

Did KPop Demon Hunters leave you craving a roll of gimbap? Watching HUNTR/X eat can do that. The girls have a stadium to get to and demons to deal with, but they’re still making time for food.

There’s a Korean expression that fits this moment: bapsim (밥심), literally “strength from rice.” Here, bap means more than rice—it can mean a meal. It’s the idea that a good meal gives you the energy to keep going. A long workday, a packed schedule, a plane full of demons: first, you need to eat.

Gimbap is part of the spread on their plane, and cup ramyeon gets its own moment during the opening fight. 1 Luckily, trying the combination yourself calls for a much quieter lunch.

In Korea, this is the sort of meal you can pick up on an ordinary busy day. Let’s get you a roll, then talk about why a bowl of something hot so often ends up beside it.

Start with the roll

Gimbap—also spelled kimbap—is rice and fillings wrapped in gim, dried seaweed, then sliced into bite-sized pieces. A basic roll might have egg, carrot, spinach and yellow pickled radish. You’ll also find versions with tuna, beef or kimchi. There’s plenty of room to find a favorite. 2

It’s one of Korea’s much-loved quick meals. Small neighborhood gimbap shops, casual snack eateries called bunsikjip, and market stalls make it easy to buy a roll to go. Pick one up on the way to work and breakfast is sorted. It can just as easily be a quick lunch or dinner. And if you’re heading out for a picnic, gimbap fits right into the lunchbox. 2

The love of rice and seaweed starts at home, too. Put a little warm rice inside a piece of roasted gim, fold it over, and you have a very satisfying bite. You don’t need a cutting board full of fillings to enjoy that combination.

Here’s a little family scene you might recognize in Korea: a child who has been refusing their rice suddenly starts eating when a parent wraps it in gim. Some parents keep small packets in their bag for meals away from home. It’s one of those everyday tricks that can make lunchtime easier.

That simple bite isn’t the same as a neatly filled gimbap roll, of course. But it helps explain why rice wrapped in seaweed can feel so comforting long before anyone puts it on a movie screen.

Add something hot

A roll of gimbap can be a meal on its own. Still, after a few bites, you may find yourself wanting some broth. The rice can leave your mouth feeling a little dry, and a warm sip is just what you want between pieces. Many gimbap shops serve a little udon broth alongside it. 4

A small bowl of clear broth is lovely. Add ramyeon, though, and you get the noodles as well. A bite of gimbap, a few noodles, a sip of broth: it’s an easy combination to keep coming back to.

I do wonder whether growing up with rice and soup on the table has something to do with that craving. Rice, soup and side dishes are a familiar Korean meal pattern. 9 Perhaps a roll of rice just feels more complete with something brothy beside it. That’s just my hunch, though—we don’t know that this is how the pairing began.

Ramyeon is the Korean instant-noodle favorite you’ll find in packets and cups. There are lots of flavors to choose from; for this meal, a soup version gives you the broth we’ve been talking about. If you’re cooking a packet at home, an egg and some sliced green onion are familiar additions. 5

Choose a spice level you actually enjoy. You’re here for a good lunch. For a first try, a basic gimbap roll and a bowl of ramyeon make a very happy pair.

Finding gimbap outside Korea

You can look for gimbap at Korean grocery stores abroad, too. In the US, H Mart is a Korean supermarket chain that also carries a wide range of other Asian foods. 6 One KPop Demon Hunters fan even shared a gimbap display from their local H Mart, prompting a conversation about the food. 3

If you’re curious what to look for, H Mart’s online listing for vegetable kimbap gives you an example. 7 Depending on the shop, look around the prepared-food counter, refrigerated shelves or freezer section. Selection varies by branch, so check your local store.

Bibigo has joined in with frozen gimbap, too. Its US range includes a bulgogi-flavored vegetable seaweed rice roll, which you can see on the official product page. 8 It’s another way to try gimbap at home; follow the instructions on the pack you buy.

Lunch is sorted

Start with a roll that looks good to you and put the kettle or saucepan on for ramyeon. Sit down while the noodles are still hot, try a piece of gimbap, and take a sip of broth. You’ll soon see why it’s such an easy lunch to suggest.

HUNTR/X may have sent you looking for it, but you don’t need a concert—or a demon emergency—to want this lunch again.

Sources

• Netflix Tudum — The Food of KPop Demon Hunters
• Korea Tourism Organization — Exploring the Latest Gimbap Trends
• Reddit / r/KpopDemonhunters — The kimbap section at my local H Mart
• Korea Tourism Organization — Do You Know Gimbap?
• Korea Tourism Organization — Taste the Soul Foods of Korea
• H Mart Manhattan — About H Mart
• H Mart — Vegetable Kimbap
• Bibigo USA — Gimbap Bulgogi
• Korean Food Promotion Institute — The Roots of Hansik, Home-Cooked Meals