When Bon Appétit, Your Majesty began streaming, it served more than just romance – it celebrated food as emotion. Similarly, spicy tteokbokki from Vincenzo and ramyeon in My Strange Hero’s have transcended borders. In Kolkata, chefs and K-Drama fans are recreating these flavours, transforming on-screen cravings into shared culinary rituals. This weekend, why not host a K-Drama-inspired cooking session at home?
Scenes to make you drool
Food in K-Dramas is never just a side note, it’s emotional shorthand. Think of the Hospital Playlist dinners, where the 99s share laughs and late-night ramyeon after grueling shifts. “Those moments made me want to unwind and take a moment off as well,” says Sayendra Base, K-pop enthusiast.
Similarly, K-drama lover Pracheta Banerjee recalls the “slurp fest” scene in My Strange Hero, which inspired her to try jajangmyeon for the first time. Whether it’s a sweet-and-spicy tteokbokki moment in Vincenzo or a comforting bowl of bibimbap in Dae Jang Geum, these scenes make you want to gather friends, share stories, and eat together.
Communal comfort of Korean dining at home
Watching K-Dramas has influenced fans’ dining habits: Pracheta Banerjee shares, “Korean food showed me the value of sharing meals.
My family now eats together; we discuss dramas, prep food, and enjoy our time. It’s become my favourite part of the day. ” Dibyadarshana Ghosh, chef and co-owner of a Korean resto, adds, “K-Dramas often make food feel like a character in itself. The dishes bring people together and make the dining experience about connection — it’s what the Indian audiences relate to. ”
Chef-approved essentials for your watch party
Dibyadarshana Ghosh, chef and co-owner of a Korean restaurant, shares how K-Drama meals can easily translate to home kitchens: “Gochujang, sesame oil, sticky rice, and kimchi are essentials.
Start with the authentic versions before making tweaks, you can always add your personal touch later. ” Tiasha Biswas, chef-owner of two K-cafes, suggests: “Most Korean dishes are simple with ingredients like onion, meat, garlic, kimchi, gochugaru, gochujang, and sugar. You can always garnish with sesame oil and green onions. ”
Plan your mealAppetizers & street food:
Tteokbokki – Spicy-sweet rice cakes from Vincenzo and My ID is Gangnam Beauty
Kimbap – Bite-sized rolls for easy sharing, featured in Extraordinary Attorney Woo
Ramyeon – Classic instant noodles with a runny egg, spring onions, and optional mozzarella
Main courses:
Bibimbap – Wholesome rice bowl, top with fried egg & veggies like in Dae Jang Geum
Crispy Korean Fried Chicken (Chimaek)
Stews & comfort bowls: Kimchi Jjigae – Hot, fermented cabbage stew
Doenjang Jjigae – Korean soybean paste stew
Desserts & drinks:
Hotteok – Sweet stuffed pancakes Korean Fruit Salad (Gwa-il Saelleodeu)
Watching my favourite characters gathering over hotpots tempted me to drag my friends for Korean BBQ. Food became my symbol of warmth and togetherness
– Sayendra Base,
K-pop enthusiast
Every dish tells a story. Ramyeon or kimchi jjigae speaks of warmth & care. It is very similar to how Bengali homes uses food to express love, comfort, and connection with loved ones
– Chef Madhumita Mohanta
– Indrakshi Haldar, K-Drama fan
Chef-approved essentials for your watch party
Dibyadarshana Ghosh, chef and co-owner of a Korean restaurant, shares how K-Drama meals can easily translate to home kitchens: “Gochujang, sesame oil, sticky rice, and kimchi are essentials. Start with the authentic versions before making tweaks, you can always add your personal touch later.” Tiasha Biswas, chef-owner of two K-cafes, suggests: “Most Korean dishes are simple with ingredients like onion, meat, garlic, kimchi, gochugaru, gochujang, and sugar.
You can always garnish with sesame oil and green onions. ”
