Overrated or Underrated? Korean Foods Edition
Don’t Gen Z’s just love their Korean Foods? Surely if you ask a classmate or workmate to choose between eating in Cabalen or Romantic Baboy, isn’t it such an unfair faceoff? Don’t get me wrong, I love Filipino dishes, but there’s just something about the spice and kick that Korean flavor provides that leaves me craving more.
If exploring Korean restaurants and even making Korean dishes religiously is a crime, well then, I’m guilty as charged. But let’s be honest, some Korean cuisines have been hyped way too much. Let me tell you what I think of these Korean cuisines based on my preference.
Samgyeopsal
Of course, you’ll never go wrong with meat! The younger generation of Filipinos love Samgyeopsal and I can attest to that. However, it has to be said – Samgyeopsal is so OVERRATED! Although I can completely understand why though. But, shouldn’t we at least try discovering other dishes too?
If Filipinos don’t pace themselves patronizing Samgyeopsal, there will come a time when we’ll get fed up with it and lose our appreciation for the dish. There’s so much more to Korean foods than just simply grilling meat.
Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup)
I couldn’t stress enough how UNDERRATED Samgyetang is! Others might not order it from the menu, and other Korean restaurants in the country don’t even serve it. It’s such a rich nourishing soup that contains so many flavors. People might have misunderstood the clear broth of the soup as it being bland. But worry not! Samgyetang is bursting with flavor!
As a matter of fact, Koreans believe that consuming a piping hot bowl of Samgyetang replenishes the body’s energy. With a slightly bitter but fragrant thick broth and very tender chicken meat, surely one’s energy can be replenished in a bite.
Kimbap
Others might confuse Kimbap with the Japanese maki. However, trust me, this one is a lot cheaper and easier to make. Thus making Kimbap perfect when you’re tight on budget but still want that Eastern Asian kick into your system. As far as I’m concerned, Kimbap is UNDERRATED here in our country.
In Korea however, Kimbap is one of their most consume meals there. Probably the reason why we Filipinos haven’t paid attention much to Kimbap is that we’ve grown accustomed to maki. If you love maki, you definitely won’t regret eating Kimbap! Give Kimbap some love!
Kimchi
Now, this is a tough one. As someone who eats Kimchi with most meals and even makes her own Kimchi batch, it’s difficult to discern what exactly my rating for Kimchi is. I suppose it’s a combination of both UNDERRATED & OVERRATED. It became overrated because of the surge of the Korean wave in the country. Now everyone wants to try it out.
Underrated probably because not a lot of people actually appreciate Kimchi for its rich flavor. Some folks out there would force themselves to eat Kimchi just because it’s a trend. Kimchi is more than just a trend for people to fit in, it’s thousands of years of Korean culture reflected in a dish.
Let’s be real, Korean foods in general, here in the Philippines is too overrated. Mostly because a majority of Gen Z’s have a fascination with Korean culture, thanks to the Korean wave. However, it’s not bad to try other Asian cuisines too!
Chinese, Indian, and Thai cuisine are definitely on par with Korean dishes! Don’t limit your taste to just your comfort zone. For us to truly appreciate cultures, it is important we try out and acknowledged the endless choices of rich Asian flavors.
