Almost an antithesis to manufactured K-pop is South Korean band Jambinai, who use their country’s traditional instruments to rock out with intensity as seen in their music video for experimental metal track “They Keep Silence.” Eun Youg Sim vigorously plucks the large geomungo to establish the bass line; on Bomi Kim’s knee is the wailing haegeum, bowed sort of like a cello—later breaks out into …
Kimchi has always been a source of Korean pride—yet the obligatory side dish (and cultural symbol) has made headlines in the past few years as cheaper Chinese imports have taken over restaurants and supermarkets. New Yorkers now can get a taste of kimchi that’s made authentically, with a lot of love, fresh ingredients and a pinch of creativity, thanks to Kimchi Kooks. The young Brooklyn-based …
While there are many small restaurants crammed into Manhattan’s block-long Koreatown on 32nd Street, their menus are pretty similar. Each offers the traditional home-cooked staples that Koreans overseas crave, from doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) to samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup), with little variation—as their purpose is to restore the memory of mom’s meals. But for diners who are eager to try a new angle on …
