Let's organize the cases of foreign stars who were impressed by Korean pork belly according to the six principles (who, when, where, what, how, and why). What was their reaction? It's simple. "Wow! This is a revolution!"
Sam Smith and pork belly meeting
Sam Smith, a world renowned British pop singer, visited Korea for his first concert in October 2018. However, he didn't just meet Korean fans. A passionate encounter with pork belly! Sam Smith ate grilled pork belly with kimchi, garlic, and ssamjang at a famous pork belly restaurant in Seoul. His eyes sparkled as he watched the meat sizzling on the grill, and after taking a bite, he exclaimed, "Incredible!" Since that day, 'Samgyeopsal With Me' has taken root in his heart, not 'Stay With Me'.
Source: [KBS Entertainment News, 2018]
Ryan Reynolds' Korean Food Tour
Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds, famous for his role in 'Deadpool', visited Korea in December 2019 to promote his movie. But the real star of the day was samgyeopsal. He grilled meat on a grill himself at a famous samgyeopsal restaurant in Gangnam, Seoul, and enjoyed it with soju. A glass of soju, a bite of samgyeopsal, a spoonful of doenjang jjigae... At that moment, he realized. This is the happiness of life! He exclaimed, "Soju is the best!" and fell deeply in love with Korean dining culture. Korean fans expressed their anticipation, asking, "Will there be a pork belly scene added in Deadpool 3?"
Source: [JTBC News, 2019]
Gordon Ramsay's pork belly evaluation
Gordon Ramsay, a world-renowned Michelin chef and master of sharp tongues, visited a pork belly restaurant in Seoul in November 2017 on the occasion of his appearance on the Korean entertainment program 'Please Take Care of My Refrigerator'. Will Korean pork belly pass his harsh taste test? In a state of tension, he took a bite of pork belly with just a little salt. And then said just one word. "Absolutely stunning!" He was amazed by the taste of pork belly that was well-drained but still had flavor, and praised Korean barbecue as not just a simple meat dish, but a sophisticated gourmet experience. Korean fans raised their expectations, saying, "The day when pork belly appears in Gordon Ramsay's kitchen is not far off!"
Source: [MBC Entertainment, 2017]
Tom Holland's First Samgyeopsal Experience
Tom Holland, who starred in the 'Spider-Man' series, visited Korea in June 2022 to promote the movie 'Spider-Man: No Way Home'. And he was given an unexpected new mission. Eating samgyeopsal for the first time! When samgyeopsal, ssam, ssamjang, and aged kimchi were served together, he asked the Korean staff for help, saying, "How do I eat this?" And when he grilled the meat on the grill himself, wrapped it in ssam, and took a bite, he couldn't help but exclaim, "So good! So tasty!" Now, fans are looking forward to the scene where he grills and eats samgyeopsal wearing a Spider-Man suit.
Source: [SBS Entertainment News, 2022]
Jason Derulo's Samgyeopsal Live Broadcast
American pop singer Jason Derulo, famous for 'Savage Love', tasted samgyeopsal for the first time in 2020 while conducting an online live broadcast with Korean fans. However, this was not a simple tasting. He learned everything from grilling samgyeopsal on a grill to eating it with kimchi. After taking a bite of samgyeopsal, he exclaimed, "This is really delicious!" and mentioned that the Korean barbecue style is very unique. Since then, he has often shown his love for Korean food by sharing videos of himself grilling and eating samgyeopsal on social media. "Is Jason Derulo's next hit song titled 'Samgyeopsal Love'?" Fans are looking forward to it.
Source: [Jason Derulo Official Instagram, 2020]