Shine Bright Playlist Review

When the sun sets and the lights fade so fast
Don’t fear the night or the shadows that may pass
We’ll be brighter in the dark
Brighter in the dark
~From Bright by Jessica Jung

Overview: Shine (book#1) and Bright (book#2) by Jessica Jung are the fictional story of Rachel Kim debuting as a K-Pop star and then realizing her dreams after her contract has ended in the K-Pop industry. Having read the first book (see MidwestKimchi’s review here), I was interested in what would happen next to Rachel. Thank you so much to Turn the Page Tours and Simon and Schuster for providing an ARC and finished copy of Bright to review! Read to the bottom for a the chance to enter the giveaway for Bright!

We also created a fun playlist to go along with the review! We highly recommend clicking “play” below to listen as you continue reading.

Shine Bright Playlist on Midwest Kimchi’s Spotify

TITLE: Bright
AUTHOR: Jessica Jung
PUBLISHER: SimonTeen (Simon & Schuster)
RELEASE DATE: May 10, 2022
GENRES: YA Contemporary, KPop
BUY LINKS:
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bright-jessica-jung/1138779243
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Bright-Shine-Jessica-Jung/dp/1534462546
Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/25463/9781534462540

Review: Bright is set 5 years after the ending of Shine, so Rachel Kim is at the top of her game. Girls Forever is now the number-one K-pop group in the world, and her fame skyrockets after her viral airport styling attracts the attention of fashion’s biggest names. Rachel can’t imagine shining any brighter. The only thing that’s missing is love, but Rachel’s determined to follow the rules. K-pop stars are not allowed to have significant others. Accidentally she meets Alex who believes in her future- whether it’s music, fashion or both. Meanwhile, Rachel continues to face conflicts with her group mates and her company’s supervisors. When a shocking act of betrayal shatters her world, Rachel must finally listen to her heart. MidwestKimchi recommends Bright to fans of Shine, Jessica Jung, and the K-pop industry.

Playlist Summary: Have you been bopping along with our playlist? So good, right?!? (If you love this playlist, make sure you check out our monthly playlists!) In Bright, Jessica not only showcases the talents of Rachel and her group (Girls Forever) but also many other fictional groups. Here are the songs that we think related to characters/groups in the book.

Characters/Groups
Rachel – Jessica Jung
Girls Forever – Girls’ Generation, Girls’ Generation- TTS, OH!GG
SayGO – f(x)
TeenValentine/Rival groups – Brown Eyed Girls, 9 muses, Wonder Girls, Kara, 2NE1, T-ara, Secret, After School, 4Minute, Sistar, Miss A, Girls Day, Brave Girls, Apink, AOA, EXID, Dal Shabet, Rania, Seeya, Stellar, The Grace
Yuna Chung – Kang Susie, Yang Soo Kyung
Kang Jina – Hyuna
Electric Flower – S.E.S, Baby VOX, Fin.K.L

Playlist
Jessica – Fly, Love me the Same
GG – Into the New World, Lion Heart, girls generation, I got a boy, Run Devil Run, Holiday
GG TTS – Twinkle
OH!GG – Lil’ Touch
Taeyeon – Spark, Four Seasons, Fine, I, Voice
f(x) – Electric Shock, 4 Walls, Rum Pum Pum Pum, Red Light, All Mine
S.E.S – Dreams Come True, I’m Your Girl, Paradise
Baby VOX – Coincidence, Get Up
Fin.K.L – Blue Rain, Forever Love, Now
Kang Susie – Violet Fragrance
Yang Soo Kyung – Love is like rain outside the window
Hyuna – Flower Shower, I’m Not Cool
Hyuna & Dawn – Ping Pong
Rainbow – Whoo
Brown Eyed Girls – Sixth Sense
Nine Muses – Wild
Wonder Girls – Nobody
Kara – Step
2NE1 – I am the Best
T-ara – Lovey-Dovey
Secret – Poison
After School – First Love
4Minute – Crazy
Miss A – Hush
Girl’s Day – Darling
Apink – Mr. Chu
AOA – Get Out
EXID – Ah Yeah
Dal Shabet – Someone Like You
Rania – Dr. Feel Good

Giveaway: Here is the GIVEAWAY LINK to be entered into the giveaway for one (1) set of both books: Shine & Bright.

Final Thoughts: This was an interesting duology to read and a fascinating take on the K-Pop industry. If you like books about K-Pop, we also recommend K-Pop Confidential by Stephan Lee, I’ll Be the One by Lyla Lee, and releasing soon (May 17th 2022) Once Upon a K-Prom by Kat Cho.

Book Review: So We Meet Again by Suzanne Park

Summary of So We Meet Again: When investment banker Jessie Kim is laid off in a virtual meeting and then overhears why, she delivers an “eff you guys” speech and storms out. After moving back home to Tennessee to live with her loving but meddling mother and father, she runs into her childhood nemesis – golden child Daniel Choi – at the local Asian grocery store. The smart, charming lawyer appears to have it all while Jessie has nothing. Jess begrudgingly accepts Daniel’s help to relaunch her long abandoned Korean cooking YouTube channel Hanguk Hacks, showcasing easy meal prep for busy professionals. But just as she discovers Daniel’s life isn’t as perfect as it seems and there’s more to him than meets the eye, he shows up for a life-changing business opportunity, and their rivalry is back on.

Jenny’s Rating:✭✭✭.5/5

Initial Thoughts: The food! If you’re a huge fan of Korean food and/or the cooking channel, you’ll love this book. I’d also recommend this to people who love books by Jayci Lee and The Ex-Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon. I liked this even more than Park’s Sunny Song Will Never Be Famous. 

***Everything below this will contain spoilers. Proceed with your own discretion.***

Here are 5 parts I want to talk about in So We Meet Again by Suzanne Park. 

1. My phone rang. “HI, this is Flora. I’m outside and a little confused by your delivery instructions. It says here that you want me to throw the bottle of coffee, the milk carton, and the box of sugar into your second-story window and leave the rest of the grocery items on your doorstep” (19). 

Can you imagine your grocery delivery driver doing this for you? I laughed so hard and then wondered if I could get books through my window. Haha. Also, I appreciated that this was the beginning of a sweet friendship between Jessie and Flora. 

2. The guy with the nice back was still seated alone, with plenty of room for my cart at his four-person table. Athletic build. Decently dressed. Good chopstick technique. A perfect person to ask to help watch my rice bags (29).

This is the first look at the love interest- Daniel Choi. I loved the introduction, especially “good chopstick technique”. 

3. Mom had come on-screen, critiqued my cooking in front of an audience, and stolen my show (185).

So, Jessie revives her Youtube channel to make a Korean cooking show, and during her first video, her mom randomly joins and critiques her cooking. Throughout the book, Jessie’s parents try to help her in their own ways, and I went back and forth between thinking that Jessie was being selfish but then also understanding her position. (I also wondered why Jessie kept doing live shows? If she was so worried about what her parents did, why didn’t she just film and edit the show?). I wanted her to be successful, but I thought she was a little harsh on her parents. 

4. ‘I have empty gallon Ziploc in my handbag, I can bring home extra food.’ Luckily Brad was so engrossed in his messages he didn’t hear her. And I didn’t ask Mom about it either. Who knew what else was in her purse? (283).  

I love the Korean Ajummas, especially Jessie’s mom, and I am definitely bringing gallon Ziploc bags with me to my next potluck or buffet or dinner that I attend (when this pandemic eases up). 

5. As Rich opened the door, he exclaimed, ‘Oh We also have some of the guys already here from Hamilton Cooper; we just hired them and they’re on retainer now. They were instrumental in short-listing some of the businesses we were looking into –’ Seated at the long wooden conference table was Wanker Wyatt and Daniel Choi, Esquire (313). 

I loved how things tied in at the end. Wanker Wyatt (who got her fired from her banking position at the beginning of the book) now wants to buy Jessie’s show, and Dainiel (her love interest) is back in her life. I couldn’t have asked for a better ending. Loved it. 

Final Thoughts: In June, after reading Park’s Sunny Song Will Never Be Famous, I said, “I’ve added all of Suzanne Park’s books to my ‘Want to Read’ list. She’s funny, and I look forward to reading her other works.” And it’s true. I think you’ll see some more of her books on this blog! 

Sheet Pan Bibimbap (비빔밥)

Ingredients: 

Seasoning: 
2 tbsp of toasted sesame oil, plus more to taste, for serving
3 tbsp of soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds, crushed

On one sheet, you’re going to add a variety of vegetables. You can use any vegetables that you have, but here are some of our favorites: 
6 ounces oyster mushrooms, torn into bite-size pieces
1 medium potato (about 6 ounces), scrubbed and thinly sliced into half-moons
1 small onion (about 6 ounces), thinly sliced crosswise into half-moons
3 packed cups coarsely kale (from 1 small bunch)
10 fresh green beans
1 zucchini sliced (no need to be thin)
3 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups cooked rice (we usually use brown rice but white will do), preferably cold leftovers
large eggs (1 for each plate)
gochujang, for serving (optional)
Kimchi, for serving (optional)

• 

• 

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. 
2. In a bowl mix 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tsp ginger, and 1 tsp sesame seeds. 
3. Add chopped vegetables (one kind at a time) to the bowl, toss to coat, and then use a slotted spoon to move them to a sheet pan. 
4. Add the kale or spinach to the open space on your sheet pan and pour the remaining seasoning over the top. 
5. Roast on the top rack until the potato is fork-tender, the onion and mushrooms are slightly caramelized and the kale is crispy but not burnt, 20 to 25 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, drizzle the 3 tablespoons of olive oil on a second pan. Spread the rice over half of the pan. Crack the eggs onto the other half. Carefully transfer the second pan into the oven (try to have both pans on the same level). Bake until the whites are just set and the yolks are still runny, 3 to 6 minutes (this time may vary depending on your oven, so watch it carefully).
7. To serve, divide the rice evenly among bowls. Now divide the vegetables evenly as well, placing them in neat piles over each portion of rice. Use a spatula to slide the eggs over the vegetables. Drizzle each bowl with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Mix everything together with a spoon before diving in, and serve kimchi and gochujung alongside, if you prefer.

Tips: 

• Most Korean people make bibimbap by cooking each of the vegetables separately. By baking them in the oven all at once, it’s a lot easier and saves some time. 
• We have added leftover beef to our bowls which is also delicious. (We added it to the pan with the rice and eggs). 
• These are things we haven’t added to our sheet pans but think would be delicious: tofu (marinated and cooked with the veggies), julienned carrots, beansprouts, and snowpeas. 
• For a family with picky eaters, this meal is perfect because I can just portion out what they will eat. 
• I don’t like spicy food, so I add soy sauce to the top of my bowl. My husband loves spice and squeezes a generous portion of gochujung over his. 

5 Recommendations to Read if You Liked the KDrama True Beauty (여신강림)

Last week, we finished The KDrama True Beauty based on the Line Webtoon of the same name by Yaongyi.  It centers on the high school student Lim Jugyeong, who, after being bullied and discriminated against (being perceived as ugly), transfers schools. Before starting her new school, she watches makeup tutorials to transform her look, making her popular from her first day. One of Jugyeong’s classmates, Lee Su-Ho, knew her when they were younger having spent their free time in a local comic book shop. Both Su-Ho and his former best friend Seo-Jun fall in love with Jugyeong and help her face the bullies and gossip that continue to follow her. 

Since True Beauty is mostly about high school drama, the recommendations below all include high school aged students. I have not read the webcomic True Beauty yet, so I asked Hana to include a short recommendation as one of our five. 

✭A note about the book ratings- These are my personal ratings. If I enjoyed the book, I would give it 3✭. If I liked it and didn’t want to set the book down, I give it 4✭. And, if it is in my top 10 of the year, I give it 5✭. 

One – True Beauty Webcomic by Yaongyi
Rating – ✭✭✭✭✭

You may be thinking “I just watched this, why would I want to read it?” Although the initial premise of the live-action show is the same as the webcomic, a lot of the events deviate in seemingly unnecessary ways (like who gave whom the signed comic). I personally think the webcomic better demonstrates Jugyeong’s charm (although Moon Gayoung also portrays her inexplicable charisma well) and better illustrates her relationship with both of the male leads and how it develops over time. Some of the characters are extremely different from how they were portrayed in the show (e.g. see Sujin) or have a larger part in the story than in the webcomic (e.g. Han Joonwoo). The webcomic is beautifully illustrated and is generally a lighthearted endearing rom-com that isn’t afraid to show its ugly side. 

Two – Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson
Rating- ✭✭✭✭✭

I’ve read the first five volumes of Ms. Marvel and given them all 4 or 5 stars. Kamala Khan (otherwise known as Ms. Marvel) is my favorite superhero, so you should definitely give her a try. She is an ordinary girl from Jersey City — until she’s suddenly empowered with extraordinary gifts. Ms. Marvel is a Muslim teenager who discovers the dangers of her newfound powers while navigating the struggles of a New Jersey high school student. Jugyeong has to live a similar dual lifestyle navigating between her popularity with make-up or her perceived ugliness (and getting bullied) without it. 

Three – Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Rating- ✭✭✭✭✭

In Today Tonight Tomorrow, Neil and Rowan, who have been constantly bickering through high school, team up on the last day to win the senior class treasure hunt. There is a much smaller treasure hunt in episode 8 when the True Beauty characters take a trip to the countryside, but Neil’s character reminds me of Su-Ho. Also, Neil and Su-Ho are both top students in their class. If you liked Su-Ho and Jugyeong’s romance, you’ll love Neil and Rowan. 

Four – XOXO by Axie Oh (releases July 13th 2021)
Rating- ✭✭✭

In XOXO Jenny is a cello prodigy with a singular focus on getting into a prestigious music conservatory, but then she meets Jaewoo hiding in her uncle’s Los Angeles karaoke bar. (This totally gave me True Beauty, episode 6 vibes when Jugyeong is kidnapped and held captive in a karaoke bar.) Jenny allows him to pull her out of her comfort zone for one unforgettable night of adventure before he disappears without a word. Three months later, when Jenny and her mother arrive in South Korea to take care of her ailing grandmother, she’s shocked to discover that Jaewoo is a student at the same elite arts academy where she’s enrolled for the semester, and he’s not just any student. He’s a member of one of the biggest K-pop bands in the world. Most of this book is set in Seoul, like True Beauty, and just like Jaewoo, Jugyeong tries to live two different lives- a popular idol vs. their nerdy life in private. 

Five- Verona Comics by Jennifer Dugan
Rating- ✭✭✭

Jugyeong and Su-Ho’s relationship begins when they are children in a comic book shop. And in Verona Comics, Jubilee and Ridley, find friendship and love in a comic store. True Beauty has a few episodes that describe students that have attempted or committed suicide, but Verona Comics does much more than scratch the surface with Ridlely who sufferers from depression and chronic anxiety. 

Have you seen True Beauty (여신강림)? Do you have any books that you think should be added to this list? And, as always, if you’re looking at my list and seeing a book that you love, I reverse recommend True Beauty (여신강림). Let me know (in the comments) your review of the KDrama!

Book Review: K-Pop Confidential by Stephan Lee

Summary of K-Pop Confidential: Candace Park, a Korean American sophomore in high school, has grown up in New Jersey, and while her parents speak Korean, she uses it very little. When she enters a K-pop audition at the mall on a dare, she doesn’t expect to actually win. She definitely doesn’t expect to plunge headfirst into the grueling world of a K-pop trainee. S.A.Y. (one of the big K-Pop companies) offers her the chance to travel to Seoul, South Korea to train, and Candace convinces her parents to let her try during her summer vacation. Once she arrives, in addition to the round-the-clock singing lessons, dance rehearsals, and beauty treatments, Candace has to agree to follow the uber-strict rules of a trainee. The most important of which is: NO DATING. But it becomes pretty much impossible to follow when Candace finds herself in the middle of a love triangle between a sweet boy trainee and a superstar member of the hottest boy band in the world.

Jenny’s Rating:✭✭✭.5/5

Initial Thoughts: It’s hard not to compare this book to Shine by Jessica Jung. It has a similar premise, and I read it only a few months ago. In my review post, I said comparable books were Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard, Gossip Girl by Cecily von Ziegesar, The Selection by Kiera Cass, and The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton. I think those same books apply to K-Pop Confidential. If you liked Shine, though, you are going to LOVE K-Pop Confidential. The romance is sweeter, the main character is more relatable, the plot is fast-paced and binge-worthy, and the writing is fantastic. 

***Everything below this will contain spoilers. Proceed with your own discretion.***

Here are 5 parts I want to talk about K-Pop Confidential by Stephan Lee. 

1. “No matter how many times I’ve begged Umma to let me quit viola and focus on singing, she won’t budge. The last time I brought it up, she shouted ‘Bae-jjae-ra!’ which literally means Cut my stomach open and let me bleed to death! Super dramatic, but basically, it’s the Korean equivalent of Over my dead body! “(7).

I appreciate a book with English explanations for the foreign vocabulary. I like how it’s written here, and it foreshadows the scene when Candace says it to a CEO. I didn’t know this phrase before reading K-Pop Confidential, but you better believe that I won’t forget it. 

2. “In Korea, K-pop idols belong to the fans, to the country. Think of it as you’re in a serious, committed relationship with your fans. It’s not like Hollywood, where dating around and bad behavior are celebrated. Imagine how ruinous it would be to your own reputation, to your group, and to the entire company, if you’re caught cheating on the Korean people. You must always maintain a pure image” (68). 

Since Candace is from the United States, she is frequently told how America is different from Korea. Hollywood actors MIGHT have to face some consequences for their poor behavior, but I think the industry might be very different if their fans thought they were “cheating” on them.  

3. “When you’re meeting an important person or appearing in public as a K-pop idol, you’re representing not just yourself but the hope of the Korean people. You are a manifestation of the best this country can produce. You need to work harder on your appearance. This isn’t America, where you can just walk around like a slob. Being your best-looking self is a sign of respect and character” (119). 

Candace has now been told that if she debuts she belongs to the country, a company, and her fans. So then it’s implied that she could face consequences from all of them. And she still wants to debut? I mean it makes the book a fantastic read, but you couldn’t pay me enough to switch places with her. 

4. “Just remember: Tonight’s results have nothing to do with your value as people. If becoming an idol is still your dream, never give up. But also remember, achieving your dream doesn’t automatically make your life better. No matter what you do, whether you work at a bakery or you’re number one in the Gaon Music Chart, our lives are all worth the same” (287). 

Reading One.J’s lines above felt really frustrating. One.J is a superstar who debuted in one of the world’s most popular groups. When he tells the female trainees “our lives are all worth the same”, I wanted to punch him in the face. The K-Pop company doesn’t think that, the fans don’t think that, even the country of Korea doesn’t believe that. Korean idols are like a national treasure. He’s trying to be kind right before half of the trainees are cut, but it seems meaningless. I’m glad that Candace doesn’t end up with him. 

5. “One.J is great, but he still belongs to his fans, not me” (319). 

Okay, so it’s been said over and over in this review, but one more time.. If you are a K-Pop idol, your life is not your own. I have the idea that this is the case in Korea today, but this book really drove the point home. You couldn’t pay me enough to go through K-Pop idol training only to debut and be owned by a company and essentially the country. Also, I really need a sequel to this book. Is Candace in trouble for making public statements like this? Is her family going to have to pay to get out of her contract? Or, is she going to go back to the United States to become a famous American singer? 

Final Thoughts: Do Korean trainees face starvation, little sleep, over-work, and intense scrutiny? Do K-Pop idols belong to their country? Their fans? Metaphorically? I don’t know the answers to those questions, but I have some documentaries to watch (and probably some internet research to do). However, taking this fiction a little farther, this book could be a dystopia. The life of a K-pop trainee doesn’t seem far from The Hunger Games. The author, Stephan Lee, is an editor for Bustle, but this was his debut book. I wouldn’t be surprised if he comes out with more binge-worthy books (hopefully a sequel to Candace’s story!), and I will be ready to read!

Duology Review: Rebel Seoul and Rogue Heart by Axie Oh

Summary: In Rebel Seoul, the year is 2199 and Jaewon is assigned to partner with a supersoldier named Tera in Neo Seoul’s top weapons development division. He must decide where he stands: with the people his rebel father protected or with the totalitarian government that claims it will end all war.

Rogue Heart takes place two years after Rebel Seoul in Neo Beijing, 2201. The super soldier telepath Ama works in a cafe by day and moonlights as a lounge singer in a smoky bar at night. She thinks she’s safe from the seemingly never-ending war, but then PHNX, a resistance group specializing in espionage, approaches her with an offer to expose a government experiment exactly like the one she fled. Soon, Ama is traveling with PHNX on a series of dangerous missions, using her telepathic powers to aid the rebellion against the authoritarian Alliance.

Jenny’s Rating: ✭✭✭

Initial Thoughts: This duology is fun to read, and I specifically enjoyed the futuristic setting and the fast-paced plot. The two books are equally good. Also, since Rebel Seoul is set in Korea, there’s more Korean language with a glossary in the back, which I definitely appreciate and makes it easier to recommend to folks that aren’t familiar with the language. If you liked The Starbound Trilogy by Kaufman and Spooner or The Legend series by Lu, I think you will enjoy these books. I also got a few Maximum Ride by Patterson and The Selection by Cass vibes, but there’s not quite as close a correlation. These books are both appropriate for teens 12 years old and up, and I recommend picking up this duology if you’re looking for an action-packed dystopian. 

***Everything below this will contain spoilers. Proceed with your own discretion.***

Here are 5 parts I want to talk about in Axie Oh’s books. 

1. “I cross the Han River from Neo Seoul into Old Seoul with three minutes, thirty-eight seconds to spare. I don’t wait to see the Dome solidifying as it closes behind me. Midnight shuts the old from the new.” (page 9, Rebel Seoul)

Every large city that is part of the NeoCouncil has a dome that covers and protects the city at midnight- Neo Beijing and Neo Seoul are the two main cities that are mentioned in the books, but it is suggested that many cities have joined the NeoCouncil. Jaewon wasn’t part of the elite that could live in Neo Seoul and had to leave the protected area every night. 

2. “Simulations mimic reality, but they aren’t real, because you cannot perish in a computerized setting. In my personal opinion, I prefer this form of testing; a soldier’s life should not be wasted. However, the Director thinks it necessary to mimic the reality as closely as possible. […] Hence the new stipulation: If you die in the simulation test conducted here in this room, beginning, now, February fourth, 2199 at 1600 on the hour, you will forfeit your life in reality.” (page 60-61, Rebel Seoul) 

Jaewon is convinced by his friend Alex (who is also the director’s son) to take the hardest test, or simulation, together. With the hardest test they have the ability to gain a lot of status and a good job, so Jaewon joins. Now that the new rules of the test (that Jaewon didn’t previously know) are being explained, he is very angry. Also, it was this point that I was really intrigued by this series. I love the “test-to-succeed” trope that is in a lot of dystopian novels. 

3. “We were the hope of the NeoCouncil. With our superhuman abilities, we were going to change the course of the war, the future. Everything was primed to go exactly as the Tower planned- That is, until 2199, the year I turned sixteen and fell in love.” (68, Rogue Heart)

Ama, one of the three supersoldiers from Rebel Seoul, is the main character of Rogue Heart. She escaped her prison boat and is now hiding in Beijing.  When she says they “were the hope of the NeoCouncil” she means that the government had paid a lot for the experiments on the supersoldiers, and the council believed their extra-abilities would help them win the final battles and ultimately the war. 

4. “Is he a soldier or a drama star?”
   “Is there a difference?” (140, Rogue Heart)

In this duology, battles are filmed just like a sporting event, and so soldiers (above an attractive officer) are treated similarly to drama stars. 

5. “‘Battle Spirit’ has taken over the city. Screen billboards stream constant advertisements promoting the products and brands used by ace pilots like Lee Byul and Fuji Hiyori as well as the clubs hosting the best and most opulent viewing parties. Every band has a theme song for the battle, the most popular playing in a constant loop through all the major shopping districts.” (220, Rogue Heart) 

Like in number 4, the preparation for a NeoCouncil battle includes how today’s cities might prepare for the Super Bowl or a World Series. Today’s wars might be “sponsored” through contractors, but Axie Oh tells a future where it has gotten extreme. 

Final Thoughts: The plot and the setting were what intrigued me in these both Rebel Seoul and Rogue Heart (and that’s what I focused on above); the characters were a little flat.  I am definitely keeping Axie Oh on my radar. Her next book XOXO was picked up by Harper Collins and comes out in July of 2021. I think that publishers are noticing a quality and creative writer, and I can’t wait to read what she writes next.

Collaborative Book Review: Shine by Jessica Jung

Summary of Shine: 

Six years ago, Korean American Rachel Kim was recruited by DB Entertainment—one of Seoul’s largest K-pop labels, known for churning out some of the world’s most popular stars. The rules are simple: Train 24/7. Be perfect. Don’t date. As the dark scandals of an industry bent on controlling and commodifying beautiful girls begin to bubble up, Rachel wonders if she’s strong enough to be a winner, or if she’ll end up crushed, especially when she begins to develop feelings for K-pop star Jason Lee. Luckily she has a sweet sister (Leah) and good friends outside of the industry to keep her going. 

SushiRainbow is a book, manga, and anime reviewer who occasionally listens to K-Pop. We did a buddy-read of Shine, so we decided to write a collaborative book review. Make sure you check out her blog post today! (P.S. It’s a look at the Korean culture discussed in Shine.)

Jenny’s Rating:✭✭✭/5

SushiRainbow’s Rating:  /5

***Everything below this will contain spoilers. Proceed with your own discretion.***

Jenny’s Initial Thoughts: The love “story” reminds me a little of The Cruel Prince by Holly Black. The teenage drama is similar to situations in Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard or Gossip Girl by Cecily von Ziegesar. The K-pop trainee competition is reminiscent of The Selection by Kiera Cass. I also would recommend it to readers who loved The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton. If you liked any of those novels, I recommend Shine by Jessica Jung. 

Sushirainbow’s’s initial thoughts: There were times when I felt lost with this story just with there are so many tiny conflicts on top of somewhat a romance plot. I mean yes I understand the point is that the main character is trying her best to become a K-pop star and the ins and outs of that. However, there were moments where I was unsure what the point of everything was. I also wanted something, a glossary or translation or some explanation, on some of the Korean cultural aspects since although I am a K-pop fan, I do not know everything about South Korea. Because of these points and most likely more I have to give this novel a 3 out of 5 stars or 3 sushi . If you are looking for a K-pop star novel that has a lot of knowledge of Seoul check this out. 

Here are 6 more things in Shine we want to discuss. 

1. “I watched K-pop music videos constantly, memorizing the lyrics to my favorite ones and putting on little shows for Leah on the weekend. The music made me feel proud to be Korean” (45). 

Jenny: Right before this moment, young Rachel had been bullied in an American school. Koreans are very proud of their K-pop and rightly so! Jessica Jung shows the intense reality of being a trainee in the music industry. I thought it was a sweet moment that motivated Rachel and showed her something special in her cultural identity. 

Sushirainbow: I could definitely agree that this was a sweet moment, especially for someone who is a fan of K-pop, it was definitely nice and refreshing to see the ins and outs of the K-pop music industry especially in the training sense. I wonder if Koreans ever anticipated their music to be this popular though especially in America. If those bullies of Rachel’s could see her now!  

2. “‘[Koreans] love adding cheese to everything. Cheese ramyun.’
   ‘Cheese kimbap.’
   ‘Cheese dak-galbi.’
   ‘Cheese sausage.’
   He laughed. ‘Can you add extra cheese to your cheese sausage?’
   ‘Of course! This is Korea. You can get a cheese-cheese sausage-sausage’” (102-103).

Jenny: I cheered a little to myself as I read this, and then went and got myself some string cheese. Us midwesterners agree- you can never have enough CHEESE! 

Sushirainbow: Where I am from, it’s the same way. For me though, when it came to the food, I wanted more description than what was received in the story. I wanted to feel like I was seeing what they were eating. In this particular quote, I only imagined cheese and sausage kolaches lol!!  

3. “Our first stop at Lotte World is the toy stall where they sell balloons, bubble wands, and inflatable hammers that squeak as you bounce them off other people heads” (223).

Jenny: Koreans value cuteness (things like going on a date and carrying around your bubble wants) more than in the United States. This totally speaks to American middle school students (10-12 year olds). But Rachel and Jason are 17-18! 

Sushirainbow: I think that applies to most Asian countries doesn’t it? At least from my pop culture research. I wish there was more description here as well although I surmised it looked like a regular theme park. 

4. “Leah’s favorite episode of Oh My Dreams is the one where Park Dohee and Kim Chanwoo go on their first date” (298).

Jenny: Oh My Dreams, a Kdrama, is constantly getting mentioned in this book (5 times?). It’s a fictional Kdrama, and I spent over an hour trying to look online and see what I was missing. I did live in South Korea for 4 years, so I do know the words Halmoni, Umma, Uni, tteokboki, pojangmacha, etc. Here’s the thing, by using these fictional Kdrama references (leaving readers to wonder if they’re missing something) and words with often no extra definition/description, Jessica Jung alienated a decent portion of her audience. I understand that she was describing the lifestyle in South Korea, and used a character that had the lifestyle of a K-pop trainee. So, while many fans of Jessica Jung will understand these references, those uninitiated in K-culture might feel left out or unable to grasp the full meaning. 

Sushirainbow: I completely agree Jenny. There were just too many references to keep up with. I know some of Korean culture but not enough to be engaged in some of the jargon or terms. When it came to the description of Oh My Dreams though, it was described enough to feel like a legit K-drama which was nice, however, there were moments when it took me away from the story we were already discussing. 

5. “I grab the bottle of tequila and pop it open. Still slouched over the table like a sloth refusing to let go of its tree branch, I take a big gulp straight from the bottle” (318). 

Jenny: Wait a second. Weren’t they just at Lotte World shopping for bubble wands? Yes. And now, Rachel is drinking, and this is not the first or second or even third time alcohol is discussed. Jessica Jung might be a role model for many teens, but the numerous mentions of alcohol and use of swear words (F%$# and B@#$% – and not with the symbols or abbreviated), will have many American parents keeping this away from their middle school children. 

Sushirainbow: I agree plus there was a lot of bullying and girl hate which is not recommended for middle school readers. Surprisingly the alcohol doesn’t affect their weigh-ins which I found weird??? Plus you would think how restricted the K-pop industry is, that they would prevent alcohol from going in and out of their training house??? Just me? Anyway I would not recommend this for anyone lower than 16 years old. 

6. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world. And I don’t plan on going anywhere anytime soon. Remember, we’re family. And family is forever” (334). 

Jenny: Rachel Kim chooses K-pop over her love interest and her friends, and honestly it was a surprising and almost refreshing ending. I never expected so much drama, but I loved it. I will definitely be reading the next book in the series Bright. 

Sushirainbow: This part reminded me the most of Japanese anime with the family dynamics both negative and positive. I was glad though as far as the family dynamic was concerned that it was resolved especially since the industry stuff has not as of the ending of Shine. Because of that though, the story got a lot more bogged down with too much drama all at once. I do appreciate though that it will now focus more on the industry and I probably will appreciate it more. 

Jenny’s Final Thoughts: This is a fun YA book that I would recommend to someone with previous knowledge of Korean Culture. 

Sushirainbow’s Final Thoughts: This is a drama filled YA book that I would recommend to someone that has previous knowledge of Korean Culture who thrive on gossip.

MPuB Episode 1: Dead mom, death curse

Meet our Trio

Hey K-drama fans! Can you guess the Mystic Pop-up Bar character based on these quotes from Episode 1? Head over to our instagram @midwestkimchi to vote. If you get them right, we’ll post a portrait of each character to the Episode 2 review using our great art skills 😛

Episode Summary [Spoilers]

Trigger warning: suicide

Our drama begins 500 years ago with Weol-ju, a shaman’s daughter. We meet a young Weol-ju collecting thanks from pretty much everyone in her village for her help communing with spirits. Picture Belle in the song Little Town, but instead of greetings everyone is thanking her. Because of all the good press, Weol-ju is summoned to the palace to help free the Prince from vengeful* spirits. Weol-ju spends several nights consoling the spirits (and getting to know the Prince) and is richly rewarded by the Queen. All that fame breeds jealousy, leading to someone burning down Weol-ju’s house after killing her mother. Distraught, Weol-ju hangs herself from the Sacred Tree. Oof, pretty heavy even for a drama, right? Hold on, it gets cheerier.

Fast forward 500 years, Weol-ju is doing penance to atone for her death. Alongside her parole officer, Guibanjang, Weol-ju must help calm the worries of 100,000 humans. Weol-ju has opened a pop-up bar in order to get people to open up to her about their problems. Once she knows a person’s worries she gives them a special drink that allows her to enter their dreams for some cathartic self-reflection.

Even though she has already helped 99,990 people, Weol-ju is struggling to get people to open up to her (mostly because she low-key hates all humans because her life was so crappy). Luckily, she meets Han Kang-bae. This part-timer at a grocery store will make you spill your real thoughts and feelings from just one touch. His ability has seriously creeped out everyone in his life, so Kang-bae avoids human contact as much as possible, believing that everyone’s true feelings are hurtful. He is also able to enter people’s dreams alongside Weol-ju and Guibanjang. In exchange for his help with her penance, Weol-ju promises to rid Kang-bae of his magic touch. 

I’m really hoping this all means that this show will follow a “person to help of the week” type format so we get a new mini drama each episode. I’m gonna start keeping count of each person helped just in case.     

*Vengeful because his family murdered them and dumped their bodies in the woods, fyi. I’m getting a good vibe off this family already 😉

Person to Help of the Week

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TIL K-drama Edition

Episode 1 of MPuB is full of life advice. Today I learned about the true intentions of others and how to be the worst villain imaginable. I can’t recommend all of the wisdom dispensed by the show (maybe cheer up a little first Kang-bae), but I’ve got to agree with Weol-ju when it comes to bad bosses.

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!!!K-DRAMA TROPE ALERT!!!

Random American Trope

Occasionally, you’ll spot a random American in your k-drama, ready, willing and able to add some English speaking flair (usually with minimal acting experience). MPuB slam dunks this trope by having Weol-ju interact with not just any random American, but General MacArthur!

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Drama Level Rating

The drama is HIGH with this episode! I’m awarding ⅘ flames to MPuB for the whole dead mom, death curse situation we find ourselves in:

• Mom’s murder
• Jelly villagers
• Weol-ju’s dramatic death
• Someone almost hit by a car
• Weol-ju growly mode ACTIVATE! (I cannot do this part justice, y’all are gonna have to watch)
• The Dream World
• Weol-ju’s outfits for selling food inside a pop-up bar 

I’m pretty sure the only element we’re missing is a dramatic reveal, but we’ll need the story to build up a bit first.

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Happy Pepero/Pocky Day!

In 2004, I was teaching in a Gunpo, South Korea (a suburb of Seoul), and on November 11th, I had been there for about three and a half months. I was still in culture shock and confused by a lot of the cultural norms. I specifically remember my first Pepero day because my school had taken a field trip to Lotte World (a popular amusement park) the previous day (November 10th). As I walked in to school with my students, I saw everyone carrying large bags and boxes of Pepero – a cookie stick dipped in chocolate. Students were giving them to each other and to me! At the time, I wondered why everyone decided to buy and exchange gifts after a field trip.

Pepero Day (in Korea) and Pocky Day (in Japan) have a little history/background. (I’ve linked the Wikipedia Pages here.) The way it was eventually explained to me was what Americans might call a Hallmark Holiday. Lotte had a hand in popularizing their Pepero, and it seems like Ezaki Glico followed suit and did the same with their Pocky. What I found cute is that it’s not a day for lovers; it’s a day to share chocolate dipped sticks with friends and significant others and family (basically everyone). Teachers, and not just the one foreign teacher in the school, walked home with tote bags full at the end of the day.

In general, Pocky are a little thinner than Pepero. Pocky seem to have more unique flavors (like the matcha flavor in the picture), but Pepero have added bits to theirs (like the almond and cookie pieces in the picture). In the Midwest, Pocky are a little easier to find in stores. Japanese Pocky were manufactured in 1966, and Korean Pepero followed in 1983. Online, you’ll find a few lawsuits between Glico and Lotte as these snacks are very similar. Basically, if I wanted a unique flavor like honey or kiwifruit mango, Pocky will be the answer. If I am craving a sweet and yummy cookie, Peppero’s White Cookie (or cookies and cream) is my personal choice.

Let me close by giving you permission to go try them all! Happy Pepero/Pocky Day!

Book Review: Frankly in Love by David Yoon

Summary of Frankly in Love: Frank Li is a Korean American high school student. He calls himself a “Limbo” (his term for Korean-American kids) who find themselves caught between their parents’ traditional expectations and their own California upbringing. Frank’s parents immigrated from Korea, and they want him to date Joy, also a senior from a Korean family. Frank’s older sister, Hanna, has been disowned because she married a Black American, Miles. Because of that, when he wants to date a white girl (Brit Means), Joy and Frank concoct a fake-dating scheme. Q, his best friend, is a Black American, and together they frequently face racism in their community. Frank’s story is full of conflicts: trying to date a white girl (Brit) (and fake-dating so his parents don’t know), dating a Korean-American (Joy) his parents love, succeeding in high school (and getting into college), being a good friend (Q), and helping his family come to terms with some of their problems.  Through it all, Frank wonders if he ever really understood love–or himself–at all.

Jenny’s Rating:✭✭✭✭

Initial Thoughts: Occasionally, I review a book too quickly because I want to make sure I get all of my thoughts down, but for Frankly in Love, there are so many thoughts that I had to take a few days to think. I also went back to my Goodreads and changed my rating from 3✭ to 4✭. If you like to watch Kdramas or the television show Kim’s Convenience, I think that you will find this book particularly appealing. I say that because this book has a lot packed in- funny, cringe-y, sad, and heartwarming. I do want to warn you that this is NOT the fake-dating rom-com that I thought it was going to be. 

********Everything below this will contain spoilers. Proceed with your own discretion.*********

Here are 5 quotes I want to talk about from Frankly in Love by David Yoon. 

(1) “Sunbae – as in senior, mentor- is what Joy’s dad calls Dad, since Dad got to America first. Dad calls Joy’s dad hoobae – as in junior, understudy, noob. They’ve been calling each other this for decades, and now it’s become this little comedy routine they like to perform” (126). 

I originally marked this section because I was merely appreciative of the way that David Yoon explained the Korean terms that were frequently used in the book. When I reread it, I see that this is foreshadowing later in the book. Frank didn’t understand the underlying meaning to the adults’ routine. By the end of the book, Frank learns that his parents were merely trying to protect him from their problems, and this “comedy” was probably not as funny as his dad made it out to be. 

(2) “They want to make sure The Store was kept in good hands. Good, Korean hands” (11).

A few years ago, I went into a Korean grocery store, and the cashier recommended a specific kind of kimchi because it had been made with ‘Korean hands’ as opposed to the kimchi made by Americans. I laughed it off as a funny way of using the idiom, but when I read it again in Frankly in Love, I realize that this is an idiom that is used more than I thought.  Frank’s family cared a lot about who took care of the store, but in the end, the new assistant is Mexican American, and you see a sweet change of heart/mindset in Frank’s parents. (Ie. They’re willing to let someone who is not Korean work in their store.)

(3) “Q emerges from behind the car. 
‘Were you hiding?’ says Joy.
‘You know cops shoot kids like me when they’re alone on the streets like this,’ says Q.
‘Fuck,’ I say. I throw an arm around him. ‘I’m sorry, I just lost track of time.’
Q ducks away, his face a mixture of irritation and fear and relief” (359).

Let’s talk about Q because in almost every review I’ve read, he’s the favorite character -the best friend. Everyone deserves a friend like Q who will help you study for the SAT, cry with you when you’re waiting for your dad in the emergency room, pick you up so that your parents don’t know who you’re dating, play games with you while your foot is broken, etc. Q also gets neglected. Frank talks a lot about the racism of his parents and the racism against Korean Americans, but he doesn’t see or try to understand the racism Q faces as a Black American. And, at the end of the book, readers learn that Q is in love with Frank. It’s heart-breaking to read. Frank has clearly shown he doesn’t understand love, and he’s not even that great of a friend. (I do hope that they remain friends, and Franks does better.) Many reviewers complain that Q’s coming-out is poorly written, and I have to disagree. I don’t think it’s an underdeveloped plot line, but merely us watching how misunderstood Q has been through the whole book. However, he is my favorite character, and I have high hopes for his future! 

(4)“When I arrived, Hanna was already there in the room with Dad. She let him feel her belly. He took both of Miles’s hands in both of his and said: ‘You whole of world number one best daddy for Sunny’” (402). 

Hanna, Frank’s older sister, was disowned when she got engaged to Miles, a Black American. At the end of the book, she is pregnant with their first daughter. Before their dad passed away, Frank and Hannah got to spend time as a re-united family. I teared up. It’s a sweet moment and shows the love of family that Frank has been sadly missing. 

(5) “But the thing about last kisses is this: they are final. Me and Joy already did that. It was done” (404).

I probably read that line 20 times. For most of the book, I wanted Joy and Frank to stay together. I thought that they had overcome so many hurdles to finally be a couple. But, I think David Yoon was trying to say that Frank is growing up now. Brit Means wasn’t the one he loved. Joy won’t stand by him when things get hard. Frank learned a lot about love, and he is still learning. 

Final Thoughts: A fake-dating trope, sweet characters, complex family relationships, an adorable romance, difficult discussions of racism, and humorous and witty writing- Frankly in Love is a great book, and I highly recommend.

Midwest Kimchi’s Ramen Recipe

*Warning: This is a hearty, spicy, salty ramen. If you’re familiar with budae jjigae (부대찌개), this will be similar in taste and heartiness. You can cut down/delete the sauerkraut, kimchi juice, and gochugaru for a milder ramen.

Ingredients

• 2 bratwursts
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• ½ cup sauerkraut
• ¼ cup kimchi juice
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1/2 tablespoon Korean red pepper powder (gochugaru)
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 packages instant noodles
• 2 slices of American Cheese

Instructions

1. In a medium pot, add the vegetable oil, sauerkraut, and the bratwursts. Stir-fry for 3 minutes. 
2. Add the kimchi juice, stock, Korean red pepper powder, and sugar. Bring to a boil. 
3. In a separate bowl, scramble 2 eggs.
4. Add the ramen noodles and eggs to the boiling water. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until soft.
5. Top with a slice of American cheese. (Or be cute and use veggie-cutters to add fun shaped-cheese bites to your ramen.)
6.  Serve immediately.

Tips and Thoughts:

• Bratwurst, sauerkraut, and American cheese are staples in a Midwestern house, which is what inspired this recipe.
• Sauerkraut along with kimchi juice and gochugaru made this similar to a kimchi soup. If kimchi is too spicy for you, leave out the kimchi juice and gochugaru.
• Not all of our Minnesotan grocery stores sell packets of just ramen noodles. I found Ocean’s Halo Ramen Noodles in one of 3 grocery stores that we shop locally. These can also be purchased online.

What’s your favorite thing to add to ramen? Let me know if you try our recipe!

Newbie Blogger Book Tag

Hi! I’m Jenny, one of the 4 bloggers on Midwest Kimchi. Most of the posts in the “books” tab are written by me. So, I thought I would introduce myself though the Newbie Book Blogger Tag. 

☆ Why did you start this blog?

When the Covid-19 Pandemic hit the midwest, my Kdrama team started watching shows on Netflix Party (instead of in person). As we watched, I kept coming up with ideas of books that related to the Kdramas that we were watching. I wanted to write some blog posts about it, and my Kdrama friends wanted to join with their own ideas. Thus, we have the fusion blog- Midwest Kimchi- 4 ladies discussing Korean culture and other things they love. 

☆ What are the fun and unique things you can bring to book blogging?

I lived in South Korea for 4 years as an English teacher, so I have a unique perspective on Korean culture. I am also an avid reader, 7th-8th grade English teacher, and middle-grade book reviewer. You will see a lot of middle-grade and teen with a few adult books scattered here and there. 

☆ What are you most excited for about this new blog?

I am excited to share our fun thoughts and our passion for Korean culture.  I also love working on this project with my friends.

☆ Why do you love reading?

I find that it’s an exciting hobby to talk about and share, and at the end of the day, it’s a great way to relax and think about something new. It helps calm my brain before I go to bed. 

☆ What book / series got you into reading?

I have always loved reading, but there were two things that reignited my bookish passion as an adult. (1) I went to Donalyn Miller’s educator workshop – The Book Whisperer. She claims she has yet to meet a child she couldn’t turn into a reader, and, I wanted to be just like her, sharing a passion and love of reading with every person that I met. (2) I picked up The Hunger Games. This is the first series that I stayed up all night to read. Today, I have at least 5 copies of the books that I regularly loan out to adults and students. 

☆ What questions would you ask your favorite authors?

• Charles Dickens: If you could write a futuristic, space adaptation of any of your novels, which one would you choose? 
• Jane Austen: Each of the sisters in Pride and Prejudice have unique character traits. What traits do you relate to in Jane, Lizzie, Lydia, Mary, and Kitty?
• Rainbow Rowell: When this pandemic is over, and you’re traveling through Minnesota, do you think we could have coffee? I’ll buy! 
• Marissa Meyer and Brandon Sanderson: Your work ethic is impressive! There are some years you have 2 books published. What inspires you to sit down and keep writing? 

☆ What challenges do you think starting a blog will be the hardest to overcome?

Right now, due to COVID-19, I have taken a year off of teaching. Because of that, I have some random moments throughout the day to write down my ideas. I think 2021 will be harder to write regular posts. 

☆ When did you start reading?

Between my grandma (a 1st grade teacher) and my parents (who love to read), I was an average reader by 1st grade. Throughout middle and high school, I would say that I went through phases of reading. By college, I was a full-blown READER (meaning that I read everything I could get my hands on). 

☆ Where do you read?

I would love to go to a café and sit and read, but it’s 2020 and there’s a pandemic. I read on the couch in our living room. 

☆ What kind of books do you like to read?

The only two genres that I don’t specifically pick up are Horror and Non-fiction. You won’t see much of that on this blog. Also, 80% of what I read is appropriate for my 7th-8th grade (12-14 years old) classroom. 

Since I am new to the book blogger and WordPress world, I am not going to tag anyone. If you’re new please feel free to copy these questions and answer them for yourselves! If you’d like to know more about me, please leave questions in the comments.

Cucumber Kimchi 오이 김치

Ingredients:

• 1 Large cucumber (or 4 mini cucumbers)
• 1 Tablespoon of salt
• 1 Tablespoon of gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
• 3 chopped green onions

Directions:

1. Cut cucumbers into bite-size slices.
2. Cover in salt and set aside for 5 minutes.
3. While cucumbers are brining, slice the green onion and cover with the gochugaru.
4. Rinse cucumbers and pat dry.
5. Mix cucumbers with green onions and gochugaru.
6. Enjoy fresh (within 2 days)!

Tips and Thoughts:

• This is a modified version of the recipe on my jar of Mother in Law’s Gochugaru. We love shopping their products!
• Did you watch the movie with the sound on? At one point you can hear my young daughter talking/yelling at me. This kimchi is quick and easy, and your children won’t need to wait long for your attention!
• While most kimchi is supposed to last forever, I like to eat crunchy cucumbers. The cucumbers won’t be crunchy after about 2 days. That being said, this recipe will only make about 3-4 servings. Double (or triple the recipe) for a larger group.
• Cucumber kimchi is an easy side that will add a little zest to bland meals.

Midwest Kimchi Fried Rice 김치볶음밥

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of cooked brown rice
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 cup chopped kimchi
• 1/2 cup of chicken broth
• 3 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 3 eggs – 1 fried egg for each bowl

My Process

Directions:

1. Heat up a pan. Add the vegetable oil.
2. Add the kimchi and stir fry for 1 minute.
3. Add brown rice and chicken broth and turn up the heat. Stir all the ingredients together for 7-10 minutes with a wooden spoon. (I waited until the broth was boiling and my brown rice was soft.)
4. Add sesame oil and remove from heat.
5. In a separate pan, fry eggs. (Over-easy with a leaking yolk is delicious on the rice!)
6. Fill your bowl with the kimchi-fried rice. Top with onions and over-easy eggs.

Ready to serve!

Tips and Thoughts:

• If you have kimchi and rice, you can make Kimchi Fried Rice because those are the basic ingredients. You don’t need the sesame oil, the green onion, or the egg, but I had them. The extra toppings are always a delicious addition.
• I got some ideas for my recipe from Maangchi’s Blog: https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/kimchi-bokkeumbap She adds sesame seeds, green onion, and kim (edible seaweed). People commenting on her blog were adding hot dogs or Spam and eggs. (We didn’t have any Spam, but I totally would have added it if I did!)
• What makes this different (or Midwestern)? (1) We aren’t known for loving spicy food. (Let’s be honest I would rather add cheese than peppers!) This kimchi fried rice is not very spicy. I didn’t have any kimchi juice in my jar or any gochujung (Korean red pepper paste). If you watch the video, I pulled out my gochigaru (Korean red pepper flakes), but I never used it. (2) I used brown rice. Most Koreans cook with white rice; it’s soft, it soaks up the flavors, and it cooks a lot faster. Brown rice is just what we use in our house. If you use white rice, you won’t need to turn the heat up or fry as long.

Egg mixed in, Ready to take a bite!

Books Set in Korea- Choose My TBR

I love to read books about and set in Korea. Having lived there for 4 years, these books bring me back and remind me of the time I spent there.  The following is a list of books set in Korea that I have read: 

• Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
• Rebel Seoul by Axie Oh
• New Year: A Novel by Pearl S. Buck
• The Vegetarian by Han Kang
• Somewhere Only We Know by Maurene Goo
• Hello, I Love You by Katie M. Stout
• The Aquariums of Pyongyang: Ten Years in the North Korean Gulag by Chol-hwan Kang

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And, now, here are the books that I haven’t read. As you look at the list, let me know if there are any books that you have enjoyed, would like to see an in-depth review of, or just looks good. (I have linked each book to the Goodreads summary if you would like to read more about it.)

Middle Grade: 

• A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park
• When My Name was Keoko by Linda Sue Park
• The Kite Fighters by Linda Sue Park
• Year of Impossible Goodbyes by Sook Nyul Choi
• I Escaped North Korea by Ellie Crowe
• The Long Season of Rain by Helen Kim
• Somebody’s Daughter by Marie Myung-Ok Lee
• A Dream of Lights by Kerry Drewery
• A Step from Heaven by An Na
• In the Shadow of the Sun by Anne Sibley O’Brien
• Brother’s Keeper by Julie Lee
• So Far From the Bamboo Grove by Yoko Kawashima Watkins

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Teen/YA

• In Real Life by Lawrence Tabak
• The Silence of Bones by June Hur
• Wicked Fox and Vicious Spirits by Kat Cho
• In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl’s Journey to Freedom by Yeonmi Park and Maryanne Vollers
• Shine! By Jessica Jung
• My Brother, My Sister, and I by Yoko Kawashima Watkins

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Adult: 

• The Interpreter by Suki Kim
• The Girl with Seven Names: A North Korean Defector’s Story by Hyeonseo Lee 
• The Last Story of Mina Lee by Nancy Jooyoun Kim
• If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha
• A River in Darkness: One Man’s Escape from North Korea by Masaji Ishikawa
• Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick

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I know my list isn’t exhaustive, so if you don’t see a book that you are curious about, let me know! What books should I read? Leave a comment and choose the next books I read! 

Our Favorite Children’s Books

Recently, we’ve been watching It’s Okay to Not Be Okay (사이코지만 괜찮아), and Jo Yong, the writer of the show, published five children’s books from the drama. Until they are released in the midwest (USA), Ko Moon-Young (Seo Ye Ji) has inspired us to share our favorite children’s books. I’ve listed them under the publisher’s recommended age ranges, but these delightful books can be read at any age! 

Ages 0-2 Years Old

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Ages 2-4 Years Old

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Ages 5-7

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Ages 8-12

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The real illustrator behind Ko Moon-Young’s books (Jamsan) said, “After working as a concept artist for more than 20 years and experiencing the ups and downs of life, I realised that life isn’t beautiful. After going through a career slump, I found joy in drawing zombies and fairy tales with dark twists. “ As an adult, do you love dark, twisty children’s books? What is your favorite children’s book?

Dashi Run Run Run August 2020

Tracks to Run to – August 2020
A collection of songs on my running playlist that I listened to in August 2020. See the complete Dashi Run Run Run playlist for all the songs I run to.

Track List
Dessert – Hyo, Loopy, Soyeon
My Body – Nada
Welcome to my Jungle – XRO
X-Phenomenon – Monsta X
Breaking Down – Day6
God Bless You – FTIsland
Dynamite – BTS
Blessed – Miso
Not Shy – Itzy
Nunu Nana – Jessi

Midwest Kimbap (김밥)

Ingredients: 

This recipe makes 4-5 rolls, which is perfect for a 2 person meal. 

1. Cook the sushi rice following the package directions (or in an instant pot, 4 minutes of pressure cook and 10 minutes slow release). 
2. Add salt and sesame oil to warm rice and carefully mix. 
3. Set the rice aside to cool to room temperature. (1 hour is good, but I definitely have put my bowl in the refrigerator to expedite the cooling, which is definitely against most sushi and kimbap rules.)
4. While the rice is cooling, prepare your roll ingredients (ie, open the sushi seaweed and crab sticks, mix tuna with mayo, and cut green pepper into thin slices.)
5. Lay down 1 sheet of seaweed sheet on your mat (or plastic wrap) and spread rice over ¾ of the sheet.
6. Add your preferred ingredients to the edge of the sheet and roll. 
7. Let the rolls sit for a few minutes before slicing. (Letting them sit, helps the roll harden a little so that they don’t fall apart when you slice into them. Again, I put them in the refrigerator for a few minutes which helps.)
8. Use your sharpest knife to cut the roll into ½ inch slices. 
9. Serve plain or with a side of soy sauce and enjoy! 

Tips: 

• What is the difference between kimbap and sushi? Kimbap adds sesame oil and salt to the rice and doesn’t use raw fish (common ingredients include canned tuna, cooked beef, cream cheese, etc.) Sushi, on the other hand, adds sugar and rice wine vinegar to the rice and often uses raw fish. I prefer the salty flavor of the kimbap, but you could definitely make sushi rice with 2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar and 1 teaspoon of sugar.
• I used the ingredients that we could find in our local grocery store. Korean Kimbap tastes delicious with pickled radish (danmuji, 단무지) and perilla leaves (kkaenip, 깻잎), but those aren’t typical midwest grocery store finds. The green peppers add a nice crunch to the roll. Experiment with your favorite veggies and meat! 

• You can put whatever you want in your roll. My husband wanted just a crab stick in his rolls (and the green peppers on the side). With less ingredients, it’s easier to roll up.

• My roll with tuna, green pepper slices, and crab is pretty large. It will be harder to roll, and some of the slices will come apart. If that happens, I just throw them in a bowl and eat a kimap bowl! However, if you’re trying rolls for the first time, I highly recommend putting less ingredients in until you get the hang of it. )

Small roll with just rice and crab

Large roll with rice, tuna, green pepper, and crab

5 Books to Read if You Like Mystic Pop-Up Bar (쌍갑포차)

Mystic Pop-up Bar (쌍갑포차) tells the story of a mysterious tent-bar run by an ill-tempered woman named Wol-Joo, a part-time employee named Han Kang-Bae, and a former afterlife detective known as Guibanjang who visit customers in their dreams and help resolve their problems. It’s filled with fantastic characters, cute romances, and great action/fighting scenes. Midwest Kimchi agrees that this is one of the better KDramas we have seen, and we highly approve. With that being said, I think that you will like the books that I’ve recommended. 

✭A note about the book ratings- These are my personal ratings. If I enjoyed the book, I would give it 3✭. If I liked it and didn’t want to set the book down, I give it 4✭. And, if it is in my top 10 of the year, I give it 5✭. 

One- The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand

Rating- ✭✭✭✭✭

Mystic Pop-up Bar, with its repeated reflections on past wrongs, was always reminding me of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. The Afterlife of Holly Chase is a modern retelling that has a fantastic female protagonist who is just as ill-tempered as Wol-Joo. I loved reading this book during the December holiday season. 

Two- The Lonely Heart of Maybelle Lane by Kate O’Shaughnessy

Rating- ✭✭✭✭✭

** This recommendation has a Mystic Pop-up Bar SPOILER. Proceed with caution!**

Do you enjoy the “found family” trope? It’s one of my favorites. Kang-Bae finds his figurative family about halfway through the season of Mystic Pop-up Bar only to find out later that Wol-Joo and Guibanjang are literally his parents. Middle-grade books are famous for writing about finding your figurative family. The Lonely Heart of Maybelle Lane is one such book. Maybelle goes looking for her father, but ends up on a road trip with a sweet friend and a mentor. This book is in my top 10 books of 2020. 

Three- Romeo and/or Juliet: A Chooseable Path Adventure by Ryan North

Rating- ✭✭✭

In episode eight of Mystic Pop-up Bar, the team needs to help a soul who created a webtoon adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. At one point  Wol-Joo mentions that she should have been more like Juliet, knowing at a young age that love isn’t enough. With a choose your own adventure like Ryan North’s, you can let all of your characters live, or die, or become ghosts. Find the ending that you think the story deserves. 

Four- Three Mages and a Margarita by Annette Marie

Rating- ✭✭✭✭

In Three Mages and a Margarita, Tori is young and hot-tempered, and after losing every one of her recent jobs, ends up bartending in a mystical club serving witches, psychics, sorcerers, and mages. At one point she ends up protecting her bodyguard (and love interest) with an umbrella. Tori reminds me of Wol–Joo and Yeo-rin, but in both the book and the show there is a similar scene: in the last episode when Wol-Joo says she can hold her own with a small knife against a team of attackers, it’s similar to Tori and her umbrella. 

Five- Yu Yu Hakusho written and drawn by Yoshihiro Togashi

Rating- ✭✭✭

Guibanjang is one of many fantastic supporting characters in Mystic Pop-Up Bar (Kang-Bae, Yeo-Ring, Samson). Like Guibanjang, Yusuke Urameshi in Yu Yu Hakusho follows the adventures of a young delinquent Yusuke Urameshi, who after his death becomes a Spirit Detective, the protector of the Living World against supernatural threats. Reading this manga made me think that Yusuke was like a young Guibanjang. Just like Mystic Pop-Up Bar gives you a new story in each episode, each book in the manga series will do the same. 

There are rumors on message boards that we might get more (or another season) of Mystic Pop-up Bar. I hope it’s true, but until then, these books will fill the void. And, as always, if you’re looking at my list and seeing a book that you love, I reverse recommend Mystic Pop-Up Bar (쌍갑포차). Let me know (in the comments) your review of the KDrama!

Book Recommendations Based on Your Favorite Kimchi (김치)

A great book can bring you happiness and joy, but pairing a great book with great kimchi can truly transport you to a new dimension and elevate your senses to levels previously unknown. Or, you know, give a fun new outlook! When you go to a Korean restaurant, your meal is served with numerous side dishes (or banchan), and at least one of those side dishes will be kimchi. While there are over 100 different varieties of kimchi, many of them are made from fermented cabbage. Below I have matched some of my favorite books with five popular kinds.

1. Pairing: Baechu-kimchi (배추김치) and Lock Every Door by Riley Sager 

An edge-of-your-seat thriller pairs well with this spicy napa cabbage kimchi made from whole cabbage leaves. Riley Sager’s Lock Every Door is an intense thriller that follows a young woman whose new job apartment sitting in one of New York’s oldest and most glamorous buildings may cost more than it pays. People are dying, but this kimchi won’t! 

2. Pairing: Baechu-geotjeori (배추겉절이) and When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller 

A versatile, unfermented napa cabbage kimchi takes about 40 minutes to make (as opposed to the days required to ferment other kimchis). Read When You Trap a Tiger, a new (2020) release, while you’re salting the cabbage leaves. Author Tae Keller wrote a 5-star story about Lily and her family moving in with her sick grandmother, a magical tiger straight out of her halmoni’s Korean folktales arrives, prompting Lily to unravel a secret family history.

3. Pairing: Dongchimi (동치미) and Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

This non-spicy, watery kimchi goes well with the opposite of thriller- a romance! Dongchimi literally means “winter kimchi” because it’s made right before the cold winter starts in Korea, and the climax of Fangirl occurs during a winter snow storm! You’ll be swooning by the end of the meal! 

4. Pairing: Chonggak-kimchi (총각김치) and Killing Floor (Jack Reacher #1) by Lee Child

Cubed chonggak is a popular spicy kimchi, also known as “ponytail” radish, and complements famous thrillers.  Before Tom Cruise brought Jack Reacher to the screen, this retired military police officer, now vagabond, had been investigating suspicious and frequently dangerous situations in 16 books. (Today there’s 26 in the series!) Eat your Chonggak-kimchi with the book that started it all! 

5. Pairing: Mugeun-ji (묵은지) or mugeun-kimchi (묵은김치) and Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

Did you know that kimchi doesn’t go bad? Like a fine cheese, it just gets better with age. For this pairing think classics! Mugeun-ji is an aged kimchi, and it is my favorite. So, I had to go with my most-loved classic novel, Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. Pip’s coming of age story might take a long time to read, but by then, your mugeun-ji will be delicious! 

The key to a great kimchi and book pairing is in more than just the general advice. If you’d like to serve up a banchan along with your book, then absolutely read Goodreads reviews.  The most important thing is to get yourself a book with your kimchi and enjoy the adventure!

*I got all of my kimchi pictures from Wikimedia Commons. Each picture is linked to its licensing agreement.

Best of 2022

After much struggle and strife, I bring thee the Midwest Kimchi Top 75 for 2022. The categories don’t mean much. Each artist is limited to one song. I shot for 25 and got to 27, winning? Honestly thought it was 25 until now and can’t be bothered to cut any more. Why is this out in March? Well procrastination is a growing epidemic 🙂

No Skip Albums

These three artists had my favorite albums of the year. No skips and I played them on repeat until the cows came home.

Seventeen – Sector 17

Not a bad song in the bunch. A little but of something for everyone: Cowboys, Thirsty Ladies, In Da Feels, and more!

NewJeans – New Jeans

If you don’t know these songs, the controversies, or the dance, I don’t know where you were in 2022.

Yena – Smiley

Smiley is a top bop and all the other songs could be TWICE songs.

Female Soloists

This year the top ladies skewed towards happy pop but sometimes that is just what you need.

Yena – Smiley

Great solo debut! Makes me smile every time I hear it.

Song Soowoo – Love Me or Hate Me

This really reminds me of music I listened to in college. Good grungy pop vocals.

Sorn – Sharp Objects

I was excited for this ever since she teased the chorus. Makes me want to go to da club.

Nayeon – Pop!

POP Queen has entered the ring. 2nd most viral dance of the year?

Male Soloists

Is there a theme? Five of my favorite male solo songs of the year.

Kihyun – Comma

Surprise! It’s not a title track but this song has a hold on me like a placenta in a uterus (IYKYK).

Jackson Wang – Blow

It was hard to pick the top song by Jackson this year. He always puts his ussy into the videos so I am always excited to see the visuals and whatever new genre it may be. Honorable Mentions: Cruel and Come Alive.

BE’O – Love Me

Something about the raw honesty in admitting I am stupid but I love you. THE FEELS.

Woosung – Phase Me

Yes I have a thing for songs with whistling. Bop.

Jin – The Astronaut

So sweet and pure, the lyrics the vocals. A great collaboration.

Duos/Trios/Bands/OSTs

Not a lot of any of these in my top 75 this year? So here’s my three favorites.

CNBLUE – Let it Shine

This is giving me my jpop roots in all the best ways. LET IT SHINE OR ELSE.

NJust 10cm – 10CM, BIG Naughty

It’s giving driving down a dusty road in the summer sunshine.

Kim Woojin – In the End

Haunting OST vocals, check.

Girl Groups

A lil bit spicy, a lil bit classic, a lil bit catchy. Nine songs from the ladies.

MAMADOL – Wooah Hip

I wish this wasn’t just a concept group cuz this is a bop in general and i want more.

XG – Tippy Toes

These whisper vocals got me hooked.

IVE – Love Dive

One of the monster rookies groups. This is my favorite of their title tracks. Honorable Mention: After Like.

Le Sserafim – Antifragile

Very hard to choose between this and fearless.

Beautybox – Boggle Boggle

I loved the song but they really sold me on the quirky music video. Note: i still don’t know what “Boggle Boggle” means and I just don’t care to know.

New Jeans – Hype Boy

How to get the Millenials hooked on kpop. Also the most viral dance of the year.

Twice – Talk that Talk

It’s a sad year when a TWICE song doesn’t make the list.

Limelight – Eye to Eye

Is it the phat bass? The breathy vocals? The driving beat? Idk I just love it.

Kara – When I Move

When a gen 2 group makes a comeback and it sounds like them but also fits in with the current music. *Chefs Kiss

Male Groups

Although typically the male groups get stuck with only banger clangers (which we love) this year there were a lot of other genres (and the infamous crotch grab).

TRENDZ – Vagabond

I think I might be the only person who likes this song but whatever its a bit of a throwback style boy band song and I like it. Honorable Mention: TNT.

Stray Kids – Maniac

They always make it hard to choose but I rolled a dice and this was the winner. My best boys. Honorable Mention: Case 143 but also any song they have ever made ever. Except maybe Circus.

TXT – Good Boy Gone Bad

So I think they are out of puberty now? Getting ready for their sexy suits phase. Never going to grow out of having super long song names though. That’s for life.

ATEEZ-= Guerilla

Pirates are fighting the man now. Honorable Mention: Rocky.

Seventeen – Hot

We gon drop it lot hot. I been dropped sir.

Super Junior – Mango

I feel like GenZ thinks this is dad rock. But it’s fun and catchy and also I love mangos. Honorable Mention: Can’t Wait but also anything on that album.

Honorable Mentions

The ones that i cut at the very end (and still didn’t make it to 25)

• Wonho – Eye on You
• B.I – BTBT & Keep Me Up
• Geum San – The Main Role
• AleXa – Tattoo & Back in Vogue
• Jamie – Pity Party & 3D Woman
• Cravity – Adrenaline
• Just B – RE=LOAD
• ONEUS – Bring it On
• P1Harmony – Doom Du Doom
• XEED – Dreamland
• Tri.Be – Lobo
• (G)I-DLE – Nxde & Tomboy
• ILY:1 – Love in Bloom
• Purple Kiss – Pretty Psycho
• Apink Chobom – Copycat
• Rocket Punch – Flash
• Billlie – Ring Ma Bell
• Fifty Fifty – Higher
• Xdinary Heroes – Strawberry Cake & Hair Cut
• 9001 – Mannequin
• Jongho – Gravity

Honorable Honorable Mentions

The ones that made the 75 but were easier to cut (but just a little bit).

• Woozi – Ruby
• Psy (ft. Suga) – That That
• Lilla – Who Am I
• Key – Gasoline
• Bibi – Vengeance
• Treasure – Darari
• TNX – Move
• Kep1er – Wadada
• Blackpink – Pink Venom
• Mimiirose – Lululu
• STAYC – Poppy
• KARD – Ring the Alarm
• Benny Blanco, BTS, & Snoop Dog – Bad Decisions
• Chen – Heaven for You

Dashi Run Run Run March 2023

Tracks to Run to – March 2023
A collection of songs on my running playlist that I listened to in the last month. See the complete Dashi Run Run Run playlist for all the songs I run to.

Track List
Killer – Key
Fighting – Seventeen BSS (ft. Lee Young-ji)
Anchor – LA POEM
Last of Us – Rockit Girl
Love Like This – SS501
The Sound – Stray Kids
Autopilot – Purple Kiss
Everybody – Shinee
Gravity – Onewe
Sweet Juice – Purple Kiss

Dashi Run Run Run February 2023

Tracks to Run to – February 2023
A collection of songs on my running playlist that I listened to in the last month. See the complete Dashi Run Run Run playlist for all the songs I run to.

Track List
Rose Blossom – H1-KEY
Pricey Hangover – Lee Seung Yoon
Dozer – Nada X Mina Myoung
Puzzle – SF9
Beautiful Liar – Monsta X
KawiBawiBo – Yoon Mirae
Vibe – Taeyang (ft. Jimin)
Play – Primrose
Sugar Rush Ride – TXT
Shooting Star – XG

Dashi Run Run Run January 2023

Tracks to Run to – January 2023
A collection of songs on my running playlist that I listened to in the last month. See the complete Dashi Run Run Run playlist for all the songs I run to.

Track List

Flash – Shinwa WDJ
Halazia – ATEEZ
Teenage Superstar – Cho Minhye
Sorry Sorry – Super Junior
Come Alive – Jackson Wang
Dive – uni
Trouble Maker – Trouble Maker
Dreamland – XEED
Ditto – NewJeans
How Can I Forget You – Seo Eunkwang

Dashi Run Run Run December 2022

Tracks to Run to – December 2022
A collection of songs on my running playlist that I listened to in the last month. See the complete Dashi Run Run Run playlist for all the songs I run to.

Track List
When I Move – Kara
Young Boy – Nine.i
Vagabond – TRENDZ
Real Me – Teo
Back in Vogue – AleXa
Vengeance – Bibi
No More – Scarlet
Nirvana – Kang Daniel
Higher – Fifty Fifty
Keep Me Up – B.I

Dashi Run Run Run November 2022

Tracks to Run to – November 2022
A collection of songs on my running playlist that I listened to in the last month. See the complete Dashi Run Run Run playlist for all the songs I run to.

Track List
Case 143 – Stray Kids
Nitro – Park Jihoon
Lululu – Mimiirose
Anti-fragile – Le Serrafim
Vision – Dreamcatcher
Youth – Kihyun
Go Back – Jvcki Wai
Mannequin – 9001
Nxde – (G)-IDLE
Uh-heung – DKZ

Dashi Run Run Run October 2022

Tracks to Run to – October 2022
A collection of songs on my running playlist that I listened to in the last month. See the complete Dashi Run Run Run playlist for all the songs I run to.

Track List
Talk that Talk – Twice
Flash – Rocket Punch
Let it Shine – CNBlue
Ring Ma Bell – Billie
Love Taker – Pritti G
Eye to Eye – Limelight
Gasoline – Key
Expect – Girl’s Day
Like Psycho – We;Na
I AM – MakaMaka

Dashi Run Run Run September 2022

Tracks to Run to – September 2022
A collection of songs on my running playlist that I listened to in the last month. See the complete Dashi Run Run Run playlist for all the songs I run to.

Track List

Kiss – Tri.Be
Play – Lucy
Run to You – Seventeen
Strawberry Cake – Xdinary Heroes
Touch my Body – Sistar
Bad Decisions – benny blanco, BTS, Snoop Dogg
Madonna – Secret
Get Out – AOA
Cookie – NewJeans
Number Nine – T-ara

Dashi Run Run Run August 2022

Tracks to Run to – August 2022
A collection of songs on my running playlist that I listened to in the last month. See the complete Dashi Run Run Run playlist for all the songs I run to.

Track List
Cruel – Jackson Wang
Guerilla – ATEEZ
Very Nice – Seventeen
NERDY – Purple Kiss
Nabillera – Hyuna
Stalker – U-Kiss
Beautiful Monster – STAYC
Doom Du Doom – P1Harmony
Future-Perfect – Enhypen
Copycat – Apink ChoBom

Dashi Run Run Run July 2022

Tracks to Run to – July 2022
A collection of songs on my running playlist that I listened to in the last month. See the complete Dashi Run Run Run playlist for all the songs I run to.

Track List
Ring the Alarm – KARD
Villain – PIXY
Bboom Bboom – Momoland
More – J-hope
W.A.T.1 – MCND
Magic Woman – Yun Young Ah
Boggle Boggle – Beauty Box
Mamma Mia – SF9
Heart Burn – Sunmi
Don’t Wait – Super Junior