A Cup of Korea

  Image source: Pixabay There’s something about kimbap that just feels like home. Some people call it "Korean sushi," but honestly, that doesn't feel right to most Koreans. Kimbap is its own thing—flavorful, comforting, and endlessly customizable. I’ve enjoyed kimbap in so many ways—at school picnics, on road trips, as a quick breakfast, or even just because I had leftover rice in the fridge. It’s one of those foods that feels both special and everyday.

  These days, it’s not so surprising to see Korean food on the shelves at Costco — but it still makes me smile every time. From frozen dumplings to banana milk, here’s a roundup of popular Korean products you can find at many Costco locations in the U.S.

  Image source: Pixabay Every summer, I find myself craving one particular dish— naengmyeon , or Korean cold noodles. There’s just something about slurping up icy noodles that makes the heat a little more bearable. 😅 Growing up, naengmyeon always meant two choices : ❄️ Mul-naengmyeon (물냉면) – the cold broth version 🔥 Bibim-naengmyeon (비빔냉면) – the spicy mixed version

🍧 Bingsu Memories: Making Korean Shaved Ice at Home As soon as the weather turns warm, I start thinking about bingsu — Korea’s answer to ice cream. I still remember hot summer days growing up, when we didn’t have fancy ice machines. My mom would wrap ice in a clean kitchen towel and smash it with a hammer. The ice wasn’t perfect, but the joy definitely was. Here’s a look at one of my favorite patbingsu styles — topped with sweet red beans, sliced almonds, chewy mochi, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It’s a classic, and I never get tired of it.                                

No, it’s not pottery display.   This is how our grandmas stored kimchi—before  “Kimchi Fridge” became a thing. When my American friends hear the word kimchi , their reaction is almost always the same: “Oh, I tried that once. It was super spicy... and really red.” I usually smile and say, “Well, that’s just one kind of kimchi.” Kimchi isn’t one single dish—it’s a whole category of food. And the best part? Not all of it is spicy. Some are tangy, others are sweet, and many are just… comforting. As someone who grew up in a Korean home and now lives in the U.S., I keep kimchi in my fridge year-round. Actually, I have a fridge just for it—but I’ll get to that later.

 It’s hard to explain what Korea felt like when I was a student in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It wasn’t just a different time—it was a different world. Life moved slower. Days were simpler. And though I've lived most of my life in the U.S., those memories are still vivid.

  I remember watching a Korean drama with a friend here in the U.S. We laughed, teared up, paused every five minutes to talk about the characters… and by the end, my friend said, “That was different. But I really liked it.” They couldn’t exactly explain why it felt different, but I think I can. I’ve watched a lot of K-dramas over the years (some more than once!), and here’s what I’ve noticed—and why I think so many people here in the U.S. are loving them, too.