The Studios: Haribo Kimchi at Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay

“Haribo Kimchi is both a refined as well as a raw performance about life in a country that isn't yours.”
– De Standaard

“A performance that inimitably blends Korean cooking with personal stories and reflections on comfort food, identity and migration.”
– pzazz

The surprising flavour of seaweed soup, the sharp sound of a knife slicing cucumber, the hiss and sizzle of mushrooms on a scorching fire.

In Haribo Kimchi, we find ourselves in a pojangmacha, one of the typical late-night snack bars found on the streets of South Korea. There, we meet three characters—a snail, a gummy bear, and an eel—who take us on a culinary journey, exploring food as shelter for those dislocated from their culture. In a series of intimate, absurdist anecdotes, they recount the evolution of kimchi culture, the bitter pain of unadulterated racism, the shame of trying to blend in, and the deep umami taste of home.

This work comes from South Korean theatremaker and composer Jaha Koo, whose practice oscillates between multimedia and performance, encompassing his own music, video, text, and robotic objects.He rose to international prominence with his Hamartia Trilogy (2015 – 2021), a series of critically-acclaimed works which delved into the far-reaching imperialism in East Asia. The first two works of this trilogy, Lolling & Rolling and Cuckoo, were presented to packed houses at Singapore International Festival of Arts 2023, receiving rave reviews from audiences and critics alike.

Employing a hybrid style that combines music, cutting-edge video, and robotic performers, the artist reflects on cultural assimilation with all its conflicts and paradoxes. In an exceptional performance that plays with all the senses, he serves up personal stories marinated in sweet-and-sour melancholy.

More food for thought—how do you express your artistic values through theatre? Check out Jaha Koo’s masterclass on Valid Languages for the Intersection, perfect for performance-makers, arts students and practitioners.