"Bibimbap Expert"…A Perfect German In-Flight Meal Guide Tailored for Koreans

Bibimbap In-Flight Meal Korean Manual Only Says "You Are an Expert"

A German airline's in-flight meal guide for 'Bibimbap' has become a hot topic among netizens. While the origins and eating methods of Bibimbap are detailed in German and English, the Korean description simply states, "You already know how to eat it."

On the 8th, several online communities posted a thread titled 'German Airline's Bibimbap Guide.' The user who posted the thread shared a photo of the guide attached to the Bibimbap served as an in-flight meal by a German airline. The guide provided detailed explanations of the meaning and eating methods of Bibimbap in German, English, and Korean.

The English description first defines Bibimbap as "'mixed rice'" and introduces it as "rice topped with tofu, meat, and various vegetables, served with spicy gochujang." It goes on to say, "There are countless versions of Bibimbap depending on the types of vegetables," emphasizing the advantage of Bibimbap as "mixing the ingredients together to make your own dish."

However, the Korean explanation was quite different from the other languages. The guide states, "Any food is delicious if you have kimchi and rice," and adds, "You know how to eat Bibimbap. You are an expert. So please understand the need for space for English and German explanations."

Netizens who saw the photo responded with comments such as "A reasonable explanation," "Who said Germans don't have a sense of humor?" and "A good guide that respects Korean pragmatism."

Korean Air in-flight bibimbap. Not related to any specific expression in the article.
[Image source=Korean Air]

Meanwhile, the history of Bibimbap being served as an in-flight meal is much shorter than that of other foods. Korean Air began its first international route in 1969, marking the start of the 'K-inflight meal' history, but at that time, Korean Air only served Western-style meals on board. Bibimbap was first introduced as an in-flight meal in 1992, and at that time, it was a special meal served only to first and business class passengers.

However, after various efforts by Korean Air, Bibimbap became available to regular passengers as well, and in 1998, it received the Mercury Award, known as the 'Oscar of in-flight meals,' from the International Travel Catering Association (ITCA). The popularity of Bibimbap has steadily increased, and now it is also served by airlines in North America, Europe, and other countries.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.