"Kang Hodong's 'Spring Cabbage Bibimbap' Wasn't Spring Cabbage: The Truth Behind the Scenes Revealed"

Bomdong Bibimbap Featured in the 2008 Broadcast
"Not Bomdong, but Young Napa Cabbage... I Could Never Recreate That Taste"

The original "spring cabbage bibimbap" made by broadcaster Kang Hodong, which recently sparked a "spring cabbage craze" on social media, was not actually made with spring cabbage. It has now been revealed that the bibimbap, which closely resembled spring cabbage, was actually made with young napa cabbage, a different vegetable.

Producer Na Youngseok appeared on the YouTube channel "Channel Fifteen Nights" on March 17 and shared behind-the-scenes stories from the filming of the KBS 2TV variety show "2 Days & 1 Night," while eating spring cabbage bibimbap.

Spring cabbage bibimbap appeared in an episode of "2 Days & 1 Night" that aired in 2008. At the time, Kang Hodong was seen making and eating spring cabbage bibimbap seasoned with gochujang and sesame oil. This scene belatedly gained popularity on YouTube and other platforms in January, sparking the spring cabbage craze.

Regarding this, Producer Na recalled, "Kang Hodong's bibimbap mukbang has become a trend, but it's not really something I want to brag about. In fact, the only people on earth who have tasted that bibimbap are Kang Hodong and myself, who followed him to the shoot." He continued, "At the time, it was my first time learning about a vegetable called spring cabbage. I tried it and it was so delicious that every spring afterward, I bought it and made bibimbap with it, but I could never recreate that taste." He explained, "The truth is, the vegetable that appeared on the broadcast was not spring cabbage, but young napa cabbage."

Producer Na added, "The grandmother at the market called it spring cabbage, so we thought it was, too. The next day after the broadcast, when I went to the market, spring cabbage was completely sold out."

Although spring cabbage and young napa cabbage look similar, they are in fact completely different vegetables. Spring cabbage is a type of napa cabbage sown in winter and harvested in spring. It is affected by winter weather, causing its leaves to spread outwards. Compared to regular napa cabbage, it has thicker leaves with a crisp texture and a strong sweetness, making it ideal for eating raw.

On the other hand, young napa cabbage is typically cultivated from late autumn to early autumn. It contains abundant moisture, has a tender texture, and is mainly used as a cooking ingredient in soups, seasoned vegetables, salads, and kimchi, rather than as a raw vegetable.