The stage is set up as a kitchen. Two main chefs and several sous chefs sing the song of bibimbap, listing the ingredients that go into the delicious traditional Korean dish.
One of Korea’s most delicious offerings is being made in front of the audience’s eyes. This is the non-verbal performance “Bibap Korea,” currently running at Cecil Theater in downtown Seoul.

Korea’s bibimbap is famous, but not many foreigners know about it. I think this production can give a very strong impression about bibimbap on those foreigners. I wasn’t expecting much but it was really fun.

Today’s show features Bibap Korea, another non-verbal performance that will wow the world.

Located in Jeong-dong in the middle of Seoul, Cecil Theater where Bibap Korea is performed can be reached easily from City Hall Station of subways lines 1 and 2. The theater can be spotted when one takes the first left turn in the direction of Gwanghwamun and walks toward the British Embassy in Korea. Bibap Korea has been a standing performance at Cecil Theater since May. Here’s the show’s director Jeon Beom-jun to explain more about the non-verbal musical.

Bibap Korea was initially a 30-minute publicity performance for bibambap. It was turned into an hour-long production for the Edinburg Festival, which won rave reviews there. That has led to the production earning an exclusive venue here at Cecil Theater. The musical has even coined the term “eatertainment,” which is a combination of “eating” and “entertainment.” The joy of eating has been extended to a stage production, creating a really delicious performance. Every aspect of cooking and food has been expressed more visually and we’re upgrading the production every day to play up other senses such as taste and smell.

Other well-known non-verbal performances from Korea include Nanta, Jump, and A Ballerina who Loved a B-boy. Nanta highlights the lively rhythm of percussion, Jump combines the appeals of taekwondo and musical, and A Ballerina who Loved a B-boy brings together ballet and break dance. These are all purely Korean productions that have carved out unique niches in the world of non-verbal performance. Then, what features distinguish Bibap Korea? Here are cast members Jeon Min-ji in the role of Cutie Chef and Sohn Moon as Rookie Chef.

- Beat box was used to express the many sounds of the kitchen. In addition, many other elements like martial arts and a cappella are used to bring out the unique colors of each character.
- Just like bibimbap brings together the different flavors of ingredients, we also bring the elements of a cappella, martial arts, break dance, and beat box together. The appeal of our production is that we combine all these ingredients together to present harmony.

The plot has two rival chefs at a famous restaurant determining who is the best by making bibimbap. The title “Bibap” is a shortened term of bibimbap, beat box, and b-boys. All the steps, sound effects, and movements are expressed in beat box. In between music and a cappella songs play up the emotions and powerful martial arts moves add energy to the whole production. Flashy dance skills of b-boys cause the audience to gasp in awe. Bibimbap is the tasty result of up to thirty ingredients being mixed together. Bibap Korea also creates a unique performance by combining several different forms of performing arts. And one of the indispensable ingredients in Bibap Korea is audience participation. Here’s director Jeon Beom-jun to explain.

Audience members are given opportunities to taste bibimbap made in the show and chose the one they like. This is a show that invites the audience to take part in the entire cooking process. During the cooking of four dishes, audience members are called up on the stage to taste bibimbap, sushi, pizza, and noodles. Actors actually make noodles from scratch on stage and audience members help them. This is a show made by both the actors and the audience.

The two rival chefs start off the show by celebrating the birthday of an audience member.

The actors sing “Happy Birthday” and bring a birthday cake to an audience member in the front wearing a birthday hat. They are joined by the rest of the audience. Then, the actor-chefs go back up to the stage and call out the names of audience members who will join them in the day’s performance. The audience participants are picked at random.

Five minutes fly by while a birthday celebration, menu introduction, audience participant selection and chef presentation are carried out. Then, the lights go out and soon the sound of rhythmic beat-boxing fills the air.

The myriad forms of vocal percussion delight the audience’s ears.

- It was natural and wonderful to hear a classical song expressed in beat-box. I saw a lot of foreigners in the audience today and it seemed they enjoyed the show more than I did. I was able to get into the show because of the music and all the actions.

A cooking contest has begun in earnest. What is on the menu for the first cook-off?

The menu for the first contest is sushi. Chosen over Red Chef, Green Chef starts making the Japanese signature dish.

His hands start producing sushi at a stunning speed. All the sounds made during the sushi-making process are expressed in beat-boxing. As Green Chef adds a finishing touch to his creation, the stage is turned into an aquarium.

The stage is blacked out and the hands in fluorescent gloves mimic the movements of fish, seaweed, and octopus. It is a wonder to see a beautiful aquarium made with the movements of human hands. Which dish is up for the next challenge?

The next dish on the menu is Italian pizza and this time Red Chef steps up to the challenge. The dough-tossing part is made even more exciting by flamboyant b-boys.

When the pizza is almost ready, an audience member is called up to the stage.

The audience member is told to wait three minutes until the pizza is completed. It is the most awkward three minutes for her and her embarrassment induces laughter from the audience. Soon the audience member joins in the laughter, and soon the three minutes are up.

In gratitude Red Chef serenades the audience member and presents her with a gift. Then it’s time for the third cooking challenge, and this time the menu is Chinese chicken noodle. The entire audience is invited to take part in the noodle-making process.

An audience member is selected to taste the finished bowl of Chinese chicken noodle. The lucky audience member is a man with some girth sitting in the front row.

Now it’s time for the last cooking challenge, making bibimbap.

Red Chef and Green Chef engage in a fierce cook-off to claim the title of the best chef. Just like a magician casts a spell on his subject, the chefs work their magic over the ingredients. But something seems to be missing. Then, Sexy Chef makes an entrance and reveals to them a secret to making great bibimbap.

The secret to great-tasting bibimbap is mother’s loving touch. The two versions of bibimbap are offered to an audience member to decide which one tastes better. The lucky audience member enjoys heaping spoonfuls of delicious bibimbap before choosing her favorite.

- I got to taste two versions of bibimbap, but both tasted really good. But I chose Red Chef because I liked him better.

So the story of bibimbap comes to an end.

B-boys show off powerful and striking moves, while other performers present scenes of various genres like martial arts, dance, and music featured in the show. It truly is a spectacle to see such a wide variety of art forms presented on one stage. Bibap Korea has satisfied all the senses with its visual, audio, and tasting elements. The hour-plus performance of Bibap Korea will certainly work up your appetite for more Korean food and performing arts productions.