Korea's Cheesy Hotdog & Spam Army Stew: Budae Jjigae | Why We Eat

Ji Hye Kim, owner of Miss Kim in Ann Arbor, Michigan, reveals the tasty and beloved history of Budae Jjigae. This popular Korean soup is a combination of food rations, such as Spam and hot dogs, with vegetables, noodles, and tofu. Created in post-war Korea, this savory and spicy dish remains an enduring comfort food, delighting taste buds and bringing people together.
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[@SStrunks]

People who are turned off by this because of spam or hotdogs don't know what they're missing. It is delicious and comforting, especially with a night of drinking like she mentioned.

[@goofytuna6077]

Personally i dont like spam, but i can see why people would like this dish.

[@aziandomination16]

as a korean my mom would make this literally changed a few of my friends view point on spam lol they love it now even grill some up with an egg and rice

[@UranijaZeus]

Delicious and comforting can be something made out of real meat and real cheese.

[@underpaidmook]

​@@UranijaZeus Which last time I checked, post-war Korea has a glaring shortage of

[@knlei1]

its comfort food

[@jdisgreat78]

Some people that are commenting about the processed meats or the cheese are missing the point of this dish. This is one of my favorites

[@doone5303]

Maybe they had it on mute and couldn't hear the history of the dish

[@NamChin846]

they never tried it ^^ so much bark bark but no action. in todays world most people online just act like they know best but irl are loser hahaha. This stew is delicious, try it out before writing😀

[@eugene7145]

​@@NamChin846 Ok, don't bark and eat your processed food then.

[@BonitaUzABum]

Not really mate, as the chef said herself that a lot of the older generation wouldn’t eat this because they would never put processed meats in there food. Not everyone has to like stuff because it has a historical meaning.

[@내코가석자-o5b]

건강을 생각한다면 끓는물에 한 번 데쳐서 사용하는게 돟습니다

[@wegger7stars]

This was a fascinating video that was excellently put together. I loved seeing the cross between history and food. If I was a history teacher, I would definitely try to teach my class through this lens. And the way that she explained all the levels o flavor was incredible. Bravo on this video.

[@matthew3095]

man my fat ass wouldve loved history class if food was involved

[@Yesnog05]

I'm half Japanese and half Filipina and my sister in-law in Korean-American and she makes the Army stew once a month. She used to be embarrassed making this dish in her college years when she was dating my older brother cause she thinks the stew is a last resort/poor man's food, but my brother loved it! I'll never forget what he said at the dinner table when she was surprised he really liked the dish. He told her "Are you kidding? Our family puts hotdogs in spaghetti and wrap spam in sushi rice and seaweed! I can eat this for days!" It's also fitting that he's also a US Army veteran lol. I cant wait to share this video with them and see their reaction!

[@kakuella]

Omg I wanna hear the reaction now. Please keep me updated! And also tell your brother's wife that korean made best lemonade out of sour situation. Korea became receiver to giver in less than 10 yrs. No other receiving countries made that happen so she should be proud of what her parents and grams created !

[@edwardmarshall2035]

Yeah but spam Musubi is really good.

[@ericktellez7632]

Oh wow your brother is a war criminal how nice! 🤗🤗

[@Yesnog05]

@@ericktellez7632 Oh wow, you were there? You're also a war criminal! Thats nice! 🤗🤗

[@K09819]

@@ericktellez7632 seek help pls.

[@eoretaspace]

[Important tips] This is also a mistake Anthony Bourdaine made while introducing Buddae Jjigae to Anderson Cooper, Jjigae is stew thats strong and often eaten with rice like a sauce, dont eat Bbudae Jjigae like Minestrone and get sodium coma She didnt explain it well but it was called Army Stew cuz of two reasons, one is there were Korean kids in the 50s who would work the US bases as "house boys" that would do tasks like cleaning and help cooking, etc, my Grandfather was one of them and they would get paid with canned meat and other food products. They were considered too greasy for Koreans' taste so they were often eaten with Kimchi and made into stew to pump up the volume for the whole family to eat; two is because right after the Korean war, we were dirt poor so we would scavenger any food possible and that included US army base trash, they would clean up as much as possible, cook it into a stew and sell it on the streets as GgoolGgool-E Jook SPAM in made differently in Korea, domestically and use more meat than the US version, hence Koreans love it more and even given as holiday gifts in a nice package of 6-9, When I first tried SPAM in the US, i was surprised how salty it was compared to Korea. Sausages in 70s Korea were also considered a delicacy and you can only eat it in special days unless you were rich,, thats how poor we once were, and thats why many processed meat has made it to this stew. Also Koreans dont have much hate for processed meat cuz we didnt always have the luxury to eat fresh meat every day like the US until around the mid 2000s so it was our go to.

[@warriorsdynastypart275]

Very interesting.

[@shortlivedglory3314]

Thank you for sharing this context with us! It's great to hear your story.

[@Fellow_Gamer]

You can't tell folks not to eat Budae Jigae like it's regular soup. You're going to be wasting a lot of it that way. It's definitely an unhealthy food no matter how you slice it here. It's delicious that's what it's important.

[@GamjaField]

Soup or Jjigae, we Koreans always pair those with a bowl of rice.

[@sincereyoutubeapology]

Spam is entirely made of meat everywhere it is produced so ok

[@albertrodneymounger2354]

Having lived in South Korea for over 20 years, this brings back memories. I learned how to make this and it is my winter time comfort food! I have been known to drive many hours to find the ingredients for this. Older soft kimchi is the secret to soup. Not the same with fresh kimchi. Try it and you will love it!

[@railysbunnylife]

You know it👍🏻

[@rugsdelite]

BINGO!!! Older sort of been in the fridge for a few weeks fementing and softening is the true key. It give it a more depth of flavor.

[@stayy5]

한국인들은 김치를 넣은 부대찌개와 넣지 않은 부대찌개를 구별합니다. 김치를 넣으면 김치찌개와 비슷해지기 때문에 넣지 않는걸 좋아하는 사람이 많습니다. 김치는 반찬으로 먹는 게 낫습니다.

[@nlb26869]

such an educational video! really appreciate all the historical context the chef provided and this jigae looks delicious ❤

[@kidmackenzie]

I have a deep love for this dish its something akin to the instant ramen that I would make for my siblings. We had nothing at one time and I would just put anything into instant ramen to make it stretch! We called it silly soup. Years later I went to South Korea and found Budae Jjigae and it was like an automatic connection!

[@emmaleong5025]

As tough as those times might have been, what a wonderful story to share

[@Fuhrious]

Wow thanks for sharing. What a story

[@s1ightlypanda]

"Those of us who drink, REALLY perfect 👌" She knows what's up.

[@rickloginname]

That sense of comfort listening to some that actually knows what they are talking about.

[@Alex-xd5ft]

I enjoyed the chef’s appreciation for history!

[@CHIEF_420]

🗺️⌚

[@22ninja1]

Yeah and just like kimchi it was not only made because it's delicious it was made for survival. Kimchi was made to ferment and preserve ingredients to save up for the winter while Budae Jjigae was made since food was scarce after the Korean War ended and South Korea was suffering economically so cheap ingredients was used along with Korean ingredients like kimchi and gochugang to make this delicious stew to fill up tummies and share it for future generations to remind them that it's not only delicious but was made during harsh times and to never forget history and what it was made for.

[@jingcc0121]

Such a great video! The content, the history, the culinary knowledge all stewed together to bring about an amazing dish. The Chef was perfect in bringing this stew together. Well done!!! 👏🏽

[@pattachan]

Budae Jjigae is such a comfort food! Warming and wholesome! It’s one of my favorite Korean meals!

[@Lupcheong89]

She's such a great story teller!!! Thank you for condensing the history of this dish. I learnt a lot

[@marcosestrada3341]

Bravo… her story telling.. held my hand through the whole experience. I’ve had this a few times and I miss it more now.

[@juandanielvillarreal325]

Made this today for dinner, it was so good! I loved the variety of meats, textures, and flavors, something different in every bite. I've never used kimchi before, but this is the first time of many, it adds a layer of flavor that I haven't had in my cooking before. Huge explosion of flavor. This and spam musubi have really changed the way I think about spam.

[@ItsAVolcano]

For those wondering about the name the ingredients for the stew, especially the cheap meat, originally came from US army bases in Korea from the food that would otherwise be thrown out because it was a few months from expiration. This access to cheap protein has actually been speculated to have "kickstarted" the higher physical growth that's seen in modern South Koreans.

[@xchorro]

maangchi introduced me to so much korean cuisine 10 years ago! 💖

[@D-Z321]

Been eating this for years as a half-Korean and coming from military family, this dish was perfectly acceptable.

[@Echenster]

That was definitely one of the most educational recipe videos I've ever seen. Going to try making it myself sometime!

[@laurapack6917]

I could watch her all day. Her history telling was captivating.

[@hannahmay3864]

I loved this video so much. Army stew is one of my favorite go-to late night dishes. It's filling, it's easy, and it's cheap to make. Plus you can feed an entire crowd with it.

[@Mordeiv]

Tried making this a few days back. I actually understand why its so good after a night of drinking. Its spicy but not painful and it permeates through all your pores.

[@red240red2]

One of the most comforting Korean dishes ever!! Best winter food

[@spartan1010101]

My first experience with eating army stew is from when I went camping with my friends. One of my friend’s friends is Korean and he made it for us for dinner after we set up everything. We used the leftover broth in the morning to make breakfast too. I’ve been making it as comfort food ever since then. It always brings back happy memories and I love to make it for friends who’ve never had it before. It is a dish that just exudes the power of people coming together. I’ve added everything from broccoli and miso to pumpkin and fish cakes to mine.

[@jshu-_-]

Love her knowledge on the history of the dish and Korean food. So nice to see how so many cultures pulled together to make this dish.

[@ronanmorris2250]

What an absolutely GORGEOUS video. Miss Kim explains the dish so eloquently and thoroughly, but WITHOUT an agenda, which is so incredibly refreshing. This video could've so easily gone incredibly political, especially being from Vice, but she really just kept it about the food and her love and nostalgia for it. Saved forever, and will rewatch ad infinitum. CNN did a Top 50 or whatever of most delicious foods and Budae Jjigae wasn't on it. Clearly amateurs, it's one of the most delicious things I've ever had.

[@SamOperchuck]

This was such a nice episode. I love the heritage she tied back to a fairly simple food

[@zynarang]

I loved that the chef shared the stories behind the dishes and ingredients. That was so cool.

[@Sevensliders]

Yeah man I tried budaejjigae in a korean restaurant and it's honestly one of my fave korean dishes in their cuisine. Am trying to learn how to assemble it at home.

[@fierypickles4450]

Love this dish to death. Not an everytime, but a right time dish. Very filling and very comforting.

[@Ealsante]

Budae Jjigae: Because times may be pretty damn bad, but omma is gonna make things work out and feed the family no matter what 🥲

[@m.b3839]

This was my go-to uni dish last year! It's flavourful, filling, and not too expensive (switching out the brand name spam tho lol). Literally one of the most tasty and satisfying dishes everrrr

[@NamChin846]

So many people lack the ability to comprehend what she says... This dish was created when Korea was on the BOTTOM of UN poverty list... We had NOTHING. Yes this is not the best military food but why comment that when you know the story?

[@00Julian00]

Just ignore em . Overall response is positive. But yeah, Koreans eating US processed food probably will affect them in long-run

[@justmedia5815]

This was my jam at the Katusa Snack Bar. I love it.. thanks for the recipe!

[@universewithinus6880]

I recalling seeing this dish first from the late and great Anthony Bourdain. Has been my go to comfort noodle soup since then!

[@Hidy_Ho]

As a 1st gen KoAm (boomer/X gen), I've also never eaten this dish until I was an adult. It was never made/served in my family. I was told, by my parents, a similar origin story that the stew created by poor folks living around US Army bases living off scraps and surplus from the bases. Thus, boomer (and older) generation Koreans probably have a very negative view of the dish whereas it's now "bougie".

[@c3aloha]

Some ajooma told me she never ate Spam in her life. She’s full of it. I know she just wants to act like her family is high class and was never poor. Everyone ate spam after the war. They’re lying if they say they didn’t.

[@usd500]

Love the historical story telling part of this dish!

[@kraigshall]

when times are hard a dish like this would be a veritable feast and a perfect dish for a cold night

[@brittanybeecher8573]

Absolutely LOVED and appreciate the history lesson behind this dish and ingredients. Also, I have always 😍 loved spam. It's the best!

[@kareningram6093]

That was lovely. I really enjoyed hearing the story behind this stew.

[@mjmartinejohn]

Ji Hye is such a great personality. 😊

[@dropzone224]

No wonder you guys are the example of American dream.... 👍👍 carry on Korea

[@TPark-rf3lt]

🇰🇷💕🇰🇷💕🇰🇷 buddae chiggae is one of my favorites, and such an interesting part of food history. love this video 😄

[@willmartin792]

I was born in south Korea, came to America when I was 5. My kids and wifes family love the way I cook ramen with Kimchi jjigae and a little spam or pork belly.. and rice.. some soy sauce, sesame oil. gochujang and Korean red pepper flakes. dont forget the garlic and chewy rice cake

[@timkeenan7419]

I've watched this half a dozen times. I made it. It's delicious, wish I'd had some of this while I was in the army.

[@moo422]

Thank you so much for this video, I learned a lot! Love hearing about food and cultural history, and how they're interlinked.

[@ESmithonlyonthursday]

Fabulous video! I love budae jjigae videos and I learn something every time!

[@MelancoliaI]

The mystery of mysteries, the legend of legends. Here is where East meets West in an esoteric explosion of flavor.

[@brianmoody2549]

Learning how ingredients work together to create the perfect meal is the key,to having a healthy meal.

[@themagicweedbus1319]

Budae Jjigae is so delicious!!! i remember eating some at a Korean bar & grill and fell in LOVE

[@smithjohn2416]

This meal looks like the perfect cozy-winter afternoon food

[@DarkeSkye]

My favorite comfort food dish. My daughter and I both love it!

[@toby885]

진짜 맛나보여요~😊 다른 외국인들도 부대찌개를 만들어 먹으면 좋겠네요~

[@matthewlee388]

my time in Hawaii taught opened my eyes to Spicy Korean noodle spam cheese combo.. Great to see the history of this dish !!!

[@SgtRocko]

WOW... never tried it with Tuna!! Will have to. Married to a Korean, so we eat this at least 2x a month - 4x in Winter! Anyone who says they don't like this ahs never TRIED it!!! I've "eased" friends into it by using Dashida beef stock and Udon instead of the Anchovy broth and tteokbokki. It's just SO good - and amazingly easy. Thanks!

[@astroxmisfit]

I'm a basic white American girl but I LOVE Korean food (I rarely want to eat any other cuisine anymore) but I have yet to try Korean Army Stew. I love this video and I'm going to finally make it and appreciate it so much more now that I know the history of the dish. Thank you for educating us while also giving us the gift of your recipe 💕

[@ericktellez7632]

“I rarely want to eat any other-“ 🧢 you are still eating pizza, pasta, salads, margaritas and “wraps” (burritos) and guacamole

[@astroxmisfit]

@@ericktellez7632 On rare occasions, sure. Rarely is the key word here.

[@sacedive]

That’s great I hope you make it

[@sethsoderman2731]

She narrated so good telling the recipe

[@jakepiere6412]

Love the story telling part about the history of the dish while cooking 😊

[@aw24518]

This is the most luxurious dish i have ever made in college and it is still by far my favorite thing to make

[@Infernus25]

This is the best drunk food in existence!

[@vandarkholme4745]

Absolutely love Buddae jjigae! Usually make a simpler version at home. The instant ramen and span are the stars because they absorb so much flavor. I don't know how spam ended up in China but we love it too. Asian brand spam are usually much less salty and more fatty. The best approximation I found in the US is Goya spam.

[@janinewoodhull3611]

Do you dare mention what type of cookware you were using? I would love a pan like that! I, too, loved the history explaned so well while you were cooking. TFS

[@martinr5922]

History in a bowl. Fantastic//감사합니다 김선생님 :)

[@healingv1sion]

The first korean dish i ever tried. It's amazing.

[@plantpun]

Fantastic history and recipe~

[@tsukasa1608]

During the time of famine, many poor Korean would gather at the US military base and collect the leftovers, usually sausages, spam and baked beans and brought them home to make the stew. Kinda reminds me of pagpag in Philippines, I'm not surprise that many older generations don't like this food because it reminds them the hard times they've been through.

[@AnferneeMyers]

I have to try and make this one day.

[@seractionsucks6167]

definitely a go to food when having the munchies. 10/10

[@Ash-xx5zd]

Love the cultural and political history discussed here. She really explained it in a very neutral way and the food looks amazing!!!

[@ichigopimp97]

I love hearing about the history that goes in a dish. She did an amazing job

[@w87g8765]

This is my comfort food, even though it's not heathly at all but it tastes good and really feels good to eat in winter,

[@hoboclown187]

I love it ….. imaginative….. practical….. I bet it taste awesome

[@SgtRocko]

With so many Koreans in my family, this is our Sunday Dinner. It's absolutely awesome - delicious, filling, and absolutely addictive. We have a rice cooker full of rice on-hand, but also a lot of plain Ramyun so everyone can put their meal over the starch they like best. A cool thing is that my time in South Korea back in the 80s, it was still rather looked down on... but NOW you go and there are high-end restaurants that make it. It's awesome to see friends arguing over whose family recipe is the best. It started after the Korean War, when food was in extremely short supply - the proteins were what people were given for working for the US military, or donated by charities. Like so many things, Koreans took "lowly" foods and turned them into something exquisite.

[@davidsharp3522]

Ii really enjoyed Mrs Kim’s narration.

[@agorapanologia]

I grew up pretty poor, back when processed meats like this were cheaper than they are today and it was pretty much all we could afford. I was introduced to budae jjigae by a friend and I loved it because it used ingredients I was familiar with. Her mother didn't make it much, but did when I was over because she knew I liked it.

[@ZacharyWong-kj1mt]

a friend of mine has been to her restaurant and apparently it's just fantastic, great place

[@xyzhero8480]

Yo this recipe is literally what I need on my days off. Just chilling and relaxing and indulging for brunch after waking up late.

[@johnrossman6679]

Spam is a staple in my house. Love it.

[@martybaIIer]

What an amazing stew that combines history with modern culture.

[@sixthousandblankets]

Loved the cultural history lesson...... And the food too.

[@meowmeow21588]

such a well spoken and put-together video. This is so much more than just a cooking demonstration, it's culture

[@nothing-lf4zi]

you should saute the spam and hot dogs with the onions. the oil from the meat will help cook the onions. also, the browning of the meat will add flavor. you can also fry the kimchi in the fat as they cook. then add all the liquid stock and deglaze. work from there. whatever noodles and toppings available.

[@jimhim585]

This is a case of don't judge a book by its cover. This is fire 🔥

[@Airwr3ck]

Korean Englishmen introduced me into this dish. I loved it so much. I make it all the time now

[@jhpak]

Even Anthony Bourdain (RIP) loved this dish

[@CubensisEnjoyer]

For anyone worried it will be too salty, the kimchi is what balances everything IMO. If you just get some of it in each bite the flavor and liquid content really tempers the saltiness and makes every bite perfect. Let's not act like sodium intake is the end all measure of healthiness...

[@kakuella]

It's broth & tofu & veges in this dish that dilute saltiness of this dish, BUT kimchi definitely add that extra boost of flavour to the dish.

[@hongrhee9640]

This is the greatest dish~ If you do not like this, we get it! Do not eat it~ Criticizing will get you no where~

[@sundalo1217]

ate this a lot when i was living in korea 😊😊

[@msue1990]

I love her videos! Such great information to learn but great food.

[@matthorndrums]

This looks insanely good

[@ToxikDouche]

Honestly this looks surprisingly good. I think im going to try and make it sometime.

[@bigdrip2x426]

This is comfort food at it's finest

[@karenbaird7402]

Tofu spam and hot dogs Heavenly Yum delicious

[@cleo_travels]

I absolutely love SPAM. I don't eat often but buy in bulk from Costco. Question: Could you 'fry' SPAM prior to adding? I love a nice fried spam.

[@EndoftheBlock7224]

I had this at a Korean place just out the gates at Ft Sam Houston in San Antonio TX about 6 years ago. Thanks for the history I didn't know at the time.

[@twitchykun]

Man, this is reminding me of every time I've gotten drunk at MinSokChon. Love it.

[@Dadue491]

Look so yammy !!! Dashi stock has lots of umami

[@mompreneurlife]

❤mmm didn’t no that Korean food would be so good. And cheesy too. That was a surprise. Thank you so much for sharing.❤

[@basm620inbelair9]

The history of Budae Jjigae always gets me right here 💔