Jaha Koo's one-man show, 'Haribo Kimchi', is currently being performed at the Festival Theatre Studio in Edinburgh. The production sees Koo cook various Korean street-food dishes for two audience volunteers, including a cucumber starter, a kimchi pancake, soup, and a pudding.
The show explores how food can preserve memory and cultural identity. Koo, who left South Korea for Europe 15 years ago, uses the performance to reflect on his sense of displacement and the racism he has encountered.
Animated characters, a singing snail and an eel, are projected onto a screen, echoing Koo's sentiments about home and identity. The snail sings in Korean, "In every soil grows a different version of you," while the eel states, "My home has no location."
Koo's production for Campo in Ghent also touches on both happy and difficult food-related memories, including his father's reaction to the Gwangju pro-democracy uprising of 1980. Haribo gummies are also featured, with Koo noting they provide comfort away from home and even get their own song.