KUNSTENFESTIVALDESARTS 2025 - Jaha Koo <Haribo Kimchi>

21-25.05.2025 @Le Rideau

Tickets & More Info: https://kfda.be/en/festivals/2025-edition/programme-2025/haribo-kimchi/ 

©Bea Borgers

The surprising flavour of seaweed soup, the sharp sound of a knife slicing cucumber, the hiss and sizzle of mushrooms on a scorching fire. With Haribo Kimchi, we find ourselves in a pojangmacha, a typical late-night snack bar seen on the streets of South Korea. There, we meet three characters—a snail, a gummy bear, and an eel—who take us on a culinary journey, exploring food as a shelter for those estranged from their roots. In a series of intimate and absurd anecdotes, they recount the evolution of kimchi culture, the bitter pain of unadulterated racism, the shame of desperate attempts to blend in with the crowd, and the indescribable umami taste of home.

Following the success of his Hamartia Trilogy (2021), which delved into the far-reaching imperialism in East Asia, South Korean theatre maker and composer Jaha Koo returns to Kunstenfestivaldesarts. His patented hybrid style combines music, video, and robotic performers to craft a reflection on cultural assimilation with all its conflicts and paradoxes. In a gripping performance that plays with all the senses, he serves up personal stories marinated in sweet-and-sour melancholy.