BTS Jin’s favourite food: Digging into details of BTS’ biggest epicurean

Besides good looks and impressive vocals — BTS’ Jin is ‘worldwide’ famous for his long list of favourite foods and stellar cooking skills. Here are his must-tries.

Kim Seok-jin is more than just 1/7 of K-pop royalty BTS. The singer-songwriter and record producer has dropped several chart-topping singles himself — showcasing his distinctive falsetto and solid range in the process. He’s also quite witty and sarcastic — often leaving fans in splits with hot takes during live interactions and comical interview responses. However, a major part of his personality over the past few years has been his healthy, deep relationship with food. He has a blog where he shares recipes and often whips up a storm in the kitchen for his group members, as evidenced in the reality show Run BTS.

The idol also has his own mukbang (an eating broadcast) titled Eat Jin where he indulges in his favourite creations, talks about all things culinary, and has food related conversations with his fellow BTS stars. A report by Korea Herald states that — according to him — devouring large quantities of dishes is the one thing he can do better than his peers. It added that he eats around eight meals a day and can have about 600 gms of meat at once. More recently, Times of India reported that he’d been buying meals for his juniors in the army. Needless to say, he’s a foodie. Here’s a look at a few creations that he likes having on his plate.

BTS Jin’s favourite foods that are a must-try

Naengmyeon

Starting this list out strong is a cold noodle number that Jin has claimed he could eat several times in a day in multiple interviews. Naengmyeon features long, thin handmade noodles that are served in a stainless-steel or brass bowl with a tangy, icy broth. Julienned cucumbers, strips of lightly-pickled radish, slices of pear, toasted sesame seeds, spicy mustard sauce, vinegar, bits of cold boiled beef, and a boiled egg complete it. Dating back to the Joseon Dynasty, this creation is popular during the summer. Times of India notes this creation to be one of Jin’s favourites and a WeVerse interaction sees him strongly recommending it.

Korean Fried Chicken

Known for its crunchy crust and addictive sweet-spicy sauce — fried chicken (chikin as it is called) is possibly one of the most popular creations of Korean cuisine. Reports state that it came into being during the Korean War, when soldiers from the US introduced the staple to locals and paved the way for new renditions. Best paired with a tall mug of beer, you’d be hard pressed to find a food joint across Seoul that doesn’t feature this soul snack on its menu. No surprises that Jin revealed that if he were to be cast away to an uninhabited island with only one food to bring with him, he’d pick this one — according to a report by South China Morning Post.

Galbitang

A popular Korean soup (or guk as it’s called) — this creation features beef short ribs, radish, green onions, and spices. Clear and flavourful, it’s believed to be quite healthy. Historical records note that it was a common sight across royal court banquets in the 1890s. Before his speech at the United Nations, Jin contemplated what to eat, narrowing his options down to two. “Can you please choose for me?…Galbitang? Kimchi jjigae?,” he told the cameraperson before picking the latter, according to a report by Hindustan Times.

Lobster

151204 Jin’s tweet

Ate lobster that can only be eaten on birthday !!
Everyone..https://t.co/72slq7dsMlpic.twitter.com/hjxPoWsgOy

— BTS Translations / Bangtansubs (@BTS_Trans) December 4, 2015

Jin is a seafood aficionado — with a particular passion for lobster. He owns a lobster phone case and often poses with lobsters. He has also posted pictures of crustaceans on his Instagram handle. In BTS Summer Package 2018, Saipan — Jungkook stated that they’d (BTS) gone to a restaurant to eat lobsters and had ordered 10 of them. Jin went ahead and ordered 10 more and of the 20 lobsters on the table, he ate 6. “Wow it’s lobster! I like lobster!,” he exclaimed to a restaurant staff as his food arrived — a moment that’s now a popular meme. A common way to eat the crustacean in Seoul is roasted and topped with plenty of cheese. Lobster pasta is also highly recommended.

Sashimi

[Naver] #BTS #JIN making sashimi challenge In JTBC’s ‘In the SOOP’, the members are very satisfied with his skill, In an interview with the production crew Jin said “I wanted to do something that I couldn’t Atleast once, Thank you so much for the aquarium”https://t.co/Zmnn66BXjK pic.twitter.com/lJubKPrUzs

— Jin United (@jin_united) August 27, 2020

In the show BTS In the Soop, Jin catches fish to make sashimi, using his own knife to fillet a flatfish. Numerous reports state that he ate this creation every day during the pandemic. The Japanese number — with an origin story that’s steeped in mystery — features fresh raw fish sliced into thin pieces that’s served with soy sauce. It’s often served as the first course or a main course with rice and miso soup.

Mulhoe

[Naver] #BTS #Jin cooked Mulhoe (Spicy raw fish soup) on JTBC’s ‘In the SOOP, Jimin said “Is it Mulhoe? it is really good”, jin said: “When I came here, everything from fish to raw materials was prepared but it is difficult to feed the members (7 people)https://t.co/urZLMdhDQd pic.twitter.com/gcW8B2rsEx

— Jin United (@jin_united) September 9, 2020

Wrapping this list is a popular spicy raw fish soup that traditionally also features shrimp, squid, and vegetables. It dates back to 57 BC according to several records — making it one of the oldest foods in Korean history. Jin made Mulhoe for the other members in the show BTS In the Soop. After his enlistment in the army, J-Hope and Jimin revealed in a live broadcast that they’d interacted with Jin. “I messaged him first. He said he said he wants to eat mulhoe,” Jimin stated according to a report by Hindustan Times.

Which of these favourite foods of BTS’ Jin have you tried for yourself?

All images: Courtesy BTS Jin

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Does Jin drink coffee?

In the past, Jin has stated he doesn’t drink coffee much. However, there are no official statements or information on this.

2. What is BTS Favourite Indian food?

BTS’ Jungkook once revealed he enjoyed chicken makhani and naan.