LIST OF COMMON FOOD “BALANCE GAMES”

Balance games are basically “What would you rather?” questions asked between friends, on the internet, or to celebrities in interviews. Popular food-related balance game questions often pop up in candid interviews (or “TMI interview”) with K-Pop idols.

Mar 28, 2024 — ipduck — Website

Balance games are basically “What would you rather?” questions asked between friends, on the internet, or to celebrities in interviews. Popular food-related balance game questions often pop up in candid interviews (or “TMI interview”) with K-Pop idols.

Food is one of the topics that Koreans love to talk about, especially in the format of “balance games.” You are probably familiar with “food controversies” such as “What is your opinion on pineapple on pizza?”

In Korea, balance games almost always take the form of A vs. B between two polarizing choices.

We’ve listed some of the most popular food balance questions in Korea. Some of these have been around for quite some time, while some are more relatively new.

It’s likely that you’ll see all or most of them in a TMI interview with your favorite idol!

Mint Chocolate: Yay or Nay?

민초단 vs. 반민초단

One of the hottest food controversy in Korea, the mint chocolate debate has been around for some time, but really started going viral around 2020. The most popular mint chocolate food item in Korea is the mint chocolate chip ice cream flavor from Baskin Robbins.
There are people in Korea that love the taste of mint chocolate or mint chocolate ice cream, while there are vehement haters of mint chocolate that say the flavor reminds them of toothpaste.

Hawaiian Pizza: Yay or Nay?

하와이안 피자: 호 vs 불호

A food controversy that is controversial worldwide, the Hawaiian Pizza debate in Korea is admittedly not as heated as it is in the West.
Lovers of Hawaiian Pizza think the combo of sweet pineapple and the salty pepperoni is delicious, while the haters say that warm pineapple on cheese just tastes…off.

Tangsuyuk Sauce: Pour vs. Dip

탕수육: 부먹 vs 찍먹

This is a classic food “balance game” question in Korea - especially as tangsuyuk is a shared dish and the sauce has to be either poured or dipped (there’s really no in between).
Tangsuyuk is a staple in the Korean-Chinese cuisine, finger-like slices of pork fried in batter and eaten with sweet and sour sauce. You can either dip the individual slices of pork into the sauce, or pour the sauce over the entire dish at once.
The pourers (부먹) say that it’s not hygenic to share a plate of sauce where multiple people keep dipping the meat they already bit into. They also prefer to have the sauce over the whole meat slice at once.
The dippers (찍먹) say that once you pour the sauce over the crispy fried meat, the crispiness is gone and the sauce becomes too overpowering.

Cold Noodles: Watery vs. Spicy

냉면: 물냉 vs 비냉

Cold noodles are a popular Korean dish, often eaten after a meal of Korean BBQ. The buckwheat noodles can either be served in a watery broth with ice floating in it, or with spicy gochujang-based sauce.

Carp Bread: Red Bean vs. Shu Cream

붕어빵: 팥 vs 슈크림

Carp bread is a fish-shaped bread with warm filling, a popular street food item that is often enjoyed during the cold winter seasons.
The two most popular fillings are the more classic option of sweet red bean paste, or shu cream (Japanese style custard cream).

Carp Bread: Head First vs. Tails First

붕어빵: 머리 먼저 vs 꼬리 먼저

Carp bread is in the shape of a fish, and the warm filling within often start at the head, leaving the tail parts more crispy with only the taste of batter.

Fried Chicken: Original vs. Yangnyeom

후라이드 vs 양념

Fried chicken is a popular delivery food item in South Korea. In most Korean fried chicken joints, there are two main flavors; the original fried chicken, often just called “fried” (프라이드), and the yangnyeom chicken, which is the origianal fried chicken covered in sticky sweet sauce with a gochujang base.

LIST OF COMMON FOOD “BALANCE GAMES”