Big Hit Entertainment's seven-member group has turned into a world-renowned boy band, topping the US Album charts, wrapping up two sold-out concerts in London for their BTS World Tour "Love Yourself," which were held in 2018 at the O2 Arena, where well-known singers like Madonna and Paul McCartney usually performs.
Now that the boys have gained worldwide recognition, ARMYs (BTS's fans) from countries across the globe would want to drop by the group's often visited restaurants in Korea, hoping to see the boys in person.
Yoojung Sikdang, which is located in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, is the group's favorite restaurant as the owner and staff took good care of the members during their trainee and K-pop rookie days. Also, it is the nearest place where they can eat since their practice room is only on the first basement floor of Yoojung Sikdang's building. What the BTS members regularly order here is the dolsot bibimbap (hot stone pot bibimbap) along with a grilled black pork belly with gojuchang (chili paste). And because BTS has consumed the same dish at Yoojung Sikdang for numerous times, the owner of the restaurant later called the bibimbap "Bangtan Bibimbap."
Bibimbap or bibimbop is a bowl of white rice partnered with assorted vegetables such as namul (sautéed and flavored veggies) or kimchi (commonly fermented vegetables) and gochujang (chili pepper paste), doenjang (a fermented soybean puree), and soy sauce. From time to time, raw or fried egg and chopped meat (typically beef) are added into the dish.
This rice dish has many names depending on the ingredients topped on the different herbs and which dinnerware the food is placed in. Dolsot bibimbap is one of the variations of bibimbap and is named after the crockery, which holds the components - dolsot means "hot stone pot" while bibim is "mixing different ingredients" and bap refers to "rice."
Dolsot bibimbap is prepared in a very hot stone pot in which a raw egg is fried against the sides of the plate. Before putting the rice in the bowl, sesame oil is added first to cook the rice to a crisp, golden brown. This kind of dish is usually prepared to order, with the ingredients combined in the pot just before eating it.
ARMYs, who have visited Yoojung Sikdang and also tried dolsot bibimbap, love this dish as much as BTS does. So if by any chance you get to visit Korea and stop by the restaurant, grab the opportunity to taste "Bangtan bibimbap" and know why the idols can't get enough of it.
