Korea Everywhere

bibigo™, the #1 Korean-style food brand in the U.S., is inviting people to make Korean-style food their new go-to in the kitchen. The new campaign brings back Korean-American actor Randall Park in four distinct personas that represent the different ways that Korean culture has been showing up in mainstream pop culture around the world, leading industries in K-beauty to K-pop. Yet, Korean food isn’t as widely adopted. That’s why bibigo is here to change that.

Known for his comedic chops, Randall takes us through a few scenes, showing up as himself, a beauty influencer, an animated superhero, and a member of a K-pop boy band. From street food stalls to the stage and finishing in the kitchen – bibigo shares its wide selection of products ranging from frozen to shelf-stable, single serve bowls, snacks, appetizers and sauces. The spot doesn’t just showcase the success of K-culture around the world, but also leverages the hype to spotlight Korean-style food.

“Our first masterbrand campaign, K-food 101, invited Americans to ‘bibigo™ for it’ and focused on encouraging Americans to try the many different and delicious types of Korean-style food. That’s still a priority, but the new work leans into the overall impact that Korean culture and K-lifestyle have had in the U.S. and around the world,” says Federico Arreola, president of Asian Cuisine division at CJ Schwan’s. “It was an easy decision to welcome Randall Park back on set. As an iconic Korean in Hollywood, we knew he could connect with audiences and encourage them to try authentic Korean flavors.”

86% of Americans are ‘meal repeaters,’ who regularly eat the same meals at home, yet 70% of consumers prefer to get Asian food from restaurants. “We asked ourselves how we could bring authentic Korean flavors into the cooking rotation.” says Jonathan Lavoie, Creative Director at Rethink. “Tenets of Korean culture are everywhere, from music and fashion to film and television. bibigo is an undeniably Korean brand that is bringing authentic Korean flavors to households across North America, and hopefully, Korea’s favorite will be everyone’s new go-to.”

The “K-wave” (or “hallyu” in Korean) speaks to the global popularity and cultural export of South Korea’s entertainment, music, and lifestyle, featuring K-pop, K-dramas and K-beauty. From the Grammys to the Emmys to the Academy Awards, Koreans and Korean-Americans, like Randall Park, are finding success in their various endeavours.

“It’s amazing to see how much the world has welcomed Korean culture, from music to K-beauty to the Oscars,” says actor Park. “Korean food is my absolute favorite, and I’m excited for more people to discover what makes K-food truly one of a kind.”

bibigo’s partnership with Randall Park is part of the brand’s ongoing mission to champion Korean cuisine to an international audience. This effort builds upon the recent appointment of popular K-pop group ALPHA DRIVE ONE (AKA ALD1) as their new global brand ambassadors, in line with the brand’s established history of partnering with influential Korean figures worldwide.

Rethink led on strategy and creative, with Mediahub on media. The “Korea Everywhere” campaign, anchored with a 30s spot and two 15s cutdowns, is currently rolling out across television and social media channels.