[Content Commerce] Even Foreigners Are Enthralled... The Secret to Gimbap That Doesn't Burst

Han Hyeri, CEO of Sookine Kitchen
A Gimbap Specialty Channel with 200,000 Subscribers
Gaining Popularity Overseas in Countries Like Brazil and Malaysia
100 Gimbap Recipes... Ranked No. 1 in Cookbook Sales

Han Hyeri, CEO of Sookine Gimbap, is holding up a gimbap she personally made. Photo by Cafe24

"When you mix rice and Spam, then roll it up in an egg, it looks beautiful and tastes unique. It's perfect for kids' lunchboxes." <From a subscriber comment>

Han Hyeri, CEO of Sookine Kitchen, is a YouTube creator who has gained attention for her super-simple gimbap recipes. The channel's name comes from the last syllable of her mother's name, "Sook." She chose this name to convey her mother's warmth and devotion. As a mother of an elementary school-aged daughter, Han often made simple yet nutritious gimbap for her child?sometimes as often as five times a week. "While tasting and talking with my daughter, I constantly thought about how to make gimbap recipes that are even tastier and appealing to people of all ages," she said.

In the early days of running her channel, Han covered a variety of cooking content. However, after receiving a positive response to a gimbap video by chance, she shifted her focus to become a "gimbap specialty channel." To break the stereotype that "gimbap is a complicated and cumbersome dish to prepare," she simplified the ingredients and streamlined the process. She focused on developing easy yet visually appealing gimbap recipes.

As a result, since launching her YouTube channel in February 2023, she has attracted around 200,000 subscribers in just over two years. The main viewers of the channel are women in their 30s to 50s, mostly homemakers. Han explained, "Gimbap is often made not for oneself, but to serve to loved ones or to pack in lunchboxes. Since I have a child myself, I think I naturally form a bond with my subscribers."

In particular, her gimbap content using Spam and rolled omelet has surpassed 3.5 million views. Viewers from around the world leave positive comments on various videos. Han said, "I've introduced a variety of unique recipes, such as using egg instead of seaweed, making gimbap with just one ingredient like mushrooms, or folding the gimbap instead of rolling it, or even making it in a musubi style. The cooking content market on YouTube is extremely competitive, but by focusing on the specific topic of gimbap, I was able to grow more quickly."

Sookine Kitchen has also attracted attention from overseas fans in countries such as Brazil, Malaysia, and the United States. Many international fans leave comments sharing their experiences of making gimbap themselves. Han said, "When I see foreign viewers loving Korean gimbap, I feel proud that this content is becoming more than just a recipe?it's turning into a part of culture."

Screenshot of Sookine Kitchen YouTube video.

Sookine Kitchen is expanding its business by applying YouTube Shopping features through the Cafe24 platform. The recently launched gimbap seaweed product, "Sookine Gim," sold out both its first and second production runs within just three months of release. The cumulative sales volume has reached 12,000 packs, totaling 120,000 sheets of seaweed.

To address the inconveniences she experienced while making gimbap, Han collaborated with a seaweed manufacturer to develop the product. She ensured the seaweed had the right thickness and texture?not too thick or too thin?and incorporated considerations for mouthfeel, rollability, and flavor into the planning and production process. "Even if you roll the gimbap well, it often bursts or unravels because of the seaweed, so I wanted to fix that," she explained. "After watching the videos, many viewers have commented, 'I followed your instructions exactly, and it really didn't burst.'"

The goal for Sookine Kitchen is to become the first expert that comes to mind when people think of "gimbap." Earlier this year, Han also published a book featuring 100 gimbap recipes. The book reached number one in the cooking category and ranked among the bestsellers. Han said, "I hope to continue sharing and researching gimbap, so that 'Sookine Gimbap' can become a meal on many people's tables." She added, "I plan to keep working steadily to establish myself as a definitive expert by continuing gimbap research and a variety of related activities."