Wait, BTS Eats Convenience Store Kimbap?
Picture this: seven of the biggest superstars on the planet, and their favorite food isn't some Michelin-starred masterpiece. It's convenience store kimbap and instant ramyeon.
Jimin has said flat-out that instead of fancy fine dining, his go-to comfort foods are things like kimbap and snacks from the corner convenience store. Jungkook loves samgyeopsal (Korean grilled pork belly) so much that he once made up a song about it on the spot, mid-conversation, no warning. And V will straight-up drive two to three hours from Seoul to Wonju just for one specific bowl of noodles. That's not a fan theory โ that's just Tuesday for V.
Oh, and here's the plot twist nobody saw coming: when these guys landed in America, the food that completely stole their hearts wasn't some upscale steakhouse. It was Panda Express. Jungkook even mispronounced Chipotle so memorably that the brand's own Twitter account changed its name in response. We'll get to that chaos in a minute.
So today, let's dig into BTS's favorite Korean food โplus their surprising American cravings all backed by real interviews and behind-the-scenes footage, not fan speculation.
The History Behind BTS's Favorite Korean Comfort Food: Samgyeopsal and Korean BBQ
If there's one dish every single member has publicly gushed about, it's samgyeopsal and Korean BBQ in general.
Here's the backstory: samgyeopsal became a national obsession after the Korean War, when the economy was struggling and pork belly โ a relatively cheap cut at the time โ became the go-to meat for working-class families. By the 1980s and '90s, it had fully transformed into THE dish for company dinners and social gatherings, and today, it's basically Korea's unofficial national comfort food. You'll see the BTS members gathered around a sizzling grill constantly on shows like Run BTS! and In the SOOP โ and honestly, those grill scenes hit different. It's not just dinner, it's bonding.
Meet Their Favorites: A Member-by-Member Breakdown
Here's the full list of Korean food BTS members have personally named as favorites, straight from interviews and variety shows.
Jin โ Naengmyeon (Cold Buckwheat Noodles)
Jin has repeatedly professed his love for naengmyeon across various shows. This ice-cold noodle dish, served in a chilled broth, is the ultimate Korean summer cooldown โ and it's also the classic move after a big Korean BBQ meal, kind of like how you'd want a light dessert after a heavy steak dinner.
RM โ Kalguksu (Hand-Cut Noodle Soup) / Jajangmyeon (Black Bean Noodles)
RM has specifically called out kalguksu, the hand-knife-cut noodle soup, as a favorite. In a BuzzFeed quiz video, he also named jajangmyeon โ Korea's beloved black bean noodle dish โ as his top pick.
J-Hope โ Kimchi Fried Rice / Bulgogi
J-Hope has talked about his love for kimchi fried rice in multiple interviews โ like, repeatedly, unprompted, the way you'd talk about your favorite band. Bulgogi (marinated grilled beef) also made his list.
Jimin โ Kimchi Jjigae / Bunsik (Korean Street Food)
Jimin has named kimchi jjigae as a favorite, along with kimbap and convenience store snacks โ basically, unpretentious, everyday Korean comfort food.
Jungkook โ Samgyeopsal
Jungkook's love for samgyeopsal is so legendary he literally improvised a song about it on the spot. No further questions, your honor.
Suga โ Bulgogi
Suga joined J-Hope in naming bulgogi as a top pick.
V โ Perilla Oil Makguksu / Doenjang Jjigae
V named perilla oil makguksu (buckwheat noodles tossed in nutty perilla oil) as his favorite, and he's serious enough about it to make a multi-hour drive just to eat it fresh. He's also mentioned loving doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) with blue crab.
How These Dishes Stack Up Against American Food
Samgyeopsal vs. American BBQ
Korean samgyeopsal culture and American backyard BBQ actually share the same DNA: it's food that brings people together around a grill. The difference is method โ American BBQ is a low-and-slow smoking marathon, while samgyeopsal gets grilled fresh right at the table, in real time, while you're chatting with friends.
Naengmyeon vs. Cold Noodle Salads
Naengmyeon occupies a similar summer-food niche as a cold pasta salad in the U.S., but the icy broth situation is something entirely its own โ there's really no American equivalent to slurping noodles out of a bowl of literal ice water.
Jajangmyeon vs. American Chinese Food
Jajangmyeon is Korea's version of what Americans know as American Chinese food โ a dish that started as Chinese cuisine and got completely reinvented into its own comfort-food category. And speaking of "reinvented comfort food"... let's talk about what happened when BTS landed in the U.S.
Why This Food Is Actually Good for You ๐ฅ
- Samgyeopsal + lettuce wraps. Wrapping fatty pork belly in lettuce leaves adds fiber to the meal and genuinely helps with digestion.
- Kimchi jjigae and kimchi fried rice. Both are loaded with fermented kimchi, which means built-in probiotics for gut health.
- Naengmyeon, kalguksu, and makguksu. These noodle dishes are generally light and broth-based rather than heavy or fried, making for a lighter meal overall.
- Doenjang jjigae. Packed with fermented soybean protein, it's a great plant-based protein source.
How to Recreate This at Home in the U.S. ๐ก
- Samgyeopsal: Head to H Mart or even Costco and look for "pork belly, thinly sliced for BBQ." A tabletop grill or just a good cast-iron pan works perfectly fine.
- Naengmyeon or makguksu: H Mart's frozen section usually stocks noodle-and-broth kits โ an easy way to get an authentic cold noodle fix in the summer.
- Kimchi fried rice: If you've got leftover kimchi, rice, and an egg, you're 15 minutes away from a finished dish. Genuinely one of the best ways to use up kimchi that's gotten a little too sour to eat as-is.
- Jajangmyeon: H Mart sells pre-made frozen black bean sauce packets โ just boil noodles and you're basically done.
- Doenjang jjigae: All you really need is doenjang paste, tofu, and zucchini for a solid, simple version.
The Plot Twist: BTS's Favorite American Foods ๐บ๐ธ
Okay, now for the fun part. While BTS clearly loves their Korean comfort food, they've also gone on record loving some very specific โ and very American โ guilty pleasures.
๐ผ Panda Express
Source: People Magazine
The undisputed group favorite. RM has said it's "always tasty, it never gets bad," and Suga and V got so hyped during one interview they literally started chanting "Panda, Panda, Panda." Suga even joked about wanting to open his own Panda Express franchise in LA someday. At this point, they're basically unofficial brand ambassadors.
๐ In-N-Out Burger
Source: People Magazine, The Elvis Duran Show
Jungkook, Jin, and J-Hope have all named In-N-Out as their go-to whenever they're in the U.S. J-Hope's "hamburger and Sprite" interview clip became such a beloved meme among fans that it basically has its own fandom subculture at this point.
๐ Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza
Source: People Magazine
RM and Jimin both singled out deep-dish pizza specifically, with Jimin explaining he loves it because "the crust and cheese are so thick." Not a bad reason, honestly.
๐ฏ Chipotle โ And the Legendary Mispronunciation
Source: BANGTANTV behind-the-scenes footage
This one's a classic. Jungkook was eating a Chipotle bowl and accidentally called it "Chicotle" โ and it became such a viral moment that Chipotle's official Twitter account changed its display name to "Chicotle" in response. A major fast food brand rebranding itself, even temporarily, because of one BTS member's food order is exactly the kind of chaotic energy the internet deserves.
๐ญ Hot Dogs
Source: The Ellen DeGeneres Show, BANGTANTV
Cameras caught the members happily snacking on hot dogs backstage at Ellen, and apparently they liked them enough to specifically request hot dogs as a green room staple going forward. There's something genuinely wholesome about global superstars choosing a simple hot dog over some elaborate celebrity catering spread.
Here's why this matters: knowing that literal K-pop royalty stands in the same Panda Express line, orders the same In-N-Out combo, and fumbles Chipotle the same way we all secretly have at some point โ it makes the whole thing feel a lot less like "celebrity culture" and a lot more like "oh, they're just like us." Next time you're at Panda Express, just picture Suga hyping himself up in that exact same line. It somehow makes the orange chicken taste better.
Frequently Asked Questions About BTS and Food
What does BTS eat?
BTS favorite Korean food includes samgyeopsal (Korean BBQ pork belly), kimchi jjigae, kimchi fried rice, and naengmyeon (cold noodles). They've also developed a surprising love for American fast food during their U.S. trips.
BTS has repeatedly named Panda Express as a group favorite, along with In-N-Out Burger, Chicago deep-dish pizza, Chipotle, and hot dogs.
Why did Chipotle change its Twitter name to "Chicotle"?
Chipotle's official Twitter account briefly changed its display name after Jungkook was seen mispronouncing "Chipotle" as "Chicotle" in a BANGTANTV video.
What is Jungkook's favorite food?
Jungkook is well known for his love of samgyeopsal (Korean grilled pork belly), even making up a song about it on the spot.
Does BTS eat Korean street food?
Yes โ Jimin in particular has mentioned enjoying kimbap and convenience store snacks, showing that even global superstars love everyday Korean comfort food.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, what BTS's food choices really prove is that comfort food wins, every time โ no matter how famous you get. A bowl of naengmyeon, a plate of kimchi fried rice, or honestly, a Panda Express two-entrรฉe plate can capture the hearts of some of the biggest stars on the planet. So this weekend, take a page out of BTS's book: grab some convenience-store kimbap, whip up a quick kimchi fried rice, or hey โ hit up Panda Express and imagine Suga right there in line with you. ๐ผ๐
Sources:
- Korean food info: KpopPost, Sportskeeda, Mashed (via BuzzFeed interviews), Slurrp, BlondeKimchi, KpopSeoulMap, and BTS appearances on Run BTS! and Fifteen Nights
- American food info: People Magazine, The Elvis Duran Show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and BANGTANTV behind-the-scenes content