- 1 day ago
Anna Cathcart puts her love of Korean cuisine to the test in a tasting challenge inspired by the foods she couldn’t get enough of while filming ‘XO, Kitty’ in Korea. In this episode, Anna dives into a mix of “latest craze” bites and beloved cult favorites, sampling everything from spicy cheesy ramen and chewy tteokbokki to fresh kimbap, iconic Korean snacks like Turtle Chips, and drinks like banana milk and Biofeel yogurt. With plenty of excitement, personal stories from her time abroad, and strong opinions along the way, Anna compares trendy hits with longtime staples to see which ones truly win her heart.
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00What? There's cheese on this one, too!
00:02There's even more cheese on this one!
00:05I feel like I'm in Korea.
00:07It's moist, but it's not juicy.
00:08I don't like any of the words that I'm choosing to use.
00:10That is banana milk. It has to be.
00:12It's so acquired.
00:20Honestly, I've eaten the most Korean cuisine
00:22since we started shooting, like, in Korea.
00:24I love Korean street food, specifically, I think is so fun.
00:27The squiggly fish cakes on the sticks in the, like, big vat.
00:31So good every time. And it's, like, a dollar.
00:36I feel like this could be instant noodles.
00:39Whoa! I'm so good.
00:41I do eat instant noodles a lot.
00:42I tease my mom a lot that she eats instant noodles, like, a little bit too much
00:46because I don't think they're necessarily hitting all your food groups,
00:49but I always want some, so I'm not really complaining.
00:51I'm going to try this one first because it looks less spicy.
00:55My mom's going to be so jealous.
00:56This is, like, literally one of our favorite foods.
00:59It's a little bit spicy,
01:02but it kind of just is spicy for the sake of being spicy.
01:05But it's not.
01:05Like, I would totally still eat the whole bowl
01:07just because I love instant noodles.
01:09You have to use chopsticks.
01:11Unless you're, like, on the airplane.
01:12I don't think Air Canada is giving me chopsticks.
01:14I've never, like, been so locked in eating instant noodles in my life.
01:21Totally different.
01:21These, I feel like, are, like, egg noodles, and those are not.
01:25This has a stronger chew because the noodles are thicker,
01:27but these taste more like traditional instant noodles,
01:30which I think I like better.
01:31But we're going to go for a second round and find out.
01:35Okay.
01:37Crazy thing to say.
01:39If you put a different sauce on these,
01:41these almost taste like pasta.
01:43Like, they give off, like, pasta noodles.
01:45You'd probably make a really fire mac and cheese with these noodles.
01:48These are, like, instant noodles.
01:50My whole family actually calls these squiggly noodles
01:53instead of instant noodles
01:54because, as a kid,
01:55I just called them squiggly noodles
01:57because they're squiggly,
01:58and then that's really just stuck.
02:00We actually did do a video
02:01where my whole cast made instant noodles,
02:03and I got absolutely flamed
02:05by every single one of my cast members
02:06that I make them wrong.
02:07We add bok choy often,
02:08but I do add a lot of water.
02:10Like, it's, like, very soupy.
02:12And choy, and then, like,
02:15it's kind of it.
02:15Just, like, the whole powder pack
02:16that's in my favorite ones.
02:18That's kind of very simple.
02:19And you can't boil it for too long
02:20or it gets weird.
02:22Final decision.
02:22These are definitely my favorite
02:24because you could not make mac and cheese with that.
02:30Oh, okay, they both say spicy.
02:34There's cheese on this one.
02:36Maybe I was onto something.
02:37There's literally a slice of cheese on this packaging.
02:40What?
02:41There's cheese on this one, too!
02:43There's even more cheese on this one.
02:44The character is standing on cheese
02:46that's on top of another cheese
02:47stirring a bag of cheese
02:48in front of real-life cheese.
02:50That's crazy
02:51and a shocking turn of events
02:53because this one didn't taste like cheese at all.
02:54Also, it says spicy chicken flavor,
02:56so I'm not sure where the cheese plays in.
02:58Well, I think this one did taste more like cheese
03:00if we have to say one of them did.
03:02But this one was better.
03:03And I feel like
03:04because this one was in a cup
03:07that you could microwave it in,
03:08there's already a chance it's going to be worse.
03:10Like, this says four minutes
03:12and you have your noodles in the cup.
03:14This, like, you have to get a pot.
03:16Which already, I think, adds, like,
03:19there's a better chance there.
03:20This one definitely wins,
03:22but I can't believe she's standing
03:23on a tower of cheese stirring a vat of cheese.
03:25She's also a chicken.
03:26Well, the more you look at this,
03:28she's also a witch.
03:29She has a witch hat and a cape
03:31and she has a cast on her foot.
03:32She's like a chicken witch
03:33who just broke her ankle,
03:34but she's, like, has a cauldron of cheese.
03:37This one doesn't even have a mascot,
03:39so definitely inferior.
03:44Here we go.
03:47Oh, this is condensed milk.
03:49Whoa, that was really strong.
03:52Oh, what?
03:53Oh, wait, I think I know what this is.
03:56They smell very different.
03:58Is this banana milk?
04:01I don't like banana milk.
04:03I'm going to say this is banana milk
04:04and this is, yeah, gold.
04:06I really don't like banana milk,
04:08which is funny
04:09because a lot of my castmates do.
04:11Anthony, like, loves banana milk.
04:13Like, one of the first times I met him,
04:14we went to 7-Eleven
04:15and he was, like, hyping it up
04:16and I was, like, I'm sorry.
04:18I don't know how this friendship is going to work.
04:19I, like, really can't stand it,
04:21but I think that this is it.
04:22And then this smells totally different.
04:24It almost smells like melted froyo,
04:26which means just there's, like, sugar in it,
04:28but I feel like it could be yakult
04:29because that kind of makes sense.
04:34That is banana milk.
04:35It has to be.
04:36It's so acquired.
04:41Is that what yakult tastes like?
04:42I've only had it in, like, the first movie.
04:44Hello, LJ, what is that?
04:45A Korean yogurt smoothie.
04:47And my name, thanks for asking,
04:49is Catherine Songcubby.
04:51Kitty to my friends.
04:53Oh, wow.
04:55That is really good.
04:56But I don't remember liking it,
04:57which I can't really,
04:58I don't really want to admit that
04:58because people associated me with yakult for years
05:01kind of burst their bubble
05:02to be like, I don't even like it.
05:03But Kitty loves it.
05:04And that's why me and my character are not the same.
05:09That's how I can step into her
05:10because she likes yakult,
05:12but I think it tastes like weird sour milk.
05:15No offense to yakult.
05:20Yes, I'm so good.
05:22Probiotic drink, yes.
05:23Very similar to yakult, different brand.
05:26Korea's favorite banana-flavored milk drink.
05:29Not for me, never will be, never has been.
05:31And I love bananas, and I like milk,
05:33but banana milk,
05:35you shouldn't be able to milk a banana.
05:37These, I respect how adorable they look
05:40and the significance they have to 12 boys.
05:43It's like, they're always gonna be special to me
05:44because of that.
05:45And like, they feel very, like,
05:47every time I see one, I'm like,
05:48oh my God, Kitty would love this.
05:53Oh my gosh, yes!
05:55The turtle crisps from Korea.
05:57I had them the very first time I was in Korea.
05:59It was me, Songhan, Min Young, and Jia,
06:01and we went bowling,
06:02and they bought me these at bowling to try
06:05because they were like,
06:05you need to try more Korean snacks.
06:07Like, we're so excited to show you things.
06:08Why are these ones so red?
06:09The main turtle flavors that I know
06:11are like the original
06:12and then the, like, churro one,
06:15like the sweet one, which is my favorite.
06:16But this I've never seen.
06:21Whoa, I feel like I'm in Korea.
06:23Big fan.
06:24I could eat this whole bowl easily.
06:26I feel like it could be like,
06:28tukbuk-y flavor.
06:29It's a little bit spicy.
06:30Ooh, it gets spicier
06:31the longer you don't eat it.
06:37I feel like this is the original flavor.
06:41It's a little weird.
06:42It's always been a little bit weird.
06:43And I don't know if I actually really like it,
06:45but these I actually really like.
06:46I don't know what this is,
06:47but it's, like, spicy fun.
06:50And I actually eat a lot of snacks and chopsticks.
06:52So I'll be on my laptop, like, working at home,
06:54and then I can just, like,
06:55because I don't want my hands to get gross,
06:57and then I'm like,
06:57I can't stand, like, fingerprints.
06:59So I like my spicy fun.
07:01Let's see what these ones are.
07:04Oh, yes, this is the classic sweet corn.
07:07I forgot about that,
07:08that it's corn flavor.
07:10Korean chicken.
07:11Sweet and spicy chicken.
07:13They always kill it with the graphics.
07:15This is a turtle wearing a chicken suit on a moped.
07:18Like, I want a laptop sticker of just that.
07:21Oh, my gosh,
07:22he's also carrying a large bucket of chicken
07:23on the back of the moped.
07:24I just learned,
07:25and now it's coming back to me,
07:27that in Korea,
07:28a lot of chip bags are designed to be opened on the side
07:30instead of the top.
07:32Ah, how adorable.
07:34It's a little bowl,
07:35and everybody can share.
07:37But these are now my new favorites,
07:38so I don't know if I particularly want to share,
07:40but I like that there is a concept
07:42if I choose to be kind.
07:49Yay, kimbap!
07:51I had kimbap a lot on set,
07:53and honestly, I'm a big fan.
07:54I'm picking which one is fresh
07:56and which one is frozen.
07:57Looks like it has some beef.
07:59This looks like it has maybe egg.
08:01They're so cute also.
08:02They're like in little towers.
08:04Whoa, that's so warm.
08:08Why is it so warm?
08:09Is it supposed to be warm?
08:10Like, is it supposed to be served warm?
08:12I had a lot of 7-Eleven kimbap.
08:14So it's just straight from the fridge.
08:16It was like 4 in the morning,
08:17and you're working,
08:18and you'd have kimbap on set.
08:19Okay?
08:22This one's not warm.
08:24That one has to be the frozen one, then.
08:26Unless this is reverse psychology.
08:29I think I like this one better.
08:30This one tastes more like the ones I'm used to.
08:33This one's frozen.
08:33This one's not.
08:38Wow!
08:39This is so cool.
08:42Vegan kimbap!
08:42Fried tofu?
08:44That's like some beyond meat situation.
08:46A hungry time,
08:47says the exercising kimbap.
08:48She also has like a full face of makeup on,
08:50but she's exercising,
08:50but she is a piece of kimbap,
08:52but her eyes are closed.
08:53She's like,
08:53hungry time.
08:54So a fan of that one,
08:55and this is from H Mart.
08:56That's like a big Asian supermarket,
08:58and it's so fun.
08:59I could be in there for hours.
09:00There's so much good food,
09:01but it's like all different types of Asian food.
09:06Ah!
09:07Yay!
09:07It's tuk-buk-y.
09:09I love tuk-buk-y when it's not too spicy.
09:11I can't handle crazy on a spice
09:12because I've had some
09:13that have like fully burned my face off,
09:15and I'm like in tears,
09:16like fully sweating.
09:17I'm looking for a good squish,
09:19fresh sauce that's like warm and saucy,
09:24and not too spicy that I can't breathe.
09:26These sauces have different textures for sure.
09:29I can just tell.
09:29This one looks
09:33more artificial, I guess.
09:35Like it looks like it could have been microwaved.
09:37This one looks less microwaved.
09:38This one looks like it might have fish cakes in it,
09:40and this one doesn't,
09:40which I really like fish cakes,
09:42so we'll see.
09:42I'm scared that this is gonna be like crazy spicy.
09:50Okay.
09:50It's spicy,
09:51but it's not like...
09:54Yeah, it's spicy.
09:55You have some good bounce back,
09:57some great chew going on.
09:58Would have again.
09:59Is this a fish cake?
10:01Let's dissect.
10:02Some of them come with it,
10:03some of them don't.
10:04Also, I'm like making a mess already.
10:05This is like my...
10:06There's already sauce on the table.
10:07I apologize.
10:11A little bit of a weird fish cake,
10:12I'm not gonna lie.
10:13It's like really...
10:15thick and squishy.
10:17Thick in a bad way.
10:18It's moist, but it's not juicy.
10:20I don't like any of the words
10:21that I'm choosing to use.
10:22Not high points for the fish cake,
10:23but high points for the actual rice cake.
10:25We're gonna move on.
10:26Okay, this guy is giving coagulation.
10:28Look at that.
10:29They're all...
10:30No.
10:30This was from a microwave.
10:32I feel like I could put a fork in this
10:33and take it out
10:34and the whole bowl would come out with it.
10:35Okay, let's see.
10:40I kind of like the squish better,
10:42but the sauce is too sweet.
10:44The sauce is way more accurate here
10:46of what like it should be,
10:47but I like the squish,
10:49but I'm still gonna follow my heart
10:50and say it's microwaved.
10:51No, they were frozen as a family
10:53and then we heated them up
10:54and they like stayed very close knit.
10:56There's no denying it.
10:58Also, the sauce has like that scary film on the top
11:01when you know that it was microwaved.
11:03I know my microwavable foods.
11:06I don't like cooking at all.
11:08And also, I don't like cooking
11:09because I'm not good at it.
11:10So a lot of time if I do it,
11:12it ends up not even being yummy
11:13and I've just taken two hours of my day
11:16and I still have to wash all the dishes
11:17and put everything away
11:17and I bought ingredients.
11:18I can't stand buying ingredients
11:20where like you need two sprigs of this one herb,
11:25but you have to buy like the whole farm.
11:26So then I give up, all to say.
11:28I went to college.
11:31I microwaved foods.
11:32Okay, final answer is this is microwaved.
11:35I'm very confident about that
11:36and this is from a restaurant.
11:37Is that correct?
11:39Wow!
11:41Coagulated family.
11:42I knew it.
11:43Look at them.
11:43They're all squished together.
11:44I feel like I gave you a lot of hate,
11:46but you were not that awful.
11:49Oh, what?
11:50There's fish cakes on this pitcher.
11:52That's also not a good sign.
11:53If I couldn't even find them?
11:55Enlarge to show texture.
11:56That's true.
11:57Well, I was correct.
11:59Thank you so much for joining me
12:00for this amazing taste test.
12:02I truly could have done this all day.
12:03It was so much fun.
12:04This is childhood.
12:05This is like my mom.
12:07Like she, we have these all the time
12:09since I was like two.
12:10Love these.
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