If someone in America says “sundae,” you probably imagine ice cream covered with chocolate syrup and whipped cream.
But when SHINee’s Key and Minho talk about Korean sundae (순대), they mean something completely different.
Think sausage, hot broth and rice.
According to the Korea Tourism Organization, Key and Minho have a long connection to sundae-gukbap (순대국밥), a hearty Korean soup they enjoyed from their trainee days.
What Is Korean Sundae?
Korean sundae is not a dessert.
It is a type of Korean blood sausage, traditionally made by stuffing ingredients such as glass noodles into a casing along with other fillings.
It can be eaten on its own, but one of the most comforting ways to enjoy it is in sundae-gukbap.
Gukbap literally combines the Korean words for soup (guk) and rice (bap).
Put them together and you get a hot, filling meal built around broth, rice and sundae.
Key and Minho Ate It During Their Trainee Days
This is what makes their connection to the dish more interesting than a simple celebrity food recommendation.
The Korea Tourism Organization introduces a sundae-gukbap restaurant associated with Key and Minho and describes the dish as a “soul food” they have enjoyed since their trainee days.
That means the story goes back to before the polished performances, world tours and years of SHINee fame.
For two young trainees working toward their debut, a steaming bowl of inexpensive, filling soup would have been a very different kind of meal from the glamorous food people might associate with celebrities today.
What Does Sundae-Gukbap Taste Like?
Don’t let the words “blood sausage” scare you away.
The broth is warm, savory and rich, while the sundae has a soft texture. Depending on the restaurant, the soup may also contain different cuts of pork.
Then comes the fun part.
Korean diners can customize the bowl with ingredients such as salted shrimp, chili seasoning, green onions or perilla powder.
Add rice and suddenly you have the kind of meal that can warm you up on a cold Korean day.
And No, You Won’t Get Ice Cream
This is one Korean word foreign visitors should remember.
Order a sundae in Korea and you won’t receive dessert.
Order sundae-gukbap, and you’ll get something even further from an American ice cream sundae—a steaming bowl of Korean comfort food.
And for SHINee fans, it comes with another story:
It’s a taste connected to Key and Minho’s trainee days.
So if you’re exploring Korea through K-pop, perhaps your next stop shouldn’t be another trendy café.
Try one of Korea’s humble bowls of comfort food instead.
Just don’t expect a cherry on top.