Poem by Olivia Kim

Budae Jjigae

“Should I make budae jjigae?”
My dad asks and I always answer
“Of course!”

No need for two bowls.
Just one big hot pot of fiery red stew
Is enough.
We dip our metal spoons in
As the steam fills the air,
Fogging up my glasses.
I can’t see clearly,
But I can feel the warmth.

I feel the warmth.
The piping hot stew boils.
A bite from the juicy savory meat,
Leaves a big smile on my glistening face.
The mouth-watering spiciness from the red kimchi
Makes me reach for a tall icy glass of water.
Slurping the curly hot long noodles with my dad beside me,
Causing my mom to scold us from the mess we made.

Our family comes together in making this
The warmth filling not only our stomachs
But our kitchen and lives as well.

Taking advantage of the life I have,
Not realizing how moments like this,
Are precious for people in need.

The lives of many are filled with hunger,
Where families are unable to eat together,
Where the parents sit and watch,
Saying “I’m not hungry” to distract.

The food which connects,
Unable to reach the families in hunger,
Unable to bring warmth
Of comfort and safety.
The special warmth of a shared meal.

As a sophomore attending the Culinology Program at Bergen Tech High School in New Jersey, I've learned about how to make food as well as the science behind it. Taking food science classes helped spark a deeper interest in the topic of food, even leading me to write a research paper for the World Food Foundation on the topic of food scarcity in North Korea. At the WFF forum hosted by Cornell, I gained new insights into hunger and food insecurity throughout different countries.

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