Kim argues that Korean cuisine makes it all too easy for newcomers to fall in love with variety, with something for omnivores, herbivores, and carnivores alike. "Your five flavors—sweet, salty, sour, acidic, and spicy—are all encompassed in a single dish. Korean food delivers flavor right off the bat with all these different flavors, without [you] having to look for them."
Chinese take out and sushi restaurants don't have to worry for now, but Korean food's impact on the American diet is only getting bigger. Kim puts it this way: "if Japanese food was a romantic comedy, Korean food would be an action movie." And big, bold action movies have a way of doing well.
"I think Japanese food has achieved the greatest success story in America," Kim said, as if admitting a secret he's long kept under wraps. "I'm jealous. I can't wait for Korean food to get there. I know it can.