What if mysterious beings appear out of nowhere, judge you, and eliminate you out of this world? If a religious meaning is added, most people may believe that it is a divine judgment. Recently, the Korean drama ‘Hellbound’ of such a theme, topped Netflix’s viewership ratings overall, which was achieved 24 hours after it was released. Showing the popularity of K-content, Hellbound heralds the heyday of Korean dramas and is boosting the ‘Hallyu (Korean Wave)’ craze in food and culture.

#What is the main plot of Hellbound?
The drama begins with a man being beaten to death by messengers of hell in the middle of Seoul one day. Then, an angel informs other characters the ‘Name, the fact that they are going to hell, and the time remaining until they go to hell’ and disappears abruptly. And when the time comes, the messengers of hell come, beat the people, and burn them to death. It’s no use running away all their might. No matter where they are or what they do, once they’ve been notified of hell-bound by the angel, they will eventually disappear from reality without leaving any form.
What’s even worse is that this isn’t the end. It is unfortunate for the people who suddenly died, but the rest of the family lives with a stigma as the family of the evil. In the end, people search religious meaning in a surreal situation, and people who want to tell the truth resist those who impose their beliefs as the story unfolds. Hellbound has become a sensation on Netflix by reaching the top rank of the chart. Another Korean drama, Squid Game, topped the chart in the past and keeps remaining at the top, continuing the heyday of K-content.

*Tip. Check out Hellbound explained by the cast.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oApLKCC_k78

#Korean agricultural products in 'Hellbound'
Korean agricultural products do not stand out significantly in any scene of Hellbound. However, it is also fun to naturally understand Korean culture in Hellbound through Korean agricultural products that appear here and there in the drama. First, coffee is a Korean agricultural product that appears the most in Hellbound. People studying, talking to each other, and even men who are about to die are drinking coffee. Coffee is also served to guests visiting one’s house. As a survey result ‘Korean have coffee more often than a rice’, coffee is virtually a necessity in Korea. As a result, Korean mixed coffee, which is easy to consume and tastes good, is highly praised and drawing popularity abroad.

Next is Soju. It is the green bottle that the man who killed someone in the drama drinks as he walks. Soju is Korea’s ‘national liquor’ that is always with Koreans. Recently, its popularity has been growing in China and Southeast Asia as various fruit flavors have been released. In Korean dramas, people usually drink Soju when they are sad.

Lastly, there is Gukbap (rice soup). Appearing at lunchtime in the drama, Gukbap is so affordable and comes out fast that it is called ‘Korean fast food’. Besides, it’s plenty. Thus, it is a popular lunch menu among office workers. A variety of instant Gukbap products are sold these days. Samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup), which is popular overseas, also falls under the category of Gukbap. Let’s take a look at the favorite Korean agricultural products and dishes of the Hellbound cast members.

#What Korean food do you enjoy?