It is a sign of our modern, interconnected times that the Macao Government Tourism Office has named British YouTubers Joshua Carrott and Oliver Kendal – usually known simply as Josh and Ollie – as keynote speakers for this year’s International Cities of Gastronomy Fest. The duo, better known for their YouTube channel Korean Englishman, rose to prominence by offering a fresh lens on the Korean Wave. While most online audiences rode the Hallyu wave via K-pop and dramas, Carrott and Kendal were among the first to focus on sharing Korean culture through its most universal language: food.
“Food is just one of the easiest ways to introduce culture to someone,” Kendal explained in a 2019 interview with the Korea Times. “If you eat the same food, even if you can’t speak the same language, you’re speaking the language of food. Put a plate of great food in their hands, and they immediately grasp a small but essential part of that culture.”
Fans trace much of Korean Englishman’s fame to a 2014 viral video in which Carrott and Kendal filmed friends – along with Carrott’s father – trying Buldak spicy ramen on camera. Reflecting on the appeal of such food challenges, Carrott told musician Eric Nam on a podcast, “There are so many good Korean foods we could give them to try. We’re so good at giving food to people we know – why don’t we do it for people we don’t know?”
