It appears that the viral food influencer Karissa Dumbacher is now in Busan, Korea. The beloved TikToker updated her followers from her new food pit stop. Dumbacher's Korean food tour arrives as interest in Korean cuisine and culture continues to grow internationally.
The TikToker found herself in Busan, travelling with a fellow influencer often featured in her videos. The duo immersed themselves in authentic and popular Korean dishes like Mandu, Bingsu, and the iconic Korean Fried Chicken.
First, she tried the viral bulgogi Mandu, which is essentially a Korean version of the humble dumpling. The thin wrapper and savory meat and vegetable filling drew immediate praise from the TikToker.
She paired the mandu with kimchi — a traditional Korean side dish of fermented napa cabbage seasoned with gochujang, gochugaru and other spices.
@karissaeats spicy fried chicken & cheesecake! #koreanfood #friedchicken #dumplings #eating #busanfood
♬ She Share Story (for Vlog) - 山口夕依
The combination of soft mandu and crunchy, spicy kimchi earned a 9 out of 10 rating from Dumbacher. They were so yummy that she claimed to be able to eat 50 of them at once.
Next she visited BHC, a well-known Korean fried chicken chain. The TikToker claimed that it was her first time at a BHC and expressed her excitement over trying an authentic version of Korean chicken wings.
Dumbacher, who favors spicy food, ordered the spiciest boneless wings on the menu alongside her friend. Although she hopes to try a version with the bone in, she seemed to enjoy the bright and peppery sauce that the meat was smothered in. For that, she gave it a rating of 7/10.
The final savory stop gave way to bingsu — a Korean shaved ice dessert made with frozen milk and fresh fruit The one Karissa ordered appeared to have frozen mangoes, which she claimed weren’t her favorite.
Viral Food Influencer Tries ‘Maybe the Best Coffee’ Ever in Korea
Finally, she surprisingly hunted down “maybe the best coffee” she’s ever had. The TikToker often prefers Boba tea to coffee and usually talks about it on social media. However, this particular cozy shop was hidden in the alleyways of Korea.
She claimed to have hiked to find it, and apparently, it was worth it. In the video, she described the coffee as flavourful and rich.
She also mentioned that, unlike other coffee drinks, this one didn’t have an allegedly weird aftertaste. The coffee joined the high-ranking dumplings with a rating of 9/10.
@karissaeats matcha ice cream & bulgogi pizza! @Costco Wholesale ily #koreanfood #korea #costco #pizza #icecream
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Before concluding her video, the viral food influencer tried a Basque cheesecake and a butter cake. But like the Bingsu, it wasn’t her favorite because of the texture and overall flavour. However, thanks to the coffee, it was all balanced out.
She also visited a Korean Costco and posted a separate TikTok about the experience, and tried other favorites including tteokbokki.
Her followers on TikTok flooded the comment section with food suggestions while she was still there. From places to visit to Korean-only food. Her fans didn’t hold back on the food she just might enjoy.
Korean food's global popularity continues to grow — dishes like ramyeon, tteokbokki, bibimbap and gimbap have all seen significant increases in international recognition and restaurant presence.
