Jaha Koo / CAMPO
© Jaha Koo
The surprising flavour of cold seaweed soup, the sharp sound of a knife slicing cucumber, the hiss and sizzle of mushrooms on a scorching fire. With Haribo Kimchi, we find ourselves in a Pojangmacha, a typical late-night snack bar seen on the streets of South Korea. There, we meet three characters—a snail, a gummy bear, and an eel—who take us on a culinary journey, exploring food as a shelter for those estranged from their roots. In a series of intimate and absurd anecdotes, they recount the evolution of kimchi culture, the bitter pain of unadulterated racism, the shame of desperate attempts to blend in with the crowd, and the indescribable umami taste of home.
Following the success of his Hamartia Trilogy (2021), which delved into the far-reaching imperialism in East Asia, South Korean theatre maker and composer Jaha Koo returns with his new creation. His patented hybrid style combines music, video, and robotic performers to craft a reflection on cultural assimilation with all its conflicts and paradoxes. In a gripping performance that plays with all the senses, he serves up personal stories marinated in sweet-and-sour melancholy.
Jaha Koo (he/him) is a Korean theatre maker, composer, and video artist. His artistic practice moves fluidly between multimedia and performance, incorporating his own music, video, text, and robotic objects. His acclaimed Hamartia Trilogy—Lolling and Rolling (2015), Cuckoo (2017), and The History of Korean Western Theatre (2020)—offers a long-term exploration of East Asia’s political landscape, colonial history, and cultural identity.
The trilogy reflects on structural issues in Korean society and the tragic impact of an inescapable past on contemporary life. His latest work, Haribo Kimchi, premiered in June 2024 at Tangente St. Pölten in Austria, exploring the paradoxes of cultural assimilation and diasporic identity through the sensory medium of food. He is currently developing a new work, Post-K-pop Practice(working title), set to premiere in early 2027.
CAMPO is a Ghent (Belgium) based arts centre with a diverse programme, ranging from theatre, dance and performance to festivals, neighbourhood kitchens and debates. We create performances which tour internationally, and support artists throughout their artistic process. One could see CAMPO as a toolbox for artists, a house that covers the whole spectrum of performing arts: research & development, production, touring & presentation.