With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today during our fall member drive.
A Kimchi Fried Rice Playlist On Spotify Teaches You How To Make The Dish

In today's digital age, following a recipe from a book may seem pretty archaic. So if you're not in the mood to read the ingredients and measurements, then a playlist might be for you.
Noah Conk, a San Francisco-based designer, went to the effort of creating a curated playlist of his recipe for kimchi fried rice. The recipe is explained by a three-hour, 51-song playlist, with each song title describing a specific ingredient, measurement or instruction.
Some of the songs included are pretty general, like the first in the playlist: "Ingredients" by YNW Melly.
Others are more specific, like "Unsalted Butter" by The Long Winters.
And of course, some have key details to the cooking process, and veer on the ambient, like "Medium Heat" by Rain & Chocolate.
"I basically went through the search function of searching for the word that I needed," Conk explained. Currently, the playlist boasts more than 4,000 likes on Spotify.
Some songs are addendums to the playlist, due to audience demand, like "Butter" by BTS.
Conk had originally made the playlist without the smash hit by the widely beloved K-Pop group. He soon realized his grave error: "I was like, how could I forget the 'Butter' song, in a kimchi fried rice recipe playlist?"
Conk picked kimchi fried rice because it's a favorite comfort food of his.
"Growing up," he said, "I never really ate too much Korean food because I'm an adoptee," he said. Reconnecting with his Korean roots in college, especially through food, allowed him to gain confidence in making his own recipe, inspired by YouTuber chef Chris Cho.
But his own preferences for the recipe also caused listeners to ask questions.
"They're like, why unsalted butter?" Conk said. "It allows you to salt to taste. And the goal of butter is to bring out the subtle nuances of kimchi."
After the instructions are through, listeners are greeted by Anderson .Paak's "Winners Circle."
"You made it to the end, and you're in the winner's circle," Conk explained. "You're part of this collective of people who can make kimchi fried rice from a playlist. And it's also a subtle nod to Anderson .Paak being Korean."
Regardless of whether they're winners or not, they'll certainly have a delicious bowl of food to groove out with. You can try it out for yourself with the playlist here:
This piece was adapted for the web by Manuela Lopez Restrepo
-
Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit npr.org.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.

-
Metro officials said it will be able to announce an opening date “soon.”
-
While working for the county, the DA’s office alleges that 13 employees fraudulently filed for unemployment, claiming to earn less than $600 a week.
-
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to declare immigration enforcement actions a local emergency.
-
Tens of thousands of workers across Southern California walk out over pay and staffing issues.
-
People in and around recent burn scars should be alert to the risk of debris flows. Typical October weather will be back later this week.
-
Jet Propulsion Laboratory leadership says the cuts amount to 11% of the workforce.