Inside a softly lit social gathering room in Seoul’s Mapo District on Thursday night, steaming Korean dishes, bursts of laughter and a spirited refrain of “Howdy Korea!” set the tone for a heat celebration.
Creators and contributors to The Korea Occasions’ YouTube channel, Howdy Korea, gathered for what felt much less like a proper occasion and extra like a reunion, sharing do-it-yourself dishes, chatting in Korean and English and participating in lighthearted actions to mark the channel’s latest milestone: receiving YouTube’s Silver Button award.
Launched in July 2024, Howdy Korea has shortly constructed up a devoted following by spotlighting Korean tradition by means of approachable, enjoyable and fascinating storytelling. Its movies have launched viewers from world wide to native subjects and points starting from shamanism and conventional delicacies to face studying and multiculturalism, typically that includes a rotating solid of students, expats and artists.
A number of episodes have gone viral, serving to the channel surpass 100,000 subscribers earlier this yr.
A cake for Howdy Korea’s YouTube Silver Button milestone is displayed through the channel’s potluck celebration in Mapo District, Seoul, Thursday. Korea Occasions photograph by Ha Il, Lee Yun-seo
That momentum paved the way in which for Thursday’s gathering, the place the on-screen heat carried effortlessly into actual life.
Friends filtered in shortly after 6 p.m., taking their seats at lengthy tables stocked with OB-sponsored beer and an ever-growing unfold of do-it-yourself dishes. Present host Joel Jay Lane kicked off the night as emcee, welcoming the acquainted faces who’ve formed the channel’s identification.
By 7 p.m., The Korea Occasions’ President-Writer Oh Younger-jin and Managing Director of Content material and Enterprise Planning Kim Jae-kyoung arrived to applause.
In his congratulatory remarks, Oh thanked the workers and creators for reaching the milestone so shortly.
“Our golden rule is that after you construct a reference to us, you can not escape, not on this lifetime,” he instructed the gang, eliciting chuckles. “I hope this bond continues and turns into an opportunity for all of us to develop collectively.”
Kim Jae-kyoung, The Korea Occasions’ managing director of content material and enterprise planning, joins a doljabi ceremony through the Howdy Korea Potluck Social gathering at Mapo District, Seoul, Thursday. Korea Occasions photograph by Ha Il, Lee Yun-seo
That power flowed straight into the cake-cutting ceremony. On the heart of the desk sat a rice-cake cake, and as fingers stacked atop each other, the room burst right into a spirited “Howdy Korea!” as telephones lit up from each nook.
The celebration then took a playful flip when Kim Jae-kyoung joined in a “doljabi” ceremony, a Korean first-birthday custom wherein a toddler selects an object believed to trace at their future. Carrying an cute unicorn blindfold, he reached out and grabbed a lightweight bulb, a alternative symbolizing artistic concepts forward. The room burst into cheers.
Lengthy tables had been full of dishes introduced by attendees, making a potluck feast that mirrored Korea’s culinary breadth. Jokbal (braised pig’s trotters), braised seafood, potato pancakes, coriander kimchi and desserts lined the tables.
Among the many most liked had been Korean shaman Depraved Snow’s do-it-yourself galbi-jjim (braised beef brief ribs), chosen for its cultural symbolism and historical past as a dish served to honored friends. Face reader Kim Min-jung contributed sul-jjim, a seafood stew she mentioned would assist anybody nursing the night’s drinks.
Attendees mingle on the “Howdy Korea Potluck Social gathering” held in Seoul’s Mapo District, Thursday, celebrating Howdy Korea’s win of YouTube’s Silver Button for surpassing 100,000 subscribers. Korea Occasions photograph by Ha Il, Lee Yun-seo
On the opposite aspect, rows of Cass Contemporary, Hanmac, Cass 0.0, Budweiser and Cass Lemon Squeeze had been organized alongside a cocktail station the place friends blended “Pet Love,” a shiny, fruity drink excellent for the environment.
As conversations flowed between English and Korean, friends shared reflections on their relationships with the channel.
The channel’s former host, Kady from Austria, described the potluck as one of the crucial considerate gatherings she had seen in Korea.
“You don’t normally see potlucks right here. This was great,” she mentioned. Having sat throughout from Joel, she added, “It was so enjoyable. You’re doing nice, and it’s beautiful to look at.”
Depraved Snow, whose newest video surpassed 243,000 views, wore a silver gown in honor of the milestone. She mentioned she hopes the channel continues elevating Korean traditions and believes inviting well-known public figures will strengthen its momentum.
“I’m thrilled for the channel’s upcoming 2026,” she mentioned.
Howdy Korea’s present channel host, Joel Jay Lane, left, takes a photograph of shaman Depraved Snow, whose latest look on Howdy Korea drew over 243,000 views, through the channel’s Silver Button celebration in Mapo District, Seoul, Thursday. Korea Occasions photograph by Ha Il, Lee Yun-seo
Because the night drew to a detailed, friends lingered during the last bites of galbi-jjim, posed for pictures with silver mirror orbs and chatted beneath gentle lights.
The celebration underscored that Howdy Korea’s success has been constructed not solely on subscriber numbers however on the relationships, curiosity and cross-cultural tales that deliver its group collectively.
For Kim Jae-kyoung, the Silver Button marks an early however important stage.
“Our objective is a million,” he mentioned. “This occasion needs to be a turning level and a possibility to make the channel extra formidable and artistic.”
He added that after the channel reaches the 300,000 to 400,000 subscriber vary, invites to Ok-pop idols and celebrities may grow to be doable, encouraging continued help for the channel.
