UAE rainy day K-Pop recipes: BTS Jin’s noodle soup and EXO Chanyeol’s viral tteokbokki

Thunder, lightning, and a lot of rain.

Maybe you're one of those who loves the rains, and the sounds of the drops lashing against the windows. Or, maybe you belong to the category of people who will never understand the romanticisation of rain and that's fair, too.

But if there's one thing that bridges both these categories: It's some good food, while being homebound. And no, that does not mean a takeaway at all, that just means looking inside your own kitchen and whipping up some warm, comfort bowl of food. As we've been told, the cloudy skies do create a mood board of their own, and so the serotonin levels dip. Your brain compensates by reaching for quick mood lifters, and you look for anything that comforts you.

Food becomes a form of grounding, something familiar when everything outside feels grey and unsettled. Crunchy textures feel more satisfying, spice mimics warmth, and rain unlocks memory mode, pulling you back to childhood kitchens, shared snacks, and rainy afternoons.

The comfort food mood board: Rainy-Day Korean recipes

If your cravings are already spiralling, we've got some ideas of comfort food for you, with a little help from K-Pop idols.

BTS Jin’s Comforting Janchi Guksu (Savoury noodle soup)

When rain calls for something soothing, this bowl answers.

Ingredients

• Thin wheat noodles

• 1 onion, 1 zucchini, 1 carrot, chopped

• Green onions, chopped

• Kimchi (for topping)

• Cooking oil, salt, black pepper

For the broth:

• Dried anchovies

• Dried kelp

• Soy sauce

• Salt

Method

1. Lightly stir-fry onion, zucchini, carrot, and green onions in a little oil until soft and fragrant.

2. In a pot of boiling water, add dried anchovies and kelp. Boil, then remove them to create a clean broth base.

3. Add soy sauce and a pinch of salt, letting it simmer for a few minutes.

4. Cook noodles separately until just tender.

5. Assemble noodles in a bowl, pour over hot broth, and top with kimchi.

Warm, clean, and deeply comforting,mlike the food equivalent of listening to rain from indoors.

BLACKPINK Jennie’s Kimchi Fried Rice

Ingredients

• 1 cup kimchi, chopped

• 2 cups cooked rice (preferably cold)

• 1 tbsp vegetable or sesame oil

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tbsp gochujang (optional, for heat)

• 1 tsp sugar (optional)

• 1 fried egg (for topping)

• Sesame seeds & green onions (optional garnish)

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan and sauté kimchi until soft and aromatic (2–3 minutes).

2. Add rice and break up clumps, mixing well with kimchi.

3. Stir in soy sauce, gochujang, and sugar. Cook until evenly combined.

4. Fry an egg separately.

5. Top rice with the egg and garnish if desired.

It’s the kind of dish that turns a grey day into something with attitude.

Mamamoo Hwasa’s truffle ramen (Luxury comfort bowl)

Comfort with a side of more comfort please, thank you.

Ingredients

• 1 pack instant ramen (any favourite)

• Seasoning packet (from ramen)

• 1 tsp–1 tbsp truffle oil (to taste)

• Optional toppings: egg, spring onions

Method

1. Cook ramen as usual according to packet instructions.

2. Stir in seasoning while noodles are hot.

3. Add truffle oil and mix thoroughly.

4. Top with egg or spring onions if you’re feeling fancy.

EXO Chanyeol’s Tteokbokki (Spicy rain-day kick)

It's chewy, fiery, and impossible to ignore.

Ingredients

• Rice cakes (tteokbokki)

• Gochujang (red pepper paste)

• Chili powder

• Soy sauce

• Sugar

• Garlic (crushed)

• Fish cakes (optional)

• Eggs (optional)

• Green onions

Method

1. Add rice cakes to a pan with water and bring to a simmer.

2. Stir in gochujang, chili powder, soy sauce, sugar, and garlic.

3. Add fish cakes and let everything cook until sauce thickens.

4. Finish with green onions and boiled eggs if using.

Spicy enough to match the mood of the rain, comforting enough to keep you going back for more.