[Grace Kao] Le Sserafim’s ‘Spaghetti’ and K-pop’s obsession with food
News October 28, 2025

[Grace Kao] Le Sserafim’s ‘Spaghetti’ and K-pop’s obsession with food

I just watched the music video for Le Sserafim’s new single, “Spaghetti” (featuring BTS’s J-Hope), where you can see the members of the group selling spaghetti to a group of customers from a food truck. In a different scene, J-Hope is playing with the noodles in a bowl, but he never actually eats them. The promotional shorts focus on other food items with visual concept versions: (1) cheeky neon pepper; (2) knocking basil; and (3) weird garlic. The video reminded me of K-pop’s obsession with son

Le Sserafim’s latest single, “Spaghetti,” featuring BTS’s J-Hope, has sparked a conversation about a recurring theme in K-pop: the fascination with food. The music video presents a vibrant and playful scenario where the Le Sserafim members operate a spaghetti food truck, serving up dishes to eager customers. While the scene is lighthearted and visually appealing, it raises questions about the deeper connection between food and the K-pop aesthetic.

The video also features J-Hope playfully interacting with a bowl of spaghetti, but noticeably, he doesn’t consume the dish. This detail, combined with the overall food-centric theme, highlights the symbolic rather than practical use of food within the music video's narrative.

Adding another layer to this culinary concept are the promotional shorts released in conjunction with the single. These shorts showcase visually striking representations of various food items, including a cheeky neon pepper, knocking basil, and a rather peculiar depiction of garlic. These aren’t just random ingredients; they are presented as visual concepts, further cementing the importance of food as a stylistic element in Le Sserafim’s promotional strategy.

This isn't an isolated incident. K-pop has a history of incorporating food imagery into its music videos, album art, and promotional content. Sometimes it's used to convey a sense of fun and youthfulness, while other times it serves as a metaphor for love, desire, or even social commentary. The use of spaghetti, a globally recognized and comforting dish, in Le Sserafim's new single, therefore, contributes to this ongoing trend, inviting viewers to consider the deeper meaning behind the visual feast presented before them and contemplate K-pop's ongoing love affair with all things edible. The success of "Spaghetti" might just encourage more artists to explore this flavorful avenue of creative expression.
Category: Entertainment