Modisumers Come Up With Novel Snack Combinations

After its historical win at the Oscars, the Korea film "Parasite" was seen by many people in Korea and overseas.

Due to the movie's popularity, international media reported on an interesting Korean food that was consumed by one of the characters in the movie.

It was an instant noodle meal called "Chapaguri."

However, you would not be able to find Chapaguri at your local grocery store.

Rather, you would have to purchase and mix two separate instant noodles : a spicy ramyeon called Neoguri and Chapagetti, which is eaten with a black bean sauce.

The resulting mixture offers a new kind of taste.

Chapaguri was actually introduced to the Korean public in 2013.

Back then, it was a prime example of something created by a "modisumer."

The term itself is a combination of two existing words : "modify" and "consumer."

Modisumers refer to customers who don't use a product in the conventional way that was intended by its maker.

Instead, they put their own twist to it, often coming up with surprising results.

Modisumers can be seen at work in different industries.

Like Chapaguri, they may mix two noodles with divergent tastes, or bring together various snacks and drinks in unexpected ways.

Modisumers have also come up with new combinations of cosmetics and even furniture.

Furthermore, domestic companies have latched onto the modisumer trend by selling the modified versions as new products.

The makers of Chapaguri have even launched a global marketing campaign that targets fans of "Parasite."

Through it, they introduce the snack and share its recipe in 11 different languages.

 

• Rather ˈræðər  오히려, 꽤, 약간, 상당히  Rather than …보다는[대신에/…하지 말고]  Back then 그 당시에   intend ɪnˈtend 의도[작정]하다, (…하려고) 생각하다

• conventional kənˈvenʃənl 관습[관례]적인, 극히 평범한[인습적인] (↔unconventional) , 전통적인, 종래의 (↔unconventional)

• divergent divə́:rdʒənt  분기하는, 갈라지는(opp. convergent), (관습 등에서) 일탈한  diverge daɪ|vɜːrdʒ (다른 방향으로) 갈라지다[분기하다/나뉘다]

• latch lætʃ (문의) 걸쇠 / 걸쇠를 걸다, 걸쇠로 잠그다