South Korean artist Jaha Koo won a big award in Oslo. The award is called the International Ibsen award. The Norwegian government gives this prize. It includes 2.5 million kroner, which is about ยฃ200,000. Koo is famous for his theater shows. He mixes South Korean culture with European ideas.
Koo's life changed when he moved from South Korea to Berlin. He traveled with 10kg of kimchi from his grandmother. During the trip, the kimchi exploded on his balcony in Berlin. This story shows how difficult it is to move to a new culture. He uses food to talk about his identity.
His show "Haribo Kimchi" uses Haribo gummy candies and kimchi. He uses the idea of "jelliness." This means that people can change under pressure but return to their original shape. The stage looks like a pojangmacha, which is a Korean snack cart. The audience can eat food like cold seaweed soup and a drink called somaek. Somaek is a mix of soju and beer. In Korea, eating together is a way to build community. This is called "sikku."
Koo also made a show called "Cuckoo." In that show, he used rice cookers to talk about social pressure. He uses everyday objects to talk about big problems. The success in Oslo shows that people love his art. The Guardian says his shows are delicious and make people think. The 2.5 million kroner will help his future work. He uses food to help people understand life and culture.