Korean BBQs offer a fun and immersive twist to a typical meal out. However, for the inexperienced, they can also pose a safety hazard.
In a viral video that has amassed 12.5 million views, TikToker Les (@lesliftt) and her group were attempting to use the Korean BBQ. However, their meal quite literally went up in flames. An explosion of fire rippled through the whole BBQ, setting the whole thing alight.
Accompanying the chaos was an on-screen caption reading, “First Korean BBQ.” Carl Orff’s classical number ‘O Fortuna’ undoubtedly added to the drama.
But it wasn’t all bad. The TikToker revealed in the video description that they got free dessert following the inferno.
Les didn’t immediately respond to The Mary Sue’s request for comment via TikTok comment.
Commenters were amused
Still, commenters shared their shock (and amusement) at the situation.
“In all my years of KBBQ, I have never seen this,” one wrote.
“I love the way fire is caught on camera,” another added. “It’s like a movie.”
While a third quipped, “Nonchalantly opening the gates to hell at the Korean BBQ.”
“WHY ARE YOU GUYS SETTING A CAMPFIRE IN A KOREAN BBQ?” a fourth questioned.
Brands also got involved, with the official Coke TikTok writing, “‘How was KBBQ?’ ‘Absolutely fire.'”
This wasn’t the only question users had for Les. Many asked why there was paper on the grill, but one commenter provided an explanation. “For people who don’t know lol. The paper isn’t what started the flame up. He’s cooking pork belly, which is super fatty and releases a lot of oil,” they said. “On top of that, he’s got burnt bits of food on the grill, so combine those two together and it’s a fire.”
@lesliftt Got free dessert after ??? @???? ? @Victor Rojas #first #koreanbbq #nashville #fypシ #viral ♬ original sound – Kidz Tok
This comes after a viral hibachi grill trend
Several commenters also made reference to hibachis, which are a type of Japanese flat-topped grills. These grills, like Korean BBQs, can ignite into a fireball while cooking food. However, in the case of hibachis, these fireballs are more contained and are a normal part of the cooking experience. Another notable difference is that chefs will often cook your food on a hibachi grill situated at your table, while Korean BBQs are self-serving.
As part of a viral TikTok trend, diners are sharing videos of their babies and toddlers reacting to the moment these grills are set alight. The thing these videos have in common is that they all have ‘O Fortuna’ playing in the background.
So, it can be assumed that Les’ video was designed to be a twist on this trend—even if the flare-up was a little bigger than anyone could’ve anticipated.
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