Korean BBQ Festival & Cook-Off!

Category:: Kids & Family
When:: Saturday, August 8, 2009 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Where:: Parking Lot @ The Summit on 6th

3223 West 6Th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90020
How:: Official Website
Cost:: Free
Submitted by:: dawson s. See all of dawson s.'s events »
What/Why:: The primal urge of grilled and smoked meats transcends cultures and continents. Los Angeles is home to some of the best Korean BBQ restaurants in the nation, a blend of Korean technique and American ingredients. The First Annual Korean BBQ Cookoff will showcase the best Korean barbecue restaurants and dishes - hand-picked by a team of experts, in the largest social enclave for Koreans in America... K-Town, baby!

o-o-o-o-o

OFFICIAL YELP AFTER PARTY will be held at R Bar in K-Town
$3 brews and $5 well cocktails from 8p-10p
Password to get in: "All You Can Eat!"
http://www.yelp.com/bi...

o-o-o-o-o

EVENT SCHEDULE

* 2:00 pm - YELP AYCE CHALLENGE featuring MYSTERY INGREDIENT
* 3:30 pm - COOKING DEMO "How to Marinate Korean BBQ" by Monica Yang, resident chef at Good Samaritan Hospital
* 5:00 pm - COOK-OFF Competition
* 6:30 pm - Awards ceremony
* 8:00 - 10:00 pm - YELP AFTER PARTY @ R Bar

o-o-o-o-o

THE DEETS

* 5,000 participants expected for this all day event!

* YELP AYCE (All You Can Eat) CHALLENGE at 2pm!
Six contestants will face the mystery ingredient that will be revealed at the Festival. Trophy, cash prize and some serious bragging rights to the winner!

* Ten restaurants are participating in the COOK-OFF competition including Byul Dae Po (Star BBQ), Ham Ji Park, Jinju Galbi, Mu Dae Po, Park's BBQ, So Hyang, and Soowon Galbi. (links below)

* COOK-OFF categories will include LA galbi (marinated bone-in beef ribs), galbi (marinated boned-out beef ribs), pork ribs, bulgogi (marinated sliced sirloin), and grilled intestine barbecue.

* Vendor restaurants will sell dishes for $10-15/plate. Vendors will accept cash so be sure to bring the green!

* Other food vendors will include: Sprinkles cupcakes, shaved ice, drinks, grilled corn, and more.

* DJ DENKYM will be spinning the festival

* BEER GARDEN

*Sponsors include: Yelp, http://AllKPop.com, California Country Club, the U.S. Census Bureau, The Chadwick Apartment Homes, The Mercury, Coors Brewing Co., Blue Moon Brewery Company, and the Good Samaritan Hospital.

COOK -OFF JUDGES

* Jonathan Gold, L.A. Weekly food critic and columnist
* Evan Kleinman, KCRW's "Good Food" host, Chef/Owner Angeli Caffe
* Emile Mack, Los Angeles Fire Department deputy chief
* Jim McDonnell, Los Angeles Police Department 1st assistant chief
* Russ Parsons, Los Angeles Times food critic and columnist
* Herb Wesson, Local Elected Official
* Michelle Park Steel, Local Elected Official

WHERE: Parking lot of the Summit on Sixth Building @ Vermont. The event is accessible through the Walgreens parking lot off of Vermont Ave. or Sixth St., as well as off of New Hampshire Ave.

PARKING: $5 in the subterranean lot of The Summit. Overflow parking located at 3225 Wilshire Blvd, and entrance is on New Hampshire between Wilshire & 6th. There's also the Metro stop right across the street!

PETS: Leave pup at home for this one. There will be no dogs allowed!

o-o-o-o-o

KBBQ FOOD VENDORS:

Beverly Soon Tofu
http://www.yelp.com/bi...

Beul Dae Po (Star BBQ)
http://www.yelp.com/bi...

Ham Ji Park
http://www.yelp.com/bi...

Moo Dae Po
http://www.yelp.com/bi...

Park's BBQ
http://www.yelp.com/bi...

Seoul Jung
http://www.yelp.com/bi...

So Hyang
http://www.yelp.com/bi...

Soowon Galbi
http://www.yelp.com/bi...

o-o-o-o-o

About event organizer, KAC

The Korean American Coalition - Los Angeles (KAC) is a nonprofit organization established in 1983 to promote the civic and civil rights interests of the Korean American community. KAC endeavors to achieve these goals through education, community organizing, leadership development, and coalition-building with diverse communities.

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Elite '09

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7/10/2009 Ben G. says:

Sounds fun, will there be places to eat korean bbq too or is this just a festival with events.

7/10/2009 PETER "PINCHE KOREANO" L. says:

Oooohhh, i'm in----i wish i could enter.......

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7/11/2009 marlon "ThE ChEmIsT" e. says:

will there be BBQ'd Korean?

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7/11/2009 Ryan "Top Raw Man" M. says:

Wow, sounds awesome. I'll see if I can come out to LA since I'm all for KBBQ.

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7/11/2009 Shauna "Vodka is still my #1 Lover" D. says:

A free event for KBBQ? OMG! So in!

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7/12/2009 Kevin "Like White on Rice....is that wrong???" C. says:

Pretty sure I'm in just gotta wait and see if obligations pop up.....I sure want to attend and usually have work off then too

7/12/2009 Patrick "Pure Sushi" P. says:

I wish there was more information about the event.

7/12/2009 Wil "Craving for Palabok Fiesta" W. says:

Is this a free event or their is an admission charge

7/12/2009 Richard "Ain't no shame in country music" L. says:

how do you get in on the AYCE challenege?!

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7/12/2009 dawson "@SauceLA" s. says:

There will be more info... including how to get in on the AYCE challenge... coming soon!

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7/12/2009 Robert "completely clean.....and smooth" Z. says:

Thanks Dawson

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7/12/2009 Robert "completely clean.....and smooth" Z. says:

(I tried to Google this and didn't find anything)

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7/12/2009 Paul "Captain Liver Damage" D. says:

Next to a subway station too, that's always a bonus.

7/12/2009 kkakdoogee "aka yongstar" k. says:

Glorious. Magnificent. The Ultimate...

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7/13/2009 Melissa N. says:

seriously?! I'll be out of town?! sad... sad, i tell you

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7/13/2009 dawson "@SauceLA" s. says:

To answer the big question... yes, the festival is free! There will be Korean food vendors on-site so you can eat (and spend) as much or as little as you like.

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7/13/2009 Derek "Zoolander" Z. says:

i saw the mayor today and he told me he was gonna win the AYCE.

7/13/2009 Helen "i can out-eat you" K. says:

yay! can't wait!

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7/13/2009 Winnie L. says:

the AYCE mystery item hopefully isn't beef intestines or mountain chain tripe or something like that :-P

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7/13/2009 Frank K. says:

i hope you guys dont melt.

7/13/2009 PETER "PINCHE KOREANO" L. says:

if i go.... then i want to be reassured i won't be barbecued.

7/13/2009 Peter "Xamot" R. says:

i think i just passed out with excitement. Where am i, what happened....

7/14/2009 Jo "Dude. I'm not that asian." E. says:

I love hot Koreans!... I mean, hot Korean meat.... I mean meaty hot Koreans!.. I mean.. well, whatever.

7/15/2009 Andreia G. says:

I'm so sad I won't be in town for this

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7/15/2009 Lauren H. says:

beeeeeffffff! and koreansssss! i can't wait

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7/15/2009 Ben F. says:

I want in on the ayce challenge. Doesnt matter what it is, I am down!

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7/16/2009 dawson "@SauceLA" s. says:

Ben, that's what I like to hear!

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7/16/2009 SunDo K. says:

This is so tempting...i wish my very first Yelp Event is Elite Event....but this is very tempting....

7/18/2009 JOO HYUK "JHL918" L. says:

Are there any co-sponsorship or advertising opportunities for this event?

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7/20/2009 Bobby "finding noms" C. says:

OOOO KBBQ!!!

Hmmm, might be able to make this one!

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7/21/2009 dawson "@SauceLA" s. says:

Sign-ups for the mystery AYCE competition will start later this week... we'll keep you posted!

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7/21/2009 Mariah "Not A Morning Person" C. says:

Mexican UYE?
or
Korean BBQ Festival?

*Flips coin*

Mexican

Adios Amigos/Amigas
Have fun!

7/21/2009 CATE D. says:

AYCE - All You Can Eat... makes sense to me. :)

this sure is fun. hope they'll post more details about it though...

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7/22/2009 dawson "@SauceLA" s. says:

More updates posted!

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7/22/2009 Simon "SiMonster" C. says:

mariah, this is from noon to 8PM. mexican uye starts at 8PM. so....

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7/23/2009 Kevin "Like White on Rice....is that wrong???" C. says:

Ok I am in for the AYCE!!!!

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7/23/2009 Shauna "Vodka is still my #1 Lover" D. says:

Oh man, I just read the food vendor list. I still haven't tried parks or soonwon. For that matter, haven't tried Beverly's either. So excited!

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7/23/2009 Derek "Zoolander" Z. says:

minty - arent you on vacation??

7/23/2009 Damon "the pro eater-fuck you Damon guy" W. says:

Oh I'm so in for the AYCE! Is their a prize for the winner?

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7/23/2009 Ben G. says:

OMG what a list of vendors I can't wait!!!!!!

7/23/2009 Bryan "always down" I. says:

whaaaaaaaaaaaa? i need to mentally prepare. i beeee down

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7/23/2009 Simon "SiMonster" C. says:

minty! beverly, parks, and soowon are the holy trinity of ktown yumminess!

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7/23/2009 Shannon "Downtown Shan" V. says:

I want to participate in the cook off. how can I enter? Thanks! shan.

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7/23/2009 Jenni "WAFFLES" H. says:

Businesses are allowed to participate in the cook off.

Feel free to PM for sponsorship information

7/23/2009 Damon "the pro eater-fuck you Damon guy" W. says:

what about info on entering the eating contest?

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7/23/2009 dawson "@SauceLA" s. says:

Damon, you can send a note to la@yelp.com if you'd like to enter and we'll get your name on the list to receive more details when they're available.

7/23/2009 Damon "the pro eater-fuck you Damon guy" W. says:

actually already did that this morning and didn't recieve and email back... so as long as something is in the works then that's great. Thanx Dawson!

7/23/2009 PETER "PINCHE KOREANO" L. says:

dawson! im cravin korean food right now!

*opens fridge---takes out pahn chawn-and bbq left over---and starts feasting* = )

i wonder wha is the bbq mystery?

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7/23/2009 dawson "@SauceLA" s. says:

If you sent the mail in, we've got you on the list and will send you more info when it's available!

Who said the AYCE mystery is BBQ? :P

7/23/2009 PETER "PINCHE KOREANO" L. says:

uh oh---sooo the ayce main course can be almost anything!? ohhhhhh myyyyyyyy!!!!!! = ]

7/23/2009 Damon "the pro eater-fuck you Damon guy" W. says:

Good deal, I always put on a show when I eat for speed...

BBQ is good clean fun when it's an eating contest.

http://www.youtube.com...

Joey Chestnut really isn't human

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7/23/2009 Jeannette "The Explorer" P. says:

Yum.... Korean BBQ!

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7/23/2009 dawson "@SauceLA" s. says:

Damon, that is some epic carnage right there!

Nothing beats the hot dog eating contests though. Man, those are barbaric.

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7/23/2009 Kevin "Like White on Rice....is that wrong???" C. says:

I know nobody said it was BBQ but Dawson you know me I eat any kinda Asian

7/23/2009 Damon "the pro eater-fuck you Damon guy" W. says:

2 hours ago dawson "don't shoot the messenger!" s. says:

Damon, that is some epic carnage right there!

Nothing beats the hot dog eating contests though. Man, those are barbaric

-----

IFOCE holds some pretty epic events. the Dumpling contest is Aug 22nd at the Nisei week Japanese festival in LA... Last year Chestnut and Pat Bertolettie were there. I mean there is a difference between freak eating and unreal, these guys are unreal!

http://niseiweek.org/

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7/27/2009 Jonathan "What would Jim Rockford do?" T. says:

i'm creating an extra special partition in my tummy for this gorgefest. a-whoo. hoo!

7/27/2009 Apple P. says:

I am going to NoCa on 7th... :(

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7/28/2009 Tony C. says:

Russ Parson has been confirmed as a K-BBQ judge.

7/29/2009 Damon "the pro eater-fuck you Damon guy" W. says:

Dawson,

I sent my email to the adress above for the AYCE contest, but still haven't recieved a reply. Can I assume that I'm already in?

Also is this a timed event or who ever can eat the most before taping out? I understand the food item will be revealed the day off.

Thanx!

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7/30/2009 Bridget "sleeping through life" V. says:

I would love to go to this. To bad it's so far and I can't find anyone to go with.

7/31/2009 Albert "the dork" N. says:

Can't wait for the kbbq

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7/31/2009 Al "the token black guy" C. says:

I may have to breeze through this one.

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7/31/2009 dawson "@SauceLA" s. says:

I may have to Febreeze through this one... ;)

7/31/2009 Damon "the pro eater-fuck you Damon guy" W. says:

BUMP TO THIS? anything?

****************
Dawson,

I sent my email to the adress above for the AYCE contest, but still haven't recieved a reply. Can I assume that I'm already in?

Also is this a timed event or who ever can eat the most before taping out? I understand the food item will be revealed the day off.

Thanx!

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7/31/2009 dawson "@SauceLA" s. says:

Hey Damon - All of the contenders will get more info on the contest and rules closer to the event date. Your name's still on the interest list. :)

7/31/2009 Damon "the pro eater-fuck you Damon guy" W. says:

^^ nice. thanx!

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8/1/2009 Shauna "Vodka is still my #1 Lover" D. says:

What, there's an after party? Shit. I guess I'm in for that too.

Loved "How To Read a French Fry".

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8/1/2009 dawson "@SauceLA" s. says:

Of course there's an after party. You know how we do...

:)

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8/1/2009 Shauna "Vodka is still my #1 Lover" D. says:

Yes, booze and food. Food and booze. Love yelp!

8/2/2009 Sheri "So Guuh!" L. says:

Need....more......pork belly.......yooommmm

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8/2/2009 Kristin C. says:

are food and drink purchased with drink tickets or anything like that? or we do know an approximate cost of how much food will cost?

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8/2/2009 dawson "@SauceLA" s. says:

As far as I know, vendors will take cash and plates will range from $5-$15, with most of the BBQ meats in the $10-$15 range. There will be lotsa samples, too.. :)

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8/3/2009 Dave H. says:

Wow, a festival just for KBBQ? Hardcore

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8/3/2009 Sarah "I carry my own hot sauce" C. says:

How come pretty much all the judges are non-Korean? You'd think Koreans would know Korean BBQ best...

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8/3/2009 dawson "@SauceLA" s. says:

Part of the vibe of the event is to open up KTown to the rest of the LA community since for so many years it was perceived to be quite insular and in some respects, still is. That's why all the different faces on the panel. There's a Korean judge, too.. :)

8/3/2009 linda "www.lindangomakeup.weebly.com check it out!" n. says:

Will there be soju???? Im in! How much is cover? Are there any presale tickets or discounts?

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8/3/2009 dawson "@SauceLA" s. says:

Yes there will be soju... and no, no admission price, just food and alcohol vendors to purchase from.

All of the deets in event post above.. :)

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8/3/2009 Derek "Zoolander" Z. says:

what is KBBQ?

8/3/2009 PETER "PINCHE KOREANO" L. says:

there r some soju haters---oh well---they have told me that they don't like it--oh well.

the after party sounds jus right, dawson.

8/4/2009 Michele G. says:

Yea that sound cool.... I will eat alot of samples so I dont have to buy anything!!!

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8/4/2009 RON "SURFINRON" A. says:

hey dawson, so what's the price for this event? i needs my kbbq bad

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8/4/2009 RON "SURFINRON" A. says:

so is there goin' to be lots of parking

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8/4/2009 Linda R. says:

Oooo, thats my birthday weekend! WANT.

Is it spendy? We're attending an out-of-state wedding in September and are watching our every penny these days.

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8/4/2009 RON "SURFINRON" A. says:

dawson, when can i enter the challenge? i'm ready now. i needs my kbbq now

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8/4/2009 dawson "@SauceLA" s. says:

Details above in the event post!

:)

8/4/2009 Ramiro "Mr. Restaurant" R. says:

I am there!!!!!!!!!

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8/4/2009 Winnie "The Wonder Kid" W. says:

this sounds like an unbelievable event. too bad i'll be out of town.

thanks for the heads up though, ms dawson.

8/4/2009 M "Food is Good" A. says:

I think I'm going to skip dinner on Friday night to be super hungrey for this! J/K I'm there...

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8/4/2009 Andrea "extra spicy" L. says:

this place is gonna be jam packed with Yelpers! YAY!

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8/4/2009 Jan "Miss March" D. says:

i'm in.. who wants to be my lucky date? ^_^

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8/4/2009 Smitcha "sp00dge" B. says:

getting hungry reading this again.

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8/4/2009 Cassandra S. "I just had a food-O" K. says:

this is a must attend event for me, kinda =)

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8/4/2009 Paula L. says:

dang! best event ever!

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8/4/2009 Jan "Miss March" D. says:

i need to get my man to go w/ me.. yum yum yummmmmmmmm

8/4/2009 Ken "what are you looking at" M. says:

Korean BBQ EH???

I hope its popular.

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8/4/2009 Tim "Blackdragon - AKA Meat Monster" C. says:

Jan, even if you have to go by yourself, you are great company of Yelpers. I'll come by after my duties for the day finish. Hopefully it's before 5PM so I'll have 3 hours of KBBQ to feast on.

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8/4/2009 Rilindo "Always Distracted" F. says:

LA seems so far from Atlanta right now. . . :(

8/4/2009 saul "metro" g. says:

I'm so there! Good bye diet, for one day! lol

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8/5/2009 Calvin "Certified Laker Hater" D. says:

where do i park? lol

8/5/2009 Figaro A. says:

Is there FREE food to sample at the Festival?? $15 for a vendor plate of spicy pork & kimchee seems steep...

8/5/2009 PETER "PINCHE KOREANO" L. says:

whoa---as of right now we have 221 who wanna attend!

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8/5/2009 pauline "panda" c. says:

u should see the invite at facebook, its over 1000 on that one haha

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8/5/2009 Kevin "Like White on Rice....is that wrong???" C. says:

Should i start my ayce training yet?

8/5/2009 Damon "the pro eater-fuck you Damon guy" W. says:

2 minutes ago Kevin "likes a good Caucasian" C. says:

Should i start my ayce training yet?

-------------

if you haven't started a few weeks ago you're in big trouble...

sweet avatar btw. You realize that this event is on Shomer Shabbos right?

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8/5/2009 Jenni "WAFFLES" H. says:

Dawson rocks the house! Woo hoo 200+!! Rbar after party is going to be crazy! Wish I could make it!!

Plates ARE $10-$15 .... please arrive with a group of friends so you can share dishes!!!
We will work on lowering prices for next year.

*Remember the event is CASH only*

$5 parking is available in the Summit lot on New Hampshire and 6th. This will fill up quickly. Carpool/bike/metro is highly recommend.

The main entrance will be on Vermont where the Wallgreens is. See you wonderful Yelpers Saturday!

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8/5/2009 Kevin "Like White on Rice....is that wrong???" C. says:

I won't be rolling if it's shabbos, but I will consume all I'm my path

8/5/2009 Simon C. says:

Carpool, anyone?

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8/5/2009 dawson "@SauceLA" s. says:

Simon, the Wilshire/Vermont Metro station is right across the street... leave the car at home if you can!

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8/6/2009 pauline "panda" c. says:

me and dee c. will be working @the beer garden from ~2-6p. come and say hi!!!!

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8/6/2009 Kong "The Yelping Panda Bear" Y. says:

All be dang...I should definitely head out for this one and forget the DIET!

8/6/2009 Robert S. says:

Does anyone know if this is a pet friendly event?

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8/6/2009 Simon "SiMonster" C. says:

whoa! there's another simon c. on yelp!?! and we're both going to the event??? this may cause a tear in the time/space continuum...

i think i'm gonna bike there if it's not too hot.

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8/6/2009 William C. says:

In response to Robert S. re: pet friendly event? I am sharing the response from one of the event organizers as I had the same question:

"Hey Will, unfortunately the space is kinda small so I would advise on leaving the pooch at home..i know my lil dog would have loved to come (just in case he gets trampled over). If this becomes successful this year, we'll keep that in mind for next year.

Thanks for asking! Hope to see you there."

8/6/2009 BDub U. says:

why is there not one korean judge?

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8/6/2009 Jenni "WAFFLES" H. says:

Baro, long time !

Michelle Park Steele is Korean :]

As an LA community event...Gotta admit, its a well rounded panel of judges.

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8/6/2009 Rick "jinja" W. says:

whoa! no chance i can beat baro!

8/6/2009 stephen c. says:

I think the metro is going to be your best friend for this one? don't get robbed!

8/6/2009 Figaro A. says:

It's been my experience that all the Chinese/Viet/Jap/Korean restaurants recommended by L.A. Times (i.e. white critics) have had very bad food as far as I'm concerned ...eg. Elite dim sum in Alhambra, China Tea House in Torrance, That's why I am on Yelp...

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8/6/2009 Shauna "Vodka is still my #1 Lover" D. says:

Baro!! See you there?

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8/6/2009 Tim "Blackdragon - AKA Meat Monster" C. says:

Dude, Baro, haven't seen you in ages. If I'm able to get away, I'll have to come after 5PM.
Please don't eat everything and leave me a byte. ha ha

Good seeing you back.

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8/6/2009 Tim "Blackdragon - AKA Meat Monster" C. says:

Robert S. says:

Does anyone know if this is a pet friendly event?
------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------
From fine print in the event text above:
PETS: Leave pup at home for this one. There will be no dogs allowed!

8/7/2009 Damon "the pro eater-fuck you Damon guy" W. says:

Dawson,

I see that you updated the AYCE with 6 contestants... How do I know if I'm in or not... and any info as far as it being a timed event or just who can eat the most before giving up?

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8/7/2009 Ed "Edar" C. says:

this is going to be a zoo

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8/7/2009 Jenni "WAFFLES" H. says:

C'mon 300! n_n

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8/7/2009 marlon "ThE ChEmIsT" e. says:

how's the parking for this place?

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8/7/2009 Victoria "the Vixen" C. says:

I'm taking the subway. It lets out a block away. :)

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8/7/2009 dawson "@SauceLA" s. says:

Marlon.... read the event details about parking above :)

Vic... smart lady. ;)

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8/7/2009 dawson "@SauceLA" s. says:

I've just gone through all of the contestants for the AYCE Challenge and, let me just say... it's gonna be EPIC!

Our resident competitive eater Kevin C will be throwin' it down! Ya hear that, Austin? :P

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8/8/2009 Shauna "Vodka is still my #1 Lover" D. says:

Can't wait! We'll be there early to cheer on the AYCE competiton eaters!

8/8/2009 Damon "the pro eater-fuck you Damon guy" W. says:

Dawson,

I just the email for the AYCE, and just sent the reply... did all the spots get filled?

8/8/2009 Damon "the pro eater-fuck you Damon guy" W. says:

Drat, it appears I missed out, sucks I was fired up for the last 3 weeks. Good luck everybody! I'm still gonna try to make it out there.

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8/8/2009 Cecile "...is for lovers" Q. says:

damon, wear pink!

8/8/2009 PETER "PINCHE KOREANO" L. says:

im not sure when i wanna go, i like to see the eatin contest, and the after party at the r bar.

8/8/2009 CYnthia E. says:

Just came from the event. Good: Large crowds. Not so Good: Long, long, long lines. By the time I got my meal- I just about lost my appetite. Not enough seating to accommodate turnout. No trash cans. And some vendors ran out of meat-- and I left at 3pm and Sprinkles was no where to be seen. Perhaps all will be better next year.

8/8/2009 Michael "Ninja Chef" M. says:

I just got home after stuffing myself with Choco pies on stage... It's kinda up in the air as to who really won. Should've had those boy scouts stand up there to count each person. People in the audience were telling me later the dude that won was just picking up wrappers from all over and it was obvious he didn't eat 28 cuz he didn't even have his 3rd box open yet. Oh well... Maybe someone can check the video. Fun event anyway! Thanks Dawson!

8/8/2009 Hawk H. says:

Got there at 1pm. No beer line at first and only a 15 minute wait for a great BIG meal! Don't know the name of the vender but they are located at 3407 W. 6th Street. Really good BBQ. I had a great time and I hope next year it will be at a bigger venue. Griffith Park maybe? A bit of a ways from K town but the event would be perfect in a park atmosphere... I hope this continues to go one for years and years!

Hey Ted! Thanks for the shirt!!!

Great job by the organizers and everybody for a first time event!

8/8/2009 Josue "Josue" G. says:

More like Korean Line Festival! The lines were LONG.... too long for me and my guest. We headed down the street after taking in the atmosphere. It was good for a first annual; just hope they learned and make it better next year.

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8/8/2009 Robot Mikey "BEEP!" L. says:

I came early and got parking downstairs. We were so early that we had to wait b/c vendors hadn't passed inspection yet. So we had a few beers at the beer garden and waited to see what dishes people would bring in. Yes, lines were long, but the food was good. They definitely need a larger venue if they plan to hold another event. I was talking to an organizer and she mentioned that they planned for 3K attendees, but she estimated that they got at least 5K people to visit. She was concerned b/c they were running out of food. I was lucky enough to get some cupcakes from the Sprinkles truck and I did even get to do some condo shopping at the Summit. Those places were overpriced and tiny.

8/8/2009 Michael "Ninja Chef" M. says:

I feel kinda bad for the people working for the vendors. I could tell they were fairly inexperienced. I guess the regular kitchen staff has to stay at the restaurant, so most of the workers were youngsters who kinda ran around like chickens with their heads cut off. Hopefully if this happens again next year, they will find some faster workers to work the booths, cuz that seemed to be the biggest complaint all around. Need to get some of those taco truck workers who crank out 2 orders every minute.

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8/8/2009 Robot Mikey "BEEP!" L. says:

But, you have to admit, they did a pretty good job for a first ever event. The organizer said that next year that the event will be at a bigger location.

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8/8/2009 Jonathan "J-Dog" L. says:

Who's coming to r bar?

8/8/2009 Michael "Ninja Chef" M. says:

Not me... Choco Pies put me out of commission... Nursing myself back to health at home.

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8/8/2009 Kevin "Like White on Rice....is that wrong???" C. says:

I second that

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8/8/2009 Kevin "Like White on Rice....is that wrong???" C. says:

I sure had fun today just wish I ate more meat before the pies, and by more I mean any....all good, more reason to go get some with some of my favorite yelpers another day and that mean all of you

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8/8/2009 Robot Mikey "BEEP!" L. says:

Ah Kevin, so you were one of the contestants. We were in line but could see only a few people. My friend yelled out "I didn't know Freddie Roach was in this contest." Haha.

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8/8/2009 Tony C. says:

Sunburnt.

Who won the cookoff? Waffles L was hustlin but gdamn... the crowd was nuts. I didn't (thankfully) get to eat a darn thing.

Fun.

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8/8/2009 Shauna "Vodka is still my #1 Lover" D. says:

Man, some people brought dogs to the event!

Saw Sandra Oh! That's the second time in a week for me. Maybe she is stalking me? Lol.

It was crowded and the lines were long but I sampled 3 places including Park's which was my fave. Also got corn and something that made me think Korean onigiri. But with KBBQ and kimchi.

Had fun! Even went to the VIP airconditioned beer garden for a while since the regular beer garden had a line and people were spilling out of it.

Hung out with the yelp crew which is always fun!

But now I gotta take care of the worst sunburn. Is Korean aloe juice good to pour on it? J/K.

Thanks yelp and Dawson!

8/8/2009 Todd "Toddster" P. says:

Way disappointed! Terrible ideal to have an event in a parking lot in the middle of summer! Did the planning committee underestimated the size of the crowd? Way too crowded!!! No way I am going to wait in line for 30 mins in the hot sun for a plate of Korean BBQ! I am sorry, the idea was great, but the planning failed!

Please, please consider holding next year even in a park atmosphere with more shades, grasses and picnic areas for more comfortable experience.

8/8/2009 mariane b. says:

So I waited about 45 minutes in line under a very hot sun to get some korean bbq. Can I say lines galore? I didn't really choose the vendor, I chose the line that I thought was the shortest. I could have just went to my local korean bbq joint and have been way more satisfied than the event. I noticed around 4pm, one vendor ran out of beef. Then when I checked back at the other vendor I got my food from, they ran out of beef as well. I tried to go to the sprinkles truck, but they were closed (I assumed they ran out of cupcakes). It was hard to walk through all that traffic in such a small area.

8/8/2009 ruby "the dessert lovin'" w. says:

Way too small of a venue for such a large crowd. Lines moved slow and people were just standing in line when no food was being served. I swear you had to stand in line for at least 1 hour in the sun in order to get some BBQ. I just bought one of those Triangle rice thingy and we bolted.

8/8/2009 Denise "Hi, I'm nice." L. says:

Aww, too bad I missed it!

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8/8/2009 Wes "Mistaken for a Korean ^_~" S. says:

Who is going to R-Bar tonight?

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8/8/2009 Toshi "Magnum" I. says:

Had high expectations and this was a great attempt. It's about time Korean Bbq/Kimchi got some good PR. With a small child and hubby in tow, our thought was to avoid the long lines during lunch so we arrived around 2ish. Lo and behold, there were lines everywhere and I had no idea what I was waiting for. However, since I've been broken in by the Kogi bbq truck experience, the hour going on 1.5 wait wasnt all that bad despite the 80 plus degree temp. Hubby and I tag teamed while he waited at the long bbq line with the stroller, I hopped to different booths and got me a husk of corn on the cob. Not exactly Korean but hey, it was tasty. There was an array of condiments to add to it. Next, I hopped over to the only booth that did not have a line and didnt servce bbq. I love duk bok kee (a common street food: Korean tubular rice cakes sauteed in spicy sauce) so of course, I got a nice generous heaping bowl of it. With these appetizers on hand, we munched and partaked so the wait didnt seem too bad. Catering to the younger hipper crowd, there was a beer garden right smack in the center. As we approached, I was able to read the review for the bbq plate we were about to purchase. It was Park's Bbq which received 2 stars (albeit inflated stars equating to "very good') . By the time, I got there, I was told there was no rice. This is ok with me since I dont need starch, however, with a youngster, rice is a staple. Then I was told it was $15, not the $10 that was posted since this was "prime" rib? Huh? Needless to say and not because I'm a cheapskate, I only got one entree. We were semi-full already. This galbi was different from what my hubby is used to. The marinade flavor was delicious, not too sweet. Now I say hubby said this was different also because it was a lot thicker than what he's used too. Although I'm Korean, I must be a pathetic representation. I never knew there was a differentiation between LA galbi and Galbi. I was enlightened today during the kalbi demo that LA kalbi has 3 rib bones and is thinner, not one like the "original" kalbi. Hence, the Trader Joe's kalbi that I serve (only during emergencies!) is actually LA galbi! Anyway, we polished off this plate of Korean bbq sans the rice. The kimchi and pickles were good. So was the mashed squash/bean (sweet potato?). I know these poor guys manning the bbq in this heat worked their asses off. I was expecting at least a price break though for not having rice. Maybe a voucher ticket to come back when the rice is available. Then another surprise, Sprinkles cupcakes had arrived. Of course, I had to overindulge and get just one black/white Belgian chocolate cupcake. Suggestion for next year: Please have the vendors provide smaller ala carte/appetizer size plates so we can sample more than one Korean bbq plate! Overall, a great effort by a non profit partnering with Yelp.

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8/8/2009 Roo "Not Cs - Defending Quiz Bowl Champions" M. says:

that would make a great review...

8/8/2009 PETER "PINCHE KOREANO" L. says:

i have never seen nor tasted trader joe ribs--what do they look like?

who is goin to the r bar?

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8/8/2009 dawson "@SauceLA" s. says:

We're here at R Bar. Come on down!

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8/8/2009 Robot Mikey "BEEP!" L. says:

I had a feeling that this event was going to be big. I think that organizers underestimated the popularity of KBBQ, but I think it was a great first attempt. I'm glad I was there early @ 1PM b/c we were able to get free samples, enjoy beer in the beer garden without the crowds, and get our bbq pretty easily.

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8/8/2009 Toshi "Magnum" I. says:

Schneikes! I was rambling! How do I delete?!!!

8/8/2009 Ted K. says:

Thank you all so much for coming and bearing with the heat. We didn't expect to see all you folks today so we do apologize for the long lines... Choco pie contest was epic and the cook off was intense. Next year we'll do this much much bigger, so please start saving up your stomach. Once again thanks for coming and I hope you guys all had a great time. You all rock! Even if you post a negative comment (we'll definitely take that into consideration next year!), we loves ya'll.

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8/8/2009 Eunji "((hello kitty))" y. says:

THEY HAD SPRINKLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but i didnt get any... i was too hot from the heat that i didnt or couldnt stand in that long line...

:*( no sprinkles for me....

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8/8/2009 dawson "@SauceLA" s. says:

Mikey, our early estimates were 3-5k people and by last week I was guessing we'd have closer to 7500 people. Turns out more than 8k people came down to partake of the -Q. It was insane.

Thanks all for coming out! As Ted said... next year, much bigger and better!

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8/8/2009 Grant P. says:

We arrived around 4pm. The lines were long and I don't think anyone really knew what they were in line for. No one was keeping count on the front entrance, and I would hate to think what the Fire Marshall would have said. Maybe the organizers were overwhelmed. Next time, need more space for lines, more space overall actually. We ended up leaving and going to one of the restaurants. There, we had no lines and had air-conditioning. Great idea, badly executed.

8/9/2009 Yelpin "Yelp this" Y. says:

One word: AWFUL

8/9/2009 Yelpin "Yelp this" Y. says:

...forgot to mention, I might stop using Yelp for endorsing this event.

8/9/2009 Ming "Mingilicious" W. says:

I can't complain a lot about the event. It was free admission and some of the best of the best came out to play. Some of the "not-so-much" places came out as well. You can't win them all. Ham Ji Park = WIN

On the basis that this is a first launch, I give them a positive review. The venue was sketchy but it was nice. At 10-15 a plate, you can't complain about anything other than the heat. The beer "garden" was a good idea, and the mist fans did their job. KAC staffers were friendly, and funny. They gave me more choco pies than I could eat [but thank you for bringing a childish smile to my 27-year-old face]. Choco Pies are magic and Choco Pies are love. Yelp staffers were awesome, super friendly, and the epitome of the kind of community Yelp is trying to foster.

I'm sure nobody expected the turnout that came, but luckily some of the places were equipped for it. I am also sure the coordinators learned many important lessons this time around, and will throw an ever better event next year.

Also, we were told "No Dogs" - and that makes sense, with LA's health code and all - but people had their little yorkies and other typical toy dogs trotting around the place on leash. With the crowd, I was afraid to step on one. Seriously.

8/9/2009 Sam S. says:

As has been said. The lines were long, the dogs were out, and the lack of signage created confusion. However, you could see the template for a better executed event next time. I think it took a lot of time, courage, and hutzpah to pull this one off and I'm glad I attended. Like many others, we eventually ended up at a restaurant nearby to eat. But that didn't make the KBBQ day a bust. Indeed, I met a chef who recommended to me a place I'd never heard of before, my girlfriend and I enjoyed beers in the garden, and the atmosphere was fun and friendly. Considering admission was free, I think it was a pretty good inaugural event.

8/9/2009 Alice W. says:

I arrived around 3:00 with my boyfriend and we paid $5 for the parking. The lines were very long. We got the yelp fans and played games to win some prizes and took picture with Paris Hilton haha. The guy there was nice to give us extra stuff (= We walked around to figure out what to eat and we decided to waited at Park's BBQ. It was a long wait, but the food was SO worth it. tAlthough it was a little expensive, $15 a plate. She said it was "prime rib" meat so that's why it's more expensive. We should of only gotten 1 because it was A LOT of food. The kimchi was different & I love the glass noodles. I'm now a fan of Parks =] I also got to sample some other food & we got free Choco pies, toothbrush, mugs ECT. Overall, this was a good event =) Next time have it at Echo park where there's shade & a bigger location =)

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8/9/2009 William C. says:

Well-intended "come one, come all" event, and I applaud the organizers for this first effort to continue to spread the popularity of Korean BBQ , perhaps capitalizing on the pioneering success of the Kogi taco truck and what its effect on bringing a time-honored style of Korean bbq to the mainstream (at least in LA). Unfortunately from this attendee's perspective, the overwhelming numbers made the event less than enjoyable. We arrived at the event at around 2:00, after braving the parking mess (no signage, no traffic control, and ultimately no room to park) in the neighborhood. When we got to the actual event, there were lines of people everywhere, with no apparent direction or signage about where to begin, or what the lines were for. After taking a difficult walk-around through the sea of people (including a stop by the Yelp booth!) we decided, like some of the other Yelpers who provided feedback on this forum, to leave and look for a nearby restaurant instead to enjoy the K-cue experience. I thought there could be more "action" from the vendors' side: maybe showcasing a signature dish, providing a bit of historical or cultural trivia about the dish or their restaurant, or otherwise what makes THEIR plate special among the other players. Instead, it was basically food being served and money being collected. (Got to work up the crowd! Give some freebies, hand out some menus... now I'm drifting like Gordon Ramsey...) Wasn't impressed by the beer garden either, which was packed, and the sight of people sitting on the concrete/pavement to eat around the Summit building. Observing some of the plates of food that were being paraded around and I thought that's anywhere from $10-$15 worth of "two stars: "meh, I've experienced better!" or "three stars: a-ok", at least from the visual impression. Saw some people with pets (or pets with people?), and while the info on "keep your pet at home" might not have been clear to all, enforcement of the policy could have been more uniform by the security guards at the door or the various event staffers on the grounds. My experience at this event is two stars at best. While it made for some time out in the sun and see what all the hype is about, all things considered, the event itself did not satisfy any of my other expectations or cravings, and was a bit of a waste of time for me and the folks I brought along...

8/9/2009 Myles R. says:

What a mess. 45 minutes on a line that I chose simply because it was the shortest. The pork ribs I got were delicious, but so what? I didn't have the stomach (no pun intended because I could have eaten 2 more plates of food) to get back on another line for another plate of food. I was hoping for the KBBQ version of the San Genaro feast, but instead it looked like the DMV. Would not attend again without a change in venue and some solution to the overcrowding/line problem.

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8/9/2009 Darrell L. says:

Too bad. But I knew this was going to happen. Y'all shoulda just gone to Tahoe Galbi or one of the many AYCE KBBQ joints for $17! Or our $7.00 AYCE 1/2 pound gourmet burgers, sliders, (drinks incld) and poker tourney I hosted. We had a blast and Yelper Sophia L. won the beginners tourney!

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8/9/2009 Eddie "GDI" C. says:

Darrell L. says:

Too bad. But I knew this was going to happen.
______________________________ __________

So what are you a prophet? Wait let me scroll up to see when you warned us. Sh*t, I don't see your post anywhere. Now you are going to sashayed your @ss in here and tell us you knew? and we should have went to your event? What the F did you know was going to happen. Did you know most of the people had lots of fun?

Bottom line - it was a lot of fun. Brought my little nephews here and they had a blast. Hey, as soon as I walked in, they offered me someting to eat, gratis - can it get better? Well yeah, I met a bunch of new Yelpers, ate some really good food, watched a bunch of craaazzy Yelpers eat a crazy amount of Choco Pie, got a bunch of freebies and generally enjoyed a great Saturday afternoon in SoCal sunshine!

D@mn, instead I could've been gambling with some idiot that likes to shove ramen in his face? No.

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8/9/2009 Lissa G. says:

Almost everything has been said already, but a few small things to add:
-Perhaps sell tickets, either for super cheap or something like your ticket is good for a water or beer. This way, vendors know how many people to expect.
-I think it would've been better to sell things a la carte so that you can try more places. If the point is to be introduced to KBBQ, then trying a little Kalbi from one place, some pork from another, etc would be better than blowing 15 bucks on one plate and not trying anything else.

Good idea; hopefully execution is overhauled for next year.

8/9/2009 Tom M. says:

Huge lines....I got there around 5:00 and there were so many people in the lines I just had some Coors in the beer tent. The plates of food I did see looked pretty skimpy for $10.00. Shouldn't restaurants be looking at this as an advertising opportunity and not a way to make money?? I just walked down 6th St and ate at Seongbukdong instead....

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8/9/2009 Hue M. says:

Terrible. Just Terrible. Complete disappointment.

I love being part of the Yelp Community, but I don't think I'd ever want to attend a "1st Annual" event again. 1.5 hours to wait for some galbi, only for it to run out RIGHT when it was MY turn just blew chunks beyond the California border.

Never again...

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8/9/2009 dawson "@SauceLA" s. says:

Side note to those who may have missed it... the event was a fundraiser for the Korean American Coalition, so no, the restaurants were not looking to make money.

As for all the changes suggested... they're all things we would have liked to have done this year (larger venue, lower priced smaller sample plates, more controlled entry, a third parking lot to add to the first two), when we saw the popularity of the event pick up as quickly as it did, however, it just wasn't feasible to make those changes last minute this time around without risking a canceled event. So, considering this inaugural Fest was planned for 3-5k people and we somehow managed to handle more than 8k... amazing... and all down to awesome support including 80 volunteers who were walking around passing out free food to those who were stuck in line...

Next year... different story.. ;)

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8/9/2009 William C. says:

Fundraiser... I like transparency, and not just in my dangmyeon. Power to the people, though.

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8/9/2009 Simon "SiMonster" C. says:

a couple other suggestions to add to those already posted:

- each restaurant's booths should have their signage placed up high, otherwise the line obscures it.
- the VIP booth was weetoded. $50 for tchochkies and A/C? maybe if they offered concierge service for food it would have been worthwhile, because faster access to booze wasn't even enough to convince me.

it was great to see such a strong turnout, and a lot of lessons were learned. i'd go back next year.

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8/10/2009 Robert "to the" H. says:

It'll be better next year, this I know. Considering the planned attendance and the amount of of people who did make it I have to take my hat off to the organizers and volunteers who kind of kept a lid on things, people's efforts where herculian in some areas. I read some of the complaints above and I agree with most, please check your frustration though because hind sight is 20/20.

8/10/2009 erin p. says:

one of the most poorly planned event I ever attended.
I felt really bad for people who didn't know ktown very well because they could have just walked or drove few blocks from this place to get some good korean bbq without having to wait so long in that scorching heat.

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8/10/2009 Shauna "Vodka is still my #1 Lover" D. says:

would have loved a soju/ Korean booze tasting booth!

I do agree with Simon though signage for the booths should have been higher.

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8/10/2009 Paul "Captain Liver Damage" D. says:

Awww I wanted to go to this but was still hung over from the "feeling blue" aka Jessica/Danny C's first UYE.

8/10/2009 Pam P. says:

This was the WORST food festival I've ever been to! The food may have been great, but I'll never know. The lines were an hour+ long, the people working the booths were slow and had no idea how to work in the enviornment and they were 45 min late starting the festival. This may have been their 1st event, but that is no excuse!

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8/10/2009 Jenni "WAFFLES" H. says:

Thanks to everyone who came out! Again, as Ted, Dawson have said... next year it will be bigger and better! You saw the venue, 8,000 people is a great turnout ...we'll be ready for next year.

8/10/2009 Paul A. says:

Hope they make drastic improvements for next year. I waiting in line for an hour and 20 minutes in the hot sun. Lack of shade didnt help much and I had no clue what restaurant or what they were serving. I just joined the shortest line and prayed for the best. The food was delicious, but the meat was undercooked. See what next year brings, this was a nightmare!

8/10/2009 Jon "Big Poppa" G. says:

Who Won? I was there and could not find out who won.

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8/10/2009 Shauna "Vodka is still my #1 Lover" D. says:

Has anyone started a listing for this event? I don't see one? Perhaps people can "review" it when there's a listing.

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8/10/2009 Simon "SiMonster" C. says:

make it so, minty. you're elite and are thus blessed with magical powers.

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8/10/2009 Shauna "Vodka is still my #1 Lover" D. says:

haha, Simon. Anyone can create a listing! Not just elites! But I didn't want to duplicate.

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8/10/2009 Dee "kindle kitty" C. says:

moo dae po won! talk about great sales pitch. they beat a heavyweight veteran. i've eaten @ park's since they opened years ago and they've been consistently good.

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8/10/2009 Shauna "Vodka is still my #1 Lover" D. says:

Okay, I created it.

http://www.yelp.com/bi...

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8/10/2009 Ivan "Yeah, I'm That Guy" R. says:

Shauna "Going on vacation with Whiskey. Don't tell Vodka." D. says:

would have loved a soju/ Korean booze tasting booth!
_____________________

I would have loved some KPOP music...

8/10/2009 John "John" P. says:

Flip's bbq just sucked. Flip's bbq gets 2 thumbs down. We were in line for 2 hours. 2 people were in front of us and they then say they ran out of meat and will resume in 1 hour or so. The nice thing to do is to warn people at least a little sooner than right when they ran out of meat. Just ridiculous that they didn't say anything to the people that have been waiting in line for so long.

8/11/2009 Yvonne V. says:

I am with John above...Flips ran out of food at 3pm and it was going to take 40 mins until they got more. We had been waiting in line for a good 45 mins. Korean BBQ Fest...please learn from this years gathering.

**Have your restaurants provide smaller portions for a lesser price so each person can experience all the restaurants instead of choosing one.
**I suggest a ticket payment for all restaurants. Like how they do the taste of Santa Monica and what not.

I give it up to you for trying to make this a great first year, but me and my friends ended up leaving. We went to one of the actual restaurant locations of one of the places that was there. Much better experience and we got to actually sit down.

Good luck on next year!

8/27/2009 Joseph "Retired Ktown Mayor" K. says:

This was the best event. I can't wait to go next year. I hear that next year's event will be even bigger with more restaurants. So I hope the lines will not be as long and hopefully no one runs out of food this time.

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