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Spicy Korean Beef Noodles

Florida State University

Professor Cole
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Spicy Korean Beef Noodles: An Analysis of Genre

Contrary to popular belief, the concept of genre is not wholly what is taught in modern day

curriculum; it is rather more flexible. As mentioned in The Bedford Book of Genres, genre allows for us a

way to categorize or describe types of compositions (Braziller and Kleinfield 5). Ones own perception

of genre is unique in the sense of how he/she expresses it. For example, pasta has many qualities that

make it for an acceptable genre. There are dozens of different shapes and sizes pf pasta, following the

many different components each can have. The Instagram page noodlescompany by their own

restaurant chain, displays photos containing the many differing pasta bowls they make. As shown on the

page, the Spicy Korean Beef Noodles prove an exceptional example of defining genre through pasta.

Although deriving from Italian culture, pasta has certainly made its way around the world into other

cultures. The creators of the foods within their culture have singlehandedly cultivated their own genre. In

fact, genres change according to the way people use them (Braziller and Kleinfield 5). Pasta was created

with the notion that there would be large amount of possibilities to its making, therefore allowing it as a

genre. The photo of the Spicy Korean Beef Noodles on the Instagram page noodlescompany perfectly

illustrates genre because of its ability to change, art of creativity and the use of social networking

communication and advertisement.

The makeup of the Instagram page noodlescompany consists of photos of the many dishes from

their restaurant all having to do with pasta in some form. As genres are fluid in the way people use them,

pastas are changing in the way people use them just as with the Spicy Korean Beef Noodles. For the most
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part, almost all countries on Earth consume foods that originate from other cultures, but that does not

interfere with where its placement stands. It is a universal knowledge to understand that pasta comes from

Italy as well as there usually being a thick sauce and cheese that comes mixed with it. The first thought

that comes to mind when anyone says Italy or Italian food is usually going to be pasta. However, one

might also think of pasta in the way of noodles when China or Chinese food comes to mind. In this

case, with the Spicy Korean Beef Noodles, the Koreans have simply added their own specialty on this

pasta, or more so their Ramen Noodles. It is obvious to note that this presented dish is not derived from

the Italians. The Koreans thought to add beef, cucumbers, scallions, spinach, Asian sprouts, cilantro, red

cabbage and a special spicy sauce of theirs; nothing any of would thought to be Italian. Everyone and

every culture each day continues to redesign their pasta in their own way. It is amazing that this food has

come so far and has been accepted and widely diffused by other cultures. The ability of genre to change

according to the environment is clear in relation to pasta. Overtime, with cultural blending, people bring

new ideas and skills to the table, allowing for the differences of new tastes for food. Food is essential to

life; therefore, so much passion is put into it to make it good. It is most definitely important for this to be

recognized because it may be something most individuals are aware of, but they may not know it falls

into a category of genre. Furthermore, it is sought by humans to continue making discoveries and

establishing more facts, but it seems the formulation of new genres is often ignored.

The basis of the idea of the Instagram page noodlescompany is for the Noodle & Company

World Kitchen to advertise their business and minimally communicate with their followers. As

advertising and communication can both be determined as genre, there are many different ways to go

about both of them. In this way, Noodle & Company posts daily photos of their pasta bowls with clever

captions, in attempt to make their food look most appealing to interest customers. With the understanding

that there are millions of Instagram users and most of them are young adults, who have money to blow,

Noodle & Company keeps a high performance on this social media. The photo of the Spicy Korean Beef

Noodles exemplifies one of their dishes, attempting to appeal to their viewers in a comical way by using
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emojis, a funny caption and tattoos hearts saying spicy and sweet on the person holding chopsticks

ready to eat. Given that its company runs this page, it has to make sense that they will advertise and

promote their restaurant. By having almost thirteen thousand followers, there are bound to be people to

comment on the posts. Under the photo of the Spicy Korean Beef Noodles, one person simply asked what

they dish was the called and Noodle & Company replied right away. Other people commented about

suggestions for salad photos on the page and they replied back saying they will get right on it. This type

of communication would be online chatting or social network chatting between professionals and the

people interested. It can also be thought of as a collaboration context in which the Noodle & Company

responds to any of their questions, comments, suggestions or even dislikes. The Instagram account,

noodlecompany accounts for two large genres by allowing people to exchanges comments and be

exposed to corporate advertising.

The many posts made by noodlecompany on Instagram, account for a widely and favorable

known genre present everywhere, which is art. The art of cooking, photography, color, or even cultural art

is present. The Spicy Korean Beef Noodle photo was taken on purpose to show the persons tattoos on the

inner wrist depicting hearts with bows going through each that say, spicy and sweet. That denotes the

flavor of the noodles and the connotation of love the person has for them. The food in the bowl is

presented perfectly and looks appetizing with the different colors each part has. The foreign dish adds a

touch of cultural art, even in the sense of food. Just as one gathers supplies and creates art, another one

may also gather supplies and cook up a fine looking meal. The whole Instagram page is art.

noodlecompany purposely posts very arty photos of their food, as the dishes had their own fashion

shoots. It is actually very relevant because of the social trend of legitimately taking fancy photos of their

meal. Instagram is one of the most popular social Medias trending right now. This genre cannot relate to

anything but the pasta noodles. For example, a photo of noodles in broth would defeat the purpose of

pasta, because that is soup. It is so easy for anyone to be exposed to the genres created by

noodlecompany, because, in fact, they are the ones who are creating the genre. The presence of all
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forms of art in the Spicy Noodle Korean Beef photo are adequate in relation to genre because of its

fluidity.

The concept of genre can go in many more ways than imagined. Humans do not realize they are

composing new genres every day in their works. The presence of genre in Instagram is more prominent

than has been further looked into. In this case, the elements of pasta, a mere Instagram page called

noodlecompany is able to associate pasta with genre. The aspects of genre being able to change

according to what one is creating, perfectly complements the idea of universal pasta. The presentation of

the food and the manner in which is it photographed show the art of creativity. This photo is just one mere

example of these elements of genre. The part of Noodle & Company Advertising their food and

commenting back and forth with their followers show the genre of advertising and mass communication.

This Instagram post of Spicy Korean Beef Noodles does well in portraying the elements of genre.
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Works Cited

Braziller, Amy, and Elizabeth Kleinfeld. The Bedford book of genres: a guide.

Boston: Bedford/St Martin's, 2014. Print

Rhetorical Rationale
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From where I began with this project, the proposal is completely different

from what I have done now. At the beginning, I was unsure and had a lot of

confusion on the whole project, mainly about the genre part. What I first started

with was too broad and I was trying to tell the whole watermelon instead of one

seed relating to food of the Italian Cuisine. The one-on-one meeting really helped

clear things up and put me in a new direction for a better paper. Instead of trying to

explain multiple types of foods from the Italian cuisine, I realized I needed to focus

on one certain dish. Honestly, I was going in backwards from the beginning. I

thought I was choosing an artifact on something and simply describing it how it can

be its own genre, instead of discussing how genre relates to it. I finally came over

that by reading the rubric, example essays, Bedford Book of Genres repeatedly

because something just was not clicking. I think if I did not wait until the last minute

to figure things out I would have been a lot better. Maybe if even I had sketched

some things out it would have benefited me because I barely wrote down any notes,

somewhat just went straight to the typing. By the end of my project, I had changed

my idea on what dish and Instagram page I was going to use based on the best one.

I really tried to focus more on how genre related to all of my thoughts on the Spicy

Korean Beef Noodles, which was not at all what I was doing before. I also wanted to

focus on a dish that was more exotic with its pasta or noodles so I could reflect back

on the Italian Cuisine of its pasta rather than sounding like I am informing on the

different types. A more exotic dish, if you will, I think gives more leeway on the

discussion.
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