Taiwanese Korean singer Shi Shi serves up nostalgia with 'Tteokbokki'
The "Tteokbokki" music video was released simultaneously with her album, "The Taste Of…," which marks the singer's first release in two years and features songs in English, Korean and Chinese.
The cover image of Taiwanese Korean singer Shi Shi's album “The Taste Of...”JOONGANG ILBO
Third-generation Taiwanese Korean singer-songwriter Shi Shi unveiled the music video for her Korean-language song “Tteokbokki,” the lead track of her new EP, on Friday.
The music video was released simultaneously with her album, “The Taste Of…,” on major global streaming platforms.
“The Taste Of…,” which marks the singer’s first release in two years, features songs in English, Korean and Chinese.
Shi Shi rose to prominence after appearing on the soundtrack for the Taiwanese drama “Someday or One Day” (2019-20). She has since won Best Mandarin Album and Best Female Mandarin Singer at the Golden Melody Awards in Taiwan.
“The Taste Of…” brings together a series of singles that Shi Shi released gradually beginning in 2025. The project explores the shifting layers of human emotion through music, much like how sourness, sweetness, bitterness and spiciness blend into a single taste.
The EP features collaborations with a team of international producers, including Different Sleep, Andro Pop and K-pop producer parkhyeon.
A still from Taiwanese Korean singer Shi Shi's music video for “Tteokbokki” shows the protagonist eating tteokbokki (spicy Korean rice cakes).SCREEN CAPTURE
The two Korean-language tracks, “Falling in Love” and “Tteokbokki,” capture the album’s warmest and most intimate emotional tone.
“Tteokbokki” in particular reflects on a longstanding friendship through memories associated with food. Tteokbokki refers to a Korean dish of rice cakes simmered in a spicy sauce.
Shi Shi, who was born and raised in Korea, said that tteokbokki symbolizes her youth and evokes memories of visiting snack bars with friends after school. The traditional market sounds featured in the song’s intro were recorded by Shi Shi herself during a visit to Korea over the Lunar New Year holiday.
The music video was also filmed entirely in Korea.
Actor Lee Jung-min appears in the video, reuniting with Shi Shi for the first time in 16 years. Wearing school uniforms, the two visited places, including neighborhood snack bars and parks, that reminded them of their friendship and youth.
Beginning with this EP, Shi Shi plans to expand her promotional activities in Korea in earnest during the second half of the year.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
