Eatyourkimchi
Canadian expats who vlogged Korean and Japanese culture.
Eatyourkimchi (also titled Simon and Martina from 2016–2020) was a YouTube video blog channel created by Canadian expatriates Simon Stawski and Martina Sazunic in 2008. The channel documented their lives in South Korea, focusing on food, cultural differences, and popular media, and later expanded to cover Japanese culture after their move to Tokyo. It is notable for being among the first non-Korean YouTube channels centered on Korean life and for its influence on expatriate and food vlogging.
- field
- YouTube vlogging, food and culture commentary
- nationality
- Canadian
- known_for
- Documenting South Korean and Japanese food, culture, and media; early non-Korean YouTube channel focused on Korea
- subscribers_at_peak
- 1.3 million (as of May 2018)
- years_active
- 2008–2022
Lore & Background
Simon Stawski and Martina Sazunic met in 2005 during a poetry class at the University of Toronto and married on their graduation day in 2007. They moved to Bucheon, South Korea, in 2008 to teach English. Amid threats of violence between North and South Korea, they uploaded their first YouTube video—showing themselves eating sundubu-jjigae at Incheon International Airport—to reassure their parents they were safe. Originally intended for friends and family, the videos evolved into a channel documenting 'fun and quirky things' about Korea, titled Eatyourkimchi. Viewership rose in 2009, and by 2011 they quit teaching to become full-time bloggers, living off ad revenue. Their popularity led to appearances on South Korean television programs such as Heart to Heart, Quilt Your Korean Map, Star King, and Running Man. In 2012, they raised over $100,000 via Indiegogo to set up a business and studio in Seoul, which opened in 2013. They also co-opened You Are Here Cafe in Hongdae in 2014 with the channel Talk to Me in Korean.
Reader's Guide
Eatyourkimchi holds significance as a pioneering YouTube channel that offered an outsider's perspective on South Korean life, food, and media at a time when few non-Korean creators focused on the country. Its success demonstrated the viability of expatriate vlogging as a career and helped popularize Korean culture internationally. The channel's move to Japan in 2016 and rebranding as Simon and Martina reflected the creators' adaptability, though it also marked a shift in content. The channel's legacy is complicated by scholarly criticism: David Oh and Chuyun Oh, writing in Communication, Culture & Critique, described Stawski and Sazunic's approach as ethnocentric and orientalist. Nonetheless, Eatyourkimchi was recognized by The Korea Herald as one of 'the nation's most useful websites' and voted best expat blog in South Korea in 2011. The channel's eventual dissolution following the couple's divorce in 2021 and Sazunic's departure in 2022 underscores the personal and professional challenges behind long-running online content.
Did You Know?
- The channel's first video was uploaded to show their parents they were safe amid threats of violence between North and South Korea.
- In 2012, their Indiegogo fundraiser met its $40,000 goal in less than seven hours and raised over $100,000.
- They opened a cafe called You Are Here Cafe in Hongdae in 2014 in collaboration with the YouTube channel Talk to Me in Korean.
- The channel was renamed Simon and Martina from 2016 to 2020 after moving to Tokyo, Japan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Eatyourkimchi?
Eatyourkimchi is a YouTube vlogging channel launched in 2008 by Canadian expatriates Simon Stawski and Martina Sazunic. The two documented their daily lives in South Korea, centering on food, cultural contrasts, and pop culture. It is widely regarded as one of the earliest non-Korean YouTube channels dedicated to Korean life.
What made Eatyourkimchi famous?
The channel gained massive attention for its lighthearted, couple-perspective commentary on Korean food, media, and everyday cultural differences. At its peak in May 2018, it had roughly 1.3 million subscribers, making it a major force in the expatriate and food-vlogging space.
Why was the channel renamed Simon and Martina?
Between 2016 and 2020 the channel operated under the name Simon and Martina, a rebrand that shifted focus toward the couple's personal journey rather than a single cultural lens. The original Eatyourkimchi title was later revived as the channel evolved.
Did Eatyourkimchi cover anything besides Korean culture?
Yes. After the couple relocated to Tokyo, the channel expanded its coverage to include Japanese food, customs, and media. This broadened scope kept the vlog fresh while still appealing to its core audience interested in East Asian culture.
When did Eatyourkimchi stop uploading?
The channel was active from 2008 through 2022, spanning roughly fourteen years of consistent content creation. Its wind-down marked the end of one of the longest-running non-Korean YouTube presences focused on Korean and Japanese life.
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