The Korea Times' YouTube channel Howdy Korea celebrated reaching 100,000 subscribers and earning YouTube's Silver Button award with a heartwarming potluck party in Seoul's Mapo District on Thursday evening. The gathering brought together creators, contributors, and guests in what felt more like a family reunion than a formal corporate event, complete with homemade Korean dishes, multilingual conversations, and traditional ceremonies.
Launched in July 2024, Howdy Korea has rapidly built a devoted international following by showcasing Korean culture through accessible and engaging storytelling. The channel features diverse content ranging from shamanism and traditional cuisine to face reading and multiculturalism, with episodes hosted by a rotating cast of scholars, expatriates, and artists. Several episodes have gone viral, helping the channel surpass the 100,000-subscriber milestone earlier this year.
The celebration began at 6 p.m. as guests arrived at a softly lit party room, taking seats at long tables filled with OB-sponsored beer and an expanding array of homemade dishes. Current host Joel Jay Lane served as emcee for the evening, welcoming the familiar faces who have helped shape the channel's identity. The atmosphere was filled with steaming Korean food, bursts of laughter, and spirited choruses of "Howdy Korea!"
By 7 p.m., The Korea Times' President-Publisher Oh Young-jin and Managing Director of Content and Business Planning Kim Jae-kyoung arrived to enthusiastic applause. In his congratulatory remarks, Oh thanked the staff and creators for achieving the milestone so quickly. "Our golden rule is that once you build a connection with us, you cannot escape, not in this lifetime," he told the crowd with humor. "I hope this bond continues and becomes a chance for all of us to grow together."
The evening's highlight came during the cake-cutting ceremony, featuring a unique rice-cake cake positioned at the center of the main table. As hands stacked atop one another in unity, the room erupted into a spirited "Howdy Korea!" chant while phones captured the moment from every corner. The celebration took a playful turn when Kim Jae-kyoung participated in a "doljabi" ceremony, a Korean first-birthday tradition where a child selects an object believed to predict their future. Wearing an adorable unicorn blindfold, he reached out and grabbed a light bulb, symbolizing creative ideas ahead, which prompted enthusiastic cheers from the crowd.
The potluck feast reflected Korea's culinary diversity, with long tables lined with dishes brought by attendees. The spread included jokbal (braised pig's trotters), braised seafood, potato pancakes, coriander kimchi, and various desserts. Among the most popular contributions were Korean shaman Wicked Snow's homemade galbi-jjim (braised beef short ribs), chosen for its cultural symbolism and history as a dish traditionally served to honored guests. Face reader Kim Min-jung contributed sul-jjim, a seafood stew she said would help anyone who might overindulge in the evening's drinks.
The beverage selection was equally impressive, with rows of Cass Fresh, Hanmac, Cass 0.0, Budweiser, and Cass Lemon Squeeze arranged alongside a cocktail station. Guests mixed "Puppy Love," a bright, fruity drink that perfectly matched the celebratory atmosphere. As conversations flowed seamlessly between English and Korean, attendees shared personal reflections on their relationships with the channel and its community.
Kady from Austria, the channel's former host, described the potluck as one of the most thoughtful gatherings she had experienced in Korea. "You do not usually see potlucks here. This was wonderful," she said, adding praise for current host Joel's work. Wicked Snow, whose latest video surpassed 243,000 views, wore a silver dress in honor of the Silver Button milestone. She expressed hope that the channel would continue elevating Korean traditions and suggested that inviting well-known public figures could strengthen its momentum. "I am thrilled for the channel's upcoming 2026," she said.
As the evening drew to a close, guests lingered over the last bites of galbi-jjim, posed for photos with silver mirror orbs, and continued chatting beneath the soft lighting. The celebration highlighted that Howdy Korea's success has been built not only on subscriber numbers but on the genuine relationships, cultural curiosity, and cross-cultural storytelling that unite its community.
For Kim Jae-kyoung, the Silver Button represents an early but significant milestone in the channel's journey. "Our goal is one million," he announced. "This event should be a turning point and an opportunity to make the channel more ambitious and creative." He added that once the channel reaches the 300,000 to 400,000 subscriber range, invitations to K-pop idols and celebrities might become possible, encouraging continued community support for future growth.
