EIF – Haribo Kimchi ★★★

That dining duo is actually served a full meal by Jaha Koo, the writer, director, and performer of Haribo Kimchi, and when the titular kimchi (sans Haribo gummy bears, which arrive later) gets brought out, the overwhelming smell of garlic from the fermented cabbage wafts over the entirety of Studio Theatre; this is the rare show that invokes the olfactory to invoke an emotional response.

Fifteen years ago, Koo arrived in Europe from South Korea, and in Haribo Kimchi, between cooking bits, he shares anecdotes of his continued feelings of cultural displacement, as well as catchy philosophical tunes sung by a snail, a gummy bear, and an eel in impressive videos that play on both sides of the snack bar Koo operates onstage.

It’s a tonally odd combination of elements, one in need of stronger dramaturgy. The disjointed fragments work individually moment by moment, but as a whole the show is too scattershot to make a lasting impression. Fortunately, Koo is a naturally charming host, a warm and engaging presence who holds the production together when it could otherwise disintegrate from its own eccentric ingredients.