BIBAP gives shoppers an entertaining treat before their upcoming show
By Lim Jolene and Siti Soleha, Photos by Aveek Katiyar
BIBAP, the non-verbal musical from Korea, gave shoppers a mini preview this weekend of their show which will take place at the Esplanade in March.
In the heart of Jurong Point, roving performers with five cooking stations occupied a tiny stage. The show kicked off with a loud and quick burst of introduction by MC Chef and Rhythm Chef. Completely oblivious to the stares from the crowd overlooking from three levels, the performers filled the mall with their high pitched vocals and vibrant dances. Only one word could describe the duo’s collaboration – impressive. The Chefs even got the willing crowd to participate by clapping.
From beatboxing to synchronized singing and even breakdancing, you would think that nothing else could impress you further until the group whipped out their comedic acting. Exaggerated yet pleasingly hilarious – the performance had the audience infected with intervals of laughter.
One little member of the audience even got a chance to parade her smile along with the Korean group during the phototaking session.
The show ended with cheers and claps from the audience before Red Chef got the audience laughing again with his dramatic exit scene. Luckily for us, we got to see the group backstage minutes later for a short interview. The language barrier did not stop the interview from being humorous and comfortable. Red Chef had us warmed up to him every time he said “Do you understand?” after each of his replies with his bare foundation of English.
The group shared that it took 10 hours of hard work daily before their debut so that they could present their best efforts to the public. When asked about accidents during their performances, Iron Chef explained how a mishap with the prop knives had his right temple bleeding during the performance. He quickly added that the injury had recovered and reassured us with his charming smile.
The group has been active since 2009 and has performed in Korea, Taiwan and now, Singapore. BIBAP will be in town at the Esplanade from 30March to 1 April 2012. Ticket prices range from $38 to $80. For more information, visit SISTIC.
