About

Chin2 is a viral dance video made by the S. Korean comic duo Chun Brothers. The video features two topless youths dancing and lip-syncing to a sped up version of "Jung Hwa Ban Jum" (중화반점 / Chinese Restaurant), a 1999 indie disco song about Chinese cuisine by "Louis." While the original song--a tongue-in-cheek tribute to Korean-style Chinese cuisine--itself was a minor success, Chun Brothers' hilarious performance went viral on YouTube and garnered worldwide attention for its comical dance moves and catchy tunes. See bottom for lyrics.

Origin

The Chun Brothers' performance of "Jung Hwa Ban Jum" first appeared in 2001 and circulated on the Korean web, where the duo gained their nickname as they introduced themselves as Maeng Chun-sik and Maeng Chun-sam, which are (presumably) pseudonyms that sound cheesy to those who are familiar with Korean language. After the video became a viral hit, it was later revealed that the two are actually close friends of the same age (born in 1982), Choi Chang-guk (최창국) and Kim Jun-ho (김준호). Although the original video goes by the name of "Chin2" on the English-speaking web, it is more commonly known as "Jung Hwa Ban Jum" (Chinese Restaurant) on the Korean internet.

Lyrics in English

A hundred years of history and always striving for the best
We are the chinese restaurant located in Mapo district of Seoul
We make great red broth noodles, even better black noodles
Free condiments, free pickles, even chopsticks are for free

Mr. Wang, our boss, he's got a reputation for being so nice
Our master chef, they say he used to wash dishes at the Shaolin
Chun-sam the delivery guy, he's so fast, beep beep-
Out of the way, the chinese delivery guy is coming through

Stir-fry and pan-fry
Then Stir-fry it again
Throw 'em up and Flip 'em around (x3)
Chinese Restaurant~ (x3)

Chinese Cuisine in Korea

Like elsewhere in the world, Chinese cuisine has become a popular choice of take out fast food in South Korea. Among the most favored dishes is Jajangmyeon, a stir fry noodle derived from the northern-style Chinese dish Zha jiang mian. The dish consists of wheat noodles topped with thick black soybean sauce, diced meat and vegetables. It's been by far the most popular delivery food in Korea and has been officially recognized a national cultural symbol in 2006. Yet another popular imagery of Korean Chinese cuisine is a distinctively large rectangular steel container used by the delivery personnel. (pictured above).

Derivatives

Several iterations of Chun Brothers' dance performance have since surfaced on YouTube and other popular video-sharing websites. There are other dance videos made by Chun Brothers, which are less well known.