A video of a man collapsing shirtless on the street after attempting to eat the "world's spiciest curry" sold at an Indian restaurant in London, UK, has garnered 6 million views, attracting global attention. This spicy challenge is drawing as much interest as the spicy food challenge craze in Korea.
According to local UK time on the 27th, a challenge video released on the 20th by 'Bengal Village,' an Indian restaurant located in Brick Lane, London, has set the internet ablaze. Bengal Village's signature dish, 'Phall Curry,' is an intensely spicy dish sold for £21.95 (approximately 40,000 Korean Won), offering a challenge as formidable as its reputation.
Phall Curry first appeared in Birmingham in 2008 and quickly spread to Indian restaurants in English-speaking countries like the UK and USA. It boasts a spiciness that surpasses the previously known 'Vindaloo Curry.' Bengal Village stated that they create this curry by blending 72 types of chilies and spices, including the rare Bangladeshi chili 'Snake Chilli.'
In the released video, the restaurant owner, wearing a gas mask, takes the curry out of a plastic container and hands it to a customer. As soon as the challenger takes a bite, he clutches the back of his neck and starts coughing, then continuously gulps down cold water before finally rushing out of the restaurant, tearing off his shirt, and slumping onto the street. This video vividly demonstrates the curry's unimaginably extreme spiciness, eliciting both shock and laughter from many.
Bengal Village explicitly states a disclaimer on its menu: "We are not responsible for any after-effects." This is interpreted as prior notification of potential health issues that could arise from the curry's extreme spiciness. Nevertheless, the restaurant offers an extraordinary event: if a customer finishes the Phall Curry within 15 minutes, the accompanying party's meal is free. Additionally, the restaurant is effectively leveraging social media (SNS) by sharing videos of customers who attempted the Phall Curry challenge but couldn't withstand the spiciness and collapsed on the street. These videos are considered successful examples of viral marketing, making Bengal Village's Phall Curry a worldwide sensation.
Meanwhile, the popularity of spicy food challenges in Korea shows no signs of waning. Representative examples include Shingildong Spicy Jjambbong and SindaeBang Onjeong Donkatsu. Especially in the case of Onjeong Donkatsu, an extreme spicy donkatsu known as 'Daejinda Donkatsu' offers a challenge where eating it within 5 minutes provides 6 months of free meals, within 7 minutes provides 1 month, within 9 minutes provides 5 free meals, and within 10 minutes provides 2 free meals, further fueling the challenge craze. Many YouTubers and BJs create content challenging Onjeong Donkatsu, proving its popularity.
However, experts warn that excessive consumption of such extremely spicy foods can cause digestive disorders like gastritis and enteritis. This is because capsaicin, the main component of spicy food, can excessively irritate the gastrointestinal lining, leading to inflammation. Therefore, experts commonly advise that before attempting a spicy food challenge, individuals should thoroughly consider their health status and avoid overly strenuous attempts. While enjoying spicy flavors is good, it is wise to do so within limits that do not harm one's health.
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