ZEROBASEONE (ZB1) Seaweed Ad: K-Seafood Meets ‘Jjin-meot, Jjin-ten, Jjin-basak’
If you’re a fan of **ZEROBASEONE (ZB1)**, it would be hard to scroll past this YouTube video featuring familiar faces.
This isn’t your typical food brand commercial. It is a global seafood promotional campaign produced by the **South Korean Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries**, featuring ZEROBASEONE as the ambassadors for K-Seafood. Released on September 16, 2026, the campaign includes four 30-second videos showcasing flatfish, oysters, abalone, and seaweed (*gim*).
Among them, the video featuring **seaweed (*gim*)** is titled:
**"I’ll Show You – *Jjin-meot*, *Jjin-ten*, *Jjin-basak*! The No. 1 *Jjin-tem* (Must-Have Item) Loved Worldwide: Seaweed with ZB1"**
While these expressions are fun for Koreans, international K-pop fans might be curious about what exactly "*jjin*" means.
In this post, I’ll explain **why ZB1 appeared in a K-Seafood ad, what kind of product Korean seaweed is, the meanings behind terms like "*jjin-meot*, *jjin-ten*, *jjin-basak*, and *jjin-tem*,"** and how this advertisement bridges K-pop with Korean food culture.
## Official YouTube Video
**[MOF x ZB1] I’ll Show You – *Jjin-meot*, *Jjin-ten*, *Jjin-basak*! The No. 1 *Jjin-tem* Loved Worldwide: Seaweed with ZB1 | Dive into K-Seafood | Seaweed**
Click "Buy the product in this commercial on Amazon."
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.
---
## 1. Why ZB1 Teamed Up with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries
First, let’s take a look at the key highlights of this advertisement. **ZEROBASEONE has stepped up as the global promotional ambassadors for Korean seafood, or "K-Seafood."**
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries launched this campaign to introduce the appeal of Korean seafood to younger generations and overseas consumers in an approachable way. The campaign’s overarching slogan is **"Give it a Kick, Dive into K-Seafood."**
Simply put, **K-Seafood** is the global term for Korean seafood products.
You can think of it in the same vein as K-Pop or K-Food—using the **"K-"** prefix to introduce Korean content and culture to the world.
In this instance, the focus is specifically on **seafood**.
For international fans, this offers a natural way to discover not only Korean music and entertainment but also **the types of seafood enjoyed in Korea**.
---
## 2. Why "Gim" (Seaweed)?
For Koreans, *gim* (seaweed) is a very familiar food.
It is eaten with rice, used to make *gimbap* (seaweed rice rolls), or enjoyed as a crispy snack.
However, it might feel a bit different to international fans.
In English, it is generally referred to as **seaweed** or **dried seaweed**.
This advertisement, however, features the actual Korean name **"Gim"** within the global content.
According to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, *gim* is a key export item for the K-Seafood campaign, and the promotional video links it to the keyword **"Jjin" (Real/Authentic)**.
In other words, it doesn't simply say:
**"Korean seaweed is delicious."**
Instead, it chooses a fun approach to convey the image of *gim* by using an expression actually used by Korea's younger generation.
---
## 3. What does "Jjin" mean? If you are an overseas K-pop fan, the first Korean word you should know from this advertisement is **‘Jjin’ (찐)**.
In Korean internet slang and everyday conversation, ‘Jjin’ is used to emphasize concepts like **“real,” “genuine,” or “truly excellent.”**
For example:
**Jjin-matjib** (찐맛집) → A truly great restaurant
**Jjin-chin** (찐친) → A genuine, close friend
**Jjin-fan** (찐팬) → A truly passionate, die-hard fan
This advertisement applies that same ‘Jjin’ vibe to *gim* (seaweed).
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries promoted seaweed under the concept of **‘Jjin K-Seafood,’** using the short Korean word ‘Jjin’ as a key visual element.
So, rather than simply interpreting **‘Jjin-tem’** (찐템) in the video title as a literal translation of “real item,”
it is more natural to understand it as conveying nuances like:
**“A truly great item”**
**“An item highly worth recommending”**
---
## 4. What do ‘Jjin-meot,’ ‘Jjin-ten,’ and ‘Jjin-basak’ mean?
The fun part of this advertisement lies in the **repeated use of the single word ‘Jjin’ across various expressions.**
### Jjin-meot (찐멋)
**Jjin + Meot (Style/Coolness)**
In short, it conveys the feeling of being **genuinely cool** or **truly stylish.**
It is an expression that creates a young, hip atmosphere by linking ZB1’s visuals with the product—seaweed.
### Jjin-ten (찐텐)
**Jjin-ten = Real Tension**
Here, “tension” is a term frequently used in daily life by Korea’s younger generation; it often refers to the atmosphere, energy level, or degree of excitement.
Therefore, **‘Jjin-ten’** can be understood as a state of **genuine excitement or high, surging energy.**
### Jjin-basak (찐바삭)
This expression is particularly interesting in this seaweed advertisement. **‘Jjin + Basak’**—this phrase highlights the crispy texture of seaweed.
It links the **crispy texture** experienced when eating seaweed with the campaign keyword **‘Jjin’** (meaning ‘real’ or ‘authentic’).
Therefore, international fans can better appreciate the nuance of the ad by understanding **‘Jjin-basak’** not merely as ‘very crispy,’ but as a Korean-style emphatic expression meaning **‘truly, authentically crispy.’**
---
## 5. ‘Jjin-tem’ is a term familiar to K-Pop fans, too
It is also useful to know the term **‘tem’** (short for ‘item’).
In Korean online culture, the word ‘item’ is frequently shortened to just **‘tem.’**
For example:
**Pilsu-tem** = An essential item
**Chucheon-tem** = A recommended item
**Insaeng-tem** = A ‘life-changing’ item (one you are so satisfied with that you use it constantly)
These are common expressions.
Thus, **‘Jjin-tem’** can be understood as meaning a **‘truly great item’** or a **‘top-notch item.’**
In this advertisement, the term has been applied to **Korean seaweed.**
In other words, it creates a linguistic connection:
**Seaweed → K-Seafood → Jjin → Jjin-tem**
To international fans who don’t speak Korean, it might sound like just a fun, catchy sound; however, once you understand a bit of Korean, you realize it is **ad copy that layers multiple meanings into a single short word.**
---
## 6. An advertising strategy connecting K-Pop and K-Seafood
The most interesting aspect of this campaign is how it **links ZB1’s K-Pop image with Korean seafood to create a unified piece of global content.**
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has paired specific seafood products—oysters, flatfish (halibut), abalone, and seaweed—with distinct keywords. **Oyster (Gul) → Pom**
**Flatfish (Gwang-eo) → Gak**
**Abalone (Jeonbok) → Tting**
**Seaweed (Gim) → Jjin**
Each word captures the characteristics of the seafood product by utilizing expressions popular among Korea's younger generation or through playful linguistic twists.
The seaweed segment, in particular, makes the product memorable by repeatedly using **"Jjin"—a short, punchy Korean expression.**
From an advertising strategist's perspective, the structure is remarkably clear:
**ZB1 → K-Pop → K-Culture → K-Seafood → Korean Seaweed**
It creates a seamless chain of associations.
Even if international fans click the ad simply to see ZB1, by the time the video ends, they naturally absorb the information: **"So, this is how people in Korea eat seaweed."**
---
## 7. The music is another element that captures the attention of international fans
It isn't just the visuals that make this campaign entertaining.
The background track, **"Give it a Kick, K-Seafood,"** was produced by blending K-Pop styles with elements of traditional Korean music (*Gugak*).
According to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the song fuses K-Pop with traditional instruments like the *geomungo* (a traditional zither) and has been released on major domestic and international streaming platforms.
This aspect is particularly intriguing for international K-Pop fans.
It works because it blends **traditional Korean musical elements** with the familiar sound of K-Pop and links it all to Korean seafood.
In short, this campaign is more than just a simple **food advertisement**;
it is a piece of global content that showcases **K-Pop, the Korean language, traditional Korean music, and K-Seafood** all at once. ---
## Key Takeaways: K-Seafood Featuring ZB1 and *Gim* (Korean Seaweed)
The **Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries x ZEROBASEONE K-Seafood Campaign** is a global promotional project designed to introduce Korean seafood to international consumers in a more approachable way.
The segment featuring *gim* (Korean seaweed) uses the slang terms **"Jjin-meot," "Jjin-ten," "Jjin-basak," and "Jjin-tem"** to convey the product's image in a fun and engaging manner.
If you are an international K-pop fan, remembering these four expressions will help you understand the advertisement much better:
**Jjin-meot = Truly cool**
**Jjin-ten = Real high energy / pumped-up vibe**
**Jjin-basak = Truly crispy**
**Jjin-tem = A genuinely great item**
Also, the term **"GIM"** serves to introduce *gim*—a staple food in Korea—to English-speaking audiences by its authentic Korean name.
The core strategy of this advertisement is to avoid complex explanations about the product.
Instead, it combines **ZB1’s K-pop energy, the fun of the Korean language, music blending traditional Korean sounds with K-pop, and the crispy texture of *gim*** into a single, short, and impactful piece of content.
If you get the chance to try *gim* in Korea, don't just think of it as generic **"seaweed"**; remember that in Korea, it is called **"Gim."**
Furthermore, if you look up how the word **"Jjin!"** is used in everyday Korean conversation, the Korean you’ve learned through ZB1’s ad will become another fun key to understanding K-pop and Korean food culture.
[Good content to read along with this article]
"If you enjoyed learning about Korean creative ads, you can support this blog by buying me a coffee! It helps me find and translate more interesting content for you."
