Viauna Ward
Intro mass communication
Professor Smith
17 April 2025
My blog's theme is the combination of African American soul food and traditional Korean
dishes. This reflects my cultural background and my interests, as I am an African American
woman with a strong appreciation for Korean culture, traditions, and food. My love for Korean
food began as I was watching K-dramas, I started craving the dishes, so I had to try, this pushed
me to dig deeper into their traditional dishes. I clarified my emphasis on low-cost cooking to
make these dishes more accessible to a wider audience, emphasizing simple substitutions and
inexpensive ingredients.
My target audience consists primarily of women aged 21 to 40, but the blog is open to anyone
interested in this unique fusion of flavors. Ethnically, the primary audience consists of African
Americans and Korean Americans, as well as people from other backgrounds who want to try
culturally diverse cuisine. The recipes are intended to be reasonably priced for middle-income
families, making them accessible to students, young professionals, and homemakers. I wrote in a
conversational and friendly tone to ensure clarity and engagement for readers with varying levels
of culinary experience. I carefully selected my language to be inclusive, avoiding any words that
might feel exclusionary or overly complicated. I avoided using curse words because they felt
unnecessary and didn't fit with the welcoming environment I aimed to create. My blog promotes
portion size flexibility, allowing readers to tailor recipes to their specific needs, whether they're
cooking for themselves or a large group.
This assignment taught me the importance of audience demographics in content creation. Every
blog tailors its message, language, and imagery to appeal to its target audience. The relationship
between the audience and the message is critical—readers are more engaged when they feel
represented, understood, and welcomed by a blog's content. In food blogs, specific words,
images, and even recipe choices influence how readers perceive the content. Warm, personal
storytelling, for example, fosters familiarity, whereas vibrant images of finished dishes make
recipes more appealing. Understanding how audiences respond to various elements has
influenced my approach to creating engaging and accessible blog content.
Creating this blog was a fun experience for me, and I appreciated the creative freedom it gave
me. I enjoyed being able to create content that felt personal while also exploring new ways to
connect with an audience that I've never connected with before. This assignment allowed me to
fine-tune my approach to audience engagement and cultural appreciation through food, and I
would not change a thing. While I would consider blogging in the future, I don’t think my focus
would remain on food—it would likely shift to other areas that interest me, such as books,
culture, or personal reflections.
I studied three food blogs before I started my own to gain insight into various methods of content
production.
Cheesecake Recipes Jane’s Patisserie, Women and those interested in baking at home are the
main target audience for this blog. The visually appealing presentation and friendly,
approachable tone suggest that the target audience is middle-class Western readers, mainly in
their 20s and 40s.
Soul Food Recipes & Southern Cooking Cooks with Soul. Those who have a deep love for
Southern food will find this blog appealing because it focuses on African American cultural
traditions. Families, couples, and individuals who appreciate soulful comfort food are drawn to
its friendly and conversational atmosphere.
A Korean Mom's Cooking Korean Bapsang. This blog offers insights into Korean home cooking
and is aimed at people who enjoy traditional Korean meals. It is especially appealing to those
who want to reconnect with their heritage or learn more about Korean culinary traditions.
Each of these blogs used unique elements in their messaging, such as images, ingredient
accessibility, and tone. I incorporated these elements into my own blog by striking a balance
between cultural appreciation and affordability and making my fusion recipes inviting and
approachable.
● Cheesecake Recipes | Jane’s Patisserie – [Link]
● Soul Food Recipes & Southern Cooking | Cooks with Soul –
[Link]
● A Korean Mom's Cooking | Korean Bapsang – [Link]
My Blog
[Link]