Wok and Roll: The Korean Wave
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The FroGames Sheet
You roll the dice, someone calls kimchi, you mark it down, and unlock an unforeseen combo. At the end of the sheet, there's a complete Korean recipe and no blank spaces.
WHAT IT IS
Two Korean menus that change the game rules
The Korean Wave is an expansion for Wok and Roll, the culinary roll & write by Daryl Chow published by Origame. It doesn't just add new recipes: it introduces mechanics that weren't in the base game, inspired by traditional Korean cuisine.
You receive two tri-fold menus with dedicated illustrations. Each menu brings a new system: fermenting kimchi that unlocks chain bonuses, First Flowers to race for against others, a skill tree to climb to unlock permanent powers. Change menus, change games: same dice, different logic.
What they say abroad
"The Korean Wave adds surprising depth without bloating the core experience."
The Korean Wave adds surprising depth without bloating the core experience.
— Meeple Mountain
It's an expansion that takes risks: new mechanics, not just new recipes. And they work.
— FroGames
Wok and Roll: The Korean Wave
The base game already supports solo play (1-5 players, same experience). The Korean Wave maintains this compatibility: you play exactly as in multiplayer, trying to maximize your score. You only lose the race for First Flowers against real opponents, but the combinatorial puzzle remains intact and complete.
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, international reviews, and play sessionsWhat's on the menus
The ingredients that change the game
Fermented Kimchi
You mark the kimchi, wait for it to ferment (adjacent spaces fill up), and unlock chain bonuses. It's the most important new mechanic: it forces you to think vertically, not just horizontally as in the base game.
First Flowers
Common goals that reward whoever completes them first. You create a silent race: you see others scoring, you realize they're aiming for the same flower, you speed up. In solo play, they become personal milestones.
Skill Tree
A branching path of permanent powers to unlock during the game. Choose which branch to develop: more re-rolls, more combos, more end-game points. Each game you build a different engine.
Illustrated Tri-fold Menus
Two large sheets with illustrations dedicated to Korean cuisine. They fan out, taking up space but turning the table into a poster. Printed on writing paper, erasable with dry-erase markers.
🎲How to playThe rules in four steps▼
How to play
The flow of each round
The Korean Wave uses the basic rules of Wok and Roll with new overlaid mechanics. This is a typical turn.
The active player rolls the available dice (number varies based on player count). Everyone sees the result.
The active player chooses one or more dice and uses them to mark on their menu. Other players use the remaining dice. The new mechanics (kimchi, First Flowers, tree) are activated when you complete certain spaces.
If you have marked kimchi, check if it ferments (adjacent spaces are automatically filled). If you have completed a tree level, you immediately unlock the corresponding ability. If you have completed a First Flower, you declare it and take the bonus.
The active player passes. The next player becomes active, rolls the dice, and repeats. When the menu is complete or you can no longer mark anything, the game ends and you count points according to the rules of the chosen menu.
⏱️Your first gameMoment by moment account▼
A game in five moments
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
Choose your menu
Open one of the two Korean menus in front of you. Read the new mechanics (kimchi, First Flowers, tree): they are printed on the sheet itself. You realize that this is not classic Wok and Roll. The basic rules work, but the game demands different strategies.
First kimchi combos
You roll the dice, someone chooses, you mark. But this time when you mark kimchi it doesn't end there: it ferments, it expands into adjacent spaces, it unlocks spaces that were previously blocked. The first time it happens you understand that you need to think about the shape of the sheet, not just the numbers.
Race for First Flowers
You notice an opponent is completing the same First Flower you wanted. There's no direct interaction, but the tension is there: whoever finishes first gets the big bonus, the others get scraps. You change priorities, you accelerate on that section of the menu.
The tree grows
You've unlocked the third level of the ability tree. Now you have an extra re-roll every turn, or a multiplier on final points. Your engine runs differently from the others: everyone has built their own path.
Scoring and surprises
You count the points. The fermented kimchi is worth more than you thought, the First Flowers you missed weigh less than expected, the ability tree multiplied everything. Someone wins by two points. The full menu in front of you looks like a completed map.
🐸Good to know beforehandThree honest things, from friends▼
Good to know beforehand
Three things to consider
Base game required
This is an expansion, not a standalone game. You need Wok and Roll for the dice, basic rules, and turn system. The Korean Wave only adds the two new menus and the mechanics printed on them.
Large tri-fold menus
The sheets fold out like a fan and take up about 60 cm in width on the table. With 4-5 players, you need a spacious table. They are beautiful to look at but bulky: consider the space before opening them.
Higher complexity than the base game
The new mechanics (kimchi, tree, First Flowers) add a layer of planning that the base Wok and Roll doesn't have. It's not difficult, but it requires a learning game to understand how to use them well.
🏆Victory and defeatWhat the ending rewards▼
How it ends
How to win and how to lose
The game ends when someone completes their menu or can no longer mark anything. Points are counted according to the rules printed on the chosen menu.
Victory
- You maximized fermented kimchi combos to unlock the biggest bonuses
- You completed First Flowers before others, taking full points instead of second places
- You developed the ability tree on the branch that multiplied your final points
Defeat
- You marked isolated kimchi that never fermented, wasting spaces
- You lost all First Flowers in the race, only taking consolation bonuses
- You unlocked tree abilities that didn't align with your scoring strategy
The Korean Wave is not "more recipes": it's a modular system that transforms Wok and Roll every time you change menus. Fermenting kimchi is the best new idea in a 2022 roll & write.
💬Frequently Asked QuestionsQuick answers before checkout▼
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ about Wok and Roll: The Korean Wave
Can I play The Korean Wave without the base game?
No. This is an expansion: it only provides the two new menus and the mechanics printed on them. You need Wok and Roll (base game) for the dice, turn rules, and scoring system. It is not standalone.
Are the two menus balanced with each other or is one stronger?
They are balanced but asymmetric by design. Each menu favors different strategies: one rewards kimchi combos, the other the race for First Flowers. There isn't an objectively stronger menu, but each suits different playstyles.
What mechanics does Wok and Roll: The Korean Wave use?
Roll & write with dice rolling, re-rolling and locking (through unlocked abilities), set collection (completing menu sections for points), paper-and-pencil (marking on the sheet with erasable markers). The new expansion mechanics are fermenting kimchi, competitive First Flowers, and the progressive ability tree.
How much table space is needed for open menus?
Each tri-fold menu when open takes up about 60 cm in width. With 4-5 players, you need a standard dining table or larger. Alternatively, you can play with the sheets folded and only open them halfway, but you lose some of the visual appeal.
Is it available in Italian?
This edition is in English. The menus contain minimal text (ingredient names, mechanic explanations), but once the basic Wok and Roll rules are learned, the game is visually self-explanatory. There is currently no official Italian edition.
The people behind the game
Who invented it, who designed it, who publishes it — and what else they've done.
Wok and Roll: The Korean Wave is a roll & write expansion for 1-5 players, lasting 30-45 minutes, recommended age 10+. Designed by Daryl Chow and published by Origame in 2022, it introduces two Korean menus with unprecedented mechanics: fermented kimchi, competitive First Flowers, and a progressive ability tree. Requires the base game Wok and Roll to function. It uses dice rolling, paper-and-pencil, and set collection mechanics in a combinatorial system that radically changes the base game. Available on FroGames.it.
Wok and Roll: The Korean Wave
Frequently Asked Questions
The answers you're looking for, no beating around the bush.
📸Do the images match the actual product?
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📦Does the content of the box match what is indicated?
We always strive to provide the correct content, but minor variations are possible due to reprints or updates. The information comes directly from the publishers. If you have any questions, please contact us!
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