The Burrito, K-pop, and Romanticism

The burrito, 101

Meaning “little donkey” in Spanish, the burrito is a Mexican dish with savory ingredients—like beans, meat, vegetables, and cheese—tightly rolled into a large flour tortilla to form a perfectly sealed pouch. The word “burrito” originally referred to what we today call a taco. The modern burrito developed in northern Mexico in the early 20th century, where most of the country’s wheat is grown.

Migrant workers then brought the dish to the United States, where it quickly caught on, particularly in Southern California. El Cholo Spanish Cafe, Los Angeles’ oldest Mexican restaurant, first put burritos on its menu in the 1930s. 

Several distinct regional styles of burritos have developed over the years. One of the most popular is San Francisco’s Mission-style, which is usually filled close to bursting—supposedly because they were initially intended for hungry firefighters. The style is used by Chipotle, which has more than 3,500 stores on three continents and is immensely popular with Gen Z.

... Read everything we've found on the burrito here.

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> US law defines the differences between burritos and sandwiches. (More)

> Astronauts make burritos at the International Space Station while experiencing microgravity. (More)  

> Duane Roberts brought burritos to the masses by pioneering frozen foods. (More)

> The first Chipotle was envisioned as a cash cow for the company's CEO to open a higher-end restaurant. (More)

An introduction to K-pop

K-pop, an abbreviation for Korean pop music, is a global phenomenon that emerged in its modern form in the 1990s. Since then, K-pop artists, commonly known as idols, have garnered large international fan bases, smashed industry records, and turned K-pop into a multibillion-dollar industry now valued at around $10B.

In the 1990s, South Korea experienced a cultural transformation marked by economic potential and increased optimism. The country’s government began to capitalize on cultural influence and invested millions of dollars into forming a Ministry of Culture with a specific department devoted to K-pop.

The gambit worked. K-pop grew in popularity thanks to acts like Seo Taiji and Boys and Psy, whose 2012 hit "Gangnam Style" was the first video to reach 1 billion views on YouTube. 

Public auditions for idols occur year-round, and only a lucky few move forward. Idol life is notoriously strict and demanding, with recruits under pressure to maintain high beauty standards, perform at an expert level, and present a wholesome image without scandals, drugs, or even relationships.

... Check out everything we've found on K-pop here.

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> Korean culture has gone global through K-pop, "Squid Game," "Parasite," and more on a wave of soft power called "hallyu." (More)

> A 2024 government ruling deemed celebrities, including K-pop artists, as lacking the same rights as typical workers. (More)

> Listening to K-pop in North Korea is punishable by execution. (More)

> Netflix's 2025 movie "KPop Demon Hunters" recently became the platform's most watched original film. (More)

A brief history of romanticism

Romanticism is a creative movement that spanned literature, visual art, music, poetry, and architecture in the 18th and 19th centuries. Paintings by Eugène Delacroix and Caspar David Friedrich are some of the movement's most well-known pieces, though writers and thinkers also contributed major works.

Romanticism encouraged the expression of emotion, exploring darker or more complex areas of human psychology and using nonhuman subjects to embody intense feelings. The movement also centered the individual experiences of the artist, rather than objective depictions of major historical events typical of Neoclassical art (see examples).

The movement's emphasis on individualism and emotion redefined the role of the artist, and its ideas have endured or resurfaced throughout history in many disciplines. Romantic artists and their works became symbols of revolution, inspired other influential artists, and changed the landscape of art and literature.

... Read everything we've found on romanticism here.

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> A collection of some of the movement's most famous paintings, with work by Constable, Goya, and others. (More)

> William Blake's illuminated manuscripts blended poetry and painting. (More)

> Lord Byron was the movement's chief heartthrob. (More)

> Friedrich's natural scenes embodied the romantic ideal of "the sublime." (More)

Organic Culture

1440 readers don’t just love culture—they make it. Once a month, we profile readers’ unique artistic, athletic, and culinary pursuits, exploring the passions and experiences that make us human. Want to talk with us for a future “Organic Culture” profile? Reach out.

> New Heights

Eva Steinwald hadn’t planned on climbing Everest. After all, the mountaintop, at over 29,000 feet, was a nightmare for someone terrified of heights.

But after her husband of 26 years died, she decided to begin embracing her fears. “I wanted to really feel life,” she told me in a recent interview. “Maybe just to make sure that I'm alive.” She began with Mount Borah, the tallest peak in her home state of Idaho, at 12,662 feet. Standing atop the mountain, Steinwald was overwhelmed. She also sensed she was starting something larger, a journey that eventually became 7 Summits x 70. Her plan? To climb every continent’s tallest mountain before her 70th birthday. 

She tackled Everest third, after Aconcagua and Mount McKinley, reaching the summit on May 18, 2025. She was 63. As expected, it was a trying expedition, especially in the notorious death zone, where limited oxygen leads to hypoxia, a condition that can cause serious complications. “Your body starts eating itself to survive,” Steinwald explained.

Making it to the top, though, was worth the pain. Steinwald said it was surreal, with various people celebrating in their native languages. “I had the honor to stand up there—and be alive—and look out,” she said. “You see Tibet on one side, and then you see Nepal on the other side.”

After returning to base camp, Steinwald learned she was the oldest American woman to summit Everest. Five days later, Susan Agar, age 66, broke her record. Steinwald celebrated Agar’s achievement as proof that growing older doesn’t mean growing weaker.

Steinwald is confident she’ll complete the remaining four summits before 70. In fact, she’s already starting to daydream about what will follow. “After doing Everest, I opened up another Pandora’s box. And I'm looking in there, asking, ‘What can I do?’”

New in 1440 Society & Culture

We spend our days tracking the latest trends in the creative world. Here are some of the best rabbit holes we found ourselves falling down this week.

> Auditions for "The Office" were stacked with now-famous faces like Seth Rogen, Kathryn Hahn, and Bob Odenkirk.

> Disco fries are New Jersey's answer to poutine.

> Playwright George Bernard Shaw believed Shakespeare was overrated.

> Post-punk band Devo formed after witnessing the 1970 Kent State shootings firsthand.

> The 19th-century magazine Punch pioneered the political cartoon.

> Modern mini-golf was invented on Lookout Mountain, Georgia.

> "V-Discs" were vinyl records of popular music specifically manufactured for soldiers in World War II.

> Dr. Seuss was likely the first to use "nerd" in print, but that doesn't mean he invented the word.

> One town in Canada operates a jail for polar bears.

> Jordan Peele's latest film uses a familiar trope: the Faustian Bargain.