KFPI Hosts Second Academic Seminar on Korean Cuisine with a Focus on the Scientifically-Proven Excellence of Korean Food

On September 14, the KFPI (president: Yim Kyeongsook) held an academic seminar on the Korean cuisine of 2022 at Hansik Space E:eum (B1, E:eum Hall) in Seoul’s Jongno-gu district. The seminar, the second of four, was comprised of themed presentations and a roundtable discussion on the theme “Exploring the Nutritional and Functional Excellence of Korean Cuisine.”

The first presentation, titled “Truths and Fiction of Rice from the Perspective of Medical Science,” was given by Professor Kang Jaeheon (Kangbuk Samsung Hospital). By comparing the Korean and Western diets, Kang explained research outcomes on the weight-loss effects of a rice-based diet and stressed the importance of the traditional rice-centric Korean meal.

Professor Shin Dongmi (Seoul National University) gave a presentation titled “Our Genetic Love of Korean Food,” through which she explained studies that prove how Korean food promotes a greater diversity of intestinal microorganisms than Western food and increases the amount of beneficial bacteria.

The roundtable discussion, which was chaired by Director Choi Ye-jeong (Management Planning Office, KFPI) and joined by Dr. Kim Myeongson (senior researcher, Korea Food Research Institute) and Professor Yang Yoonjung (Dongduk Women’s University), focused on other studies on Korean food and the direction that future research should take. The seminar attendees expressed their satisfaction with the day’s discussions, especially on the invaluable opportunity to not only hear about studies on the merits of Korean food but also interact with others working in the Korean food industry, and their anticipation for the next seminar.

KFPI President Yim Kyeongsook said, “I hope that the seminar was an opportunity for participants to see that the merits of Korean cuisine are not just a catchphrase but a concrete truth that is backed by science. We will continue doing our utmost to make this seminar series a venue for exchanging information on Korean cuisine and networking among industry representatives.” The third and fourth seminars are scheduled to be held in October and December. The presentation booklet for the seminar is available to download on the KFPI’s website (http://www.hansik.or.kr; Korean version only).

KFPI Hosts Culinary Culture Program on Global Spotlight on Korean Cuisine

On October 1, the KFPI hosted a Korean culinary culture program (“Korean Food Talk Concert”) at Hansik Space E:eum. The well-attended lecture, which was given by Food Content Director Kim Hyejoon on the theme “K-food, Into the World,” was held in conjunction with the 2022 Korean Culture Festival (which also kicked off on October 1) and explored the merits of Korean cuisine and how it should be developed moving forward. Korean food ranked first in the 2022 Report on the Status of Overseas Hallyu’s per-country popularity rankings of Korean cultural content.

Applications to attend the lecture were submitted by a diverse demographic, including teens and seniors. Foreigners of multiple nationalities also applied, showing that interest in Korean food is no longer limited by national borders.

Kim said, “Ten years ago, Korean food was something that could be experienced only indirectly, through cultural content such as dramas and film. The popularity currently enjoyed by Korean food is largely due to a shift from indirect to direct experiences of people in other countries, which firmly implants the notion that Korean food is healthy. For Korean food to continue to be well-liked by global consumers, we need to make a much more concerted effort to apply contemporary formats to a solid understanding of traditional cuisine.”

One Burmese participant said, “I got interested in Korean food after watching Korean dramas. After tasting it through this event, I like it even more because I learned that it is both delicious and healthy.”

KFPI President Yim Kyeongsook said, “Korean food is now much more than its dictionary definition. It is also a form of cultural content that serves as the ‘face of Korea’ for many around the world. We thus need to turn our attention to effectively presenting and spreading awareness of the merits of Korean cuisine.” Further information on the KFPI’s culinary cultural program, which is held monthly, is available through the KFPI’s social media channels.

KFPI Hosts Korean Fermented Food Festival in Qatar: Promotional Events Held on Kimchi, Jang, and Other Korean Foods

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA; minister: Chung Hwangkeun) and KFPI (president: Yim Kyeongsook) jointly held the Korean Fermented Food Festival in Qatar, the host country of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, from October 3 through 5 as an extension of its support program for overseas exchange institutions.

For the festival, the Institute of Traditional Korean Food (CEO: Yoon Sook-ja), with funding from the KFPI, featured 55 fermented dishes, including Korean jang (soy sauce, soybean paste, and red pepper paste), sauces and foods based on Korean jang, kimchi and kimchi-based foods, and dishes combining Korean fermented food with traditional dishes of Qatar.

There were also several interactive events, including lectures and demonstrations/taste-testing sessions, cooking classes, and a kimchi-themed Arabic food cooking contest. The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the State of Qatar (ambassador: Lee Joonho) and the Korean resident community were also invited to give them a sense of pride in their home country’s food.

The festival was held at Qatar University, one of Qatar’s top public universities, and worked closely with the South Korean Club to promote Korea’s fermented foods and related cultural elements to local students. It is expected to lead to greater interest in “K-food” and Hallyu in Qatar.

KFPI President Yim Kyeongsook said, “We are delighted to have held a Korean food event in the host country of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. It was a wonderful opportunity to promote Korean food and Korean culinary culture to people of other nationalities in a time when the realm of Korean food is quickly expanding due to the growing popularity of Hallyu through K-pop and Korean dramas.”

KFPI Employees Help Out with Pear Harvest

On September 30, a team of 12 KFPI employees visited a pear farm in Anseong, Gyeonggi-do, as a social contribution effort to help harvest pears in a region that is currently experiencing a dire shortage of workers.

The employees, led by Secretary-General Kim Daekyun, spent the day picking pears and retrieving dropped pears. Their efforts resulted in the harvesting of 380 boxes of high-quality pears.

The farm’s owner said, “Fruit harvest, by nature, is labor-intensive at certain times of year. This makes it difficult to hire workers. The assistance given for this year’s harvest by the employees of the KFPI was a big help. Rural areas in most part of Korea are struggling with the problems of an aging population and lack of foreign workers. It would be wonderful if the KFPI could continue helping farms in need as they did for us.”

Kim said, “The KFPI decided on this social contribution activity based on the chronic shortage of workers in rural areas, especially in the harvest months. I hope that what we did today was of at least some small help. We will also be thinking about how to expand this activity to continue to be of assistance to farms.”

The KFPI has volunteered at farms at harvest time since 2020, when COVID-19 began spreading in Korea, to alleviate the worker shortage. In the summer, employees helped with the harvest at an onion farm.