We are currently in the early days of autumn, when our tables are starting to be graced with newly-harvested rice. A bowl of firm, glossy rice is, to use a Korean saying, “worth more than 10 side dishes.” Selecting rice is no easy task, however, due to the many brands and varieties there are in each region. What, then, is the best way to pick rice? This article offers tips on Korean rice varieties that are famous for their delicious flavors.

Article Seo Dongchul (Editorial Team) Sources Naver Encyclopedia (Scent of Science (column by KISTI)), Doosan Encyclopedia, National Institute of Crop Science

Koreans’ love of Japonica rice

Rice is one of the world’s top three most-consumed grains along with millet and corn. It is a staple in many countries other than Korea, including China, Japan, India, and most of Southeast Asia. Approximately 90 percent of the world’s rice is produced in Asia, with most of it consumed in Asia as well.

There are three main varieties of rice: Japonica, which is short, round, sticky (moist), and predominantly grown in Northeast Asia (including, of course, Korea); Indica, which is long, thin, dry, and grown in India and Southeast Asia; and Javanica, which has a blend of Japonica and Indica’s characteristics and is grown primarily in Indonesia. Japonica, the type of rice that is most popular among Koreans, is cultivated in only three countries (China, Japan, and Korea) and accounts for just 10 percent of total rice production.

Korea’s history of developing an indigenous rice variety begins in the 1960s, when rice production levels were very low. To address the food shortage, efforts began to create a variety that combines the qualities of Indica, which is a high-yield variety, and Japonica, which tastes good: the result was “Tongil rice” (tongil means “unification” in Korean). Tongil rice, however, was gradually pushed to the sidelines due to difficulties cultivating it and its low crop yield as well as the mediocrity of its taste and vulnerability to low temperatures. However, the search for a new rice variety did not stop: today, there are many Japonica varieties (Junam rice, Daean rice, Gyehwa rice, Dongjin rice, and Unbong rice), all of which are high-yield and resistant to poor weather conditions.

The victory of delicious domestic rice

The rapid growth of the Korean economy starting in the 1980s led to increased demand for high-quality rice, which fueled efforts that had begun in the 1960s to invent a high-yield and tasty variety of Korean rice. Most people think first of Japanese varieties, such as Akibare and Koshihikari, as the forerunners of delicious rice, failing to remember that Korean varieties surpassed their foreign counterparts in terms of both cultivability and taste long ago.

According to the National Institute of Crop Science, the best-tasting Korean varieties are: Haedeul, Alchanmi, Samgwang, Sindongjin, Saeilmi, Younghojinmi, Ilpum, and Odae. Haedeul, which was created in 2017, received a higher score than Koshihikari in a taste assessment, winning a Korea Variety Award (KVA). Samgwang, which was developed in 2003, boasts a translucent color and pleasant chewiness. Grains of the delicious Sindongjin, which was developed in 1999 and granted KVA status in 2009, are 1.3 times larger than those of other varieties. Younghojinmi, invented in 2009 and given KVA status in 2019, is characterized by a rich luster, chewy texture, and savory flavor that intensifies the longer it is chewed. Grown predominantly in Cheorwon-gun, Gangwon-do, Odae grains are thick, sticky, and infused with a very distinct sweet and savory flavor. Developed decades ago in 1982, Odae continues to hold its own even in the face of newly-created varieties.

Most consumers still overwhelming choose rice solely based on brand name or where it was grown. The most important determinant of taste, however, is the rice’s variety. This year, make every meal more delicious with Korean-grown rice!