Capturing the Charm of Seasonal Local Foods in Korean Culture
Featuring Hidden Stories Behind Regional Ingredients and Dishes
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization announced on the 28th that they have published the booklet "K-Local Gourmet Travel 33 Selections," which captures the charm of regional food culture and seasonal dishes with artist Heo Young-man.
The Korea Tourism Organization announced on the 28th that it has published the booklet "K-Local Gourmet Travel 33 Selections," capturing the charm of regional food culture and seasonal dishes with artist Heo Young-man. [Photo by Korea Tourism Organization]
This booklet contains stories about a total of 33 Korean foods, including Chapter 1 featuring 15 regional dishes such as Suwon Wang Galbi, Hoengseong Hanwoo, and Damyang Tteokgalbi; Chapter 2 covering 15 seasonal local ingredients such as Yangyang Pine Mushrooms, Tongyeong Oysters, and Wando Abalone; and Chapter 3 introducing regional traditional liquors such as Makgeolli, Hansan Sogokju, and Andong Soju.
Each chapter includes various information related to regional foods, such as the origins and history of the dishes, diverse recipes made with seasonal ingredients, famous restaurants known for local cuisine, places to purchase seasonal ingredients, experience spaces where visitors can make dishes themselves using seasonal ingredients, and food festivals.
In particular, readers can discover fascinating stories related to ingredients and dishes, such as the historical background of Jeju Island’s specialty black pork, why Sunchang became known as the hometown of fermented sauces, and the reason why Yeosu’s mudflat eel is called "Gaet" eel.
Artist Heo Young-man, who visited various places nationwide to research distinctive local restaurants and experience information for the booklet’s production, mentioned in his recommendation, “K-Local Gourmet Travel 33 Selections offers a great opportunity to experience the unique culture of each region through its distinctive foods,” adding, “The foods introduced in this booklet will tell stories about the land we live on beyond just the joy of eating.”
This booklet is available as an e-book on the national domestic travel information service platform "Korea Travel Easy." It is scheduled to be published in four languages?English, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese?by the end of this year.
Kim Dong-il, Head of the Tourism Industry Division at the Korea Tourism Organization, said, “Foods with regional characteristics each have their own stories and cultures, and it is worth traveling to enjoy dishes made with seasonal ingredients,” adding, “We hope this booklet will help promote local food culture widely, activate regional tourism, and revitalize local economies.”
Earlier, in June, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization selected and announced the "33 Korean Food Tourism Selections," consisting of 15 regional dishes, 15 seasonal local ingredients, and 3 regional traditional liquors, through a food tourism advisory meeting composed of eight experts from the dining, tourism, academia, and marketing fields.
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