[Matjjalal X File] The Panacea Strawberry... The King of Winter Fruits 'Great Dissection'

Strawberries in Ancient Roman Texts... Used More for Medicine Than Food
Introduced to Korea in Early 20th Century via Japan
'Strawberry Golden Age' with Development of Domestic Varieties like Seolhyang

Editor's Note[Matjalal X-file] uncovers misunderstandings and truths about food.

Let me tell you an old story. There lived a sick old mother and her devoted son. One winter, before she passed away, the mother wished to eat strawberries. The son searched the snow-covered mountains until he nearly collapsed, but he could not find any strawberries anywhere. Fortunately, the mountain spirit, moved by his filial piety, brought strawberries to him, and the mother ate them and recovered as if her illness had been washed away.

In the past, strawberries were absolutely unavailable in winter. But now, strawberries have become the king of winter fruits. With their sweet fragrance and captivating red color, strawberries tempt us. When you take a bite, the juicy flavor fills your mouth. The popularity of strawberries seems to have peaked in recent years. They have even pushed aside year-round fruits like apples and traditional winter fruits like tangerines, ranking first in sales for three consecutive years among the three major large supermarkets. Not only fresh strawberries, but cafes also release new menus such as strawberry cakes, strawberry juice, and strawberry rice cakes every winter.

How much do you know about strawberries?

The history of strawberries is longer than you might think. They even appear in ancient Roman literature. Until medieval Europe, strawberries were used more as medicine than food and were considered a panacea. With vitamin C content ten times that of apples and twice that of lemons, they served as a natural fatigue reliever. They are also packed with potassium and iron, which are good for blood circulation, making them highly nutritious. Bernard Fontenelle, a writer born in 1657 who lived to a ripe old age, credited strawberries as his secret to longevity.

Strawberries began to be cultivated in their current form after the discovery of the New World, when the Virginia species from North America and the Chilean species from South America were brought to Europe and crossbred. Since then, strawberry popularity grew mainly in Europe, leading to the development of various varieties that continue to this day.

Geumsil Strawberry. Provided by Gokseong-gun

Although the history of strawberries is this long, the fact is that strawberries have only been eaten in Korea for a few decades. The first strawberries were introduced in the early 20th century, reportedly through Japan. Cultivation began in the 1960s near Suwon. Until the 1980s, they were called "yang-ddalgi" (foreign strawberries) to distinguish them from native wild strawberries. Early cultivation was mainly open-field, which was why strawberries were unavailable in winter.

However, after the spread of vinyl greenhouses in the 1980s, known as the White Revolution, facility cultivation took hold, and the harvest season gradually moved earlier. About ten years ago, when Japanese varieties like Akihime and Red Pearl dominated, strawberries were considered a representative spring fruit. But since the development of the excellent Korean variety "Seolhyang" for winter greenhouses in 2005, strawberries have been able to appear on winter Seol (Lunar New Year) tables. Winter strawberries, which undergo a longer maturation period, have higher sugar content and better quality than spring strawberries. As 95% of farms began cultivating Korean varieties that surpassed Japanese ones, strawberries quickly captured people's taste buds. Along with Seolhyang, Maehyang, Jukhyang, Geumsil, and Kingsberry are the five representative varieties.

According to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation, as of the 2nd of this month, the retail price of 100g of strawberries is 2,533 won. This means you need to pay 25,000 won to buy 1kg of strawberries. Although strawberry prices have dropped 12.5% compared to a month ago, they are still 10% higher than a year ago and 25% more expensive than the average year.

What is behind the annual soaring strawberry prices? First of all, abnormal weather cannot be excluded. A farmer who has been growing strawberries for 15 years said, "Last year was the worst year for growing strawberries." Last summer, heavy rains flooded strawberry seedlings, and afterward, the worst heatwave in history caused poor growth. As a result, the initial shipment volume decreased, leading to a surge in strawberry prices.

Because of this, the prices of all products containing strawberries have also risen. Strawberry buffets are a prime example. Admission tickets for strawberry buffets at major luxury hotels in Seoul exceed 100,000 won per adult. The "Must Be Strawberry" dessert buffet at Lotte Hotel Seoul costs 135,000 won, which is a 17.4% increase compared to 115,000 won early last year. The strawberry buffet at Lotte Hotel World in Jamsil, Seoul, is 108,000 won per person, also up more than 10% from 98,000 won last year.

The taste of Korean strawberries has spread by word of mouth through tourists, and exports have recently been booming. In 2023 alone, export value exceeded 71.1 million dollars (about 104.3 billion won). Strawberries are exported to 26 countries including Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Especially in Singapore, Korean strawberries hold a 43% market share of the fresh strawberry market. This is great news, but there is some concern that strawberry prices might rise further, similar to how seaweed prices increased with frozen gimbap exports. Of course, this would benefit farmers. Still, being able to buy the world's most delicious strawberries at your local supermarket is truly a blessing.