Kim Hye-kyung Serves 'Tteok-mandu-guk' to Chinese Women Bridging Korea and China: "Egg Garnish Turned Out Especially Well, Ties Will Grow Stronger"

"May the Friendship Between Our Two Countries Deepen Further"
Served to Guests with Seaweed and Egg Garnish

On January 5 (local time), Kim Hye-kyung, wife of President Lee Jae-myung, who is currently on a state visit to China, hosted a Korean lunch at the residence of the Korean Embassy in Beijing, inviting Chinese women who have served as "bridges" between Korea and China. Kim personally prepared "tteok-mandu-guk," a fusion of Korea's New Year's rice cake soup (tteokguk) and China's dumpling tradition, expressing her hope that "the friendship between the two countries will deepen further."

Yonhap News Agency

Kim was joined by nine prominent Chinese women in education, culture, welfare, and business, including Wang Dan, Vice President of Beijing Foreign Studies University and Director of the Center for the Korean Peninsula, Zhao Sujing, Chairwoman of the China Disabled Persons' Welfare Foundation, and Pan Xiaoqing, Professor at the Communication University of China.

Wearing a white blouse, black skirt, and a sky-blue apron, Kim entered the venue with a tray of tteok-mandu-guk. She said, "In Korea, we eat tteokguk for the Lunar New Year, and I heard that in China, people eat dumplings for the Spring Festival. Today, I prepared tteok-mandu-guk, which combines rice cakes and dumplings. I made it with special meaning, as all of you have played a wonderful role as bridges between China and Korea."

Kim then served the tteok-mandu-guk, garnished with seaweed and egg strips, to the guests. She remarked, "The most challenging part of making tteok-mandu-guk is preparing the egg garnish, but since it turned out especially well today, I feel that the relationship between China and Korea will only get better." When someone next to her suggested she adjust the amount of garnish, Kim laughed brightly and replied, "I tend to be generous with my portions."

Yonhap News Agency

In her welcoming remarks, Kim said, "It is a true pleasure to meet all of you, who are active as bridges between Korea and China in various fields of society. I hope that by sharing tteok-mandu-guk, which blends rice cake soup and dumplings, everyone will enjoy a peaceful and abundant year." In response, Vice President Wang Dan, speaking through an interpreter, said, "This is not just an ordinary lunch, but a bond that transcends language and borders. I will continue to play a role in fostering friendship between the two countries." Kim expressed her gratitude, saying, "I am deeply moved that you have given such great meaning to a single bowl of rice cake soup."

Alongside tteok-mandu-guk, the lunch table featured grilled short rib patties (tteokgalbi), braised tofu, and skewered meat and vegetables (sanjeok). The host explained, "The tteokgalbi served today was made with ingredients available in China, inspired by the dish presented at the state banquet for President Xi Jinping during last year's APEC Summit in Gyeongju."