ENG
www.agrafood.co.kr
The Monthly Magazine of Korean Agriculture & Food
September 2015 Issue 240
Healthy & Nutritious
Sweet Pumpkin with Many Uses Preview of 2015 K-Food Fair in Hanoi & Xi’an 2015 Korea Food Show & Buy Korean Food The Biggest Korean Holiday, Chuseok Freshness & Hard Flesh, Jeongseon Tomatoes
Mugak Temple Stay with Service in English
Pizza Topped with Sweet Pumpkin
CONTENTS September 2015 Issue 240
39 SNACK in Chinese Goraebab with Milk and Honey, Goraebab HoneyMilk Flavor 40 K-FOOD TREND in Chinese Now the sweet, fruit-flavored soju is all the rage in Korea!
GLOBALIZATION of HANSIK 42 KOREAN FRANCHISE in Chinese SNOWBALL serves a variety of healthy and delicious bingsu—shaved ice with toppings including red bean, strawberry, mango, grapefruit, and so on.
Photo by Kim Ji-hoon of Toraii Republic www.toraii.com
Founded in August, 1995, Published monthly by the 227, Munhwa-ro, Naju-si, Jeollanam-do, Korea Tel +82-2-6300-1529 Fax +82-2-6300-1615 Government Registration Number : Ra-7210 Dated Apr. 26, 1995 Copyrightⓒ by the aT (Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp.) All rights reserved. CEO Kim Jae-soo VICE PRESIDENT Kim Jin-young (for Planning & Management) EXECUTIVES Yoo Chung-sik (for Food Industry & Export Promotion) Kim Dong-yeol (for Marketing Support) EDITORS Shin Jang-hyun (Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp.) Lee Dong-kwang (The Korean Farmers & Fishermen’s News)
COVER Sweet pumpkin has many merits such as abundant nutrition and few calories. The healthy vegetable is widely used as an ingredient for a variety dishes—salad, pizza, soup, etc. P.22~25
46 DANIEL LEE GRAY’S HANSIK STORY Bean Story and How the Onggi and Korean Ceramics Became Art
REPORTERS Woo Jung-soo (woojs@agrinet.co.kr) Park Sung-eun (parkse@agrinet.co.kr) Kim Hyo-jin (hjkim@agrinet.co.kr) GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jang Yeon-ho ENGLISH EDITOR Chae Ria, Sohn Hae-young, Jeremy Schaar
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TRANSLATORS Park Sung-eun, Kim Hyo-jin, Park Hye-yun (ENGLISH) Tamura Yoshihiro (JAPANESE) / Park Seo-ran (CHINESE)
08 THEME in Chinese <K-Food Fair> will be held in two cities—Hanoi and Xi’an—this September. The fair includes both B2B export consultations and B2C Korean food experience events.
26 TOMATO in Japanese Popular with the Japanese, Fresh and Safe Jeongseon Tomatoes
EDITORIAL BOARD SEOUL Roh Tae-hak 82-2-6300-1521 (rho1008@at.or.kr) TOKYO Bae Yong-ho 81-3-5367-6656 (yongho@at.or.kr)
PROCESSED FOOD
OSAKA Yoon Sang-young 81-6-6260-7661 (yoon@atcenter.or.jp)
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16 SPECIAL I in Chinese Korea’s largest exhibition of Korean agriproducts “2015 Korea Food Show” (KFS) will be held September 8 to 12. Let’s preview the 2015 KFS!
20 SPECIAL II The Korean Thanksgiving Day, Chuseok, and Dishes for Chuseok
FRESH FOOD 22 SWEET PUMPKIN in Japanese Steadily Growing Demand for Muan Sweet Pumpkin as a Healthy Ingredient
Dongwon Korean Ginseng can supply customized ginseng products based on its long knowhow in ginseng production.
SHANGHAI Lee Sang-kil 86-21-3256-6326 (trimy@at.or.kr) QINGDAO Sung Gwang-don 86-532-6696-2229 (afmcsgd@at.or.kr)
30 PROCESSED GINSENG in Chinese
BEIJING Lee Pil-hyung 86-10-6410-6120 (phlee@at.or.kr)
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34 PRECOOKED FOOD in Chinese DOORI DOORI Precooked Instant Rice Dishes You Can Enjoy Anytime and Anywhere
IT’S NEW! 38 KIMCHI in Japanese Sweet-and-Sour Kimchi Made of Healthy Ingredients, Bibigo Koryo Cabbage Kimchi
48 SIMPLE KOREAN COOKING A Clean and Simple Tasting Tonic Dish, Dakgaejang (spicy chicken soup)
CHENGDU Lee Jong-geun 86-28-8283-3376 (mailtoyou@naver.com) HONGKONG Lee Seung-hoon 852-2588-1616 (afmchoon@at.or.kr) TAIPEI Kim Jin-seop 886-2-2740-5040~1 (suphaji@at.or.kr) NEW YORK Shin Hyun-gon 1-516-829-1633 (newyork@at.or.kr) L.A Lee Chu-pyo 1-562-809-8810 (losangeles@at.or.kr)
50 K-TOUR in Chinese Mugak Temple is famous for having diverse temple stay programs for foreigners.
PARIS Kim Young-bum 33-1-4108-6076 (remix@at.or.kr) HANOI Kim Dong-kwan 84-4-6282-2987 (dkkim@at.or.kr) JAKARTA Lee Sung-bok 62-21-2995-9032 (insa@at.or.kr) BANGKOK Song Mi-jung 662-611-2627 (peosong@at.or.kr) DUBAI Lee Tae-hee 971-50-620-6034 (mumtaaz@naver.com)
REGULARS
EDITED & DESIGNED BY The Korean Farmers & Fishermen’s News Room 902, aT center, 27 Gangnamdaero, Seocho-gu, Seoul, Korea Tel +82-70-8255-8384
Fax +82-2-6300-8385
06 NEWS
www.agrafood.co.kr 54 LET’S SPEAK HANSIK in Seven Languages Gamjatang (Pork back-bone stew)
Exporting News
The Demand for Korean Snacks Sharply Increases in China
Seasoned Seaweed, Soy Sauce, and Sea Mustard are Popular with Czechs Korean seasoned seaweed, soy sauce, and sea mustard are receiving a
food safety. Most of Chinese consumers who have tasted
positive response in the Czech Republic and have a good potential for ex-
Korean products are highly satisfied with the quality and
panding in the local market. Recently, the Paris aT office conducted a survey
taste and purchase them again.
on K-Food preferences among Czechs who visited a K-Food Antenna Shop in the Czech Republic. The survey found out that amid the
The Korean confectionery companies that are present in the Chinese market include: Orion Corp. (www.orion-
weed, soy sauce, and sea mustard. 88 percent of the respondents said that Korean seasoned seaweed is delicious. The awareness of
world.com, +82-2-710-6000), Haitai Confectionery and
the product was also high. Korean soy sauce was also found to have a good potential in the Czech market. It received favorable evalua-
Foods Co., Ltd. (http://eng.ht.co.kr/main.asp, +82-2-709-
tions for the clean and savory taste when compared to its competitors from Japan and China.
7766), LOTTE Confectionery Co., Ltd. (http://www.lotteconf.co.kr/eng/, +82-2-2670-6114) and Crown ConfecKorean snacks have been popular with Chinese consumers. Recently, dried fruit chips are also coming into the spotlight
high tide of Hallyu (Korean culture wave), Czechs are exhibiting an increasing interest in K-Foods and especially in Korean seasoned sea-
Different types of seaweed are recently coming into the limelight as a healthy food thanks to the abundance of nutrition they contain— alginic acid, dietary fibers, and many more. Thanks to this trend, Korean sea mustard is getting a positive response.
tionery Co., Ltd. (www.crown.co.kr, +82-2-791-9311). The bestselling snacks are Choco Pie (Orion Corp.), Pepero (LOTTE Confectionery Co., Ltd.), and Ace (Haitai
The demand for Korean snacks is sharply increasing in
Confectionery and Foods Co., Ltd.). Recently, baby
China. According to the data of the Chinese government,
snacks, dried fruit chips (satsuma,
imports of Korean snacks to China last year amounted to
purple sweet potato, and kiwi) are
USD$815 million, which is an increase of over 57 percent
coming into the limelight. Thanks
compared to the 2012 number of (USD$518 million).
to the healthy living trend over-
The trend is attributed to the popularity of Hallyu
seas, low calorie and nutritious
(Korean culture wave) and the credit Korean snacks
snacks made with rice
gained with local consumers for their delicious taste and
have become a hit.
Korean Summer Strawberry Receives a Positive Response Abroad
The Harvest of Asan Pears Starts… Favorable Response Expected Abroad The harvest of Asan pear, which is known for its sweetness and nice scent, began in
fruits. The average size of the berry is over 30g and the shape is very pretty. Thanks to these advantages, Yeolha is
The Largest Vietnamese Aloe Vera Company Enters a Korean Food Production Cluster
High sugar content (average 9.6°Bx) is the biggest strength of the recently develGoha
Jangha
oped variety Jangha. Generally, the taste
year is that of the Asan pear variety called “Wonhwang.” It has the taste and size preferred by American and Taiwanese con-
Last July, MAFRA (the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Rural Affairs)
er strong points of the fruit. This year’s pears
and a Vietnamese aloe vera producer signed an MOU on the latter’s en-
are expected to have a very high sugar con-
try into a Korean National Food Production Cluster at Iksan City.
tent because of the perfect weather for pear
GC FOOD is the largest aloe vera producer in Vietnam, with a domes-
cultivation, such as the proper amount of
of the summer strawberry is sourer than
tic market share of 80 percent. The company produces processed
sunshine.
cent higher than that of the imported vari-
that of the winter strawberry. But Jangha
foods made with aloe vera and coconut jelly. It has also been exporting
Accordingly, it is
Goha, Yeolha, and Jangha—are receiving
ety Flamenco. Goha is cultivated in the
was able to overcome this shortcoming.
its products to the US, Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong since 2013.
anticipated that
the spotlight abroad for the high yield and
clean, alpine environment of Muju
Given these advantages of the Korean
Nguyen Van Thu, the CEO of GC FOOD, said, “Thanks to Hallyu
the export vol-
summer strawberries, it is no surprise
(Korean culture wave), the number of Vietnamese people interested in
ume of the Asan
that many foreign companies are exhibit-
Korean foods is steadily increasing. That is why we decided to enter a
pear this year will be higher than ever.
Korean summer strawberry species—
sugar contents. The very first variety of strawberries
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Yeolha
seas is under way. The first pear harvest this
sumers. A thin peel and soft texture are oth-
often used as a baking ingredient for cakes and in beverages.
late August. Preparation for the export over-
County. Yeolha boasts a high sugar content
developed in Korea, Goha, has a round
and firm texture. What’s more, it has a
ing an increasing interest in the Korean
cluster of Korean food producers. We will make many foods with aloe
shape. Its production per stem is 30 per-
low possibility of developing malformed
summer strawberry varieties.
vera in Korea and export them to Vietnam.”
Korea AgraFood
Issue 240 Sep. 2015
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Theme
2015 K-Food Fair in Hanoi &
2015 K-Food Fair in Hanoi, Vietnam Interest of Local People The K-Food B2C event will take place from September 12 to 13 at Keangnam Hanoi Landmark Tower 72. The building is a high-rise multi shopping complex and currently the tallest building on the Indochinese peninsula. During the event, various programs will be carried out to attract the interest of local people. At Star Chefs’ K-Food Demonstration, famous Korean and Vietnamese chefs will cook Korean fusion dishes made of the products of participating Korean food exporters—rice noodles, kimchi, gochujang (red pepper paste), etc. The K-Kitchen: Fast K-Food program will introduce Korean dishes that can be easily cooked by the local Vietnamese consumers in their homes.
Xi’an
Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam and Xi’an City is famous as a representative Chinese historical city. In Hanoi, interest in Korean agri-products and Korean cuisine is rapidly increasing among the local young people who like Korean dramas and K-Pop. A variety of festivals and food sales events related to Hallyu (Korean culture wave) are regularly held there. In Xi’an City, which is located in the Chinese inland, Korean agri-products are not yet actively distributed, but, thanks to the popularity of Hallyu, the awareness of some Korean agri-products—such as powdered milk and seasoned seaweed—is steadily rising. To promote the taste and excellence of Korean agri-products to local consumers in Hanoi and Xi’an, MAFRA (Korean Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs) and aT (Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation) will hold <K-Food Fair>, a large trade fair of Korean agri-products, in the two cities in September.
Lots of Vietnamese people participated in “2014 K-Food Fair in Ho Chi Minh” to experience the taste of Korean foods (top), Vietnamese consumers tasted Korean instant noodle products at the K-Food B2C event place of “2013 K-Food Fair in Hanoi” (bottom)
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he 2015 K-Food Fair Hanoi is being organized under the slogan “Beyond K-Food, On Your Table.” It will be the second time since 2013 that the event has been organized in the city. The fair will take place from September 11 to 13 and include both B2B export consultations with buyers and B2C Korean food experience events for local consumers. The K-Food B2B event will take place at the JW Marriott Hotel Hanoi on September 11. About 40 Vietnamese big distributors, supermarkets, and food importers are expected to participate. To facilitate business negotiations, aT will set up a 1:1 matching system for the local buyers and 20 Korean food exporters. What’s more, a K-Food Seminar event promoting the excellence of Korean agri-products will be held for local opinion leaders and foreign buyers to help their understanding of Korean agri-products.
Preparing Various Programs to Attract the 8
Korea AgraFood
Issue 240 Sep. 2015
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Theme
Popular Korean Foods in Vietnam
Additional Information MAFRA and aT Cultivate Vietnamese Market as Threshold to Korean Food Wave
Mushrooms: Among Korean Chicken:
The main three types of Korean chicken products distributed in Vietnam are the mature chicken, native Korean chicken, and samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup). The mature Korean chicken quickly gained popularity thanks to the low price and chewy texture. The native Korean chicken is a premium chicken product aimed at the local high-income group. It has more collagen amino acids than the non-native species. Samgyetang is becoming popular as a tonic food. It is mainly sold in local high-end supermarkets and department stores.
mushrooms, the types most actively exported to Vietnam are enoki mushrooms and lingshi mushrooms. The Korean enoki mushroom receives praise for its freshness and pretty appearance. Nowadays, sales of Korean enoki mushrooms in Vietnam are on the rise because shabu-shabu (a hot pot) with enoki mushrooms is becoming increasingly popular with local consumers. As for Korean lingshi mushrooms, they are considered the best health food and sell well as a gift for the Vietnamese lunar New Year’s Day (Tet).
Ginseng:
Vietnamese people rate Korean ginseng as the best in terms of the effectiveness and brand value. The price of Korean ginseng is high as it has outstanding healthy functions. That is why the majority of consumers of Korean ginseng in Vietnam are the local middle and upper classes. They usually buy Korean ginseng products as a health food for themselves or to give as a present. Red ginseng extract and powdered ginseng tea are the top-selling items.
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Ice Cream:
In the eyes of Vietnamese consumers, the biggest merits of Korean ice cream products are the sophisticated package and variety of tastes offered. These days, Korean ice cream exporters employ boy bands such as EXO and 2PM as models. Their ice cream products are particularly popular among young Vietnamese consumers who like Hallyu (Korean culture wave). Not surprisingly, the ice cream products are enjoying high sales in Vietnam.
Makgeolli: Among Vietnamese consumers interested in Korean food culture, the cocktail makgeolli products—fruit makgeolli (with grapefruit, grape, and other fruit juices) and the refreshing sparkling makgeolli—are most popular. Also, local consumers prefer portable canned makgeolli to PET bottled makgeolli because cans are easier to carry.
MAFRA and aT are making efforts to promote the taste and excellence of Korean agri-products to local consumers through the aT Hanoi branch office, which was established last May. The aT Hanoi branch office regularly organizes sales events for Korean agri-products in cooperation with large local supermarkets in major Vietnamese cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh. The office also continues to promote Korean fresh foods through SNS (social network services) and home shopping channels. What’s more, as a result of MAFRA and aT’s efforts to familiarize the Vietnamese with Korean food culture, a regular class on Korean cuisine recently opened at Hanoi Tourism University. A variety of Korean dishes—such as gimbap (Korean seaweed roll) and japchae (glass noodles with sauteed vegetables)— are introduced in the class. It is getting a good response from the students.
Issue 240 Sep. 2015 1 1
Theme
2015 K-Food Fair in Xi’an, China
2015 K-Food Fair in Xi’an will be held on September 18 to 20. The fair will include the K-Food B2B event (export consultations) and the KFood B2C event (Korean food experience) to promote the excellent taste and quality of Korean foods to Xi’an consumers
A Large Trade and Promotional Fair for Korean Food Will Be Held for Three Days from September 18 at the Hilton Hotel Xi’an and Wanda Plaza
i’an is a representative city of the Chinese northwestern region. It is also famous for the historical place, the tomb of Qin Shi Huang, which is one of the Eight Wonders of the World. In Xi’an, Korean TV dramas and entertainment shows—
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such as My Love from Another Star and Running Man— are very popular with local people. The popularity has led to a rising interest in Korean agri-products. Because Xi’an City is located in the Chinese inland, only a limited number of Korean agri-products—such as yuja tea (citron tea) and dairy foods—are distributed in big supermarkets and department stores there. These days, however, the number of local consumers purchasing Korean agri-products—such as snacks and seasoned seaweed—through local online
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shopping malls (for example, Taobao and Yihaodian) is increasing. To promote the excellent taste and quality of Korean foods to Xi’an consumers, MAFRA (the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Rural Affairs) and aT (Korea AgroFisheries & Food Trade Corporation) will hold a large, three-day trade fair for Korean food, <K-Food Fair>, in Xi’an City from September 18 to 20.
Focus on Promoting Promising Items—such as Dairies, Traditional Sauces, and Beverages—to Northwestern Chinese Buyers The K-Food B2B event will be held on September 18 at the Hilton Hotel Xi’an. About 40 local food buyers and venders will participate in the fair. aT will set up a 1:1 matching system for local buyers and 20 Korean food exporters. Participating Korean companies will promote a variety of promising Korean agri-products. These include dairies, infant foods, gochujang (red pepper paste), beer, and so on. A special promotion hall for traditional Korean foods (kimchi, traditional sauces, and the Korean rice wine, makgeolli) will be organized.
What’s more, a tasting event of Korean finger foods made with Korean agri-products will be organized in the lounge for the participating buyers. The buyers will also receive a K-Food Welcome Pack, which will include a variety of Korean agri-products such as milk, snacks, and canned beer.
Spreading the Image of Delicious and Healthy Korean Foods The K-Food B2C event will take place on September 19 and 20 at the Wanda Plaza. The event has a goal of promoting delicious and healthy Korean foods to the Xi’an consumers who are unfamiliar with Korean food culture. For this reason, MAFRA and aT prepared, as parts of the event, several types of programs: a K-Food tasting event, K-Food Kitchen, a traditional Korean culture experience, a cooking class for Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving Day) dishes, and so on. The K-Food tasting event will promote the excellence of Korean foods to local people under a number of themes: Safety of K-Food (demonstrating milk and snacks), Enjoying K-Food in a Convenient Way (instant noodles and seasoned seaweed), Healthier K-Food (traditional sauces and processed red ginseng), and Refreshing K-Food (beverages, alcoholic drinks, and tea). The K-Food Kitchen event will demonstrate fusion dishes—such as kiwi-gimbap (Korean seaweed rolls with kiwi filling) and jujube-latte— prepared with the concept “a rendezvous of K-Food and Xi’an specialties.” (Xi’an regional specialties include kiwi and jujube.) To attract greater participation from local consumers, there will be several traditional games and a cooking class where local people can make Korean Chuseok dishes.
Chinese consumers participate in the tasting event for makgeolli (Korean rice wine)
Issue 240 Sep. 2015 1 3
Theme
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Popular K Foods in the Northwestern Region of China
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Dairy Foods: Korean fresh milk is popular
with Xi'an consumers as the premium milk because of its high food safety and sophisticated design. Thanks to the sweet taste and beautiful color, Banana Flavored Milk has gained popularity with consumers in their teens and 20s. Korean soybean milk is attracting the attention of Chinese consumers interested in a healthy lifestyle.
Top 3 Hot Sellers
Gochujang:
Korean spicy dishes are in demand in China and, as a result, the export of gochujang (red pepper paste) to the country is steadily growing. The biggest advantage of gochujang is its spicy yet sweet taste. Last year, Chinese first lady, Peng Liyuan, purchased gochujang during her visit to Korea. The news made headlines, so the awareness of gochujang in China has greatly increased.
Rising Stars
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Tteokbokki: Thanks to the popularity of
Hallyu among the Chinese, the number of local people interested in tteokbokki (a representative Korean spicy street food) is growing. The merits of tteokbokki are the dish’s spiciness and chewiness. Local buyers are most interested in instant tteokbokki products that can easily be made ready by heating in a microwave.
Participants in Xi’an K-Food Fair: Nonghyup Moguchon (Tel: +82-2205-9283), Binggrae (Tel: +82-2-2022-6096), Eastgreen Co., Ltd. (Tel: +82-33-646-6670)
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Yuja Tea: Yuja (citron) tea has long been
popular with Chinese consumers. They enjoy this healthy Korean beverage for its multiple merits: a beautiful yellow color, sweet-and-sour taste, and abundant vitamin C. In Xi'an City, a variety of yuja tea products are sold at big distributors and department stores. Among them, honey yuja tea is the most popular. Recently, local buyers have been highly interested in premium yuja tea products such as organic yuja tea.
Participants in Xi’an K-Food Fair: Miwami (Tel: +82-63636-9561), Nokchawon (Tel: +82-2597-3949), Teazen (Tel: +82-31-388-1386)
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Snack: Korean snack products are very
popular with young Chinese consumers who like Hallyu (Korean culture wave). They buy Korean snacks at large supermarkets, convenience stores, and online shopping malls. Recently, Korean healthy snack products (such as snacks made of rice and seaweed) as well as snacks for infants are becoming popular.
Participants in Xi’an K-Food Fair: Woojin Corporation Co., Ltd. (+82-42-670-6260), IKG Korea (Tel: +82-2-2157-3999), Salt N(Tel: +82-70-8853-1460)
Additional Information K-Food Shop Receives a Positive Response from Xi’an People To promote Korean agri-products to Xi’an consumers, MAFRA and aT have been running a K-Food Shop in Xi’an City since last May. The shop, located on the busiest street of Xi’an, Dong Da Street, will be open until the end of November. K-Food Shop sells a variety of Korean agri-products such as dairy foods, yuja tea, beverages, tteokbokki, and so on. Tourists visiting Xi’an as well as local consumers often drop into the shop. What’s more, the shop regularly hosts cooking performances of the foods made with Korean agri-products (such as seasoned seaweed and traditional Korean sauces) and tasting events. The events are receiving a good response from local people interested in Korean food culture.
The K-Food Shop located on Dong Da Street at Xi’an City
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Issue 240 Sep. 2015 1 5
Special I
he eighth Korea Food Show, <2015 KFS>, will be held at the aT Center in Yangjae-dong, Seoul from September 8 to 12. Organized under the theme “A Look at the Future of Korean Foods,” the show gives its visitors a chance to imagine the future of KFood and Korean agriproducts. aT (Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp.) and 240 Korean food producers (selected through the recommendations of Korean municipal and provincial administrations) will combine their efforts to exhibit excellent K-Foods. On the first day of the show, there will be a large-scale export consultation event, <2015 Buy Korean Food>, where one can find out about K-Foods with good potential to advance into foreign markets.
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See K-Food’s Past, Present, and Future in One Glance KFS to Be Held From September 8 under the Theme, “A Look at the Future of Korean Foods” KFS is a good opportunity to learn about the health benefits and excellence of K-Food. All pictures below were taken at 2014 KFS: Opening ceremony (top), Cooking contest (bottom left), and the view of a local food pavilion (bottom right)
1 6 Korea AgraFood
Exhibition of Future Foods and Cutting-edge Technologies The main hall (in line with the theme of the show) is called Future Foods Hall. It is composed of two zones. In the first zone, visitors can take a look at the past and present, some 70 years of the Korean food industry, and learn about current export trends of the Korean foods that have captivated the tastes of foreign people around the world. In the second zone, visitors can experience various food technologies which will lead the future of the food industry. You can also find out about the products that are in the limelight as future K-Foods: insect foods (grasshopper, pupa, cricket, etc.), super grains (functional rice), and foods for seniors (such as convenient por-
ridge). The best products of the participating companies are exhibited in the Premium Products Hall. The space is divided into two parts. One of them demonstrates Korean traditional and fermented foods, while the other one is designed to promote outstanding products that use the newest technologies. Halal Hall is a must-see. With the rapid development of the halal industry in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, a growing number of Korean products that possess Korean halal certification are being released on the market. In addition to Korean halal products, visitors can find information about the scale of the world halal market, certification system, and so forth.
Don’t Miss These Events! To fulfil the ambition of becoming “the largest-scale event that has gathered excellent Korean companies in one place” and attract more attention from the visitors, the show will serve as an umbrella for various concurrent events other than the theme hall exhibitions.
North Korean Food Tasting Events Use Food Trucks
Various Award Ceremonies Held to Promote Excellent Korean Products
Food trucks will introduce North Korean foods, which are not easy to come across in daily life, through tasting events. Visitors can please their palates with a sweet pollack rice drink, which is made by fermenting pollack, radish, and hard-steamed glutinous rice. There will also be sundae (Korean sausage) and kkori-tteok (North-Korean style pounded rice cake).
At 1:30 p.m. on September 10, on the main stage, an award ceremony for K-food power brands (the most competitive brands of Korean food) will take place. The event will be followed by an award ceremony for the K-foods that achieved the highest export volumes. At 1:00 p.m. on September 12, also on the main stage, there will be an award ceremony for excellent kimchi brands.
International Academic Seminar on Traditional Fermented Foods
Korean Dishes Presented by a Korean Star Chef
On September 11, an International Academic Seminar will be held under the theme of “Health of the Modern Man and Traditional Fermentation Foods.” Domestic and foreign experts on K-Foods and scholars will discuss the value and functions of Korean fermented foods such as kimchi, soybean paste, and red pepper paste.
Korean star chef Leo Kang will show visitors an easy way to cook Korean cuisine. The event will be held in a concert-like style where chef Kang will be able to communicate with the audience while demonstrating the characteristics and cooking methods of Korean food. From 2:00 on September 11, a Korean fusion cooking class will be held where the participants will be able to enjoy kimchi hotdogs and bulgogi pizza.
Issue 240 Sep. 2015 1 7
Special I
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Held Together with 2015 Buy Korean Food
Programs carried out during last year’s KFS: (From the left) cocktail show and Korean traditional liquor pavilion
Many buyers will take part in BKF to directly experience the excellent quality and taste of Korean agri-products
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1 8 Korea AgraFood
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<2015 Buy Korean Food> will be organized simultaneously with the show as a venue for export consultations. It is expected that 210 domestic companies and 150 buyers from 24 countries will participate. In order to expand exports to China and Southeast Asia, aT invited a large number of buyers from the greater China area and Southeast Asia (38 buyers from each of the two regions). Other participating buyers interested in importing Korean food include those from Japan (27), the US (23), and Europe (10). Moreover, five Korean companies that acquired halal certification will make presentations to promote Korean halal certification and certified products. There is a deviation in preferences for Korean agri-products by country. Chinese buyers are highly interested in dairy foods and snacks for children. In
Japan, Korean-style convenience foods and processed forestry foods attract the most interest. Buyers from the US give the most attention to sauces and seaweed snack products. Southeast Asian buyers focus on snacks and beverages, whereas European buyers want to import Korean mushrooms and processed red ginseng products. So aT is making efforts to bring to the fair and promote the active participation of Korean food exporters who can supply products that foreign buyers prefer. To ensure smooth operations and increase the efficiency of the event, aT will have set up the 1:1 matching system for consultations between buyers and exporters before the commencement of the fair. After the fair, aT is going to keep track of the progress in concluding contracts between buyers and exporters through overseas aT branches.
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Issue 240 Sep. 2015 1 9
Special II
The Biggest Korean Holiday,
Chuseok Newly harvested produce
Cooking Food with Freshly Harvested Crops… Holding Ceremonies to Pay Respects to Ancestors… Sharing Affection with Family Members
Songpyeon
When Chuseok is just around the corner, Koreans visit their ancestors’ graves and cut the weeds around the graves. This custom is called beolcho and it is an important part of the Korean culture associated with Chuseok. On the day of Chuseok, Koreans get up early in the morning, tidy up, dress neatly, and hold a memorial ceremony for their ancestors. Charye is the ceremony conducted to pay respects to ancestors on Korean traditional holidays. During the ceremony, Korean people treat ancestor spirits to a meal and show their affection. On Chuseok, the foods for the ceremony—such as rice and songpyeon (halfmoon shaped rice cake)—are cooked with newly harvested
huseok (Korean Thanksgiving Day), like Seol (Lunar New Year’s Day), is one of the biggest holidays for Koreans and it is coming up soon. Generally, most Korean people are busy for weeks preparing for the holiday. They clean weeds from the ancestors’ graves, make preparations to welcome visitors, harvest grains and fruits, and so on. Why is the holiday so important to them? In this issue, <Korea AgraFood> introduces Chuseok, the food associated with the festival, and the Chuseok entertainment customs.
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Chuseok, Every August 15th on the Lunar Calendar Every year, Chuseok is on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. This year, Chuseok falls on September 27 on the solar calendar. Japan and China, Korea’s neighboring countries, have a holiday similar to Korean Chuseok. The Chinese autumn festival is called (Zhongqiujie) and the Japanese one is called (Obon). There is also a similar holiday in the US: Thanksgiving Day. Chuseok literally means “autumn evening” or the “night with the best moonlight in the autumn.” The name is usual-
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ly translated as “holiday at the brightest moonlight.” Since Korea in the old times was an agricultural society, Chuseok was important to Koreans as the symbol of the harvesting season. And that is why Koreans on Chuseok express gratitude to their ancestors for helping the year’s farming. They thank the ancestors by offering food and share warmth by sharing food with their neighbors, family, and relatives.
Expressing Gratitude to Ancestors through Charye and Seongmyo
Charye
grains. Fresh fruits are also served. There are some differences in charye dishes according to the region. After charye, all family members have a meal and then go to their ancestors’ graves. They usually prepare simple foods—such as fruits and liquors—and bring those foods with them to offer to the ancestors’ spirits.
The Main Chuseok Dish, Songpyeon Since Chuseok is in the middle of the harvesting season, Koreans make a variety of dishes with newly harvested grains. Among them, songpyeon is considered a representative dish of Chuseok. To make songpyeon, flour made of new rice is kneaded with hot water into dough. The filling for the cake—sesame seeds, ground chestnut, and beans with some sugar and salt—is prepared separately. Then, the cook scoops songpyeon dough the size of a chestnut, makes some space in the middle of it, and stuffs it with the filling. Finally, the cakes are made into a half-moon shape and steamed. The ingredients and shape of songpyeon vary by region. For example, people in the Gangwon Province (in the eastern part of Korea) make songpyeon with acorns and potatoes.
Hwayangjeok
Toran-guk (taro soup) is also famous as a Chuseok dish. It tastes especially good if the broth is cooked with kelp and beef. Other Chuseok foods include hwayangjeok (beef and vegetable skewers) and nureumjeok (pan-fried brochette). Both are skewer dishes made with seasoned and fried mushrooms, balloon flowers, and beef; but nureumjeok is dipped in wheat flour and egg batter and fried.
Enjoying Traditional Games Such as Ganggang-sullae and Juldarigi Traditional games—ganggang-sullae (circle dance performance), juldarigi (tug-of-war), ssireum (Korean wrestling), and so on—add a festive mood to the bountiful atmosphere of ChuGanggang-sullae seok. Ganggang-sullae is a game dedicated to the moon, a symbol of richness. People form a circle and dance hand in hand in a big yard or a wide lawn under the bright full moon. Juldarigi is a traditional game where the participants divide into two teams and pull the rope on the opposite ends until one team succeeds in hauling the other a certain distance. Juldarigi is played not only on Chuseok but also on sports days throughout the country. Ssireum is a trial of strength for men. One man wrestles the adversary to the ground to win using physical strength and skill. The biggest ssireum competitions for professional wrestlers in Korea are held around the Chuseok Juldarigi season.
Issue 240 Sep. 2015 2 1
Fresh Food _ Sweet Pumpkin
Consumption of Sweet Pumpkin as a Diet Food Is Increasing Overseas Korean Sweet Pumpkin Receives a Favorable Response in Japan, the World's Largest Market for Sweet Pumpkins
Sweet pumpkin is rich in carotene, vitamin C, and minerals. Among a variety dishes made of sweet pumpkin, a sweet pumpkin soup is popular as a health food diet
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Mr. Jeong Han-su, the CEO of Muan Ddangjigi Farming Association Corporation, explains the cultivation process of the sweet pumpkin
n the past, Koreans mainly used sweet pumpkins as an ingredient for nutritious juk (Korean porridge). These days, it is actively used in infant food and healthy products for children and the elderly. It is also gaining attention from female consumers as a diet food and its consumption is steadily increasing. At home, one can easily steam or fry the sweet pumpkin. In restaurants, chefs make salads, sandwiches, and even cakes with it. A variety of processed sweet pumpkin foods—such as beverages and snacks—are available on the market. It is anticipated that the sales will grow continuously. Japan is the top consumer of the sweet pumpkin on the global market. The country annually produces 250,000-260,000 tons of sweet pumpkins on average and the import volume reaches 130,000-150,000 tons every year. The Japanese generally eat the sweet pumpkin fried or use it in meat and vegetable dishes. Some people enjoy having sweet pumpkin porridge in the morning. In the world’s largest pumpkin market, the sweet pumpkin imported from Korea is receiving a positive response from the local consumers.
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Muan County Exports 3,000 Tons of Sweet Pumpkins to the Foreign Market Yearly The main sweet pumpkin production areas of Korea include Hoengseong County (of Gangwon Province), Yeoncheon County (of Gyeonggi Province), and Hampyeong County (of South Jeolla Province). Muan County (of South Jeolla Province) is the largest sweet pumpkin exporter in Korea. The county started to cultivate sweet pumpkins as a new source of profit and, currently, the cultivation area has been expanded to 140ha. The county produces about 4,000 tons every year, among which 3,000 tons are shipped overseas to Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Cultivation of sweet pumpkins in Muan County starts in April and the harvest is from the end of June to the middle of July. Over 90 percent of the pumpkins in the harvest weigh over 800g and are considered the best in quality. The enterprise has been an important contributor to improving the farmers’ income. The excellent taste and quality of the Muan sweet pumpkin are thanks to the abundant-in-germanium red
clay where the pumpkins grow and to the favorable sea breeze. Muan pumpkins also boast remarkable storability. It is due to these strengths that roughly half of the total of volume of the sweet pumpkins produced for export nationwide come from Muan. Another important factor in the exceptional position of Muan County is the effort of Mr. Jeong Han-su, the CEO of Muan Ddangjigi Farming Association Corporation (MDFC). There used to be a lot of farms in Muan that cultivated onions and garlic, but the incomes were less than satisfactory because of the production costs. Looking for a crop that would improve the farms’ incomes, several Muan farms turned their eyes to the sweet pumpkin because of the low production expenses. Sweet pumpkin can be harvested just 50 days after producing flowers. Moreover, there is no need for agricultural pesticides on account of the short growth period, so the farmers can cultivate the organic plants. Mr. Jeong explains, “Agricultural chemicals are barely used to stop diseases and insect pests when cultivating sweet pumpkins. That is because it is a crop with a short cultivation term. If enough compost is given before the pumpkins are planted in the soil, they are pretty easy to cultivate.”
Focus on the Stable Supply of Fresh Sweet Pumpkins Throughout the Year To supply fresh sweet pumpkins in a stable manner irrespective of the season, MDFC has disseminated among the farmers a double-cropping
Issue 240 Sep. 2015 2 3
Fresh Food _ Sweet Pumpkin
technique in which the pumpkins are cultivated in the spring and autumn. Two harvests per year help to prolong the export period to foreign markets and thereby further raise the income of the farmers. What’s more, MDFC has developed a cultivation technique that enables the maximum yield of pumpkins to be achieved per unit of area. Mr. Jeong said, “Our 400 farms produce sweet pumpkins on plantations with a total size of 100ha. We plan to expand the cultivation area to 170ha next year because we expect that the consumption of the Korean
cessing techniques and export processed sweet pumpkins to foreign markets.”
Nutritious and Healthy Food for Modern Consumers The reason why the consumption of the sweet pumpkin in Korea, Japan, and other places is increasing is simple: the sweet pumpkin is perfect as a nutritious and healthy food for modern people. It is a diet food rich in fiber, so eating even a little of the pumpkin makes us feel full. It also helps activate the work of the intestines. Thanks to these merits, many female consumers use the sweet pumpkin as a diet food. The sugar content of the sweet pumpkin is 1520 percent, so it tastes sweet by itself.
sweet pumpkin will continue to increase. After introducing more varieties of sweet pumpkin and stabilizing the production, our next step will be to develop sweet pumpkin pro-
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1. Sweet pumpkin gratin 2. Dan-hobak-yuk-jeon (seasoned pork pancake with sweet pumpkin)
This quality makes it a good ingredient for the food of both infants and the elderly. The beta-carotene in sweet pumpkin converts in the body to vitamin A. The component is known to be effective in preventing cancers, influenza, and constipation. When cooking sweet pumpkin in vegetable oil, the absorption ratio of the sweet pumpkin’s vitamin A is exceptionally high. Therefore, eating sweet pumpkins helps lower cholesterol and prevents the accumulation of fat. What’s more, sweet pumpkin contains lots of vitamins such as B1, B2, and C; so it is known as a perfectly healthy gift of nature. Mr. Jeong said, “Sweet pumpkin is already very popular among the Japanese as a heathy food and the consumption of sweet pumpkin is also rising in Taiwan and Hong Kong. But most countries, including Korea, depend on the imports except during their own harvest period because the storage techniques for sweet pumpkin still haven’t been developed enough. We will focus our efforts on developing the sweet pumpkin products that will have a good competitive power overseas.”
Inquiries Muan Ddangjigi Farming Association Corporation
2 4 Korea AgraFood
Tel +82-10-2655-8794
Issue 240 Sep. 2015 2 5
Fresh Food _ Tomato
Jeongseon Tomatoes Exported About 80 Tons to Japan Annually
duction o r P e f Sa s with e o t a m of To ater W d n a Soil perts x E y b Tested
he annual export of tomatoes from Korea to Japan amounts to USD$14 million. The tomatoes are mostly shipped from Gimje in North Jeolla Province, Pohang in North Gyeongsang Province, and Jeongseon in Gangwon Province. Among these main export areas, Jeongseon boasts the highest quality tomatoes, especially in the summer. A 14.6ha export tomato producing complex,
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Jeongseon Tomato Export Research Association, nestles between two villages—Hwaam-myeon—of Jeongseon. The association has been exporting tomatoes to Japan for two years now and will have exported approximately 80 tons of the fruit by the end of September. In Hwaam-myeon, tomatoes are mostly cultivated in soil. The farms participating in the tomato export business are subject to the examina-
tion of soil components, some 320 test items. The tests are conducted by a government-designated organization and include sub-tests on, for example, plant-pollutant heavy metals, agricultural chemical residues, and carcinogenic substances. Not only the soil but also the water is examined because of its importance for the cultivation and control of the tomatoes. The farms need to pass tests on biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and
on bacteria and harmful substances to prevent water pollution. What’s more, there are tests on agricultural chemical residues in the tomatoes exported overseas. Such thorough examinations and tests are conducted to ensure the reliability of the tomatoes offered to the foreign markets.
European Variety with Internationally Recognized Quality
The variety of tomatoes produced for export is of European origin. It is called dafnis. The dafnis tomatoes feature a good shape and hard flesh, and they can be stored for a long time. The association ships overseas only the tomatoes that satisfy the international size standards: M to 2S and 130g to 200g. Currently, the total amount of tomatoes produced in the region is approximately 600 tons a year. The association has set a goal for this year to export about 80 tons of tomatoes. Reaching a larger export volume is still impossible due to the complexity of the process of cultivating tomatoes for export and because the size of the exported tomatoes is set to be smaller than the size of the domestically distributed fruit. When cultivated in soil, tomatoes generally produce no more than 10 flower clusters. The temperatures in the Jeongseon region in the winter drop very low and it is unprofitable to cultivate the fruit in seasons other than summer. On the other hand, the region is known for the cleanest natural environment, so there are no concerns regarding the food safety of the tomatoes. The exported tomato variety is internationally recognized for its good texture, quality, and storability. The fruits shipped to Japan are used there as tomato slices in hamburgers and sandwiches. Mr. Choi Jong-jin, the head of the Jeongseon Tomato Export Research Association (JTEA), said that since the price of fresh produce fluctuates depending on the supply volume distributed in a country and a market, engaging in the exporting business secures more markets for its products. According to Mr. Choi, Korean tomatoes take up less than 10 percent
of the imported tomato market in Japan, so there is a good potential for growth.
Training of Experts Leads to the Production of High-Quality Tomatoes Even though tomatoes are fresh produce, they need to have a uniform size and quality as if they were industrial products. That is the biggest difficulty faced by the farms. Each farm needs to produce the fruit of a standard size. To help the farms, the association regularly organizes education sessions on cultivation techniques conducted by an agricultural product research institute. In addition, tomato breeding experts from a seed company are invited to provide information on producing high-quality tomatoes. These efforts are made to enable the farms to cultivate tomatoes using standardized cultivation techniques. The climate of the Jeongseon region is also favorable: the average temperature there in the summer season is relatively lower than in the other regions, so the tomatoes grown in Jeongseon more easily absorb the beneficial substances (such as phos-
Issue 240 Sep. 2015 2 7
Fresh Food _ Tomato
Jeongseon tomatoes are cultivated in the safe production system
phoric acid and calcium) that make the tomato flesh harder. According to Mr. Choi, when the outside temperature exceeds 30℃, a plant has difficulty absorbing fertilizer ingredients. However, in the Jeongseon region, there is no such problem because the temperature is 45℃ lower than in other regions. He shared what he’d found from two decades in tomato cultivation. “In growing tomatoes, the importance of the environment is over 80 percent. Jeongseon is truly blessed with clean water and relatively cool temperatures, even in the summer.”
Can Be Used in Various Dishes Thanks to the Hard Flesh Thanks to these efforts and the natural advantages, Jeongseon tomatoes are evaluated highly in terms of marketability in Japan. The hard flesh makes the tomatoes versatile: they are used as slices in fast food and as ingredients to cook various dishes. In some countries, tomatoes are widely used in the cuisine as an essential vegetable, rather than as a fruit. In addition, adding tomatoes to dishes is good for the health. Tomatoes contain lycopene, a red carotenoid pigment
found in red plants. Lycopene is the most common carotenoid for humans. It is also the most effective antioxidant. Its antioxidant ability is two times that of the beta carotene contained in carrots. Frequent consumption of dishes made with tomatoes has been proven to greatly decrease the incidence of prostate cancer. Lycopene increases more than 40fold when tomatoes are cooked at a high temperature such as 170℃. It is thus absorbed into the body more easily. When heated with oil, the fat-soluble substance becomes more flavorful and wholesome. The tomato was recently selected as one of the world’s top ten superfoods and has been gaining more and more attention. According to Mr. Choi, the tomato variety produced by the association is suitable as an ingredient to make tomato juice for people who need to reduce sugar consumption. He revealed the association’s plan, “In order to increase the export volume to Japan, we are considering starting to cultivate a high-sugar tomato variety that is loved by Japanese consumers.”
Mr. Choi Jong-jin, the CEO of JTEA (top) and tomatoes grown by JTEA (bottom)
Inquiries Jeongseon Tomato Export Research Association
2 8 Korea AgraFood
Tel +82-10-3708-9819
Issue 240 Sep. 2015 2 9
Processed Food _ Dongwon Korean Ginseng Co., Ltd.
ginsenoside content according to the preferences of the consumers and the characteristics of the market.” Strict quality control is one of the strengths of the company. On one side of the factory, the company keeps a unit of each product from each shipment and arranges them by date, so if a problem arises with the shipped product, the staff can check the cause immediately.
23 Years of Knowhow in Making Ginseng Products ., Ltd. Co g n e s in G n a e r Dongwon Ko
Dongwon Korean Ginseng is producing its products at certified automated productions lines
hanks to its effects in energy recovery and skin care, Korean ginseng has become a famous heathy food worldwide and many foreign consumers consider it a representative K-Food. Korean ginseng products have become the world standard and are no longer categorized as medicine but as food products. At the 38th meeting of the Codex (Codex Alimentarius Commission) Committee held in Geneva, Switzerland in June, the global standards for ginseng products proposed by the Korean government were accepted. It is expected that Korean ginseng will now be more actively exported overseas— to
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Capacity to Produce Customized Products Exporting to 25 Countries Including Japan and the US
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Europe, Central and South America, and other regions. Dongwon Korean Ginseng Co., Ltd. is a leading Korean ginseng exporter. It is actively promoting the excellence of Korean ginseng in overseas markets.
Possesses ISO22000, HACCP, and Other Certifications… Operates a Research Institute Established in Jincheon County of North Chungcheong Province in 1992, Dongwon Korean Ginseng Co., Ltd. is a healthy food producer. It
specializes in producing a variety of ginseng products based on 23 years of knowhow. After installing an air shower and equipment preventing the entry of foreign matters, the company obtained HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) certification. It then acquired other certifications such as ISO14001 (environment management system), ISO9001 (quality management system), and ISO22000 (food safety management system). In addition, Dongwon Korean Ginseng has set up a rigorous quality control manufacturing system and acquired GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) certification. With the establishment of a research institute in 2006, the company started vigorous research and development of new products and the improvement of the quality of the existing ones. Mr. Kim Hae-joong, the CEO of Dongwon Korean Ginseng, emphasizes, “The staff of the research institute includes three doctors of science, three researchers, and two advising professors. Based on 23 years of knowhow in manufacturing ginseng products, we are developing various products with different levels of
Expanding the Export Market to ASEAN and China Based on the technological knowhow, and in the safe production facilities, Dongwon Korean Ginseng manufactures products under its own brand and through an OEM system (to Korean companies and Korean oriental medicine hospitals). It is also rigorously cultivating the overseas market. Currently, the company’s products are exported to 25 countries—including Japan, the US, and Canada—and sold in duty free shops (in Incheon International Airport and Gimhae International Airport). Recently, the company started actively expanding its export market to China and Vietnam. For this purpose, Dongwon Korean Ginseng is regularly participating in overseas food exhibitions such as Sial China. This promotes red ginseng products to overseas consumers. Mr. Kim said, “The biggest strength of Dongwon Korean Ginseng is that, with the ability to adjust the saponin content by small amounts, we can provide tailored red ginseng products according to the demands of overseas buyers and the tastes of consumers. We plan to actively engage the consumers in the middle- and high-income group in China and Vietnam.”
Issue 240 Sep. 2015 3 1
Processed Food _ Dongwon Korean Ginseng Co., Ltd.
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Red Ginseng Extract 1 Korean Gold Capsule
Bestsellers Among Dongwon Korean Ginseng’s Products
Among the various capsule products, gold capsule—which is made of red ginseng
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concentrate and which also contains Lingshi mushroom, royal jelly, vitamins (C, B1, B2) and tocopherol—records the highest sales. The ingredients are excellent to
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Red Ginseng Beauty Soap 4 Korean
Red ginseng is effective in treating atopic dermatitis and alopecia (loss of hair) and diminishing wrinkles. With tocopherol, which has an anti-aging function, red ginseng provides vitality and vigor for exhausted skin.
help you stay healthy.
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The diverse ginseng products of Dongwon Korean Ginseng (left). The company has attended many international food exhibitions where it promoted its products
Ginseng Sungjangwon Kicker Gold
It is a product that facilitates children’s growth. Made with ginseng and Siberian ginseng extract, it also contains honey and strawberry extract, so children, who usually dislike bitter foods, can enjoy the taste. The product helps accelerate the secretion of growth-stimulating substances and cartilage.
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Health Pet Food This red ginseng product is for
pets like dogs and cats. It is an effective
Korea Ginseng-D
nutrient supplement made with red gin-
This is a drink prepared with gin-
seng powder, Lingshi mushroom extract
seng extract and vitamins. The biggest
powder, and seaweed calcium. It is rec-
merit of the product is that, unlike com-
ommended to give the product to a pet
mon ginseng drinks, it contains a whole
by mixing it with pet food one to two
root of ginseng. Honey syrup is added to
times a day.
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eliminate the bitterness of the ginseng.
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Inquiries Dongwon Korean Ginseng Co., Ltd.
3 2 Korea AgraFood
Tel +82-43-533-1772
Fax +82-43-532-9316
Website http://dongwonkorea.en.ec21.com/
Issue 240 Sep. 2015 3 3
Processed Food _ DOORI DOORI
Precooked Instant Rice Dishes You Can Enjoy Anytime & Anywhere Newly Released Bibimbap and Ramyeon-bap…It Takes Only Some Hot Water to Cook a Meal
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Production facilities of DOORI DOORI
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DOORI DOORI is pushing ahead with research and development of new products through its research center
ith the growing popularity of outdoor activities such as camping, fishing, and hiking; people are looking for a convenient way to have meals outdoors. The trend is having a big impact on food and eating culture. In the past, cup ramyeon (Koreanstyle instant noodles) was the main solution to fill up an empty stomach in the open air. In contrast, these days, there are many products that can become a substitute for a square meal and be enjoyed anytime and anywhere. DOORI DOORI Co., Ltd. is an instant food company producing high-end precooked instant rice dishes. All of the company’s products are made using grain processing knowhow accumulated for over 15 years.
DOORI mainly produced convenient meal replacements—formula foods (made by grinding grains and eaten with water or milk), functional diet foods, and nutritious rice porridge. Meanwhile, the management of the company had been developing an interest in producing instant rice based on the company’s knowhow in grainprocessing. Finally, in 2012, DOORI DOORI jumped into the new business. Mr. Kim Hee-chul, an executive director at DOORI DOORI, explains that the company decided to take up a new challenge because instant rice is made by processing grains—some-
DOORI DOORI Armed with 15-Year Knowhow in Processing Grains DOORI DOORI started in 1998 as a food company specializing in processing agricultural products harvested in Korea such as rice, glutinous rice, and beans. At first, DOORI
Patented Technology Helps Reproduce the Taste of Home-cooked Rice The instant rice of DOORI DOORI is ready to be eaten anytime and anywhere after adding some hot water or heating it up in a microwave. Through a four-step manufacturing
thing DOORI DOORI is well familiar with. The company obtained a patent for the instant rice manufacturing method developed by its research center.
process that does not use any chemical additives, the company succeeded in reproducing the original taste of rice freshly-cooked at home. The four steps are: cleaning, cooking, drying, and roasting. Here, the cooking step refers to a series of procedures including soaking the rice, heating it up, and boiling. In the roasting step, a patented method of blowing hot air is applied to roast the cooked rice. According to Mr. Kim, this method is optimal for reproducing the taste of rice cooked at home in a pot. He says, “We receive wide recognition for the excellence of the instant rice production technology. We supply our products through an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) agreement to over a dozen large Korean food companies. We also provide several major companies with food ingredients.” In addition to the excellent production technology, DOORI DOORI installed the automated equipment that ensures the food safety. The company obtained the HACCP (hazard analysis critical control point) certification in 2008. Mr. Kim comments, “There are only three or four Korean compa-
Issue 240 Sep. 2015 3 5
Processed Food _ DOORI DOORI
and wait for three to four minutes. Mr. Kim says, “All of the bibimbap and ramyeon-bap products are made using rice that is cooked according to the patented processing method. At a buyer’s request, we can not only customize the packaging but also develop a product with the taste that suits the preferences of local consumers.”
DOORI DOORI is actively participating in international food fairs to advance abroad
nies that are able to carry out the entire production process from the input of raw ingredients to churning out the complete product.”
A System to Customize the Packaging and Taste of the Products to a Customer’s Request DOORI DOORI offers several types of instant rice dishes. They can be broadly categorized into bibimbap (rice mixed with assorted vegetables and other ingredients), ramyeon-bap (rice with instant noodles), and cup gukbap (soup with rice). Among these, the bibimbap and ramyeon-bap products are made for export. Both are ready-to-eat products that are ready after being heated in a microwave for three to four minutes or after pouring some hot water and mixing the contents with accompanying sauces after eight to nine minutes. The bibimbap products, in particular, are prepared without meat to avoid any issues related to export clearance and are receiving a lot of attention from buyers. Currently, the bibimbap category includes mushroom and vegetable bibimbap, seafood bibim-
3 6 Korea AgraFood
bap, gochujang (red pepper paste) and vegetable bibimbap, and curry bibimbap. The ramyeon-bap products contain both noodles and rice. They are inspired by the Korean habit of putting some rice into the soup left after eating ramyeon noodles. DOORI DOORI produces several ramyeonbap products including kimchi ramyeon-bap and cheese ramyeonbap. Just as with cup ramyeon, all you have to do to have a delicious ramyeon-bap is pour some hot water
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Participating in Exhibitions Overseas, Negotiating Exports to China and Europe Since 2013, DOORI DOORI has been knocking on the door of overseas markets with its bibimbap and ramyeon-bap products. The food company has been participating in food exhibitions held abroad to promote the advantages of its products to buyers and is currently negotiating exports with Chinese and European companies. According to Mr. Kim says, “With its ability to produce customized products, DOORI DOORI is eager to export its products to any interested country.”
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A variety of DOORI DOORI precooked instant rice products such as bibimbap, cupbap, and ramyeon-bap
Additional Information Whole-grain Cereal, A Grain Product of DOORI DOORI True to its origins in grain processing, DOORI DOORI still produces processed grain products. One of them, Whole-grain Cereal is especially loved by consumers in foreign countries. It is made by thermal processing and roasting Korean grains such as rice, barley, brown rice, beans, and black rice. The product contains no additives and preserves the original nutrition of the grains. It can be enjoyed by itself as a snack or with milk. Mr. Kim said that Whole-grain Cereal is used as an ingredient for cereal bars and comes in various types: each kind of grain separately and as a combination of several kinds.
Inquiries DOORI DOORI Co., Ltd.
Tel +82-41-734-5934
Fax +82-41-734-5935
Website www.dooridoori.co.kr
Issue 240 Sep. 2015 3 7
It’s New !
It’s New !
Bibigo Koryo Cabbage Kimchi
Goraebab Honey-milk Flavor
Sweet-and-Sour Kimchi Made of Cabbage and Yuja Extract
With Milk and Honey Boasts Savory Sweet
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J Cheiljedang recently released a new kimchi product targeting foreigners: Bibigo Koryo Cabbage Kimchi. The main ingredient of the product is cabbage, which is considered one of the top three healthy foods. The rest of the ingredients—bell pepper, green pepper, yuja (citron) extract, and jalapeno pepper—are also healthy and unique. White cabbage gives kimchi more sweetness and crispiness than napa cabbage. What’s more, the product has a sweet-and-sour taste because of the yuja extract.
A Good Response from Foreign Visitors at EXPO Milan 2015 Bibigo Koryo Cabbage Kimchi comes in two flavors: “Sweet Taste” (with bell peppers and yuja extract) and “Spicy Taste” (with crushed jalapeno peppers). The Spicy Taste product goes well with western dishes—such as pizza and pasta—and the Sweet Taste product makes a good ac-
Inquiries CJ Cheiljedang
3 8 Korea AgraFood
Tel +82-2-6740-1114
rion Group invented a new flavor for its Goraebab product. The milk and honey flavored Goraebab was launched simultaneously in Korea and China. Goraebab is a biscuit that is made in the shapes of nine different kinds of seafood. It receives a lot of love from consumers in Korea and other countries alike. Last year, the product became No. 1 in the Chinese biscuit market
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companiment to spicy Korean dishes like tteokbokki (stirfried rice cake) and bokkeummyeon (stir-fried noodles). Before the launch, a tasting event for Bibigo Koryo Cabbage Kimchi was put on for foreign visitors at the Korean Pavilion of EXPO Milan 2015. Most of the visitors gave favorable reviews to the product, praising it for the refreshing taste and spiciness.
Website www.cj.co.kr/cj-kr/brands/bibigo
with sales amounting to USD$125 million. Orion Group saw a good potential in honey flavored products in the domestic market and developed Goraebab with the new flavor: honey-milk. It was decided to start sales of the new product in Korea and China at the same time.
Released Simultaneously in Korea and China A big advantage of Goraebab Honey-milk Flavor is that it is contains sweet honey and milk, which can promote a child’s growth and captivate the taste buds of the main consumers of the biscuit, children. In consideration of con-
Inquiries Orion Corp.
Tel +82-2-710-6000
sumers’ health, the product is made with potato flour instead of wheat and the sodium content in the snack is reduced by 30 percent. So mothers can give this product to babies with their minds at ease. An employee of Orion Group said, “We expect to record USD$169 million in sales overseas with our new snack and we will do our best to further diversify the snacks (Market O Real Brownie, Dr.You Energy Bar, Choco Pie, Xylitol gum, and so on) we offer to foreign markets.”
Website www.orionworld.com/ENG/
Issue 240 Sep. 2015 3 9
K-Food Trend
Sweet Fruit-Flavored
Is All the Rage in Korea
These days, sweet fruit-flavored soju (Korean distilled spirits) is a hit in Korea. After Lotte Liquor released the new yuja (citron) flavored soju Cheoeumcheoreom-Sunhari last March and it received a positive response from consumers, many Korean alcoholic beverage producers rushed to put fruit-flavored soju products on the market. Generally, beer is the summer sales leader in Korea, but this year the fruit-flavored soju products are recording high sales even in the summer. Thanks to the low alcohol content, fruit-flavored soju products are especially welcomed by female consumers. <Korea AgraFood> would like to introduce popular Korean fruit flavored soju products to our readers.
Cheoeumcheoreom-Sunhari
Jamongae-Isul
Cheoeumcheoreom-Sunhari contains the juice of yuja. After being launched, it sold 40 million bottles in the first 100 days and has become the representative Korean fruit flavored soju. Thanks to the unique sweet-and-sour taste, Cheoeumcheoreom-Sunhari has gone viral through word-of-mouth on SNS networks such as Facebook. In the early days after the release, some stores even ran out of it. Cheoeumcheoreom-Sunhari has 14 percent alcohol content, which is lower than that of Lotteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s flagship soju Cheoeumcheoreom (17.5 percent). Recently, Lotte Liquor released another fruit-flavored soju, Cheoeumcheoreom-Sunhari Peach Taste.
Korean alcoholic beverage producer HiteJinro tested about 150 fruits to develop its fruit-flavored soju and finally released the grapefruit juice-flavored soju Jamongae-Isul. The product is praised for its refreshing and clean taste, particularly by female consumers who note that grapefruit is rich in vitamin C and good for losing weight. During the first day on the market, Jamongae-Isul sold 1.15 million bottles. This grapefruit flavored alcoholic beverage has the lowest alcohol content (13 percent) among Korean fruit flavored soju products.
Inquiries Lotte Liquor
Tel +82-2-3459-1300
Website www.lotteliquor.com
Good Day Color Series Good Day Color Series comes in five flavors: Red (pomegranate), Yellow (yuja), Blue (blueberry), Scarlet (grapefruit), and Pink (peach). The biggest merit of Good Day Color Series is the wide range of fruit flavored soju products for consumers to choose from according to their taste buds. Among the soju products of Good Day Color Series, the most popular one is Good Day Blue (blueberry). It came in first at the Fruit-Flavored Soju Preference Survey recently carried out by an established Korean market research institution.
Additional Information Good Accompaniments to Fruit Flavored Soju Sweet fruit flavored soju goes well with Suyuk Dubu-kimchi simple tasting dishes. Among the Korean cuisine, we recommend as a good accompaniment lean suyuk (boiled beef or pork slices), light tasting gamja-jeon (potato pancake), and clean yet spicy tasting dubukimchi (tofu with stir-fried kimchi).
Inquiries Muhak Co., Ltd. Website www.muhak.co.kr
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Tel +82-1588-6713
Inquiries HiteJinro Co., Ltd. Tel +82-2-3219-0114 Website www.hitejinro.com
Issue 240 Sep. 2015 4 1
Korean Franchise _ SNOWBALL
Serves Healthy Bingsu for the Whole Family
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1. Pat-bingsu of SNOWBALL 2. Strawberry-bingsu 3. Mango-bingsu 4. Grapefruit-bingsu 5. The interior of SNOWBALL franchisee at Korea 6. The panoramic view of SNOWBALL at Korea
h, t ou f M e de o h t in Ma ilk t f e So lk Ic 1A M Mi ade Gr
B
ingsu is a shaved ice dessert made by finely grinding blocks of ice and adding assorted syrups and toppings such as fruits and dan-pat (sweet red bean). The most popular type of bingsu in Korea is patbingsu. It is made by adding to ice flakes a paste called dan-pat—a mixture of steamed red beans (adzuki beans) with sugar and salt. Over time, as more and more bakeries and coffee shops started selling bingsu and other ice-based desserts, Korean pat-bingsu has evolved into a deluxe food with various ingredients and colorful toppings including milk, fruits, rice cakes, condensed milk, and ice cream. Some new types have been introduced—such as fruit bingsu with an assortment of berries and fruit slices and coffee bingsu with coffee added instead of milk. In the last few years, bingsu—along with coffee and ice cream—has become a common food to have after a meal. It is now enjoyed not only in the hot summer, but all year round. As bingsu has become all the rage, many franchise companies selling bingsu have sprouted on the Korean market. SNOWBALL is a franchise brand that opened in 2010 serving various types of bingsu.
Using High-Quality, Safe Ingredients Including
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Korean Red Beans SNOWBALL’s motto is, “Healthy bingsu that you can eat with children.” The motto reflects the company’s focus on healthy, natural, and pure, rather than luxurious-looking bingsu. For example, SNOWBALL uses only rich milk ice made with grade-1A milk produced in Korea. The ice is made with that milk in lieu of water and then shaved into the consistency of a soft snow. The company also uses only Korean red beans of a high quality to make dan-pat and Korean fruits whose reliability is ensured to make fruit toppings. Park Hee-jun, CEO of SNOWBALL, said that the company is trying hard to make bingsu that the whole family can enjoy without food safety worries. He revealed the working principle of SNOWBALL: no matter how high the cost is, the company uses high-quality ingredients to make proper bingsu. Toppings Served in Separate Bowls The bingsu selling in SNOWBALL stores is different from the colorful desserts served in other places. It does not come out with all the garnishings on the top. Rather,
Issue 240 Sep. 2015 4 3
Korean Franchise _ SNOWBALL
with them for some 30 minutes and then store the product in a refrigerator at home and it won’t change the taste.
SNOWBALL is actively participating in foreign food fairs to advance abroad
the toppings are served in a separate bowl so that customers can use as much of each type of topping as they wish. The only exception is limited edition seasonal entries. Mr. Park introduces SNOWBALL bingsu: “You can enjoy the rich taste of milk to the last spoon of bingsu because each bowl of our bingsu is like a cup of milk. In fact, the milk ice is delicious as is, even without toppings.” Also in contrast to other stores, SNOWBALL does not sell jumbo size bingsu. Each bowl is one serving, an amount good for one person to enjoy. The policy is inspired by the Korean custom of everyone ordering a different dish and trying each other’s order. Just the same, at SNOWBALL friends can each get the bingsu they like and share the toppings with one another.
Special Containers Designed to Keep Bingsu from Melting for Half an Hour SNOWBALL’s menu includes 30 entries: coffee, tea, porridges, toasts, and, of course, bingsu. In the bingsu category, along with the main entry, pat-bingsu, the most popular ones are strawberry bingsu, grapefruit bingsu, and mango bingsu. The strawberry bingsu is a wholesome dessert with no chemical additives in the accompanying toppings. The grapefruit bingsu uses grapefruit pulp but does not taste sour or bitter. The mango bingsu is made with apple mango, which is known for its high sugar content that makes the dessert sweet without syrup. According to Mr. Park, all types of SNOWBALL bingsu are available for take-out. The specially manufactured containers prevent bingsu from melting so one can travel
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Preparing to Enter Foreign Markets in Southeast Asia and Beyond SNOWBALL currently has 15 franchisees in Korea. The company has been focusing on the stability of business rather than expansion. Thanks to these efforts, the company has won many loyal customers and some of the regular customers have become the franchisees. Starting from this year, SNOWBALL decided to advance into foreign markets. The management is confident that the company has a good potential to succeed overseas because it receives recognition from domestic consumers for the taste and quality of the dishes it serves. To promote the company abroad, SNOWBALL participated in six overseas exhibitions in the first half of this year. Mr. Park said, “People in the restaurant industry overseas are showing a great deal of interest in SNOWBALL because we serve toppings separately and this approach fits well with local markets because we can offer toppings according to the preferences of the local consumers.” He emphasized that the goal is to expand the business from Southeast Asia where negotiations on opening stores are already under way to other markets including the US.
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Chocolate-bingsu
OREO-bingsu
Additional Information Taste a New Product, Bing-tte! Bing-tte, an amalgamation of bingsu and latte, is a new product that was launched this season. Customers can drink it on the go, like a cup of coffee, without the need to scoop up the ice flakes. It is halfway between a slushy and a shake. SNOWBALL bing-tte comes in three types: chocolate-crunchy bing-tte, melon bing-tte, and dan-pat bing-tte. It is a unique beverage that can be enjoyed only at SNOWBALL.
Inquiries SNOWBALL
Tel +82-2-3471-2221
Fax +82-2-555-2446
Website www.sbbing.com
Issue 240 Sep. 2015 4 5
Daniel Lee Gray’s Hansik Story
Bean Story & How the Onggi & Korean Ceramics Became Art Foreign visitors are looking at the process of bean fermentation (how beans become doenjang and gochujang) in onggi at Oegosan Onggi Village (left). Diverse ceramic plates (right)
Now the most important bean in Korea is the soybean. However, in its regular form, it is nothing special and quite inedible. A story goes that a monk meditated under a tree in order to discover all of the different ways that this simple soybean could be transformed into life-giving food. Through his deep thought he hypothesized that the bean had the proteins and the nutrients for human life; he just had to figure out how to get them out of the bean. He learned that by pressing them he could get oil. By boiling them he could get soymilk and tofu. However in order to get the deep nutrients and long lasting foods, he would need a special tool: the onggi.
ing these sauces are Hongyongjae (+82-2-548-8340) and
when they get married. In the past, the choice of plates was im-
Sandang (+82-31-772-3989, www.sandang.co.kr). It is said
portant for meals represented the togetherness and health of
that a doctor who was suffering from terminal cancer started
the family.
Hongyongjae. After all western medical treatments failed, he
Also, the wife would live in the husband’s house and have to
started to use natural foods—especially fermented foods made
present meals to her husband’s family.
from fermented soybeans—and he was miraculously cured.
A typical Korean table setting consists of chopsticks and a long
Chef Jiho Yim, who traveled all over the country to learn Korean
spoon, a bowl for rice, a bowl for soup, and several shared
food from home chefs and local restaurants, started Sandang.
small plates, about four per person. Another occasion when
He incorporated all that he learned into making food that is artis-
Koreans will need special flatware is for the ancestor memorial
tic and healthy.
services that are observed at least once a year. Typically, a different set would be ordered and these would be made of
Onggi as Art
brassware. For formal dining ware, Koreans prefer to have porcelain or celadon. The ceramics tend to be a bit natural in
The most famous area for onggi is Oegosan Onggi Village in
texture and heavier in weight.
Ulsan City where they have hundreds of artisans that make these
There used to be a trend for some time to buy overseas dining
pots. Many of the top sauce and kimchi makers get their pots
ware but the larger plates and bowls are not so useful for
Bean Story
with salted water and charcoal for filtering to make soy sauce.
made here. They say that the clay around the village helps pro-
Korean food and they became more of a novelty in the house.
These pots are left in the sun and air—two important elements
duce the best onggi pots. While onggi’s purpose is mainly func-
These days, new artisans are crafting Korean dining ware that is
One of the important ways soybeans are transformed is by us-
to aide in proper fermentation. After the soy sauce has finished
tional, there is a certain nostalgia and love for these large ferment-
art over function but also combines Korean traditional pottery
ing a special pot called onggi. These clay, slab pottery pots
fermenting, the bean paste and soy sauce are separated. The
ing pots. Broken parts of the pots are used as serving dishes at
with modern techniques.
come in various sizes and hold from 500㎖ to 100ℓ. They are
soybean paste, called doenjang, is one of the most widely used
some high-end restaurants and the pots are displayed outside
Artisans such as Lee Eun-hee are taking lacquer and applying it
perfect for fermenting food for they are waterproof yet porous
sauces in Korea. It is the basis for many soups, stews, pickles,
homes as a memento of the past. Some artists have even gained
to modern plates and coffee cups. Lee Eun-beom makes mod-
enough for air due to the high proportion of sand in the clay.
and side dishes. Two famous restaurants that specialize in us-
overseas fame. Lee Kang-hyo of Cheongju City has developed
ern serving ware and plates using celadon. He carefully shapes
Onggi are one of the most important elements in making soy
an engraved celadon pottery with several different tones a depar-
lotus petals and leaves on the plates instead of simply etching
sauce and bean paste—two very important fermented sauces,
ture from the typical brown onggi shades. His ceramic works
them. Lee Seon-hyeong and Gu Ja-ryeong take the heavier,
or jang, in Korea. In order to make these sauces, soybeans are
have garnered much praise in Korea and overseas. He was re-
slab pottery style and create elegant pitchers and plate ware
first steamed and formed into large blocks that are as big as a
cently the subject of a film produced by the UK-based Goldmark
with their subtle digressions of dark shades. These new artisans
child’s torso. They are wrapped in rice straw, which is rich in
Gallery (www.goldmarkart.com), which also sells his works.
are making the Korean dining table acceptable for all by bridging
healthy bacteria, and then hung in a warm, humid place or exposed to the sun so they can ferment like cheese. After a few weeks of fermentation, the blocks (called meju) become the
the gap between young and old.
Modern Trend: Dining Ware as Art Over Function
starting ingredient for many essential Korean sauces. The fermented blocks can first be put into large onggi pots filled
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The new developments in Korean ceramics and pottery are the perfect complement to the popularity of Korean food around the
Koreans typically buy their formal dinner plates and serving ware
world. They are a unique combination of form, function, and art.
Issue 240 Sep. 2015 4 7
Simple Korean Cooking
Dakgaejang A Clean and Simple Tasting Tonic Dish s September approaches, the scorching heat has slightly abated in Korea but it is still quite hot every day. Our bodies consume more energy to beat the summer heat, so we must be particularly careful with our health in this season. Many Koreans resort to various health foods and, in this issue, we would like to introduce you to one such food—dakgaejang (spicy chicken soup). This soup is helpful in restoring energy and has a very special taste. Dakgaejang is a transformed version of yukgaejang, a spicy beef soup featured in Issue 219 (December 2013) of <Korea AgraFood>. A popular health dish, yukgaejang is a kind of soup cooked with beef (the main ingredient), green onions, bean sprouts, and young bracken. Dakgaejang uses chicken instead of beef. The
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names and shapes of the two soups are similar but they taste somewhat different. Yukgaejang, thanks to the beef, has a rich and spicy broth. In contrast, dakgaejang has a clean and refreshing taste because it is cooked with chicken. In general, it takes more time to cook dakgaejang than yukgaejang because you need to boil chicken for a long time to make the broth delicious and the chicken tender. On the other hand, making dakgaejang is easier and can be done by foreigners without much difficulty since leek, taro stems, and young bracken—which are indispensable in yukgaejang—are not needed in dakgaejang. What’s more, both the broth and meat contain no fat, so even people on a diet can enjoy the soup freely. Let’s beat the summer heat with dakgaejang!
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Cooking Tips The key to cooking delicious dakgaejang lies in making a thick broth. Along with high-quality meat, using a lot of spring onion is also important for enriching the taste of the soup. With chicken breast, you can cut the cooking time.
How to Make Dakgaejang (four servings) Main Ingredients: chicken, an onion, 200g oyster mushroom, 2 or 3 milk vetch roots, 3 or 4 jujubes, 40g spring onion. Sub ingredients: 2Tbsp gochujang (red pepper paste), 1Tbsp crushed garlic, 1Tbsp red pepper powder, 1tsp ground sesame mixed with salt, 2tsp sesame oil, a little bit of black pepper paste. 1. Slice spring onion into bite-size pieces and parboil lightly in boiling water. 2. Put 2ℓof water, cleaned chicken, milk vetch roots, jujube, and onion in a pot and boil. 3. Blanch oyster mushrooms in salted water and then wash them in running water. Remove the moisture. Tear the mushrooms along the grain. Cut the onion into large chunks. 4. Take the boiled chicken out from the pot and tear the chicken. 5. Filter the broth through a gauze to make the broth liquid clean. 6. Put the torn chicken, spring onion, mushroom, and sauce ingredients in a bowl. Mix together. 7. Boil the clean broth. 8. When the broth starts boiling, add the ingredients from Step 6 and boil for ten minutes more. The dish is ready.
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Issue 240 Sep. 2015 4 9
K-Tour
Enjoy a Temple Stay in the City, Mugak Temple 1
English. Representative of such programs is the overnight Temple Stay called “Find My True s in Service the Colors.” On the first day, the for h s i l g participants receive a brief orienEn nce e i n e tation and then practice Zen v Con s r e n ig meditation, make an evening of Fore meal offering, and have an evening service. On the second day, they rise at four in the morning and open the day with a prayer and 108 bows. They practice activities such as Zen meditation, morning meal offering, Ullyeok (Collaboration), and walking meditation. They then have a service and a lunch meal offering. Then, there’s tea time with the head monk. For foreign visitors who are unfamiliar with Buddhism, ealing is a popular conversation topic for many the temple recommends a one-day program called modern people who are tired of the repeated cy“Yeouisan saek (色)”. In that program, visitors can look cles of their daily lives. Healing tours that help around the temple with a monk, learn about the characterpeople escape from the daily pressure and relieve stress are istics of Korean temples, practice Zen and meditation, and attracting more and more people. Among various healing participate in a tea ceremony. Last July, 2015 Universiade tours, temples stays are in the limelight these days because took place in Gwangju and many members of foreign sport they offer the participants an opportunity to refresh their teams and referees visited the temple and experienced the bodies and souls. They can reflect on themselves in a temYeouisan saek program. Ms. Borisu, the manager of the ple (even if they do not believe in Buddhism). In this issue, temple stay, said, “Almost 100 foreign athletes participated <Korea AgraFood> would like to introduce our readers to in our temple activities every day during Universiade the Korean temple called Mugak temple (Mugaksa in Gwangju 2015. The meditation helped many foreign athKorean). It offers temple stays that simultaneously fulfill letes focus on the competition.” two purposes: healing and cultural experience.
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1. Foreigners are learning the tea ceremony etiquette in English with American monk Gyeongbon
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2. Beop-jong 3. A view of the Mugak Temple 4. Sri Lankan monk Beopgwang is explaining the characteristics of a Korean temple to foreign visitors 5. Foreign visitors can look into the veiled self through meditation 6. Book Café
7. Daeungjeon
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Foreign Monks Guide Visitors in English Built in 1971, Mugak Temple is located in the Seo-gu area of Gwangju City. Unlike the majority of temples in Korea, the Mugak Temple is not seated in the quiet depth of the mountains, but is in the center of a city. Nevertheless, it has all the requisites of a traditional temple—a Four Guardian Kings gate, a Beop-jong (Big Bell), a 13-story Stone Pagoda, and a Daeungjeon (main sanctuary)—and that is one of the reasons why Buddhists and tourists frequently visit this temple. Many foreigners come there, too. American monk Gyeongbon and Sri Lankan monk Beopgwang warmly welcome every foreign visitor. Mugak Temple operates several temple stay programs under the theme of “A Journey in Search of Myself.” For foreign participants, the programs are conducted in
Operating Cultural Spaces such as an Art Gallery and Café An opportunity to experience various cultural activities is another advantage of the Mugak Temple. Two annex
American monk Gyeongbon is introducing the characteristics of a Korean temple
Issue 240 Sep. 2015 5 1
K-Tour
buildings of the temple offer visitors a variety of cultural events. One of them is a three-story building called Lotus. It is receiving a positive response from the people of Gwangju and temple visitors as a cultural space. On the first floor of the building, there is a Book Café. One can have coffee or tea there and read one of some 500 books on display. On the second floor, visitors can take classes such as yoga, take part in a tea ceremony, and do Buddhist rosary craft. On the third floor, the top of Lotus, there is the Lotus Gallery, where visitors can enjoy an art exhibition. This year’s exhibition features the works of the installation artist Lee I-nam, whose nickname is the “next Back Nam-jun.” Mr. Lee organized two exhibitions for the temple: Some Sense of Order and The Edge of Desire. The other annex building is a famous Korean temple cuisine restaurant, Mugak Temple Sarangchae. It serves a variety of temple cuisine dishes including naengmyeon (cold noodles in a watery broth) and juk (porridge) made with in-season vegetables. Bibimbap (rice mixed with vegetables) served in a Buddhist bowl called baru is the best seller among foreign visitors.
Check out These Nearby Places!
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Visitors can enjoy bibimbap (rice mixed with vegetables) served in a Buddhist bowl called baru
Additional Information 1. Reservations should be made on the internet and confirmed by phone. (www.mugaksa.templestay.com/+8262-838-0107). Reservation for Temple Stay programs conducted in English can only be made by phone. 2. From next year, the Mugak Temple will offer several traditional experience programs. For this purpose, the temple is currently building a traditional culture complex in collaboration with Gwangju City Hall. Visitors will be able to take part in a tea ceremony, try on hanbok (Korean traditional clothes), and experience several other activities in the new building.
Sri Lankan monk Beopgwang warmly welcomes every foreign visitor
other Korean foods. In the same building, there is the Honam Cultural Memorial Pavilion where visitors can learn about the history of Gwangju.
What to Eat Tteokgalbi Songjeong-dong Tteokgalbi Street is near the Gwangju Songjeong station. Many restaurants there have a 20-40 ⓒKorea Tourism Organization
year history. Generally, tteokgalbi is made with beef but the Songjeong-dong tteokgalbi is cooked with beef and
Mudeung Mountain Korean National Park
pork. What’s more, the dish is served with a clean beef
Mudeung Mountain is in the center of Gwangju City, but it
broth. The harmony of the sweet tteokgalbi and creamy
boasts scenic beauty and a superb natural environment.
soup is a characteristic feature of Songjeong-dong tteok-
It is the natural habitat of eight endangered species in-
galbi.
cluding sea otters and wildcats. It has great scenic re-
ⓒKorea Tourism Organization
sources as well, including the large column-shaped rocks Ipseokdae and Seoseokdae.
Add #1, Chipyeong-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju, Korea Transportation
Namdo Food Museum
1. Gwangju Express Bus Terminal→Take bus Seogu 760
You can see the exposition of the local food of South
→Get off at the Lexus bus stop
Jeolla Province and a traditional kitchen. The museum al-
2. Gwangju KTX Station→Take bus number 160 at the
so offers cooking classes where one can learn to make
Samsung Call Center in front of the KTX Station→Get off
tteok (rice cake), hangwa (Korean traditional cookies), and
at Wooncheon station bus stop
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Tteokgalbi
Issue 240 Sep. 2015 5 3
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Let’s Speak Hansik (Korean cuisine)
감자탕
[Gamjatang]
Pork Back-bone Stew A thick soup made of pork backbones, potato, green cabbage leaves (ugeoji), crushed perilla seeds, perilla leaves, spring onions and garlic. A spicy dish with a deep and robust flavor.
Ragoût de porc épicé avec les os Ragoût épicé et savoureux, a base de morceaux de porc avec les os, de pommes de terre, feuilles de choux, graines de sésame sauvage, feuilles de sésame, poireaux et ail.
Sopa de huesos y carne de cerdo y papas Una sopa espesa hecha con lomo de cerdo, patatas, hojas de col verde (ugeoji), las semillas machacadas de perilla, hojas de perilla, cebolla y ajo. Es un plato picante con un sabor profundo y robusto.
Schweineknochensuppe mit Kartoffeln
Zuppa di maiale con osso e patate
Eine dicke Suppe aus Schweineknochen, Kartoffeln, grünen Kohlblättern (Ugeoji), zerstoßenen Perilla-Blättern, Frühlingszwiebeln und Knoblauch. Ein scharfes Gericht mit aromatischem und robustem Geschmack.
Una zuppa densa fatta di ossa di maiale con midollo, patate, foglie di cavolo verde (ugeoji), semi di perilla pestati, foglie di perilla, cipollotti e aglio. E’un piatto piccante dal sapore forte ed intenso.
The descriptions of Korean dishes are based on the International Korean Menu Guide published by the Korean Food Foundation (KFF).