Hwang Kyo-ik: "Tteokbokki is Junk Food... Should Be Designated as 'Prohibited Food in Front of Schools'"

"Unbalanced Nutrition and Overly Spicy Flavor"
Harsh Criticism of Tteokbokki on tvN's 'Wednesday Food Talk' in 2018
"Socially Brainwashed to Consider It Delicious"

Taste columnist Hwang Kyo-ik. In the past, Hwang appeared on the tvN variety show "Wednesday Food Talk," where he harshly criticized tteokbokki, calling it a "socially brainwashed delicious food." / Photo by tvN broadcast capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Ju-hyung] Hwang Kyo-ik, a taste columnist nominated as the president of Gyeonggi Tourism Organization, an institution under Gyeonggi Province, attracted attention by arguing that "although late, tteokbokki should be designated as a 'prohibited food in front of schools'." Hwang defined tteokbokki as an excessively stimulating and nutritionally unbalanced 'junk food.'

On the 18th, in a post on his Facebook, Hwang said, "The designation of Green Food Zones in front of schools was around 2012, and at that time, tteokbokki was included in the list of prohibited foods in the related documents," adding, "Later, I saw that tteokbokki was removed. Since the government is promoting the globalization of tteokbokki, I think it was removed because it would be ridiculous if it were designated as a prohibited food in the Green Food Zone."

The Green Food Zone is an area designated and managed by local governments to create a safe and hygienic food sales environment to protect children. In this zone, the sale of foods classified as high-calorie/low-nutrition foods, high-caffeine-containing foods, and emotionally harmful foods is prohibited.

Regarding this, Hwang pointed out, "Tteokbokki is a junk food with unbalanced nutrition and a stimulating taste, which is not good for children's health," and "Among instant cooked foods, hamburgers and pizza are designated as prohibited foods in the 'Green Food Zone.'"

He then emphasized again, "Although it is late, tteokbokki should be designated as a 'prohibited food in front of schools.' The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety should correct this."

Food columnist Hwang Kyo-ik / Photo by Yonhap News

This is not the first time Hwang has criticized tteokbokki. Previously, in 2018, he appeared on the tvN entertainment program 'Wednesday Food Talk' and claimed, "Tteokbokki is not a delicious food."

At that time, he explained, "The reason Koreans like tteokbokki is because it was commonly given during infancy," adding, "There are foods that taste good to me but I say they are not delicious, and foods that taste bad but I say they are delicious. Representative examples are chicken and tteokbokki."

He further argued, "This is not sensually delicious food, but socially brainwashed to be delicious food."

Meanwhile, Hwang was recently nominated as a candidate for the new president of Gyeonggi Tourism Organization. He will attend a personnel hearing at the Gyeonggi Provincial Council on the 30th, and if the personnel hearing report is adopted by the council, Governor Lee Jae-myung of Gyeonggi Province will appoint him as president for a three-year term early next month.

The position of president of Gyeonggi Tourism Organization has been vacant since the previous president resigned in December last year.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.