Naju-si Opens 'Hyangto Food Experience Culture Center'... Promoting Stay-Type Tourism

Discovering the Single-Person Table Setting 'Moksabapsang'

Naju City in Jeollanam-do held an opening ceremony on the 2nd after converting the ‘Naju Local Food Experience Culture Center,’ which has preserved the local food culture, into a consignment management system.

According to the city on the 3rd, the culture center plans to newly introduce the ‘Moksa Table’ using unique food resources made from the abundant products of the Yeongsan River and Naju Plain.

Naju City held an opening ceremony on the 2nd after converting the "Naju City Local Food Experience and Culture Center," which has preserved the local food culture, to a consignment management system. Photo by Naju City

The plan is to attract visitors through differentiated food experiences and promote stay-type tourism by combining culture and tourism.

The Moksa Table is a single-person set meal developed based on Eopaljinmi and Sopaljinmi, high-quality dishes said to have been offered to the king by former local governors and officials of Naju, drawing much attention.

Eopaljinmi is a dish made from eight types of fish (freshwater crab, mullet, goby, ricefish, carp, softshell turtle, eel, pufferfish) caught in the Yeongsan River and its tributaries, the Hwangryong River and Mongtan River.

Sopaljinmi refers to dishes made from eight types of vegetables (water parsley, garlic, tofu, mung bean jelly, ginger, sesame oil, young radish, mistletoe) produced in the fertile soil of the Yeongsan River basin and the Naju Plain.

The culture center operates the Moksa Table experience hall and develops food products such as lunch boxes, meal kits, and desserts, while linking with Naju Eupseong tours, dining, and accommodation.

Previously, for efficient operation and program revitalization, the culture center has been operated under a consignment system since the 1st of last month after public recruitment and review by a selection committee.

The trustee is Kang Jeong-sook, the 9th head lady of ‘Naju Nampagotak,’ one of the 12 major noble houses nationwide, recognized as a leading figure dedicated to preserving local food culture.

Head Lady Kang Jeong-sook said, “We aim to continue Naju’s unique food culture by using fresh seasonal ingredients produced locally and preserving the fading local traditional foods,” adding, “I hope the sincere heart is conveyed through the Moksa Table setting.”

About 100 people attended the opening ceremony, including Yoon Byung-tae, mayor of Naju, Lee Jae-nam, chairman of the Naju City Council, local provincial and city council members, Kang Jeong-sook of Nampagotak, heads of institutions and social organizations, and residents.

Mayor Yoon Byung-tae said, “Naju has long been a region with a rich food culture based on agricultural products from the fertile Naju Plain and seafood from the Yeongsan River connected to the southwestern coast,” and added, “We hope that food tourism will become a key part of the era of 5 million tourists through fostering the representative food brand ‘Moksa Table’ centered on the Local Food Experience Culture Center.”

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