Mixing, Waiting, Consideration... Decoding the DNA of Korean Cuisine Through Academic Language

Professor Jeong Hyekyung Analyzes Forty-Three Historical Cookbooks
Establishes a Value System for Traditional Korean Cuisine
Highlights the Value of Seasonal Ingredients and Fermented Foods

While K-food is gaining global popularity, research that identifies the value of traditional Korean cuisine remains rare. As kimchi and bibimbap are consumed as if they represent the entirety of Korean food, the essence of the culinary philosophy and food culture accumulated over centuries has not been properly highlighted.

Jung Hyekyung, Honorary Professor in the Department of Food and Nutrition at Hoseo University, is giving a presentation on the topic "Revisiting the Food Culture Value of Traditional Korean Cuisine" at the Korean House on the 18th during the Korean Food Forum.

Jeong Hyekyung, Honorary Professor of the Department of Food and Nutrition at Hoseo University, attended the Korean Food Forum hosted by the National Heritage Promotion Agency on the 18th, where she focused on the history, culture, and emotional value of traditional Korean cuisine and proposed avenues for its modern expansion. She began by redefining the concept of traditional Korean cuisine. She stated, "Traditional food refers to what a particular region or ethnic group has consumed for generations," and defined traditional Korean cuisine as "food that becomes traditional Korean cuisine when cooking techniques are passed down across generations."

According to her explanation, Korean cuisine refers to food made with Korean agricultural and marine products as main ingredients and prepared using cooking methods passed down through generations. K-food, however, is somewhat different. It is a creative food culture that combines the representative nature and identity of Korean food culture with contemporary technology and values.

To uncover the value of Korean cuisine, Professor Jeong concentrated on four methodologies: old cookbooks and relics, classical literature, paintings, and art. She explained, "I analyzed forty-three types of historical cookbooks ranging from 'Eumsik Dimibang' (circa 1670) to 'Joseon Mussang Sinshik Yori Jebeop' (1924), as well as classical documents like the 'Annals of the Joseon Dynasty' and the 'Seungjeongwon Ilgi.' I also studied genre paintings by Kim Hongdo and Shin Yunbok, and pansori novels such as 'Chunhyangjeon' and 'Heungbujeon.'" She added, "Tableware and drinking vessels exhibited in museums were also included in the research."

Jekyung Jung, Honorary Professor of Food and Nutrition at Hoseo University, is delivering a presentation on the topic "Reevaluating the Food Cultural Value of Traditional Korean Cuisine" at the Korean House food forum held on the 18th.

Professor Jeong classified the cultural values of Korean cuisine from two perspectives. The first is what kind of meaning food has mediated in Korean society. She explained, "By analyzing pansori novels, poems, and genre paintings from the Joseon era, I found that food could be summarized as power, medicine, affection, and prayer." She further interpreted, "Food served as a tool to reveal the structure of social power and as a philosophy of health, acted as a medium connecting the sentiments of the community, and embodied religious wishes."

The second aspect is the aesthetics of Korean cuisine. Professor Jeong summarized this with five keywords: mixing, waiting, consideration, beauty, and 'pungnyu' (enjoyment of the arts). Mixing symbolizes the principle of harmony, as represented by bibimbap and gujeolpan. Waiting refers to the accumulation of time through fermentation, such as making sauces or aging kimchi. Consideration is reflected in the arrangement of dishes; rice, soup, kimchi, and sauces form the basics, while side dishes are adjusted according to the condition and needs of guests. Beauty refers to the aesthetic sensibility found in tableware and the arrangement of colors, and 'pungnyu' is manifested in the culture of drinking tables enjoyed with alcoholic beverages and appetizers.

This value system has recently become the foundation for various projects. At the Chungjae Jongtaek in Bonghwa, North Gyeongsang Province, the Geumgye Poransang table setting has been recreated, and family cuisine has been developed as cultural products. There have also been attempts to bring foods from literature onto the modern dining table. Onjium has recreated the table setting from the pansori novel 'Simcheongjeon' in a contemporary style, and Design House has presented a variety of literary-inspired Korean tables. All these efforts go beyond mere restoration of old foods, integrating the philosophy and aesthetics of traditional Korean cuisine into modern food culture.

Hyekyung Jung, Honorary Professor of Food and Nutrition at Hoseo University (right), is conversing with participants of the Korean Food Forum.

Professor Jeong believes that this trend could provide solutions for future alternative food sources. She emphasized that the nature-oriented philosophy centered on seasonal ingredients underpins sustainable food systems, and the configuration of meals with rice, soup, and side dishes ensures a balance of nutrients such as carbohydrates and proteins. A diet rich in vegetables and wild greens supplies abundant dietary fiber and vitamins, while fermented foods like kimchi, sauces, and jeotgal are rich sources of lactic acid bacteria and enzymes. Seasonal foods such as Dongji red bean porridge, Seol tteokguk, and Dano surichitteok also serve to maintain communal culture.

Professor Jeong stressed, "While the system of K-food should be established from a global perspective, its core must be filled with tradition," and emphasized that "establishing the fundamentals of traditional Korean cuisine is the key to a sustainable future."

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