Daejeon Bread, Kalguksu noodles, and Spicy Stir-fried Tofu have been designated as the "Top 3 Flavors of Daejeon."

On April 10, Daejeon City held the "1st Daejeon Signature Cuisine Development Committee of 2026," where it selected the "Top 3 Flavors of Daejeon" and decided to actively pursue the development of culinary tourism content as well as promotional and marketing strategies.

Twenty-six years ago, in 2000, the city previously designated the "Six Daejeon Delicacies" (Sutgol Naengmyeon, Gujeuk Acorn Jelly, Spicy Freshwater Fish Stew from Daecheong Lake, Samgyetang, Stone Pot Rice, and Seolleongtang).

This revision was carried out to reorganize the system of signature dishes, reflecting recent changes in dining trends and citizen preferences. The city, with advice from experts and the results of a public survey, identified 11 candidates including the previous six delicacies and proceeded with the selection process.

According to the online and offline survey in which over 4,300 people participated, Daejeon Bread, Kalguksu noodles, and Spicy Stir-fried Tofu all ranked at the top. These three foods secured their status as signature dishes by receiving high vote shares—68% online and 81% offline.

For the brand name, "Flavors of Daejeon" was chosen with 61% support in the citizen preference survey. The number of representative dishes was set at three to enhance brand focus and development efficiency.

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The committee also decided to further expand the food branding system in stages, such as by discovering additional "Foods Loved by Daejeon Citizens" in the future.

Choi Dongkyu, Director General of Sports and Health at Daejeon City, said, "Unlike in the past, when selection relied solely on expert judgment, this time we based the selection of signature dishes on citizen participation. We will systematically nurture the 'Flavors of Daejeon' brand, centering on Daejeon Bread, Kalguksu noodles, and Spicy Stir-fried Tofu."