Korean Food Culture

Hi Liesje90,

check out http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/1051_Food.jsp – look at all the sub-sections, you’ll find most of the answers there.

Bye, Sanne.

1. What are the feautures of the Korean food culture/cuisine?

many korean foods are fermented especially the favorited kimchi and it varies per region with different temperatures and availabilities on ingredients.

2. Are these historically influenced? If yes, how?

side dishes goes way back to three kingdom dynasties 1,000 years ago

3. Which cuisines (countries) have influenced the Korean cuisine?

none, korea is unique in their own food creation and developed without being influenced.

4. Which ingredients are characteristic?

cabbage for kimchi-mostly eaten I believe

5. Is there a geographical or economical explanation for these ingredients?

it’s every where but different in region. it’s because the cabbage is redilly available and can last very long under ground how koreans store kimchi

6. Which preparation techniques are characteristic?

fermentation, pan frying, grilling, stew and soup

7. What is the esthetic function of food and eating in Korea?
Can you relate this to the choice of ingredients and preparation techniques?

jan chi (which is festival) koreans love having festival and that’s basically where all the side dishes came about. when you see korean festival food table, you will know what I’m talking about. it’s like a colorful buffet of their own regional food show. This is done in town or in community as a celebration.

8. What are characteristic eating habits for the Korean food culture? (Number of meals a day, time of meal, eating alone or with others, table manners)

3-4 times a day eating, breakfast, lunch and dinner and maybe snack
always eating with others, table manners are strict when eating with elderly. similar to american style, no phones, not eating before your parents, etc

9. Which social and communicative function does food or a meal have within the Korean food culture?

meeting people always involve eating with them, celebration always involve eating first

10. Which rituals/religions are of influence on the eating habits of the Korean population? How?

eating and drinking always go hand in hand

11. Which ingredients have a symbolic meaning? What is the meaning? How is it translated into the preparation of the food?

kimchi is very well known to koreans. one of the main ingredient, red pepper is used in many food preparations.

12. Can you describe the moral and ethic function of food that is characteristic to the Korean food cultre?

food is happiness

13. Are there any food taboos? If so, which one? What is the meaning of the taboo?

not that I know of

14. What is the influence of the Korean food culture on other (world wide) food cultures?

funny how kimchi is now banned in china since 2012 because it’s taking over chinese! instead their own pao cai?