the Global Korean Cuisine Audition

What’s the special things betwen gado-gado (indonesian vegetable salad served with nutty sauce), sate (indonesia barbeque with nutty sauce) and Korean?

well, when I’ve attended a summer youth camp in korea on 2008, there was a little cooking competition. each participant country should make the most representative food from their country. at that time, indonesia team chose to make gado-gado, sate, andother stuff. aat that competition, we WON!
This article is the answer why we won. I take with full credits from kbs world websites.

The final round of the Global Korean Cuisine Audition kicked off on November 25th inside the cooking studio of CJ Food World. The contestants were a handful of foreigners picked from a pool of applicants thirteen times the size of final participant group.

For the month of October the city government of Seoul held an online cooking promotion event called “Delicious Seoul Story” on YouTube. The event called for foreigners to send in their recipes for traditional Korean dishes or original creations. Here’s Mr. Koo Bon-sang of the Seoul Municipal Government’s Culture and Tourism Headquarters.

We received video applications for a month. Our YouTube posting got 78 thousand hits and 64 contestants from 27 countries sent in their recipes. Not only was their love for Korean food apparent on the video, but the video clips were extremely well made. One memorable contestant hosted a cooking demonstration in front of Egypt’s pyramid. A Taiwanese contestant made a video out of Korean drama clips, splicing the scenes into the cooking show. They showed their enthusiasm for Korean cuisine as well as Korean culture, saying simple phrases like “hello” and “good eating” in Korean. Some even wore red to show support for the Korean national soccer team or used a Korean pop song or Arirang as background music.

The contestants’ cooking video mixed in just the right amounts of Korean language, Korean dramas, and Korean music. The video confirmed that hallyu, the wave of Korean pop culture, knows no national boundaries or genre.

These Indonesian contestants introduced themselves in Korean and showed their recipes while dancing to the tune of “Mr. Simple” by Super Junior.

This team of Americans showcased their recipe of Hawaiian kimchi fried rice while dancing the Hawaiian hula dance. Their exuberance for Korean culture and food was absolutely infectious.

Participated by 64 teams from 27 nations, the Delicious Seoul Story event yielded five top teams, ten participants in all, from four countries. They were invited to Korea to take part in the final round as well as experience Korean culture from November 23rd to 26th. Among all the experiences they had, the greatest was the Global Korean Cuisine Audition, where a Korean cooking champion would be born.

They were given only two hours to prepare their Korean dishes. The kitchen studio was bustling with the sounds of chopping, grilling, and frying. What were some of the dishes they prepared? Let’s start off with the two Indonesian teams.

We made japchae with mango and Indonesian seasoning kerupuk. These ingredients were brought from Indonesia. Our recipe is easy to make, but really delicious. The flavor is similar to Indonesian cuisine, so it’s very tasty.

This dish is called go-bibimbap. It’s a mixture of Korean bibimbap and Indonesian salad. Korean food and Indonesian food are quite similar. The similarity in flavor is what makes Indonesians like Korean food. Most Korean food is spicy and we like spicy. We especially like gochujang with its spicy and slightly tangy flavor.

The first Indonesian team placed kerupuk at the bottom of the plate and added japchae made with mango on top of it. The second team from Indonesia showed a dish inspired by bibimbap and Indonesian salad. They used peanut sauce instead of gochujang to accentuate the Indonesian flavor. They called their creation “Go-bibimbap! Friendship food Korea-Indonesia.” Here’s chef Tony Yu, one of the judges.

What is so interesting about this Indonesian team’s bibimbap is that they used peanut sauce. It has that nutty flavor similar to Korea’s sesame seed oil. I’m looking forward to tasting the dish. The other Indonesian team brought their own version of japchae made with mango. I think it was very creative.

A female duo, Kelly and Lindsey, from Hawaii brought what they call Aloha kimchi fried rice.

- I saw this event on YouTube and wanted to show how to make the Hawaiian version of Korean food. Stir fried rice is really popular in Hawaii and this version is really easy to make and tastes delicious.
- I love Korean food and wanted to visit Korea, which is why I entered the contest.

The team from Bulgaria named their dish “Project Fusion Miracle.” The two members of the team were confident that they could show what a fusion dish is all about with their version of tofu and kimchi. True to their spirit, their recipe was an experimental fusion offering. Here’s chef Tony Yu again.

The Bulgarian team used two types of kimchi, the one they made and the store-bought one. I like the fact that they tried to understand Korean cuisine in depth. They also grilled tofu to perfection.

The last team is Sean from England. He attempted to make two dishes – spicy pork and cold noodle – and even made ggakdugi, radish kimchi, on the spot. While other teams all had two members, Sean was by himself yet made all these dishes, demonstrating his zeal for Korean cuisine. Here is what judging chefs Kim Min-ji and Tony Yu thought of Sean’s dishes.

I realized that Sean really studied about Korean food. He knew how to wilt radish with salt first and showed experience when cooking. He made spicy pork and added a side of cold noodle. I was amazed by his passion and skills of making the noodles himself. There must not be that many Korean ingredients in England, but he was able to make Korean dishes like that and I came to realize that Korean food must be that popular there.

His spicy pork was cooked right and had the right amount of gochujang. The seasoning was well-blended and the bean paste soup was good too. He also made kimchi himself. His version was a lighter version of traditional kimchi and had the feel of salad. I appreciated his effort. Also, his naengmyeon냉면 or cold noodle is not the traditional version we Koreans are used to. He treated it more like cold pasta and the idea of including it as a side dish in a meal helped him stand out among the contestants.

It was impressive to see so many foreigners taking time and effort to make Korean food and enjoying their creations. Their love for Korean cuisine must have begun with hallyu, the wave of Korean music, movies, and TV shows. They say that their interest in Korean pop culture led them to explore more about Korea and its traditional culture. Now they came to love Korea very much.

- I love Korean culture and music, especially Super Junior and 2PM. I also love Korean dramas, like “Winter Sonata” and “Full House.”
-I like Big Bang. My friends and I have their videos and pictures of TOP, a Big Bang member. We really love TOP. Lots of Hawaiians like Korean music like 2NE1.
- I first watched Korean dramas ten years ago and got interested in Korean culture. I’m of Chinese and Indonesian heritage, but Korean culture is very unique compared to other Asian cultures. I like the fact that Korea tries to preserve its tradition.

What they say about Korean cuisine has one thing in common – that it’s addictive. Which aspect of Korean food captivated these foreigners?

- There are Korean restaurants in Indonesia. I know that Korean food is good for my body and my health. So, Korean food is more than just food, but like medicine. I can feel that my body is getting healthier. This is why I like Korean food. It is not only tasty, but very healthy. It’s great food for people of all ages.
- I used to share a refrigerator with my Korean girlfriend. That’s when I got to know about Korean food. My girlfriend used to keep kimchi in the fridge, which I wasn’t really crazy about because of its smell. I used to hate it, but my Korean wife got me to try it and now I’m hooked on it. Now I’m addicted and love kimchi. It’s delicious and good for my health. I want to live in Korea for a long, long time. I love kimchi jjigae and stir fried rice, both made with really old, well-fermented kimchi. English food is rather bland, but Korean food like japchae, bibimbap, and galbi are very flavorful. I really like the distinctive flavors of different dishes.

The most appealing aspect of Korean food is that it’s not only delicious, but good for you. They can tell that what they eat will make you healthier. The cook-off demonstrated that foreigners saw Korean food as well-being food and Korean food’s potential as a globally popular cuisine.

The two-hour audition culminated in the announcement of winners. Which team was named the final winner?

The winner of Delicious Seoul Story was the Bulgarian team whose Bulgarian-style tofu and kimchi wowed the judges. The two members of the team have performed a miracle just like the name of their dish “Project Fusion Miracle.”

- I love Korean food. I’m going to practice cooking Korean food more. This contest was a really great experience for us. We run a Korean restaurant in Bulgaria and some of our Korean friends in Bulgaria help us run the place. But we experience lots of limitations because we are in Bulgaria. We are not sure whether our food tastes authentic. But this contest gave us an opportunity to visit Korea and taste the real Korean food. It was great that we got to know about the traditional flavors or Korea.
- My Korean friends in Bulgaria used to tell me that my Korean dishes were delicious, but I didn’t believe them. I wanted to make sure that we really made great Korean food. When the announcer said that the Bulgarian team was the winner, I didn’t realize he meant us.

So what made Team Bulgaria’s dish the winner? Here’s chef Tony Yu to explain his decision.

Team Bulgaria’s dish was tofu and kimchi. The two main ingredients are not refined or luxurious ingredients, but they were presented in a very appealing way. And I was amazed by the flavor. It tasted like the ones our mothers and grandmothers used to make. I hadn’t realized that foreigners could discover that uniquely Korean flavor. Another merit was that they used the kimchi they made themselves. Many Korean households don’t make their own kimchi anymore, but the Bulgarian team used their own kimchi and transformed it into a wonderful creation of tofu and kimchi. I thought their understanding of Korean cuisine was exceptional, which is why I chose them as winners.

Because Korean food ingredients are expensive and Korean restaurants rare in Bulgaria, the Bulgarian contestants hoped to buy Korean seasonings like doenjang and gochujang in bulk and use them to cook Korean food for their Bulgarian friends. Thanks to these two Korean food enthusiasts, Korean food will soon take hold in Bulgaria too.

Korean chefs also learned a lot from the Global Korean Cuisine Audition. Here’s chef Kim Ho-jin.

It was a new experience. It was fun watching people from different cultures come together with Korean food. I was surprised by how creative the contestants were with Korean dishes. It was interesting to see their versions of Korean food. I was also impressed by how much they knew about Korea, even more so than the foreigners living in Korea.

The highlights from the audition will be posted on YouTube so that more people from around the globe can find out how Korean cuisine is delighting the taste buds of foreigners.

Korea’s all time faourite Wine,MakGeoli

I copy paste-ing all this content from Kbs world website

With only ten days left in the year 2011 the restaurants and bars in Korea are filled with revelers celebrating the year’s end.

Alcohol is a must in every party. Life’s sorrow and worries seem to vanish as party-goers drink up with loud, good-hearted cheers. In recent years this particular alcohol has grown in popularity in year-end parties, quickly catching up with the demands for wine and soju.

- I think of makgeoli when I have scallion pancakes. Makgeoli is so popular these days. It’s a healthful drink.
- Unlike other liquors, makgeoli is very smooth and delicious. It has that carbonated zip of the beer and rich texture.

There are also a lot of different varieties of makgeoli, so people can choose the one they like. It’s smooth-tasting and tangy at the same time.

- It’s good for my skin. Makgeoli contains lots of lactic acid bacteria since the drink is made from rice.

Makgeoli is again at the top of everyone’s favorite drink list. Let’s check out this delicious and nutritious alcoholic beverage further.

Makgeoli has the oldest history among all traditional Korean alcoholic beverages. It is milky white and its alcoholic content is rather low at six to seven percent. Generally made with rice, makgeoli sometimes uses barley or wheat. The grain is steamed and dried before fermented with water and yeast. This grain-based beverage features layers of flavor – sweetness, tanginess, bitterness, and even the tannin flavor. Here’s alcoholic beverage expert Heo Si-myung.

Makgeoli is not a refined type of liquor. The color is opaque and its production process is very simple. This is the oldest alcoholic beverage of Koreans. Makgeoli is made through the most basic and simple process, which is why it is the oldest alcoholic beverage in Korea. Makgeoli can be made quickly since it can be completed in a week to ten days. The ingredients and the nutrients in them are preserved relatively fresh, making them almost meal-like. Makgeoli is Korean people’s favorite drink because it gives you the same satisfaction as a meal.

Perhaps because makgeoli satisfies all your senses and even fills your tummy, this traditional folksy drink is growing quite popular among foreigners as well.

- The color was so white that I thought it was really strong. I’m not used to rice, so I’m not familiar with the smell of rice. The smell of fermented rice was strange to me. So I just closed my eyes and tried a sip, but then it was sweet and delicious. Now I’m more familiar with makgeoli than beer.
- Makgeoli cocktail is good for ladies, too. Its alcoholic content is not too high, so it’s smooth-tasting and I don’t get drunk as fast. When I drink makgeoli on a hot day, it chases away the heat. When I’m depressed I drink sweet makgeoli to chase away the stress.

Milky, rice-based alcohol was unfamiliar to foreigners. But once they tried it, they all agreed that it was great-tasting and enjoyable. Better still, they didn’t get too drunk or get a bad hangover afterward. This is why foreigners came to love makgeoli so much. Makgeoli’s popularity among foreigners grew to the point that there is even a makgeoli bar run by a foreigner.

Originally from Finland, Taru Salminen now lives in Korea and runs a makgeoli bar.

- At first it wasn’t like alcohol and it wasn’t like milk. It had an unusual flavor of milk mixed with cider. But I found out that drinking it made me pleasantly intoxicated. It was not only delicious, but it made me feel good, just enough to get me slightly woozy when I get up. It was a very efficient drink. It’s been a year since I opened this makgeoli bar. I have no regrets. I started this bar because I love makgeoli.

Sharing a bowl or two of makgeoli with customers is all part of running a bar. Taru’s pub now enjoys a host of loyal customers.

Some patrons come from all corners of Korea to see a bar run by a foreigner and try out a wide variety of makgeoli produced in different regions in Korea. Taru has become a perfect hostess, welcoming customers and pouring makgeoli.

- I searched the internet to find Taru’s bar. It was hard finding the place.
- I heard that this is a place to visit in the Hongdae neighborhood. People said that she has a variety of makgeoli at reasonable prices. So I came to check it out. Makgeoli is made differently by region and here they have all sorts of makgeoli. I like it that I have a wide selection. I’m going to try another brand after I finish this one.

Now that makgeoli has captivated Koreans, it is reaching out to the world. It is not clear when Koreans started enjoying makgeoli. But a poem from the Goryeo Dynasty in the late 1300s mentions makgeoli, “white makgeoli in a clay bowl,” indicating that people drank makgeoli before the time of Goryeo. Makgeoli had been ordinary Koreans’ favorite alcohol before the introduction of beer and wine in Korea. Here’s liquor expert Heo Si-myung again.

Makgeoli was Korean people’s oldest and most favorite liquor. By number, makgeoli accounted for 60% of total alcohol consumption in Korea in the 1970s and 80s. Since the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics, however, hard liquor from the west grew popular, resulting in beer replacing makgeoli as Korea’s dominant alcohol.

The introduction of beer, whisky, and other liquor from the west brought down makgeoli consumption to 4% of total alcohol consumption. For 20 years since then Koreans’ alcoholic preference leaned toward beer and western liquor. But the rising interest in health and well-being has brought the spotlight back on makgeoli. Then what is the correlation between makgeoli and health? Here’s alcoholic beverage expert Heo Si-myung.

It has a low alcoholic content so it’s not detrimental to your health. Koreans like fresh makgeoli, which has live yeast and health-enhancing lactic acid bacteria. This is why drinking makgeoli helps digestion. Since makgeoli is made with rice or other grains, protein in the rice is transformed into amino acids, making makgeoli that much more nutritious. This year scientists have proven that makgeoli contains far more cancer-fighting substances than other alcohol types.

Mainly made of rice and yeast, makgeoli is 54% carbohydrate and 46% protein. Since it is fat free, only 10% of the makgeoli calories remain in our body. That means, while a shot of soju or 45 grams of it has 64 calories, a bowl of makgeoli or 150 grams has about the same amount of calories, 69 calories. So makgeoli is not only delicious and nutritious, but also less fattening. No wonder everyone, including foreigners, loves makgeoli. Here’s Olivia, a makgeoli lover from New Zealand.

Makgeoli is unknown in Australia. But when I tried makgeoli in Korea, there was nothing else like it. It’s good for my body and has fewer calories. It’s great for losing weight! I am sure you will feel the same way once you come to Korea and try makgeoli.

It’s worth noting that a bottle of makgeoli contains 70 to 80 billion lactic acid bacteria, equal to the amount in a hundred bottles of kefir or liquid yogurt. It was also found that makgeoli has up to 25 times more of the cancer-fighting substance Farnesol than wine or beer. And then, you rarely get to drink makgeoli excessively, because it makes you full after a while.

Makgeoli is very filling, so it’s hard to drink a lot of it. So I get to drink moderately. It’s a very humane alcohol. It protects the stomach lining, is full of nutrients and protein and anti-cancer substances. It’s really an attractive drink. The taste differs every day, because it keeps on fermenting as days go by. The makgeoli I tasted today is bound to taste differently tomorrow. Also the flavor differs by brewery and region. The flavor variance in makgeoli is just as wide as that in wine.

The flavor of makgeoli varies by the season, the time, the place, and method of its fermentation. Currently Korea produces roughly 700 varieties of makgeoli. Here’s alcoholic beverage expert Heo Si-myung.

Makgeoli sold in Seoul targets younger people and has a very light and refreshing flavor. It has none of the traditional grainy flavor. But places far from Seoul in Jeolla or Gyeongsang Province still use a lot of traditional yeast in their makgeoli, making their varieties thicker and heartier. These days, makgeoli is paired with local specialties. For instance, Boseong features green tea makgeoli, Munkyeong omija makgeoli, and Cheongyang Chinese matrimony vine makgeoli.

Such variety of makgeoli is what appeals to foreign makgeoli fans.

- Makgeoli flavors are widely varied by store and region. The different in flavor is really interesting.
-Makgeoli tastes different by place and by bar. The flavor differs by how the rice is cooked. I heard that there is makgeoli that tastes like yogurt, so I want to try it if I get a chance.

This is Makgeoli School located in central Seoul. The rising popularity of makgeoli has prompted many Koreans to learn more about the drink. Here’s alcoholic beverage expert Heo Si-myung again.

I opened Makgeoli School because I wanted to create a forum for makgeoli where people can learn more about the culture and history of makgeoli, and discuss makgeoli’s quality enhancement. It’s been two years and I’ve seen people enjoy makgeoli and Korean culture, and grow proud of the wide variety of makgeoli. Running Makgeoli School has been very rewarding.

Students at Makgeoli School include not only those working in the food and beverage industries, but also students, office workers, and teachers. They all have different reasons for studying Korea’s most traditional drink. Some of them even want to inform the world about makgeoli. Here are the two makgeoli proselytizers, Mr. Ham Chan-woong and Park No-hong.

- I’m a teacher and I travel a lot during vacation. Next year I plan to go to Africa. It’s not that hard to make makgeoli. So I’m planning on taking rice and yeast on my trip and share my own version of makgeoli with the locals.
- I live in America and whenever I invite my American friends to my home, I serve either beer or wine. But now I want to learn how to make makgeoli, so I can serve them makgeoli and teach them about the spirit and culture of Korea.

The makgeoli boom has driven up the export of makgeoli. Here’s President Jang Jae-joon of Seoul Takju Association.

Makgeoli export has roughly tripled over the past three years. It increased 282% since 2009 and has recorded a growth of over 350% in the third quarter this year. We sell in 15 countries with the largest portion going to Japan. Seoul Makgeoli operated in combination with Japanese distribution giant Suntory is a surprise hit in Japan.

According to Korea Customs Service, Korea has exported 37 thousand tons or nearly 45.3 million dollars of makgeoli between January and October of this year. At this rate makgeoli export in 2011 is projected to top 50 million dollars for the first time in history. Makgeoli-related business ventures are also flourishing. Makgeoli bread, makgeoli vinegar, makgeoli soaps, and makgeoli cosmetics make the traditional Korean alcohol more accessible for even those who can’t drink. Now aren’t you getting more curious about makgeoli? Have a sip and you’ll be able to understand why this milky and filling alcoholic drink has become the hottest thing on the market.

Korea and Racism (?)

Not so long ago, my hubae (junior) who have a short course of Korean language in Korea, post a video in facebook group. Group for the korean studies students in Gadjah mada university.

this video shows 2 foreigners who asking way to COEX mall. The first one is a white skinned foreigner or the western people. and the other one is a yellow skinned South East Asia people,to be exact he is from Indonesia, the same nationality as me.

Many Indonesian people work as labor in most Korean factory. Yes, Korea imported human resources for labor ship from Indonesia. But, Many of Indonesian people also STUDY in Korea,learn and study diligently in Korea. They pay their study either with their own money or scholarships.

You guys please check the video and give your comment in comment section below. How the two peoples get TOTALLY different reactions from korean people. Love,honor and respect for the white skinned people and IGNORING the ASIAN persons.

from what I’ve ever know, most of Korean people admire the western people. They really proud if any western people can speak Korean, even just for saying Kamshamnida. The Koreans always look the western people one with “OH~WOW” looking and attitude.

Baek Kimchi (White Cabbage Kimchi)

Paek kimchi originaly came from North Korea where less salt and red pepper are used in cooking. (Cabbages are soaked in brine until they have softened and are seasoned using ginger, garlic strips, and red pepper threads instead of red pepper powder.
The materials used for stuffing vary according to personal taste.
It can combine radishes, mushrooms, Korean pears, chestnuts, and dates with watercress greens and mustard leaves, and even little bit of pepper powder.)

Baechu kimchi

This is the most common, classic kimchi you will find at a Korean meal. Whole heads of cabbage are trimmed to remove discolored outer leaves and then split longways into two or four sections. These sections are soaked in brine for three or four hours until they have softened (during the summer and winter for about 12 hours.)

While this is going on, the other ingredients are assembled and mixed together. (Ground pepper powder, chopped garlic and ginger, pickled baby shrimp -or other sea food pickled such as anchovies and other fishes as a form of row fish cut in bitable size, sponge seaweed- and oysters can be added depending taste and family recipes.)

When they are mixed and the cabbage is ready. For common baech’u kimchi the softened cabbages are cut in to bitable size and mix with other ingredients. For Tongbaechu kimchi, handfuls of the stuffing are then pushed and spread between the leaves of the cabbage until it is all used. The outer leaves of the cabbage are wrapped round whole to form a solid bundle, which is then stored in a crock covered with salted leaves and pressed down firmly.