INTRODUCTION
How can understanding and acceptance of Korean cultural heritage be developed through traditional cuisine?
“There is simply no division between Korea, Koreans and the cuisine of Korean.” (Pettid, M. 2008)
This report will present three key findings which serve to illustrate how a traditional Korean dining experience can educate non-Koreans about Korean culture.
The first key finding provides an overview of Korean cuisine, traditional recipes and a traditional dining experience. The research provides background to some of the historical traditions that continue to this day. If Korean cuisine is to be used to educate others about Korean culture then it is important to present the experience in a “modern traditional” way. Modern enough to cater for contemporary dining while ensuring those traditions unique to Korean cuisine are maintained.
The second key finding presented in this report explores the connection between Korean culture and traditional cuisine. It will demonstrate that much of Koreans’ connection with their past is through their dining experience.
The third key finding is that Korean cuisine provides a strong foundation on which to build an understanding of Korean culture. . Baseline data will show that a small group of Australian students have little or no knowledge of Korean culture. It will then be shown that their knowledge of Korean food and culture can be developed significantly by participating in a Korean dining experience.
KOREAN CUISINE HAS ITS UNIQUE STYLE
Cuisine is defined as “a style or method of cooking, especially as characteristics of a particular country, region or establishment.” (Online Oxford Dictionary. Accessed 11th April 2014)
Korean food has developed from interactions wit...
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...g, K, Yang, H, Jang, D. 2011. 고추 이야기. Hyoil. South Korea.
Websites
Oxford University Press. 2014. Definition of cuisine in English. http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/cuisine?q=cuisine
New South Wales Government. 2008. Years 7-10 Syllabuses Languages Korean. http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_sc/korean.html
Choi, J. 2010. 한식 (Korean cuisine). http://navercast.naver.com/contents.nhn?rid=92&contents_id=2114
Korean Food Foundation. 2012. Effects of Korean food. http://www.hansik.org/en/article.do?cmd=html&menu=PEN5010100&lang=en
Korea Food Research Institute. 2010. 한국고추의 전래 역사 바로알기. http://www.kfri.re.kr/cyber/press_release_view.php?page=25&numm=93
Articles
Meyer C. 2008. Uniqueness of Korean Cuisine (1). http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/culture/2014/01/318_27387.html
Ahn, D. 2013. 김치•김장문화가 갖는 인문학적 의미는. http://news1.kr/articles/1392636
I was told from a young age the easiest way to get in touch with your cultural heritage is through food. Many good memories and cultural traditions are passed down via food. Food is a way of connecting people to each other, bringing up good memories from the past. Food has a way of healing old wounds and making people happier. You have a sense of pride knowing you are connected to your culture through the use of food. However there are times when you question your cultural food choices, particularly if you haven’t grown up on certain dishes.
Clark, Donald N. "1. The Story of the Korean People." Culture and Customs of Korea. Santa
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The Korean practice of eating dog meat has always been considered a peculiar tradition by foreigners. In recent years, this tradition has come under increasing pressure from animal rights activists, including Bridget Bardot, who wish to see the practice outlawed altogether by the South Korean government. This controversy came to a head in 2002, when activists convinced FIFA to put pressure on South Korea, the co-host of the World Cup, to ban dog meat. William Saletan discusses this controversy in his article ?Wok the Dog,? in which he makes an interesting and well crafted argument supporting the Korean practice. In this article, Saletan effectively deconstructs the opposing arguments and makes the strong counter-point on logical, moral, and emotional grounds, that the movement to outlaw dog meat in South Korea has an undercurrent of cultural arrogance and even racism.
To confirm their belief, the authors collected data by means of free listing, interviews, or simply practicing naturalistic observations in several Japanese cities including Mizusawa, Morioka, and Tokyo. The authors found that Japan had long had its own fast food culture as long ago as 1899, when a Japanese food chain, Yosh...
Soh, C. S. (2001). South Korea. In C. R. Ember & M. Ember (Eds.), Countries and Their Cultures (
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