Dongbaek and Sehwa, two leading tourism villages of the town tourism brand Kareum Stay on Jeju Island, have been selected as excellent examples of global gastronomy tourism. Shown is food made with ingredients grown in Dongbaek. (Jeju Tourism Organization)

By Lee Jihae

Dongbaek and Sehwa, the two best tourism villages of Jeju Island's town tourism brand Kareum Stay, have been designated excellent examples of global gastronomy tourism. 

Jeju Special Self-governing Province and the Jeju Tourism Organization (JTO) on June 26 said they introduced both villages at the inaugural United Nations Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Asia and the Pacific in Cebu, the Philippines.

As examples of Jeju's gastronomy tourism, Sehwa and Dongbaek were included on the list of the U.N. World Tourism Organization's Best Tourism Villages. The two were the only ones among the 130 on the list to be invited to the forum.

The JTO focused on the traditional cuisines and cultures of the two villages at a session on case studies of regional innovation.

For Sehwa, located in the town of Gujwa-eup, the organization shared Jeju's unique cultural heritage and food tourism like a UNESCO gourmet tour of a field meal, food and drinks using specialties such as carrots and potatoes, and cultural dining highlighting the stories and related performances about haenyeo (female divers) from the town.

Dongbaek, in the town of Namwon-eup, was described as having a healthy village cuisine of Jeju like the native camellia course meal, farm dining at Dongbaek Garden and the seasonal food fern pasta.

Idoia Calleja, director of Basque Culinary Center, a culinary research and educational foundation based in Spain, who chaired the session, said she saw the uniqueness of Jeju through its gastronomic tourism examples listed among the U.N.'s Best Tourism Villages.

"Gastronomic tourism on Jeju Island is a journey to experience the wisdom and minds of Jeju residents," an JTO source said. "Local Jeju food, which has been passed down through word of mouth, is truly a healing menu of this era for soothing tired bodies and minds."

jihlee08@korea.kr