By Kim Seon Ah
Video = Official YouTube channel of Korean Food Promotion Institute

A recent event has explored the secrets behind Hansik (traditional cuisine) and its growing popularity and competitiveness abroad.

The Hansik Conference marking the inaugural Korean Food Day was held on Oct. 23 at Theater Yong of the National Museum of Korea in Seoul's Yongsan-gu District. Interest was so high that registration for the event closed just five minutes after opening.

Park Hyun-young, a noted consumer trend analyst and author who heads the Life Change Observatory at Vaiv Company, an artificial intelligence (AI) and big data tech corporation, gave the opening lecture on shifts in consumer trends in the age of AI.

She said that while consumers in the past sought more extravagant and unique experiences, they now place greater value on consumption that offers stability and healing in everyday life.

The four defining qualities of Hansik -- abundance, neatness, healthfulness and care -- align with emerging consumer trends stressing recovery and sustainability, Park added.

As a key strategy to globalize Hansik, she proposed "rare universality," a concept under which Korean cuisine should preserve its unique appeal while making it more accessible and palatable to a wider audience.

Next was chef Ok Dong-sik, whose restaurant brand Okdongsik specializes in dwaeji gomtang (pork broth soup) and has appeared in the Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand since 2018. With branches of his business in New York, Tokyo and Paris, he shared his experiences in expanding overseas.

"I didn't create my food with globalization in mind," he said. "I just focused on the most quintessentially Hansik dishes."

Ok named three key elements behind Hansik's competitiveness: fermentation, ingredients and time. The depth of flavor created by microorganisms and time in fermented pastes and kimchi, as well as ingredients reflecting seasonal and regional traits and the care and dedication invested in lengthy cooking processes are the strengths of Korean cuisine, he added.

The culinary entrepreneur, however, said the essence of Hansik and its flavor profile must be preserved even with more flexibility in on-site ingredient sourcing, hygiene regulations and service practices abroad.

"The depth of Hansik comes from time that cannot be seen," he said. "Its competitiveness lies not in any one dish but in the time and methods that have shaped its flavors."

Both Park and Ok underscored the unparalleled value of Hansik.

sofiakim218@korea.kr