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Television Shows

“Korea.” Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, season 5, episode 1, CNN, 26 Apr. 2015. Netflix, https://www.netflix.com/title/70304979.

Anthony Bourdain travels to Korea in this episode of Parts Unknown. This episode provides a window into the sorts of food the average person might eat in Korea, and cuisine’s place in Korean culture and history.

Scholarly Works

 Hongu, Nobuko, et al. “Korean Kimchi: Promoting Healthy Meals through Cultural Tradition.” Journal of Ethnic Foods, vol. 4, no. 3, 2017, p 172-180. doi: 10.1016/j.jef.2017.08.005.

This article examines the potential health benefits of kimchi as well as kimchi’s link to Korean culture, and the potential for health benefits in passing on traditional Korean cuisine.

Ja Jang, Dai, et al. “Does Siwonhan-mat Represent Delicious in Korean Foods?” Journal of Ethnic Foods, vol. 3, no. 2, 2017, p 159-162. doi: 10.1016/j.jef.2016.06.002.

This article examines the Korean concept of siwonhan-mat, which is a sensation experienced during eating that is often translated as “deliciousness.” In this article, the authors examine different characteristics of food that might be linked to siwonhan-mat.

Kim, Soon-Hee, et al. “Sunchang Gochujang (Korean Red Chili Paste): The Unfolding of Authenticity.” Journal of Ethnic Foods, vol. 3, no. 3, 2016, p 201-208. doi: 10.1016/j.jef.2016.09.002.

Kim et al. consider the background of gochujang from Sunchang County in North Jeolla Province, Korea. According to the authors, this gochujang is considered to be the best, due perhaps to a number of factors, including geography and climate.

 Recipe Resources

Imatome-Yun, Naomi. Seoul Food: Korean Cooking from Kimchi and Bibimbap to Fried Chicken and Bingsoo. Berkeley, Rockridge Press, 2015.

Imatome-Yun’s cookbook includes a number of traditional Korean recipes, categorized according to type for easy navigation. This book also includes essential tools and ingredients for Korean cooking, making it a great resource for beginners.

Ro, Hyosun. Korean Bapsang. www.koreanbapsang.com/.

Korean Bapsang is a recipe blog that focuses on Korean cuisine. The recipes are organized according to type for easy navigation, and the recipes often include the cultural background of the dishes.

Further Reading

Cho, Eileen. “Korean Culinary Cures: from Tummy Aches to Hangovers, Here’s How Moms Cook up Relief.” NPR. 9 May 2018 www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/05/09/609440146.

Cho’s article examines the cultural legacy of Korean food that are used as home remedies, such as teas meant to upset stomachs and sore throats, and soup meant to cure hangovers. This article includes brief descriptions of several different culinary cures, as well as a recipe for one such culinary cure from the author’s mother.

Choi, Roy, et al. L.A. Son, My Life, My City, My Food. New York, HarperCollins, 2013.

L.A. Son, My Life, My City, My Food, is a food memoir about Roy Choi’s journey to becoming the creator of the famous Kogi food trucks. This memoir also features recipes.

Yang, Wesley. “A Fried Chicken Bender in South Korea.” Bon Appétit, Condé Nast, 9 May 2017. https://www.bonappetit.com/story/fried-chicken-bender-south-korea.

Yang’s article examines fried chicken and its place in South Korean cuisine by reviewing several different fried chicken restaurants.