A participant engages in a "jang"-making session at artisan Kisoondo's fermentation storage in Damyang County, South Jeolla Province, Feb. 18. Yonhap

A poster for the upcoming "jang"-making event at Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul / Courtesy of Korea Heritage Service

"Jang," Korea's fermented paste, is the cornerstone condiment of Korean cuisine, enriching the flavors of everything from soups and stews to side dishes and dipping sauces.

This time-honored tradition will take center stage at an upcoming event at Gyeongbok Palace, hosted by the Korea Heritage Service.

On April 4, from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., two palace venues will stage an exhibition and tasting session dedicated to the art of jang-making — a craft rooted in fermentation and aging techniques that date back to the Three Kingdoms Period (57 BCE–668 CE).

The event celebrates the recent inscription of "knowledge, beliefs and practices related to jang-making in the Republic of Korea" on the UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in December 2024.

"Janggo," a storage area for sauces in the palace during the 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty, will be specially opened to the public, offering a glimpse into traditional ingredients, tools and earthenware pots that have shaped Korea's sauce-making process. Complementing the exhibition is a live historical storytelling session that takes a deeper look into the legacy of Janggo.

At "Saenggwabang" — once a royal kitchen responsible for preparing desserts and special meals for the king and queen — visitors can sample a diverse selection of regional fermented pastes crafted by master artisans.

These include "jukyeom doenjang" (soybean paste made with bamboo salt), "eoyukjang" (savory fermented paste enriched with fish and meats), "jinjang" (soy sauce aged for five years or more) and "Jeju makjang" (soybean paste made with Jeju Island's native green beans).

While the event is open to all Gyeongbok Palace visitors, participation in the live storytelling sessions at Janggo and the "create-your-own-jang" experience at Saenggwabang requires advance online registration via Naver by April 3.

For more details, visit the official websites of the Korea Heritage Service or the Korea Heritage Agency.