People try out makgeolli, or Korean rice liquor, in this undated photo. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Wednesday that it launched the country's new food tourism brand “Taste your Korea” along with the Korea Tourism Organization and selected 33 famous food, ingredients and types of liquor. gettyimagesbank
From Busan's "dwaeji gukbap" (pork and rice soup) and Suwon's "wanggalbi" (jumbo size grilled barbecue) to Wan Island's "gim" (dried seaweed) and Yangpyeong's "makgeolli" (rice liquor), these iconic dishes and ingredients have been chosen as must-try items in line with the launch of Korea's new gastronomic tourism brand.
A logo for Korea's new gastronomic tourism brand “Taste your Korea” / Courtesy of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
Aiming to attract tourists and elevate Korea's status as a premier food tourism destination, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) announced a new food tourism campaign slogan, "Taste your Korea," Wednesday. It also introduced 33 representative dishes, ingredients and types of liquor as core contents.
"Until now, the country's gastronomic tourism projects have focused on promoting and commercializing individual food items rather than discovering travel content with stories. Based on the new food tourism brand, the ministry and the KTO plan to discover more gastronomic tourism content with stories and foster it into tourism products," the ministry said.
The "Taste your Korea" brand, which aligns with Korea's broader tourism brand "Imagine your Korea," invites visitors to "Enjoy the various flavors of Korea that you like."
The 33 items were selected through a food tourism advisory group of experts from the food service and tourism industries, academia and marketing fields. They are categorized into three themes, which are regional foods, seasonal ingredients and traditional liquor that represent each region and aim to distinguish Korean food content from that of other countries.
Seen is "dwaeji gukbap," or pork and rice soup, a popular dish in the southeastern port city of Busan. This dish was selected among the 33 famous food, ingredients and liquor representing Korea along with the new food tourism brand "Taste your Korea." gettyimagesbank
Key selections include 15 regional dishes such as Incheon's "ganjang gejang" (soy sauce marinated crab), 15 seasonal ingredients including Tongyeong's oysters and three traditional liquors including Andong's soju, showcasing the depth and variety of Korea's culinary offerings.
The ministry and the KTO plan to utilize the new brand and the 33 representative food tourism items to raise awareness and preference for Korea as a key food tourism destination and attract more tourists from around the world to revitalize the local economy.
"Through the new food tourism brand and the 33 items, we will actively discover and utilize food tourism content that adds not only the taste and style of our food but also delicious stories," Kim Geun-ho, director-general of the ministry's tourism industry policy bureau, said. "We will ensure that more visitors to Korea can enjoy a trip that satisfies all five senses.”