History of the Development in the Culinary Culture

    Korea's culinary culture has been shaped with by its natural environment. Korea is located in the mid-altitude of the Northern Hemisphere, and belongs to a cold-temperate zone. Korea is surrounded by water on three sides, where both cold and warm currents cross each other, thus making it an ideal location for many fish species. Although mountains account for 70% of the entire country, over 40% of them are just 200 to 300 meters high. In addition, the Korean Peninsula is blessed with an annual rainfall rate of 960 millimeters (1,150 millimeters in the South Korea) which allows agriculture to flourish. Sufficient water resources provide ideal condition for the cultivation of a variety of vegetables.

The major rivers flowing from the eastern mountains to the west created plains optimal for rice farming. In Korea, 40 to 60 percent of the annual rainfall occurs during the summer season. Thus, summer is the busiest season in Korea, which is mostly centered around rice crops. In the areas where the climate is not suitable to produce rice, other grains were cultivated, and especially in the northern part of the Korean Peninsula, bean has been the major crop. As a result, bean has frequently been added to cooked items, or steamed rice, which is the staple food of Koreans. Beans are also used to make bean paste.

Seasonal changes produce different seasonal products. Kimchi is the most representative type of Korea's preserved vegetable, while jeotgal is a well-preserved seafood paste. Given the distinct climatic changes in Korea, the menu of the traditional Korea varies season to season.

From Ancient Times up to the Three Kingdoms Era

   Although rice is the main crop in Korea, its agriculture began with the cultivation of Deccan grass, millet, and foxtail millet in the middle of the Neolithic Period (B.C. 4000- B.C. 3500). Bean and red-bean were added later. During the Bronze Age, rice was introduced from China. It was during the Iron Age which began in the fourth century B.C., however, that saw the development of agriculture due to the new developments and production of ironware. By the first century B.C., the Three Kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla all relied heavily on rice production. Soon thereafter, wheat was also introduced to the Korean Peninsula from China. Thus, the grains produced in the Three Kingdoms period consisted of rice, barley, foxtail millet, millet, wheat, African millet, Deccan grass, bean, and red-bean. Among these, rice, barley, and foxtail millet were the main crops.

The basic structure of the Korean diet thus took shape during this period. The three main grains of this period were used for both steaming to make pap(steamed white rice), and milling to make rice cakes. Of these, pap became the staple food because it was more convenient to prepare; rice cakes, on the other hand, were used as a ceremonial food.

Meanwhile, techniques to brew grain wine were also being advanced during ancient times, and bean pastes which relied on a similar method of fermentation, also became widely popular. The technique of fermenting foods as a method of preservation was also used at this time. Vegetables were fermented with salt or salt and alcohol, while salt was also used with fishes and meats.

In addition, roasting, steaming, and seasoning also began to be employed. The basic menu consisted of pap, bean pastes, kimchi and jeotgal, as the main dishes and roasted, steamed or seasoned vegetables and meats as additional side dishes (banchan). This traditional pattern of table setting is still in use today.

In addition, rice cakes continue to be loved as a ceremonial food. Along with the development of Korea's culinary culture, tableware was also varied and sophisticated, ranging from earthenware, bronze ware, brassware, glazed china, lacquer ware, glassware, to gold- and silver-plated ware.

The Periods of Unified Silla and Goryeo Kingdoms

   At the end of the seventh century, the Three Kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla were integrated into Unified Silla Kingdom (668-935). The unification of the Korean Peninsula in 668 by Silla brought about significant transformations during this period. The culinary culture of Silla was no exception.

Unified Silla was Buddhist society and it enjoyed abundance of food-quality grains and vegetables. Tea was also produced during this period.

Established by the end of the 10th century, the Goryeo Dynasty also followed the tenets of Buddhism. As a result, the people of early Goryeo, like the Silla people before them, restrained from eating large quantities of meat. The Goryeo also stepped up its efforts to bring unused land under cultivation, raising grain production. The cooking techniques for rice cakes and confections were also upgraded and tea was a highly favored beverage. The rice cakes of Goryeo were of such high quality that one of variety, the bamseolgi was exported to China. As for the confectioneries, yumilgwa and dasik were popular and served with tea. These cakes and confectioneries are still loved today.

The cultivation of vegetables also advanced during this period. Vegetables were mostly preserved in water and salt. Kimchi, the most popular pickled dish during this period, was also the main source of vitamin C, particularly during the winter season when vegetables were scarce.

Tea, which had been grown since the Silla period, also became a popular beverage during Goryeo. The palace housed a tea room for preparing tea, in which was found the famous jade-green celadon and lacquered ware of the Goryeo Dynasty. Special "tea villages" were also designed solely for the purpose of cultivating tea. As for alcoholic beverages, grain wines were developed from ancient times, and since the middle of Goryeo, distillation techniques were introduced from China.

In the early period of Goryeo, the consumption of meat was forbidden under the tenets of Buddhism. Later, however, with the decline of Buddhism during the late Goryeo and early Joseon period, meat was introduced again into the culinary culture of Korea. Seolya-myeokjeok and Seollongtang are good examples of these new meat dishes. International trade was also vigorously promoted. Several inns were constructed in large scale for foreign traders, and great banquets frequently took place. By the end of the 11th century, public inns were set up in and around key port centers to foster trade. At the same time, a good number of people became engaged in alcohol production. In sum, the food industry made major strides under the Goryeo Dynasty, thereby advancing the culinary culture of Korea.

Joseon Dynasty

   The Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) marks the period when Korea's culinary culture was refined. In the early part of the Joseon Dynasty, agriculture books were also widely published. Moreover, researches in the fields of astronomy and meteorology began to invent new equipment to observe the celestial bodies and the weather, which contributed to improvements in farm cultivation. Significant strides in medical research were also made and they focused on the salutary benefits of a balanced diet which included a combination of rice, beans, vegetables, fish and meat. The traditional dining table was classified into a three-cheop, a five-cheop, and a seven-ch'nCop table, depending on the number of side dishes(banchan). On the table, food was arranged in order to promote a balanced nutrition.

Small amounts of medical herbs that were known to aid digestion were also sometimes added, particularly in the food of those who frequently suffered from indigestion. A variety of herbs were also mixed into water to make different kinds of healthful tea. These ingredients could be easily cultivated at home.

During the Joseon Dynasty when Confucianism gained a stronghold in society, the culinary culture of Koreans underwent some significant changes. Since food preparation had to be made for many members of the household of varying ages, special techniques were required to cook and manage these large quantities of food. Women, for the most part, took on this burden among themselves. Also, given Confucianism family-oriented world view, special rites and ceremonies were often performed for family members, both living and deceased, and ceremonial food had to be prepared. In the course of preparing these frequent banquets, the families of the Joseon period developed their own specialty foods according to regional and social standing. Variations in styles and preparation of these foods have certainly contributed to the variety of Korea's contemporary culinary culture.

Basic Sauces

   The basic sauces of most Korean homes during the Joseon Dynasty were soy sauce, bean paste, barley paste, and red pepper paste. The soy sauce and bean paste were cured with soybean malts, barley paste with barley malts, and red pepper paste with red pepper powder and malts made of glutinous rice, bean, and rice. Since many Korean dishes are seasoned with these sauces, they are the key to what makes Korean food taste Korean. Soybeans are boiled in the early winter to make malt, which is then dried during the winter season. Between late February and early March, the malt is soaked in water and fermented for 60 to 100 days. Later, some portions of the malt is sterilized by heating and made into soy sauce; the remaining dregs become bean paste.