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| Hansik | |
|---|---|
| Name | Hansik |
| Country | Korea |
| National cuisine | Korean cuisine |
| Main ingredients | rice, soybean, garlic, red pepper |
| Serving temperature | cold, hot |
Hansik Hansik is the traditional culinary repertoire of Korea, encompassing a wide array of dishes, techniques, and seasonal practices rooted in Joseon dynasty court traditions and regional peasant cuisine. It integrates staples like rice and kimchi with fermented condiments such as doenjang and gochujang, reflecting influences from Tang dynasty, Mongol Empire, and later interactions with Japan and China. Hansik is practiced across urban centers like Seoul and Busan and preserved in cultural institutions such as the National Gugak Center and the Korean Cultural Heritage Administration.
The term derives from Korean linguistic traditions tied to Sino-Korean vocabulary and historical documents from the Goryeo and Joseon periods, discussed in scholarship at Seoul National University, Yonsei University, and Korea University. Definitions appear in texts compiled by King Sejong’s era scholars and modern compilations by the Korean Food Research Institute, and are debated in conferences at The Academy of Korean Studies and International Congress of Ethnobiology. Contemporary dictionaries published by National Institute of Korean Language contrast hansik with Western cuisine and Japanese cuisine in culinary anthropology curricula at University of Tokyo and Harvard University.
Historical development traces from archaeological finds in Jeju Island and Andong through proto-historical exchanges along the Silk Road and maritime routes to Gyeongju, the ancient capital of Silla. Court banquets of Joseon dynasty rulers, documented alongside Jongmyo rites and texts like the Sanga Yorok, formalized table etiquette comparable to practices in Imperial China and influenced by tributary relations with Ming dynasty and Qing dynasty. Agricultural changes after the modern agricultural reforms and land policies under Gabo Reform reshaped staple production, affecting markets in Incheon and trade with Russia and United States. Colonial-era interactions with Japanese colonial authorities transformed preservation techniques and introduced institutions such as the Korean National Assembly-era culinary standardization, while postwar modernization during the Park Chung-hee administration and the Korean War era fostered industrial food processing in companies like CJ Group and Ottogi.
Core ingredients include rice, soybean, sesame, garlic, ginger, red pepper, seaweed, tofu, and various molluscs and finfish from waters near Busan and Incheon. Fermentation of soybean into doenjang and gochujang parallels techniques used in Japan and China but retained unique starters and vessels such as the onggi jars found in Gyeongju National Museum collections. Preparation methods—steaming, grilling, braising, pickling—are codified in manuals studied at Ewha Womans University and practiced by chefs trained at Korea National University of Arts and institutions like Hansik Academy. Tools range from stone bowls to bamboo steamers, with seasonal preservation methods recorded in archives at the National Museum of Korea.
Coastal regions such as Busan, Incheon, and Gangneung emphasize seafood including jeotgal and various hoe preparations, while inland provinces like Chungcheong and Jeolla are known for agricultural produce and elaborate banchan assortments. Mountainous areas around Pyeongchang and Gangwon Province favor forest products like pine mushrooms and ginseng from Geumsan, whereas island communities on Jeju Island use unique ingredients such as tangerine and hairtail. Royal court cuisine centered in Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung set standards distinct from farmer cuisines in Andong and Yeongnam, while border regions near North Korea retain practices reflected in Kaesong records. Regional specialties link to festivals in Gyeongju and markets like Gwangjang Market and Noryangjin Fish Market.
Hansik plays a central role in rites such as Chuseok, Seollal, and ancestral ceremonies at Jongmyo Shrine, with ritual foods prepared according to prescriptions found in Jongmyo jeryeak and local parish practices. Mealtime protocols intersect with etiquette codified during Confucianism in Korea and enacted in ceremonies at Confucian academies like Songgyungwan. Culinary transmission occurs through family lineages, community kitchens, and training in institutions like Korean Food Promotion Institute and culinary programs at Le Cordon Bleu Seoul. Hansik features in national cultural diplomacy at venues like Korean Cultural Service, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and during events such as the World Expo and exchanges with organizations like UNESCO.
Contemporary hansik adapts via fusion with Western cuisine, Japanese cuisine, and Southeast Asian cuisine in metropolitan restaurants in Seoul and Los Angeles Koreatowns, promoted by chefs who trained at Cordon Bleu and alumni networks from Korea University. Globalization, tourism policies by the Korea Tourism Organization, and media exposure through K-pop and K-dramas globally disseminate hansik staples such as bibimbap and kimchi. Food technology firms like CJ CheilJedang and startups in Seoul Startup Hub commercialize ready-made meals, while culinary diplomacy appears in partnerships with institutions like Smithsonian Institution and culinary festivals in New York City and Paris. Health and nutrition research at Asan Medical Center and public initiatives by the Korean Food and Drug Administration influence consumption, while Michelin Guide recognition and awards at events like the Seoul Gourmet Week elevate hansik chefs in international rankings.