They’ve done it again!

The Korean government food promoters have produced another hilarious Korean food promotion. This time it comes from the biggest winner for Hansik Promotion FAIL awards, the Korea Agro-Fisheries Trade Corporation. It’s a highly produced (read: expensive) video asking you to try specific Korean foods, like kimchi, red ginseng, red pepper paste,  makgeolli (oh, in a stemmed wine glass), citron tea (yujacha), persimmons, Korean pears, paprikas (bell peppers–Konglish thing)… mushrooms… ramen (yeah, Japanese invented the instant stuff, but we’re gonna claim it)… milk?

Yes. Milk.

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You may say that they’re doing this to help specific Korean agricultural and food producing sectors. So, as Professor Hodges notes, “What? No rice?!”

Oh, and like all promotion in Korea, we have to attach a K-Pop or Hallyu star to it that no one outside Korea knows (read: added expense). This time it’s CN Blue, which sounds more like a hygiene product.

You gotta wonder that in the middle of all this auditing on the effectiveness of this money pit the wisdom of doing this NOW. [HT The Marmot]

Speaking of wonder, remember the “K-Food Party” Wonder Girls video? Have you ever tried strawberries before? You must not have because they’re KOREAN.

(I just noted that they had the gall to put an ad on this video that was paid for with public money.)

Here is what’s happening in the (real) world of (real) Korean food.

News

• I’ve been working on ye olde ZenKimchi Calendar. We’ve switched to a free-to-post model (as in, it’s free). It’s a simple form to fill out. Add your food-related events here.
• Namyang Dairy is still in the news, now for a frog in baby formula.
• Female Korean Chef Wins International Competition
• Not for the kiddies: Cat stew (and Korean netizens are pissed)
• According to this graphic, kimchi has more sodium than sausage and ham.
• OB and Hite have been consulting with a European beer maker to introduce the first mass-produced Korean ales. Coming this fall. In a complete 180 from claims last year that Koreans were just fine and dandy with the current Korean lagers, a Hite Jinro spokesperson said, “[Korean consumers] increasingly want diverse beer options to choose from.”The data had been showing that Koreans were more interested in tastier foreign beers. But I’ll make the claim that the uproar after Daniel Tudor’s article in The Economist last year gave the big brewers the kick in the bootangie they needed.

  

Restaurants

• Some Gochujang Samgyeopsal at Yangimal Haro Gwi in Hongcheon
• Sinchon Hwangso Gopchang- Jongno Branch 신촌황소곱창-종로점
• Mastication Monologues does Beale St. in Hongdae
• BulOjingeo at Duggeobi Jip in Jongno

  

Recipes

• The New York Times does Squid Pajeon

  

• Pickled Hakurei Turnips from Koreafornian Cooking

  

• Oven-roasted Korean Pork Steaks from Matzzang
• • Eat Your Kimchi cooks Soondubu Jjigae
  • Yangbaechu kimchi, (green cabbage kimchi) from The Korea Herald
• Kimchi Sausage Stew (부대찌게 Budae Jjigae) from Kimchimari

  

• Korean Fried rice (Bokkeumbap) recipe from Maangchi

  

WTF

• Doesn’t matter how pretty you make it on top. Saltines as the base of your canape will always say, “Cheap.”

  

• Did a child make this?