Korean cuisine is the set of foods and culinary styles which are associated with Korean

culture. This cuisine has evolved through centuries of social and political change.
Originating from ancient agricultural and nomadic traditions in Korea and
southern Manchuria, Korean cuisine reflects a complex interaction of the natural
environment and different cultural trends.[1][2]

Korean cuisine is largely based on rice, vegetables, seafood and (at least in South
Korea) meats. Dairy is largely absent from the traditional Korean diet.[3] Traditional
Korean meals are named for the number of side dishes (반찬; 飯饌; banchan) that
accompany steam-cooked short-grain rice. Kimchi is served at nearly every meal.
Commonly used ingredients include sesame oil, doenjang (fermented bean paste), soy
sauce, salt, garlic, ginger, gochugaru (pepper flakes), gochujang (fermented red chili
paste) and napa cabbage.

Ingredients and dishes vary by province. Many regional dishes have become
national. Korean royal court cuisine once brought all of the unique regional specialties
together for the royal family. Foods are regulated by Korean cultural etiquette.

Kimjang, which refers to the process of making kimchi, is listed on the UNESCO
Intangible Heritage List.[4]

History
[edit]
Main article: History of Korean cuisine
Further information: History of Korea

Prehistoric
[edit]

In the Jeulmun pottery period (approximately 8000 to 1500 BCE), hunter-gatherer

societies engaged in fishing and hunting, and incipient agriculture in the later stages.
[1]
Since the beginning of the Mumun pottery period (1500 BCE), agricultural traditions
began to develop with new migrant groups from the Liao River basin of Manchuria.
During the Mumun period, people grew millet, barley, wheat, legumes and rice, and
continued to hunt and fish. Archaeological remains point to development of fermented
beans during this period, and cultural contact with nomadic cultures to the north
facilitated domestication of animals.

Three Kingdoms period

[edit]
 In a mural of Gakjeochong (각저총 "Tombs of Wrestlers"),
a Goguryeo tomb built around the 5th century shows a Goguryeo nobleman having a meal with two
[5]

ladies.[6]

The Three Kingdoms period (57 BCE – 668 CE) was one of rapid cultural evolution. The
kingdom of Goguryeo (37 BCE – 668 CE) was located in the northern part of the
peninsula along much of modern-day Manchuria. The second kingdom, Baekje (18
BCE – 660 CE), was in the southwestern portion of the peninsula, and the
third, Silla (57 BCE – 935 CE), was located at the southeastern portion of the peninsula.
Each region had its own distinct set of cultural practices and foods. For example, Baekje
was known for cold foods and fermented foods like kimchi. The spread
of Buddhism and Confucianism through cultural exchanges with China during the fourth
century CE began to change the distinct cultures of Korea.[7]

Attributed with the earliest kimchi, the Goguryeo people were skilled at fermenting and
widely consumed fermented food.[8]

Goryeo period
[edit]

Silver spoon and chopsticks entombed with King Injong in 1146

During the latter Goryeo period, the Mongols invaded Goryeo in the 13th century. Some
traditional foods found today in Korea have their origins during this period. The
dumpling dish, mandu, grilled meat dishes, noodle dishes, and the use of seasonings
such as black pepper, all have their roots in this period.[9]

Joseon period
[edit]

Agricultural innovations were significant and widespread during this period, such as the
invention of the rain gauge during the 15th century. During 1429, the government began
publishing books on agriculture and farming techniques, which included Nongsa
chiksŏl (literally "Straight Talk on Farming"), an agricultural book compiled under King
Sejong.[10][11]

A series of invasions in the earlier half of the Joseon caused a dynamic shift in the
culture during the second half of the period. Groups of silhak ("practical learning")
scholars began to emphasize the importance of looking outside the country for
innovation and technology to help improve the agricultural systems. Crops traded by
Europeans from the New World began to appear, acquired through trade with
China, Japan, Europe, and the Philippines; these crops included maize, sweet
potatoes, chili peppers, tomatoes, peanuts, and squash. Potatoes and sweet potatoes
were particularly favored as they grew in soils and on terrains that were previously
unused.[12]

Government further developed agriculture through technology and lower taxation.

Complex irrigation systems built by government allowed peasant farmers to produce
larger crop volumes and produce crops not only for sustenance but also as cash crops.
Reduced taxation of the peasantry also furthered the expanded commerce through
increasing periodic markets, usually held every five days. One thousand such markets
existed in the 19th century, and were communal centers for economic trade and
entertainment.[13]

The end of the Joseon period was marked by consistent encouragement to trade with
the Western world, China and Japan. In the 1860s, trade agreements pushed by the
Japanese government led the Joseon dynasty to open its trade ports with the west, and
to numerous treaties with the United States, Britain, France, and other Western
countries.[14]

The opening of Korea to the Western world brought further exchange of culture and
food. Western missionaries introduced new ingredients and dishes to Korea. Joseon
elites were introduced to these new foods by way of foreigners who attended the royal
court as advisers or physicians. This period also saw the introduction of various
seasonings imported from Japan via western traders and alcoholic drinks from China.[15]

Colonial period to modern period

[edit]
Main articles: South Korean cuisine and North Korean cuisine
 Budae jjigae, a spicy stew originated during the Korean War.

Korean chicken dish (Jjimdak) in Sydney, Australia

Japan occupied the Korean peninsula from 1910 to 1945. Many of its agricultural
systems were taken over by the Japanese to support Japan's food supply. Land
changes resulting from the Japanese occupation included combining small farms into
large-scale farms, which led to larger yields. Rice production increased during this
period to support the Empire of Japan's war efforts. Many Koreans, in turn, increased
the production of other grains for their own consumption.[16]

Meals during the Japanese occupation were quite varied. Koreans usually ate two
meals a day during the cold seasons, and three during the warm seasons. For the lower
classes, satiety, rather than quality, was most important. Those in even lower economic
levels were likely to enjoy only a single bowl of white rice each year, while the
remainder of the year's meals consisted of cheaper grains, such as millet and barley.
[17]
For the Korean middle and upper classes during the occupation, things were quite
different. Western foods began emerging in the Korean diet, such as white bread and
commercially produced staples such as precooked noodles. The Japanese occupational
period ended after the defeat of Japan during World War II.[18]

The country remained in a state of turmoil through the Korean War (1950–1953) and
the Cold War, which separated the country into North Korea and South Korea. Both of
these periods continued the limited food provisions for Koreans,[16] and the stew
called budae jjigae, which makes use of inexpensive meats such as sausage
and Spam, originated during this period.

At this point, the history of North and South Korea sharply diverged. In the 1960s under
President Park Chung Hee, industrialization began to give South Korea the economic
and cultural power it holds in the global economy today. Agriculture was increased
through use of commercial fertilizers and modern farming equipment. In the 1970s, food
shortages began to lessen. Consumption of instant and processed foods increased, as
did the overall quality of foods. Livestock and dairy production was increased during the
1970s through the increase of commercial dairies and mechanized farms.[19] The
consumption of pork and beef increased vastly in the 1970s. Per-capita consumption of
meat was 3.6 kg in 1961 and 11 kg by 1979. The result of this increased meat
consumption brought about the rise of bulgogi restaurants, which gave the middle class
of South Korea the ability to enjoy meat regularly. Meat eating continued to rise,
reaching 40 kg in 1997, with fish consumption at 49.5 kg in 1998. Rice consumption
continually decreased through these years, from 128 kg consumed per person in 1985
to 106 kg in 1995 and 83 kg in 2003. The decrease in rice consumption has been
accompanied by an increase in the consumption of bread and noodles.[20] In 2009, the
South Korean government launched a $77-million culinary diplomacy program called
"Korean Cuisine to the World" to pr