[15 Years of Korean Food Globalization: Matthew Kang]
Matthew Kang, a senior editor at food publication Eater, says that Korean food needs to incorporate “Korean geography” to become globalized. This is to showcase Korea’s diverse regional cuisines properly.
Kang is a recognized Korean food expert. He has always been involved in the globalization of Korean food in the United States. His grandparents are from North Korea. Having experienced their food and culture, he understands the specialness of local food. That’s why Kang believes in promoting local food that is both authentic and special.
-You have observed the growth of Korean food in the United States for a long time.
“I’ve seen, heard, and tasted Korean food all over the country. LA is where Korean food in the U.S. began. Los Angeles Koreatown started to emerge into the mainstream in 2000. At that time, there were a lot of authentic Korean restaurants, but as the years went by, the first generation of owners retired and many restaurants closed.”
-Aren’t there more restaurants opening up in Koreatown?
“Koreatown is itself a lively neighborhood, so it’s good to see restaurants opening. However, only more Korean barbecue restaurants are opening rather than authentic Korean restaurants that serve traditional dishes. This is because it’s easier for the owners. Authentic Korean food takes a lot of work to cook and requires a lot of side dishes at the same time. On the other hand, barbecue restaurants are relatively easy to prepare, and customers grill their own meat.”
-What are the burdens of Korean food as a business owner?
“It’s difficult for Korean restaurants to raise prices because of the frame that Korean food is relatively cheap. It is easy to spend $40 on pasta at other mainstream restaurants, but not on $20 Korean knife-cut noodles. We need to raise the quality and reputation of Korean food. Then consumers will understand the cost and value of Korean food.”
-What kind of Korean food do the customers want?
“My personal opinion is authentic Korean food. People want Korean food that Koreans eat in Korea, like wild greens and stewed sablefish. The idea that the mainstream will like fusion Korean food like bulgogi sandwiches is Korean Americans’ idea. We need a variety of authentic Korean food and need to move on from bibimbap and tteokbokki. If I were in charge of globalizing Korean food in the Korean government, I would start by introducing Korean geography. Then I would introduce the local foods and specialties of each region accordingly. Look at Chinese food. Even Americans know Chinese food by region like Sichuan and Cantonese.”
-Wouldn’t authentic Korean food be somewhat difficult for some people?
“Of course, it’s not easy. So you can start with popularized Korean dishes like stone-cooked bibimbap and bulgogi and gradually expand the menu. Then later, stewed mackerel made with sour kimchi might be someone’s favorite Korean dish. Many people love Korean food, but it is still very limited. It’s time to expand the horizons.”
-The number of modern Korean restaurants has increased a lot.
“The rise of Korean fine dining has given rise to a genre called modern Korean cuisine. Modern Korean cuisine is a combination of Western cooking techniques with Korean flavors. Among chefs from modern Korean cuisine in the U.S., more have specialized in Western cuisine than Korean. Therefore, to truly appreciate and understand modern Korean cuisine, you need to learn the authenticity of Korean food.”
-What is Korean food?
“I think the essence of Korean food is being a comforting food that you can eat every day and not get tired of it. That’s authentic Korean food. It’s simple and unpretentious, but it’s easy to eat at the same time and very approachable. A bowl of well-cooked soup can inspire diners and change their perspective.”
-How can Korean food be globalized?
“We should take a cue from the Thai government. Korean food also needs the full support of the Korean government. I’m not talking about promoting Korean fine dining or Michelin-starred restaurants. We need support for genuine local Korean food. We should be aiming to popularize and generalize Korean food, not just focus on globalizing.”
BY KYEONGJUN KIM, HOONSIK WOO [kim.kyeongjun1@koreadaily.com]
