A Brief History of Korean Cuisine

An overarching commonality between all cultural foods is the role of geography in shaping the cuisine, and Korean food is no different. Since the beginnings of the first kingdom in Korea, Gojoseon, in 2333 BCE, up until the end of the second World War, Korea was largely an agrarian society. The country has four distinct seasons and is surrounded by water on three sides, which allows for plentiful harvests, access to seafood, and the ability to maintain livestock. However, over 70% of South Korea consists of mountains. Over time, Koreans found a way to harvest safe roots and mushrooms native to the mountainous regions of the country, and these roots still play a prominent role in Korean cuisine.

A topographic map of South Korea

Though Korea observes four seasons, it sees brutally cold, long winters. Various food preparation techniques have been developed over time to preserve the foods harvested during the summer and autumn. Some of these techniques include pickling (as seen in the preparation of Kimchi), drying (dried squid is often consumed as a snack), and fermenting (such is the case in the preparation of doenjang paste).

Traditional earthenware pots (onggi) are used to preserve various foods

Though South Korea rapidly transformed into one of the most industrialized nations today post WWII, much of its agrarian history and culture can still be found preserved in its long-standing foods.


Sources:

"Hidden Korea." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 11 June 2015. 

"History of Korea." Visit Korea. Korea Tourism Organization, 4 July 2013. Web. 12 June 2015. 

"Introduction to Korean Cuisine." Arirang Korean Restaurant. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 June 2015. 

"Korea." Food in Every Country. Food by Country, n.d. Web. 10 June 2015.