Korean Food Culture

According to Oxford dictionary, the definition of culture is the art and manifestations such as humanities, literature, music and painting of human intellectual acquirement considered common. It is also set of learned behaviours, beliefs, values and ideas that are feature of particular population. In culture societies can learn norms, values, knowledge, language and symbols that continuously communicate among people who share common way of life. Culture is complex because humans depend on culture in place of instinct to ensure survival. There are three major races in Malaysia, Malay, Chinese and Indian. Different regions in Malaysia are known for their unique or signature food like curry, nasi lemak, rendang, laksa, and more. Indeed, it is noted that Malay and Indian foods are more spicy. We use to combine the 3 different races food culture together. But nowadays, Malaysia culture has been adapted by others country. The current society in Malaysia influence a lot by other country especially Korea. People easily get influence by watching something or influence by friends. Everyone is easily get information from Korea because they are core nation, South Korea entertainment department have strong power because their government very support the entertainment in their country. They use Korean artist or star as a spoked person for Korea.The South Korea food culture has brought impact to the Malaysian. Malaysian starting to follow the new trend and now many people is eating Korean food instead of Malaysia local food.

Body

Korean cuisine developed through centuries and change through complicated communication of environment and different cultural trends. It also developed rare food culture that connected to its long agricultural history. Other than that, Korean cuisine defined as traditional foods and the preparation techniques of Korea. Korean food defining aspects of their culture for few reasons, which is Korean food are directly related to Korea's environment by the country’s location, geographical and humidity. In Korean, they have three seasons which are winter, summer and autumn because land surrounded of mountains and North Asian mainland are seas.

Other reason is closely identified with the Korean culture is historical and environment. In 20th century, the farmers worked hard intensively till lands. Koreans believes that the food and medicine are the same origin because they think the food can keep their body warm always and healthy. It is also helps to improve metabolism. Korean food serve as the healthiest in the world which not contain lots of oil. Korean food largely based on rice, vegetable and meats and they commonly eats kimchi the most. The ingredients and their dishes differ by division and the foods organized by korean cultural formalities. Koreans food are exclusive and exotic, it is most recognized is the spiciness. Korean foods was different dishes such as bean paste soup, meats and kimchi is the best known korean food which has vitamins c and fiber. Kimchi used in ceremonies and rituals (rice cake) vital which represents Yin and Yang. Koreans eat their food like chinese and japanese, they eat rice almost every meal by using chopstick. Korean not in anyway tea drinking nation such as chinese or japanese. Korean water is pure and that led them unearth other beverages. For example, ginger drink and wines and spirit.

Drama

The South Korea food culture was started influence the Malaysian through many ways. First of all, the Malaysians know Korean food culture from the mass media. The very first thing come into malaysia by Korea is drama. The main source of factors is through Korean drama. The Korean Wave in Malaysia is said to have begun with the airing of Winter Sonata on TV3 in 2002 and Dae Jang Geum on TV in 2003 directed by Lee Byung-hoon. When this two drama came into Malaysia, the Malaysian starting know more about the Korean and Korean culture. They are addicted and crazy about the drama because of the Korean actors. Malaysians addicted because the actors were good looking and the storyline they acted in romantic way. So, it is easily grab their attention and they starting to learn the Korea culture especially follow their eating habits. The most popular food of South Korean, such as kimchi, bibimbap, ddukbokki (spicy rice cake), samgyeopsal (pork strips) and more. Last time we only know kimchi, now we know more than that because more and more drama is came into Malaysia. For example like from Descendants of the sun we know more about the dal.komm coffee, subway, and learn that while drinking alcohol or beer must eat with fried chicken. This is because other than the actors, the things we learn is the food culture of Korean. The popularity of Korean dramas has attracted a great amount of attention from researchers recently. Most studies show that Korean dramas is now part of a globalizing world and that Korean popular culture has substantial number of followers outside the country. Because of the reasonable price of Korean popular culture, such as music, television dramas, and movies was one of the main factors that attracted Asian production companies to purchase Korean products at the beginning of the Korean Wave. In 2000, Korean television dramas were cheaper by a quarter of the price of Japanese ones, and a tenth of the price of Hong Kong television dramas. In contribution to this, the economic crisis in Asia quickly led Asian buyers to prefer cheaper Korean products compared to Japanese products. Yeon also mentioned that the popularity of Korean dramas in Malaysia has in fact, contributed to a high appreciation towards Korean culture, language and fashion amongst the younger generation. However, some scholars viewed that the factor of cheaper prices of Korean dramas is not sufficient enough to bring about their popularity. This is as the actors and actresses’ good-looks also play an important role towards the upsurge of Korean dramas popularity. According to Ryoo (2009), initially, as the regional exposure to South Korean drama increased, the programming has resonated with Asian audiences and their popularity has grown. Therefore, many Asian television companies started to be interested in broadcasting South Korean shows as their productions were impressive-looking and their syndication was inexpensive. While some of us were previously fans of TVB, or even the Japanese anime scene, it’s clear there are ALOT of things about K-drama that just show that Korean entertainers are trying alot harder, and doing things quite differently from what us outsiders have seen before. This is because last time since 2001 to 2005 Korean drama that available in Malaysia maybe only 1 or 2 in one year , now maybe more than 30 TV series in every single year. We can now easily watch Korean drama through TV or internet maybe on legally of official website or illegally of pirated website. Nowadays, we do not really pay to watch, from there we collecting data and information, make us more korean and starting to follow their behavior especially in eating habits.

Besides that, internet is a part of influencing Malaysian societies. The source factor of internet is social media which became number one way to communicate with others people around the world. It gives opportunity for people to connect in social media to make new friends and trade ideas. Malaysians will check the other’s profile because to be precaution of privacy invaders or cyberbullying. It is also very convenient which makes globalization becomes reality and gives chance to the introverted people to express themselves. The societies can learn about different cultures by connecting with people in other countries. For example, after social media came in Malaysia, the societies known about lots of different cultures including Korean culture through websites such as facebook, instagram and so on. Then, social websites became popular in Malaysia which it transform the way people communicate and socialize on web. Malaysian use the social media such as facebook to study real life of human interaction.

Other than that, Malaysian society knows Korean culture through social media such as foods. Malaysian found Korean food culture through websites such as food blog in online social network. It means to share recipes or searching restaurants. Currently, there are a website that they created called Muk-bang which a person eats massive plate of foods infront of webcam while chatting with other people who watching. So that influence Malaysians to know more about Korean food such as Kimchi, Bibimbap and Tteokbokki and now Malaysia has their own Muk-bang show. They upload their show in social media such as youtube. Because youtube is most popular media among other social media. Malaysia forget their own cultural food such as

rendang with nasi ketupat. Aside that, Malaysian eating ramen, instant noodle of Korean because they had been influenced by Korean culture through internet.

Korean food culture came in Malaysia through Korean music which known as Korean pop and known as K-pop. In 2012, the world was taken by storm when a South Korean singer, PSY, released a song named ‘Gangnam Style’ which became an unexpected worldwide hit across the globe. The K-pop was particularly attributed to Malaysians. It is a new genre originally come from South Korea. The different of this K-pop is the style of the singers shown something new and the way they deliver the song on their own which i think that this never happened before. The way they sing and dance at same time amazed Malaysian. Korean pop famous between kids and teenagers. They get influenced by the dance the idols performed. For example, a boy band known as BTS performed their new album called “Fake Love” which dropped on May 18 and the viewers reached to 4.8 million in first hour. It broke record as biggest 24- hour debut of 2018.

In Youtube, the viewers in 24 hours reached 35.9 million in single day, it makes the Malaysian curious about Korean pop idols lifestyle, fashion, behavior and so on. Malaysian started to adapt Korean cultures through music and they tries to become one of them by changing their fashion styles more into K-pop idols wore. They study about idols lifestyle such as food which they prefer to eat. For example, if the idols prefer eat ramen with kimchi, the malaysian also will not hesitate to try it. Meanwhile, Malaysia started to develop many Korean food restaurant. Those restaurant might be open by local Malaysia or Korean immigrants. We can easily found many Korean BBQ restaurant everywhere. For example, Pavilion in Kuala Lumpur. All the races will having their meal including foreigners in Korean restaurant more than local cuisine, the Korean food culture start making the Malaysian forget their own food culture. Everyone was following the new trend and addicted to pretend themselves as a Korean that live in Korea by eating Korean food in Malaysia. They starting changing their eating habits, they use to eat spicy ramen replace the maggie mee at home or mamak. Malay, Chinese and Indian, all of them get influence by the Korean food culture.