The Seoul Metropolitan Government launched an innovative culinary program that brings together international social media influencers and Michelin-starred chefs to promote Korean food culture worldwide. The "Seoul Table: Discover the Taste of Seoul" initiative combines traditional Korean cooking experiences with modern digital storytelling, creating content designed to reach global audiences through social media platforms.

On September 15, eight international content creators from Germany, Taiwan, the United States, Paraguay, Uzbekistan, and Italy participated in this unique program. The event was co-hosted by two prominent Korean chefs: Park Ju-eun, owner of the Michelin-listed Restaurant Jueun, and Kim Min-seon, founder of Ome Cooking Lab. The program represents Seoul's strategic approach to connecting Korea's rich culinary heritage with the rapidly growing global content creator economy.

Kim Min-seon has spent more than a decade guiding foreign visitors through Seoul's traditional markets and teaching them the fundamentals of Korean cuisine. Her cooking school, Ome, derives its name from the five essential flavors found in Korean dishes: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and spicy. According to Kim, this philosophy is reflected even in the colorful entrance gates of traditional markets, which are painted with five colors symbolizing the universe. "With a single, colorful dish like bibimbap, you can get the universe on your plate," she explained.

The day began with a visit to Gyeongdong Market in Seoul's Dongdaemun District, a bustling marketplace renowned for its traditional herbal medicinal ingredients. Chef Park, who regularly sources ingredients from this market, explained that he visits weekly to find everything from rare seasonal greens to fresh octopus for his restaurant. The market provides a sensory experience with the strong scent of herbal medicines and impressive displays of vibrant chili peppers in various colors and varieties.

Kim enthusiastically described one particular section as a "chili museum," pointing out an impressive array of peppers in glossy greens, reds, and even striking purple varieties. As the group navigated through the chaos of customers and motorbikes, they sampled traditional market treats including omija (schisandra berry) tea and songpyeon, the traditional half-moon-shaped rice cake. One particularly notable discovery was the malbeol-related items, including wasps, larvae, and live wasp nests used to make malbeolju, a type of soju infused with wasps that is believed to have medicinal properties.

After gathering ingredients at the market, participants returned to the Ome Culinary Lab where they settled into individual food preparation stations. The day's menu, primarily prepared by Park's team, featured signature dishes including the restaurant's octopus salad, a southern Korean-style bibimbap, and a refreshing yuja (yuzu) and pomegranate punch. The food preparation process was intentionally simplified, designed more as an introduction to Korean cuisine rather than an intensive cooking lesson.

The program's primary focus extended beyond cooking to emphasize the promotion of Korean culture through social media content creation. With two photojournalists, a dedicated social media team, and a cameraman documenting every aspect of the chefs' demonstrations and students' experiences, the cooking class resembled a professional photoshoot more than a traditional culinary lesson. This approach highlights an emerging trend in the intersection of culinary tourism and the creator economy, where food experiences are crafted specifically for digital sharing.

Park noted that traditional markets face significant challenges competing against the convenience of modern supermarkets and online shopping platforms. In response to these challenges, Gyeongdong Market is experimenting with innovative approaches to attract younger, trend-conscious customers. One notable collaboration involves partnering with Starbucks to open a coffee shop inside the market, housed in a converted movie theater space.

Another example of this modernization effort is the LG Goldstar Radio Refresh Center, created through a partnership with Korean electronics giant LG. This space showcases the company's historical development, displaying landmark products including Korea's first television and washing machine, which were manufactured by LG's predecessor company, Goldstar. These initiatives demonstrate how traditional spaces are adapting to contemporary consumer preferences while preserving their cultural significance.

By inviting participants from the global content creator economy, Seoul aims to blend traditional heritage with modern digital storytelling techniques. The program ensures that participants leave with more than just recipes; they take home compelling content to share with their international followers across various social media platforms. This strategy transforms cultural experiences into exportable digital content that can reach audiences worldwide.

The Seoul Table program represents the city's broader strategic vision for cultural promotion in the digital age. In today's interconnected world, a simple cooking class becomes a powerful tool for cultural export, a plate of bibimbap can effectively showcase Korean culture on social media feeds globally, and the future success of traditional markets may increasingly depend on their ability to be as visually appealing and photogenic as they are flavorful and authentic.