First Lady Kim Hea Kyung shared the art of Korean traditional cooking with South African chefs and culinary students during a cultural exchange event in Johannesburg on Saturday. The demonstration focused on preparing a signature Korean stew while highlighting the country's rich culinary heritage that has gained international recognition alongside the global Korean cultural wave.
The cooking demonstration took place at the Korean Cultural Center while Kim was accompanying President Lee Jae Myung, who was visiting the South African city to participate in the Group of 20 summit. During the hands-on session, the First Lady prepared a traditional Korean stew featuring doenjang, a fermented soybean paste that serves as a cornerstone ingredient in Korean cuisine, and shared the completed dish with all attendees.
As an accomplished author of a Korean recipe book, Kim provided detailed explanations about "jang" products, which form the foundation of Korean cooking. She described doenjang (soybean paste), ganjang (soy sauce), and gochujang (red pepper paste) as the "essence" of Korean cuisine, emphasizing how their complex and deep flavors develop exclusively through extended periods of careful fermentation processes.
"Just as the deep flavors of our traditional fermented sauces have matured over many years, I hope the friendship between our two countries will also deepen," Kim stated during the demonstration, drawing a parallel between culinary traditions and diplomatic relationships.
The First Lady also took the opportunity to educate participants about Korea's UNESCO-recognized cultural heritage. She highlighted that both kimchi-making and jang-making traditions have been officially registered as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, underscoring their global cultural significance. In a personal touch, Kim manually tore kimchi pieces and distributed them among the participants, explaining that "Kimchi tastes even better when it's torn by hand."
Following the cooking demonstration, the cultural exchange continued with performances by students from the Korean Cultural Center. The young performers showcased various aspects of Korean culture through traditional and contemporary presentations, including renditions of the beloved Korean folk song "Arirang," graceful fan dances, and popular K-pop songs, providing a comprehensive cultural experience that bridged traditional and modern Korean entertainment.
