Listeners, today, I would like to talk about how Koreans should globalize Korean food. I mean now, Korean food is getting more popular, but there are still a large population of people around the world that don't know what Kimchi or bulgogi is.

I think the reason why Korean food is not so popular is because a different approach is needed.
First of all, I applaud the Korean people that are not afraid to eat kimchi overseas and to defend the taste. I applaud Korean food enthusiasts that take a friend with them to enjoy Korean food with them. I applaud those who have lived or traveled to Korea and then tell others about their favorite restaurants. I applaud those who have cooked a Korean meal for friends and those who have given a present of Korean food or ingredients.

I feel that in this age of technology it has become too easy to spread information so concepts and ideas are easily lost. I think we forget that technology is a tool that is supposed to augment our basic human abilities. We are substituting these tools for our innate ability to communicate and interact.

In this age of social networking and the internet, idea of human, physical contact is refreshingly new.

Whenever I go travel to another country and I’m going to meet people or go on a meeting, I pack my suitcase with various Korean ingredients. I take juice boxes of soju (they are so unique that everyone loves them), meat sausages (people with iPods call it a “meat stylus”), Ssamjang (my friends love to use this a dip with carrots or cucumber or on sandwiches), snacks (octopus and peanut snacks, choco pies, and shrimp chips), and- for my foodie friends- I always take gift sets filled with small tubes of gochujang, salt, injulmee (roasted soybean powder), Boseong green tea and black sesame seeds. As each new gift is unveiled the room is filled with “oohs” and “ahhs.” Korean food takes center stage and everyone wants to know about the culture, the taste, and my experience of living in Korea. This kind of “export tourism” sheds the mystery of a nation that is infamously associated with North Korea, fermented cabbage, and eating dog. I figure if I can impress upon them how fascinating and fun the cuisine is, I can change their perspective and raise the profile of Korea. Let’s face it- food is a very personal. If they like the food, they will associate it with the nation.

I say that Korea needs to go grassroots with its marketing approach of Korean food. Let’s take the food to the people! Let’s stop telling people how colorful, healthy and great Korean food is on international commercials and newspaper advertisements. Let’s really have people taste it. There are barbecue and cooking fairs all around the world and I think Korean chefs and home cooks should go there and start participating. People will come. (The Korean BBQ Cook-off in LA had almost 8000 people show up last year).

There are also Korean restaurants around the world taking the food to the people. Let’s support them with menu consulting, advertising, and cultural education so they can prosper overseas. One bad experience at a restaurant may be detrimental to the whole industry. Standards, like a rating system (like a Korean Michelin Guide) should be instituted so the restaurants have a stake in keeping quality and service high.

Finally, what about all the Korean university students, language exchange, and children that study overseas? I bet that every one of these people will have to give at least 1 presentation on Korea during their stay. Let’s provide them with CD-Roms loaded with pictures, historical documents, short movies, and PowerPoint presentations so they can easily share information on Korea.

And for those people that come to Korea, we should give them a cultural experience that they’ll remember for a lifetime. One of the problems is that finding good restaurants that cater to particular tastes might be a daunting task for tourists. Also, credible reviews of restaurants and recommendations are needed. Cooking classes and culinary tours are a good idea as well, but it is important that they should be interactive and fun. The problem I have had with many Korean cooking classes and tours is that they are translated from Korean to English. This often takes the personal interaction of the tour.

Now I am not saying that Korea should stop its current marketing approach. TV shows, advertising in magazines and building a web presence through blog partnerships is great, but a more personal touch is also needed. An advertising rule is that a customer must see an advertisement at least 70 times before it registers, though not futile, it takes a long time.

I’m saying that we should think creatively. Korea is not a country that was built on natural resources or military might. It was built the will of the people. We should globalize Korean cuisine in the same manner.