Korean Gastro Diplomacy: Strategy To Enhance Country Promotion Toward Moslem Countries

Abstract

This paper has discussed culinary as a medium of cultural exchange and strategic instrument to enhance other countries awareness, to engage on a cultural and personal level, and to encourage economic development such as trade and investment, as well as country promotion with everyday diners. It is no longer just a problem in the kitchen area, nor a product that is processed and then is eaten. South Korea is an excellent example to describe how the uses of culinary or popularly known as Korean Food, as well as other successful instruments such as Korean Drama or Korean Pop Music started in the early 1990s, have been boosted Korean cultural popularity. They directly and indirectly enhance Korean economic and political influences throughout the world. Interestingly, in contrast to K-Drama or K-Pop, K-Food has found a challenge to convince certain countries, primarily Moslem countries that their food had met Halal standard, which mean the food is prepared in a manner prescribed by Islamic law. This article used political approaches, especially on the perspective of soft diplomacy and commodification of the Halal label. This paper found that Korean Government, represented by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs conducted Gastro Diplomacy -with its premise that the easiest way to win hearts and minds is through the stomach-by first, organizing K-Food Fair in three Moslem countries, such as Malaysia, United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia in 2015. Second, it is by making Lunch Box Mini Drama Series and then by uploading them into YouTube to communicate, to promulgate, and to convince other countries that Korean has noticed and fulfilled on requirement Halal standard for Moslems.

The Korean Wave Phenomena in Youth and Halal Industry: Opportunities and Challenges

“…This event involved the South Korean-Indonesian government, businessmen, and the public. This event has been around since 2015 to coincide with South Korea's halal food culinary diplomacy mission in Indonesia (Herningtyas, 2019). Besides that, there is a need for a K-Food Fair which must work together with the Halal Festival, where it is necessary to have an exhibition on Korean food or fashion that is Korean-based but halal in this Halal Festival.…”

The Analysis of South Korean Gastrodiplomacy Towards the Increases of South Korean Kimchi Export

“…The first literature is a journal written by Kim Chi-Hoon titled "Let Them Eat Royal Court Cuisine! Heritage Politics of Defining Global Hansik" (Kim, 2017) that has the same scope of research as the second literature, a journal written by Ratih Herningtyas entitled "Korean Gastrodiplomacy: Strategy to Enhance Country Promotion Toward Moslem Countries" (Herningtyas, 2019). These two journals have the same topic, namely about South Korea in spreading its influence through culture to the world community.…”