– Gyeonggi-do Foster the Rise of 10 Slow Food Villages – 

“Slow Food” is an antonym for “Fast Food,” and it refers to dishes made of traditionally farmed agricultural goods. Korean traditional fermented food including doenjang (soybean paste), gangjang (soy sauce), gochujang (chilly soybean paste), kimchi, and jeotgal (pickled fish) as well as tofu, rice cake, muk (grain-based jelly), and mushroom dishes fall into this category. 

Slow food is in line with the “well-being” lifestyle as it finds health and happiness through the theory “Food and medicine come from the same source.” However, much of this commendable slow food has become only a page of history with more at the risk of disappearance. Instead, our tables are filled with unverified ingredients and genetically modified agricultural goods today. 

Gyeonggi-do is the first local governing entity running the slow food vitalization business with an aim to restore and preserve traditional farming and lifestyle while promoting consumption of high-quality agricultural goods from Korea by educating children of healthy eating habits and Korean tastes. 

The business is not a simple anti-fast food campaign of the transient nature targeting the consumers. It offers a measure of remedy to the rural community issues. Gyeonggi-do promotes integration of production, processing, and tourism & sales works in locality to reduce distribution margin and improve agricultural household income. It aims to effectively use hidden assets from different areas and create a new income source by making records of intellectual properties. 

The province is fostering the Slow Food Complex where people can learn about traditional food of Korea in this time of “well-being” trend and the 5-workday system. 10 sites including 1 city, 2 places, and 7 villages with unique traditional food were designated as Slow Food Destinations. 

Choseong-ri Cheongsan Kimchi Village, which is a popular site among Japanese tourists, will be made into a Slow Food City with investment of KRW7 billion over the 5 years following 2005. Kimchi Museum, Kimchi House, Learning Center, and lodging facilities will be built in this special tourist zone. 

Sudosa (temple food) in Poseng-myeon, Pyeongtaek, and Seoil Farm (traditional sauce) in Iljuk-myeon, Anseong, will be organized as 2 Slow Food Places. Jangdan Bean Village (pickle) in Gunnae-myeon, Paju, Doridol Hanbang Village (oriental medicine) in Idong-myeong, Pocheon, Yeongyang Jat Village (pine nut) in Sang-myeon, Gapyeong, Boritgogae Village (barley food) in Yongmun-myeon, Yangpyeong, Ogamdo Acorn Village (acorn village) in Gangcheon-myeon, Yeoju, Seohae Ilmi Village (oyster, pickled fish) in Seoshin, Hwaseong, and Buraemi Village (mud snail), Yul-myeon, Icheon, are 7 Slow Food Villages. 

The Slow Food Complex will break away from the conventional pattern of selling solely the primary goods to provide recipes, products, and memories in line with the “well-being” trend. Gyeonggi-do plans to unfold a dietary cultural campaign to promote advancement of traditional and diverse eateries appropriate for local characteristics. 

Fortunately, public interest on slow food has been heightened with much awareness on health. Well-being is defined as “the act of promoting healthy life by finding harmony of mind and body without being restrained by material values.” Slow food shows us the way into relaxed life of high-quality What don’t you take off on a flavorful excursion to Slow Food Villages with scent and taste of tradition?