Jeonju offers diverse forms of bibimbap for takeaway

Burrito bibimbap

By Chung Hyun-chae

Jeonju will provide a chance to relish “bibimbap” (rice mixed with assorted vegetables) in diverse forms and lower prices in an effort to globalize the traditional food.

The city government and BIBIMBAP Globalization Federation, a private organization to globalize bibimbap, said Friday they have developed various forms of the traditional food, with takeout now an option. Jeonju is one of cities famous for its long history of bibimbap.

A new restaurant will open selling the takeout food at Jeonju Hanok Village in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, on Oct. 23, the opening day of a four-day Jeonju Bibimbap Festival.

“Our goal is to promote one of Jeonju’s representative foods, bibimbap, to visitors from home and abroad,” Yang Moon-sik, head of the federation, said.

“The different forms, takeout service and low price will allow young people and foreigners to have easier access to bibimbap.”

The bibimbap will come in 40 different forms, including one similar to a chicken burrito or “bungeobbang,” a fish-shaped Korean snack containing red beans.

The products will be priced between 2,000 won and 3,000 won, which is about 1/3 or 1/4 the cost of a bowl of bibimbap offered by many restaurants in Jeonju.

“There have been some complaints that Jeonju bibimbap is a bit expensive considering its major ingredients are vegetables,” Kang Ju-ok, an official of the city government, said, adding this was because of the high price of locally-grown agricultural products.

“We felt a need to cut the price down so that more people can casually enjoy bibimbap,” she added.

If the new forms and takeout bibimbap are successful, the federation and the city government will consider running a franchise business, according to Kang.

The city government also plans to distribute 40 different bibimbap recipes to six countries including Japan, China, France and Germany.

Their attempt to diversify bibimbap is part of a government project to promote Korean food to the world.

The ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs embarked on this project in 2011 and invited Jeonju City, BIBIMBAP Globalization Federation, Sunchang Country Office, and some 22 other organizations including universities to participate.

The ministry has invested 4.2 billion won ($3.9 million) in the project from 2011.

“I hope our efforts will contribute to promote bibimbap as well as its home of Jeonju,” Yang said.

Meanwhile there are some concerns over diversifying traditional food bibimbap.

“Despite its benefit to popularize bibimbab, I’m worried if it would lose its originality, which is recognized healthful food,” Daniel Lindemann, a 29-year-old German, said.