Kang Seung-woo is the Business Desk editor at The Korea Times. Prior to this position, he covered politics, national affairs, finance and sports.
Activist professor, comedian promote makgeolli
Professor Seo Kyoung-duk, left, and comedian Jeong Jun-ha / Courtesy of Seo Kyoung-duk
By Kang Seung-woo
By Kang Seung-woo
Seo Kyoung-duk, a professor of Sungshin Women's University known for his efforts to promote Korean culture abroad, has joined hands with comedian and TV personality Jeong Jun-ha to promote makgeolli, a Korean alcoholic drink made from fermenting rice.
According to the professor, the two launched a multilingual video advertising the milky alcoholic drink on the occasion of “Makgeolli Day” that falls on the last Thursday in October. The four-minute clip is available in Korean and English on YouTube.
Makgeolli Day was first designated by the government in 2011 as a day to introduce the world to a new line of makgeolli made of freshly harvested rice.
The video explains the history of makgeolli and the reason why it has been popular as a “national alcoholic beverage” made of fermented rice and water. In addition, it also features visits to historic breweries.
“I wanted to spread makgeolli-making, which was designated as a national intangible cultural asset this year, to local people, while promoting it to people overseas as part of our efforts to get it added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list in the future,” Seo said.
Jeong, who obtained a certificate for making traditional Korean alcohol, also said, “I am glad to participate in the production of a meaningful video about makgeolli, and I hope that a lot of domestic and overseas internet users will watch this video.”
Starting with the makgeolli video, the professor plans to produce a series of videos on other traditional Korean alcohols.
According to a report by the Korea Food Research Institute, makgeolli contains various microorganisms, such as yeast and lactic acid bacteria, so it is beneficial for people's intestinal health.