British to Celebrate National Curry Week

By Bryan Kay

Staff Reporter

Korea has undergone a bona fide Indian food explosion over the last few years, with restaurants now spread out across Seoul and the other major population centers around the country.

Looking for a country to replicate? Some might say look no further than the British, a people who perhaps more than any other have embraced the exoticism its variety of flavors bring.

Next week sees the European country celebrate National Curry Week ― running from this Sunday through Nov. 28 ― which has the dual aims of raising awareness about the cuisine and raising cash for charity.

Weekend and even weeknights for many in the U.K. equal curry and a pint of lager, and the rise in popularity of the sub-continent's fare has even seen it termed the country's "unofficial national food."

Here in Korea, the rise in popularity of Indian cuisine has been rapid. According to Seoul-based food critic and expat Brit Andrew Salmon, that is due to three main reasons: Firstly, it is similar to Korean food, he said, in that it bears strong flavors and involves a communal method of eating.