Movement for wholesome lifestyle spreads in Korea

By Do Je-hae

Pay a visit any book store in Seoul these days and one is bound to spot the Kinfolk Magazine.

It stands out in the magazine section, first because of its stunning cover. Browse through the lovely photography and essays, and one will find some compelling lessons in wholesome lifestyle.

The “kinfolk” movement first started in Oregon, U.S. in 2011 and it is swiftly becoming trendy among Koreans. The Kinfolk movement is founded on the understanding that “coming together to share great food and casual conversation can make us feel balanced, grounded and energized.”

An essential activity of the Kinfolk movement is to share homemade, healthy dishes with family and friends. / Courtesy of Kinfolk Korea

Lee Sun-young, 40, was searching for the Korean version of the Kinfolk magazine at a book store at Yeoido’s IFC Mall.

“I’m organizing a dinner with friends and their children at the end of the month to coincide with Halloween and I need some Kinfolk recipes,” said the stay-at-home mom of two pre-teen girls. “Homemade Kinfolk menus are a huge among mothers around my age. They are simple and have a healing power over the body and mind.”

The movement started with the Kinfolk Magazine, quarterly entertainment and lifestyle magazine based in Oregon. In just three years, it has become a recognizable presence in bookstores worldwide, including Korea. The magazine also has a Korean version, which costs slightly over 10,000 won.

The well-being movement has caught the attention of top entertainers like K-pop star Lee Hyo-ri. An active lifestyle blogger, she has become the Korean icon of Kinfolk culture when she started posting photos of herself cooking with ingredients she grew or sharing simple homemade dishes with her husband and friends on her blog (blog.naver.com/hyori79lee).

Kinfolk publishes an issue each season based on the themes of “cook, make and do.” It is primarily a lifestyle magazine, focusing on food culture with family and friends and entertaining. Each edition — about 140 pages — is filled with ravishing photo essays as well as wholesome recipes and interviews, profiles, personal stories and practical tips.

It has a growing international following, leading to translations in Japanese, Russian and Korean. Kinfolk Korea’s blog is becoming very popular.

How to join a Kinfolk meeting

Most recently, the Kinfolk Korea met on Oct. 11. To participate in future gatherings, signs up at

https://www.kinfolk.com/events/

Kinfolk is also known for what they call a ‘Community Gathering’ event series that takes place globally each month. They have begun producing international

food-based workshops, cookbooks and a short film series.

There are up to 30 international events every month based on a seasonal theme, such as flower potlucks, the ocean or campfire cooking.

The events take place concurrently on a chosen weekend each month. They are aimed at uniting a global community of Kinfolk followers while also offering practical

lifestyle tips.