Tasting the World: Global Cooking Community – February 2025

By Park Yeonju

“When traveling, you have to try this! It’s said to be a unique dish from this country.” One thing you can’t overlook when traveling is food. Each country has its own distinct culture, and with it comes special dishes that you can only enjoy there. Food is always with us, no matter where we go. Spending time with loved ones while enjoying delicious meals is one of life’s greatest pleasures. For some, food can be a gift of memories, a lasting impression, or even a long-forgotten taste of one’s hometown. Unless we have the chance to travel to various countries, experiencing the cuisines of different cultures can be quite challenging.

“What kind of food is that?” “I never knew such a dish existed anywhere in the world!” There are still countless dishes out there that we know nothing about. However, at the Time Cooking the World global community, you can experience a variety of international cuisines every week. Right here in Gwangju, friends from different countries and Koreans gather every Saturday for cooking classes. Even if it’s a dish you’ve never heard of before, simply following the recipe explained by the session leader from that country will soon lead to the creation of a wonderful meal!

What time is it now? It’s Time Cooking the World! Time Cooking the World is part of Gwangju Metropolitan City’s Global Community project. Together with Japanese co-representative Tanaka Moe, I led this community activity twice this past year (once in each half of the year). The program involved participants from six countries – South Korea, China, Japan, India, Uzbekistan, and the Dominican Republic – and consisted of around 20 members.

Participants were free to join the cooking classes whenever they were held. If the participants wanted to join with their friends, they were more than welcome to bring them along. This community placed no restrictions on participation, allowing anyone who was interested to join. It was a time that truly embodied the purpose of a global community: bringing everyone together. It served as a harmonious gathering space where not only Gwangju citizens but also foreigners from various countries could come together and connect. The menu was diverse. Every time the community sessions began, we kicked things off with Korean food. The first dish of the first-half community was tteokguk (ricecake stew) and kimchi jeon (kimchi pancakes). These dishes were chosen to showcase the authentic tastes of Korea.

We started by showing a short video that gave a brief explanation of tteokguk and kimchi jeon, then moved on to the actual cooking. Participants were usually divided into three or four teams for the cooking process. At first, it might have seemed overwhelming to prepare a dish with so many ingredients, but each team began step by step, starting with ingredient preparation. Since the teams were mixed with both Koreans and foreigners, it was a great opportunity to communicate and learn each other’s languages while cooking together.

If a Korean participant knew a little Japanese, they could team up with a Japanese friend and try speaking in Japanese. Similarly, those who could speak Chinese could mix in a few Chinese words during conversations. By combining cooking with language learning, participants were able to achieve two goals at once. While cooking, foreign participants picked up Korean cooking-related vocabulary, and Koreans also had the opportunity to learn various words from different languages that are hard to encounter in everyday conversations.

When it comes to Korea, we can’t forget kimchi, an ever-present side dish, and its ingredients. To show foreigners the diverse flavors that can be created with kimchi, we also made kimchi jeon. The process involved mixing the batter and frying the pancakes one by one in a pan. For some, it resembled pancakes, and since the method was not too complicated, everyone had fun cooking. One group member even demonstrated the advanced skill of flipping the kimchi jeon in one go, creating an energetic and laughter-filled atmosphere. It was a dynamic and enjoyable experience for everyone! Tteokguk, eaten during the Lunar New Year holiday, and kimchi jeon made with traditional Korean ingredients – it was a meaningful time to showcase the authentic flavors of Korean tradition to foreign friends by having them personally prepare dishes that hold great significance for Koreans.

The Japanese dish we made was korokke (croquettes). The korokke-making class had a large number of participants joining in. Using potato dough, everyone formed their own korokke into whatever shapes they liked. Some made stars, others made hearts, and some created simple circles. As everyone created different shapes, they mingled, shared conversations, and laughed while showing off their creations. The small worries and uncertainties we often feel at the beginning of a cooking class seemed to melt away in these joyful moments. We sat together and shared stories while enjoying the golden crispy korokke with warm rice. Observing this, I felt so grateful for all the friends who participated so enthusiastically and happily. The food, filled with everyone’s passion, was heartwarming to see and made me realize that bringing happiness to everyone is the true charm of a community.

Chinese food was also incredibly delicious. One dish I particularly enjoyed was Mala Xiang Guo, in which various ingredients are stir-fried together with mala sauce. It’s a dish I’ve always loved, but making and eating it in its authentic Chinese style made it even tastier. Indian food, on the other hand, was something I hadn’t experienced before, which made it even more special. I tried Muradabadi Chicken Biryani, a dish made with Indian basmati rice and chicken. It’s served with a yogurt-based sauce, creating a unique flavor that truly captures the essence of Indian cuisine.

The passion for cooking classes continued in the second half of the year. This time, we cooked Korea’s iconic street foods, gimbap and tteokbokki. Each participant made their own roll of gimbap by adding their favorite ingredients to create a personalized gimbap. We also made salmon-filled, rolled-and-fried tofu stuffed with rice, Japanese-style ramen, and even attempted something we’d only ever bought before: takoyaki. Thanks to the cooking community, I was able to confidently try new things with friends from various backgrounds. Tanaka Moe, who’s from Japan and enrolled in the master’s program in Korean language and literature at Chonnam National University, co-led the cooking community with me. She shared her thoughts: “Through the cooking community, I’ve enjoyed meeting people from various countries and sharing one aspect of culture: food. I hope to continue meeting people from all over the world through this community in the future.”

Our cooking community, Time Cooking the World, has made us feel as if we’ve traveled to many countries over the past year. At first, we were a bit awkward with each other, but as we cooked together, we grew closer. Whenever I heard someone say “That was so much fun! I’d love to do it again” after finishing a dish, it always filled me with pride and happiness. Though we were of different nationalities, we shared moments of creating one warm, meaningful dish together.

I believe it was a time that symbolized how people from different backgrounds could come together in Gwangju to dream big, create fun memories, and build harmony. It represents a path toward creating an inclusive city – Gwangju – where local citizens and foreign residents live together in harmony. Anyone can create a space for communication and connection. The Gwangju Metropolitan City’s Global Community project is held annually, with open recruitment conducted in both the first and second half of the year. It promotes cultural exchange and communication between locals and foreigners. It supports foreign residents in becoming equal members of the local community. It also helps foreign residents settle securely in the region. For detailed information, please check the announcements on the Gwangju International Residents Center website. In 2025, you can have the opportunity to showcase your own version of an “Inclusive Gwangju.” And Time Cooking the World will flow once again.

Photograph by Park Yeonju.