A new flavor arrives in gastronomic Busan

Seoul has Nanro-hoe. Founded in 2022 by figures in the F&B industry, it set out to find the future of global Korean cuisine in the distinctiveness of Korean food culture. The name is borrowed from the Joseon-era "Nanro-hoe." Anchored by chair Choi Jung-yoon — who this year was named a policy advisor to the City of Busan on gastronomic tourism — Nanro-hoe has grown into a nationwide community of some 600 experts spanning dining, food, distribution, and marketing.

Nanro-hoe's own account of why it was formed is worth noting. The Korean food that the world is watching is a mix of traditional-cuisine characteristics and contemporary reinterpretation. That, the group argues, calls for systematic research and a scientific approach that reaches to the distinctive ingredients, cooking methods, and the historical and cultural elements alike. "To maximize the value of hansik on the world stage, collaboration across many fields matters. It requires the participation of experts from every corner — not only chefs, but ingredient producers, designers, and humanities scholars," the community says.

Actively pursuing research, lectures, and community activities, Nanro-hoe visited the ceramic artist Shin Kyung-kyun of Janganyo in Busan this May. Members tasted dishes made with spring greens gathered from Eonyang market and Janganyo's own kitchen garden, served on Janganyo ceramics, and reaffirmed the promise of Busan's local ingredients. That day, Lee Seung-hoon of Busan's Climat — the first two-time consecutive winner of the Korea Sommelier Competition — poured wine into ceramic vessels and opened up a new world of wine pairing.

Chef Kim Sang-a of Bon & Brad, one of the participants, said, "It was a simple day that left a deep resonance, and a chance to feel Busan's charm anew." Chef Park Ju-eun of restaurant Juen added, "It was a journey that made me think about how to introduce great ingredients to Seoul." Nanro-hoe has also recently drawn attention for co-developing the Jeollip-tu & Stove One camping cookware together with Helinox. That collaboration began in late 2023 when Nanro-hoe chair Choi Jung-yoon showed the Helinox team a genre painting by the late-Joseon artist Kim Hong-do and suggested, "Let's reinterpret this scene with a twenty-first-century sensibility."