Korea Hansik Promotion Institute opens permanent exhibition tracing regional roots of bibimbap, gukbap and noodles

The Korea Hansik Promotion Institute said Monday it will open a permanent exhibition titled "Paths of Flavor, Connecting Regions." The exhibition opens Tuesday.

The exhibition explores how hansik developed through the interplay between people and ingredients, tracing how distinct regional ingredients and cooking methods influenced one another to shape the unique flavors of Korean cuisine today.

The exhibition is divided into three parts: bibimbap, gukbap and noodles. Each section examines how a region's natural environment and lifestyle shaped its food, presenting in accessible terms the characteristics of Korean food culture that emerged as ingredients and cooking techniques crossed regional boundaries and blended together.

Admission is free. To mark the opening, a tasting event called "One Bite Bibimbap" will be held July 23 and 24, with the first 100 visitors each day admitted on a first-come, first-served basis. Participants will sample bibimbap made with five-colored vegetables alongside a guided exhibition tour by a professional docent.