It is controversial that a Chinese franchise restaurant in a famous shopping mall in Thailand introduced Korean food as ‘Northeastern China food’.
Seo Kyung-duk, a professor at Sungshin Women’s University, a Korean public relations expert, said on the 14th, “A large restaurant in One Bangkok, the largest shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand, is introducing Korean food as food in northeastern China,” adding, “As a result of recent reports from many Koreans living in Thailand, it was a restaurant called ‘Ant Cave’, which also has many chains in China.” The restaurant uses paintings of Korean culture, such as selling tteokbokki in hanbok, and describes it as ‘food in northeastern China’ on the top of the menu, adding a picture of making kimchi at the bottom.
In addition, the menu related to ‘Kimchi’ was misinterpreted as ‘Pao Chai’, a completely different food when translating into Chinese.
Last year, “Michun,” a Chinese franchise that sells hot stone pot bibimbap as its flagship menu, has already surpassed 1,000 stores and has been controversial for promoting it as a non-material cultural heritage of Korean-Chinese in its stores. “Just as Koreans can operate Chinese restaurants all over the world, Chinese people can also operate Korean restaurants,” Professor Seo said. “But I don’t claim that Koreans own Chinese food.”
In particular, he criticized, “It is a serious theft to try to incorporate Korea’s own food and culture into its own culture with the nationality and base of the Korean people being China.”
In addition, he emphasized, “Chinese people will have to learn to respect other countries’ cultures first.”
EJ SONG
US ASIA JOURNAL
