Discover the Flavors of Jeonnam: 30 Years of Cultural Exchange with Shandong

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Jeonnam Province celebrated 30 years of exchange with China’s Shandong Province by staging a pop-up cultural event centered on Namdo cuisine.

From March 19–22, a ‘Namdo Food Culture Exchange Team’ visited Jinan, where cooking demonstrations and hands-on workshops showcased the region’s culinary traditions. The six-person delegation included master Namdo chefs and provincial officials.

The opening events featured a joint cooking class with Korean and Chinese chefs and a collaborative dinner. Guests also got hands-on experience making gimbap (Korean seaweed rice rolls) and Shandong-style dumplings.

At the exchange dinner, Jeonnam’s signature dishes—bulgogi, japchae and abalone specialties—took center stage, while a pop-up Korean eatery offered a wider range of menu items to local visitors.

“Jeonnam Province and Shandong have been important partners for the past 30 years, maintaining active exchanges across many fields,” said Shin Hyun-gon, Jeonnam’s international cooperation officer. “This Namdo food culture exchange kicks off a year of commemorative projects, and we hope cultural, tourism and economic ties will expand even further.”