Go Hwa-soon, a Korea Grand Master in food and a graduate of Kyung Hee University’s Graduate School of Business, published her book Jomul Jomul Namul Story on December 25 last year through Happybook Co., a publishing company.

Tackling Challenges for Single Households

  Alongside the rise in wellness and veganism trends among Generation Z, global interest in namul, Korean herbs, is also increasing. According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, South Korea exported 261.8 tons of domestically produced chwinamul to Japan, the United States, and Australia in 2023. Despite their popularity, namul is usually unwelcomed by single households due to the hassle of cooking, cost, and large portion size. The Korean Rural Economic Institute highlighted in the 2021 report of Changes and Characteristics of Processed Food Consumption Expenditure by Household that single households spent just 20.9% of their food budget on fresh products.

  Go’s book suggests solutions to these challenges with her newly published book. It is divided into six parts according to the parts of namul used in cooking: leafy, shoot, stem, fruit, root, and mountain vegetables, which contain 50 stories of healthy, simple, and delicious namul. Unlike other traditional recipe books that focus on precise ingredient measurements and steps, Jomul Jomul Namul Story delves into the background, benefits, and culinary uses of namul. Thus, each of the 50 namul is covered in detail, enabling readers to become specialists in these ingredients.

Highlighting Gosari

  One standout namul is gosari, Korean word of braken, which Go compares to the beef that grows in the mountain due to its high protein and nutrients. This particular namul has played a significant role in Go’s recognition as a food master and the success of her long-standing family business. In South Korea, about 360 different types of namul thrive, forming vibrant colonies across the country. Among them, the biggest production region is Namhae-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do, which accounts for 12% of total production. 

  Go also shares details about gosari’s life cycle, harvesting methods, and its cultural significance, which further enriches the reader’s understanding. Although numerous dishes can be cooked with gosari, Go especially recommends yukgaejang, bibimbap, and stewed fish, where it helps diminish the fishy taste and adds the satisfying chewy texture. Additionally, Go introduces a simple stir-fried gosari recipe which does not require complex steps or ingredients.

Go Hwa-soon: A Legacy of Namul

  Born in 1969 in Uljin-eup, Gyeongsangbuk-do, she is a third-generation custodian of her family’s gosari recipes and is running a family business over a century. Go is also the chief executive officer of Sky Farm, an agricultural corporation and vegetable research institute. Sky Farm develops, sells, and exports home convenience foods using various vegetables. Go is also active in other fields related to food, including supplying meal ingredients, writing columns, and working as a member of the Korea Agro-fisheries and Food Trade Corporation’s regional innovation advisory committee. In recognition of these efforts, she not only became Korea’s first Grand Master in food but also was selected as one of Korea’s outstanding craftsmen.

  The majority of modern people living in cities are prone to nutrition imbalance. Regarding this problem, Jomul Jomul Namul Story is an excellent introduction to those who are willing to create a healthy, simple, and delicious diet. In the prologue, Go highlighted that she put her entire life and soul into the book, which indicates her desire for people to properly learn about namul and consume them with joy through the book. For modern consumers, green vegetables may not be preferred over other choices due to the burden of cooking, cost, and low expectations. However, namul is an ingredient that indicates the wisdom of our ancestors and undoubtedly can help solve modern people’s health problems. It is hoped that Go’s book will guide more people to choose to eat delicious and healthy namul.