Recently, controversy erupted as China included Dolsot Bibimbap in its regional intangible cultural heritage list, claiming it originates from the cooking techniques of Korean-Chinese people. A Chinese company has been using this classification to promote Dolsot Bibimbap, raising concerns over cultural appropriation.
In response, the Korean organization VANK initiated a campaign urging the Korean government, particularly the Cultural Heritage Administration and the Ministries of Culture and Foreign Affairs, to actively address this issue. They emphasize the importance of national heritage and encourage public involvement.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it will firmly respond to any attempts by China to distort history, recognizing the importance of these issues to national identity. The Cultural Heritage Administration plans to assess and enhance the competitiveness of intangible heritage that requires urgent attention, potentially seeking preemptive UNESCO recognition.
VANK aims to raise global awareness about China’s misrepresentation of Korean culture through a digital campaign. Their efforts include launching petitions on the platforms Woollim and Bridge Asia, along with spreading information via social media.
The campaign highlights the absurdity of cultural distortion, questioning how China would react if Korea were to list Sichuan’s signature dish, mala tang, as its own heritage. VANK warns that misrepresenting Korean culture threatens East Asian peace and calls for worldwide support to prevent such cultural appropriation.
VANK hopes to ignite interest in traditional Korean culture domestically while alerting the global community to the risks of China’s cultural misappropriation, which could jeopardize Korea’s heritage on international platforms like UNESCO.