Chungcheongnam-do

▲ Meal including Gwangsi Korean Beef served for a customer

Gwangsi Korean Beef of Yesan, Chungcheongnam-do was selected as one of the top 21 food tourism products in the 2015 Food Tourism Products Survey  initiated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korean Food Foundation.

The survey was conducted in two categories -- food materials and themes -- and the 21 selected by the survey on food materials together with the product named “Tour to Gwangsi Korean Beef Village, the hometown of Korean beef” (Korean beef) included the following: △ “Tour for hallyu filming locations and Tongyeong Oyster” (Oyster), △ “Gluten-free! Tour to Pyeongchang for buckwheat products” (buckwheat products), △ “Jeju Black Pork! The journey to Jeju’s delicacy” (Jeju Black Pork), △ Tour for Icheon Rice, the most important in a royal table” (Rice), △ “Jangdan Soybean! And Pyeonghwa-Nuri Paju!” (Soybeans).

A total of 7 were selected by the survey on themes, including the following: △ “KTX-based tour of Gwangju with kimchi” (kimchi), △ “Brewery’s visit! Tour for traditional liquor of Jeongeup” (traditional liquor), △ Walking tour for Busan’s restaurants” (quality foods).

The survey was conducted based on food consumption trends both in and out of the country and through the analysis of the content of food tourism, in addition to questionnaires administered to experts and relevant workshops.

The survey was intended to develop food tourism content, develop food tourism more systematically, and make food tourism a high-end sector. Products selected through the survey are expected to be included in the relevant booklets and activities like fam tour or blogger, thereby contributing to the increase in tourism demand directly and indirectly.

According to an official from the Korean Food Foundation, food itself is a good tourism resource. He cited similar cases adopted like high-end gourmet food tours of Spain, walking tour for hands-on experience with traditional food of Quebec, Canada, bluefin tuna cutting show of Kuroshio Market, Wakayama, Japan, etc.

The tour course of Gwangsi Korean Beef is composed of the following: △ visit to the Korean Cow Market; △ visit to the slaughterhouse and place for meat cutting; △ meal featuring Korean beef; and △ visit to Sudeoksa Temple.

The secret to the popularity of Gwangsi Korean Beef is said to be the effort to maintain good quality by having butcher shops and restaurants grow cows directly and paying meticulous attention to the entire distribution process.

People in Gwangsi Korean Beef Village in Gwangsi-myeon, Yesan-gun started growing cows more than 30 years ago. They make concerted efforts to maintain the good quality of meat. There are 60-plus butcher shops and restaurants along Route 619.

 
“We feel proud about Gwangsi Korean Beef’s selection as beef with the best quality and good taste. We will strive to publicize local beef more widely and attract visitors in linkage with nearby tourist destinations,” an official of Yesan-gun said, commenting on Gwangsi Korean Beef.

* Street of Gwangsi-myeon known for Gwangsi Korean Beef
- Location: 6 Gwangsiso-gil, Gwangsi-myeon, Yesan-gun, Chungcheongnam-do