跟一位初识的韩国友人约在韩国餐厅吃饭，请他为我们点餐。结果端上桌的，果然少不了最具代表性的韩餐－－拌饭。
韩剧里的拌饭多是家居的大杂饭，呈上餐厅的，卖相精彩得多。只见色彩缤纷的食材铺在米饭之上，中央有一个晶莹的生鸡蛋，令人食指大动。从韩剧到韩餐，韩国文化产业潜移默化地影响了亚洲观众的生活习惯。
1997年亚洲金融危机席卷韩国，各行各业都受到不同程度的影响，惟韩国文化产业在“文化立国”的口号中崛起，以影视为代表的“韩流”开始风靡整个亚洲，为韩国赚取大笔外汇。
友人是在10个月前抵马后，才惊觉杨紫琼是大马人。他追溯学生时期港台剧当道，除了“港星”杨紫琼之外，还有台湾玉女林青霞。在亚洲，港台影视事业走下坡之后，日剧转移了亚洲观众的视线，而后韩剧一路风行至今。
前几年，《大长今》在本地电视台启播时，一道又一道朝鲜宫廷料理令人目不暇给；去年播映的《食客》，讲述朝鲜末代皇帝最宠爱的待令熟手的后裔，如何寻回美食原味和哲理，也掀起了韩餐的热潮。在韩剧渐退热的当下，韩国政府立志推广“韩餐世界化”的议题备受注目。
据悉，韩国计划在今年动用240亿韩元投入“韩餐世界化”的目标。韩餐能否走向世界，除了中国网民，一些外国记者似乎也不太看好。
专门出版旅游指南的全球著名出版社Lonely Planet近期评选出“2009年最讨厌的城市”，韩国首尔与美国的底特律、加纳首都阿克拉一起名列第三，英国《金融时报》驻首尔记者安德鲁·塞尔文将主因归咎韩餐，他认为韩餐要世界化，韩国人应听取外国消费者的意见，而不是硬要外国人接受韩国人的口味。
事实上，韩餐成本高，导致竞争力低；在韩国，年轻人不爱从事这个行业，因为工资低、服务项目太多，单单是小菜就好几道了。有人发现，在韩剧出现的高级餐厅画面，以西餐为多，日本餐次之，韩餐相对的少，不知制作人是迎合外国观众还是没将韩餐定位在“高尚餐饮”的档次。
在韩国人餐桌上不可少的小菜，外国人未必懂得欣赏。一顿饭吃到最后，我看着那五六盘没动过的小菜，心想：餐馆怎么处理剩余小菜呢？小菜成本全计算在餐费中，韩餐收费过高，会令食客止步。
以韩国过去推广文化产业的经验来推广韩餐，应该是事半功倍的，问题在于如何保有韩餐很乡土的特色，又能吸引外国食客。小菜的份量和数量大可减少，甚至应客人要求才提供，避免浪费，减低成本。
韩餐世界化的成与败，让我们拭目以待。
韩剧里的拌饭多是家居的大杂饭，呈上餐厅的，卖相精彩得多。只见色彩缤纷的食材铺在米饭之上，中央有一个晶莹的生鸡蛋，令人食指大动。从韩剧到韩餐，韩国文化产业潜移默化地影响了亚洲观众的生活习惯。
1997年亚洲金融危机席卷韩国，各行各业都受到不同程度的影响，惟韩国文化产业在“文化立国”的口号中崛起，以影视为代表的“韩流”开始风靡整个亚洲，为韩国赚取大笔外汇。
友人是在10个月前抵马后，才惊觉杨紫琼是大马人。他追溯学生时期港台剧当道，除了“港星”杨紫琼之外，还有台湾玉女林青霞。在亚洲，港台影视事业走下坡之后，日剧转移了亚洲观众的视线，而后韩剧一路风行至今。
前几年，《大长今》在本地电视台启播时，一道又一道朝鲜宫廷料理令人目不暇给；去年播映的《食客》，讲述朝鲜末代皇帝最宠爱的待令熟手的后裔，如何寻回美食原味和哲理，也掀起了韩餐的热潮。在韩剧渐退热的当下，韩国政府立志推广“韩餐世界化”的议题备受注目。
据悉，韩国计划在今年动用240亿韩元投入“韩餐世界化”的目标。韩餐能否走向世界，除了中国网民，一些外国记者似乎也不太看好。
专门出版旅游指南的全球著名出版社Lonely Planet近期评选出“2009年最讨厌的城市”，韩国首尔与美国的底特律、加纳首都阿克拉一起名列第三，英国《金融时报》驻首尔记者安德鲁·塞尔文将主因归咎韩餐，他认为韩餐要世界化，韩国人应听取外国消费者的意见，而不是硬要外国人接受韩国人的口味。
事实上，韩餐成本高，导致竞争力低；在韩国，年轻人不爱从事这个行业，因为工资低、服务项目太多，单单是小菜就好几道了。有人发现，在韩剧出现的高级餐厅画面，以西餐为多，日本餐次之，韩餐相对的少，不知制作人是迎合外国观众还是没将韩餐定位在“高尚餐饮”的档次。
在韩国人餐桌上不可少的小菜，外国人未必懂得欣赏。一顿饭吃到最后，我看着那五六盘没动过的小菜，心想：餐馆怎么处理剩余小菜呢？小菜成本全计算在餐费中，韩餐收费过高，会令食客止步。
以韩国过去推广文化产业的经验来推广韩餐，应该是事半功倍的，问题在于如何保有韩餐很乡土的特色，又能吸引外国食客。小菜的份量和数量大可减少，甚至应客人要求才提供，避免浪费，减低成本。
韩餐世界化的成与败，让我们拭目以待。
（原文刊于21/1/2010《言论版》）
后记（26/1/2010）：
应高先生的要求，将原文英译。高先生阅毕，感言竟是“往后请多写些正面的，而不是负面的看法。”
我看着短信，没作覆。事实上，两个版本摆在一块，中文是含蓄带褒的，转成“红毛直”的思维和写法，无法精准无误地诠释出来。
这是语文的魅力。
读不懂中文，就解读不了原意。
原文英译如下：
Recently, a Korean friend invited us to dine at a Korean restaurant. He ordered the food for us and the Bibimbap was served as one of the dishes.
This household dish of mixed rice is frequently featured in Korean dramas but when it is served in the restaurant, the presentation is much more attractive. From Korean dramas to Korean food, the Korean culture has deeply influenced the lives of viewers in Asia.
Almost all of the industries in Korea were affected by the Asian Economic Crisis of 1997. However, the country was able to emerge from the crisis through the promotion of its cultural property under the slogan of ‘Culture builds a Country’, which has brought about a wave of Korean TV dramas and movies that swept into other Asian countries.
My friend was posted to Malaysia 10 months ago. The first thing he realized was that Michelle Yeoh is actually a Malaysian. He recalled the days when ‘Hong Kong’ actress Michelle Yeoh and Taiwanese Lin Qing Xia were very popular among the viewers in Korea. After that, Japanese dramas took over from the mania of Hong Kong and Taiwan dramas in Asia. Since then, the Korean Wave leads all the way till now.
A few years back, when <大长今> was aired, the Royal cuisine of Chosun impressed viewers from Malaysia. Last year, a series namely ‘The Gourmet’ which carried the story of the grandson of the Royal Chef of the last Chosun Emperor, elevated Korean food. As the passion for Korean dramas seems to decline, Korea announced its plan of globalizing Korean food. It became one of the latest and most talked-about issues.
The government of Korea intends to pump in 24,000,000,000 Won this year to promote Korean food to the world.
According to the survey carried out by the renowned guidebook publisher Lonely Planet, Seoul(Korea), Detroit(USA) and Accra(capital of Ghana) ranked third in the list of ‘Cities You Really Hate 2009’. A reporter from The Financial Times, commented that Korean food is the main reason for the ranking.
The high price of Korean food makes it less competitive. The young people in Korea are not attracted by it as the pay is comparatively low and too many service items including side dishes. Meanwhile, Korean dramas focus on Western and Japanese food rather than Korean food in scenes showing high class restaurants. These scenes may have been tailored for Asian viewers or perhaps Korean food is not regarded as ‘high class’ in the eyes of some Korean producers.
The management of left-overs of the side dishes presents a problem. The cost of the side dishes has raised the price of Korean food. There will be less consumers for higher priced meals.
The globalization of Korean food may not be a difficult task for the government but the crucial efforts lie in how to maintain the original taste of Korean food and attract more foreign consumers. Serving less side dishes with smaller portions or providing them only upon request might cut down the wastage. The globalization of Korean food whether successful or not, would be something we can learn from.
Recently, a Korean friend invited us to dine at a Korean restaurant. He ordered the food for us and the Bibimbap was served as one of the dishes.
This household dish of mixed rice is frequently featured in Korean dramas but when it is served in the restaurant, the presentation is much more attractive. From Korean dramas to Korean food, the Korean culture has deeply influenced the lives of viewers in Asia.
Almost all of the industries in Korea were affected by the Asian Economic Crisis of 1997. However, the country was able to emerge from the crisis through the promotion of its cultural property under the slogan of ‘Culture builds a Country’, which has brought about a wave of Korean TV dramas and movies that swept into other Asian countries.
My friend was posted to Malaysia 10 months ago. The first thing he realized was that Michelle Yeoh is actually a Malaysian. He recalled the days when ‘Hong Kong’ actress Michelle Yeoh and Taiwanese Lin Qing Xia were very popular among the viewers in Korea. After that, Japanese dramas took over from the mania of Hong Kong and Taiwan dramas in Asia. Since then, the Korean Wave leads all the way till now.
A few years back, when <大长今> was aired, the Royal cuisine of Chosun impressed viewers from Malaysia. Last year, a series namely ‘The Gourmet’ which carried the story of the grandson of the Royal Chef of the last Chosun Emperor, elevated Korean food. As the passion for Korean dramas seems to decline, Korea announced its plan of globalizing Korean food. It became one of the latest and most talked-about issues.
The government of Korea intends to pump in 24,000,000,000 Won this year to promote Korean food to the world.
According to the survey carried out by the renowned guidebook publisher Lonely Planet, Seoul(Korea), Detroit(USA) and Accra(capital of Ghana) ranked third in the list of ‘Cities You Really Hate 2009’. A reporter from The Financial Times, commented that Korean food is the main reason for the ranking.
The high price of Korean food makes it less competitive. The young people in Korea are not attracted by it as the pay is comparatively low and too many service items including side dishes. Meanwhile, Korean dramas focus on Western and Japanese food rather than Korean food in scenes showing high class restaurants. These scenes may have been tailored for Asian viewers or perhaps Korean food is not regarded as ‘high class’ in the eyes of some Korean producers.
The management of left-overs of the side dishes presents a problem. The cost of the side dishes has raised the price of Korean food. There will be less consumers for higher priced meals.
The globalization of Korean food may not be a difficult task for the government but the crucial efforts lie in how to maintain the original taste of Korean food and attract more foreign consumers. Serving less side dishes with smaller portions or providing them only upon request might cut down the wastage. The globalization of Korean food whether successful or not, would be something we can learn from.
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