[Kulture Correspondent] Korea's traditional fermented sauces "jang" reach Americans' cuisine

Gochujang, doenjang and ganjang (or chili paste, soybean paste and soy sauce) are three traditional Korean fermented sauces that are essential in Korean cuisine, or hansik.

These K-sauces are recently getting more and more attention in the U.S. and are known for their health benefits and deep taste. Let’s hear more about the local response with today’s K-correspondent, Suzi Kim, a Korean language teacher in Irvine, California.

Q1. Suzi, it’s been a while. How have you been? Why don’t we start with a brief introduction of yourself for our viewers, who might have missed your segment some time ago.

Q2. The popularity of K-food is on the rise in the U.S., and with it, it seems like interest in traditional Korean fermented sauces has gone up as well. Is this really the case, if yes, why do you think so? (How has the perception of Korean food changed from the past?)

Q3. In particular, we’ve heard that there is a growing interest in K-traditional fermented sauces among health-conscious millennial and Gen Z consumers. (Have any of your students who come to learn Korean shown interest in Korean food, especially ‘jangs’?)

Q4. Suzi, you went to local supermarkets yourself to check out traditional Korean sauces there? Which products appeared to be most popular among customers?

Q5. What are some of the most popular Korean dishes that use traditional fermented sauces and that are being well received by American palates?

Q6. What about cheonggukjang, which just like doenjang is a fermented soybean paste, but ferments faster and tastes much stronger, with that deep, strong smell as well. Is that something that’s been tried by Americans yet?

Q7. We’d also like to know how traditional fermented K-sauces are being adapted to local tastes. Any unique recipes?

Q8. Suzi, lastly, which Korean dishes using ‘jang’ would you recommend for our international viewers who have never tried K-fermented sauces before?