광주자연과학고, 일본 학생들에게 K-푸드 ‘떡국’ 전파

In this exchange, students from the culinary department aimed to strengthen their global culinary competence and increase understanding of the cuisine cultures of both countries. The two schools have maintained their exchange for over ten years since initiating the 'Youth Homestay' in 2011 and, through a sister-school agreement in 2023, are now operating online cooking lessons annually. The exchange involved around 50 students from both countries' culinary departments, with real-time video systems connecting the cooking practice rooms of each Japanese and Korean school. Students from Gwangju Natural Science High School's culinary department explained the significance of the traditional Korean dish, tteokguk, and communicated with their Japanese counterparts as they prepared the dish simultaneously in their respective labs. The students demonstrated the entire process, from ingredient preparation to making broth, with expertise, guiding their Japanese peers through each cooking stage. A subsequent Q&A session allowed students to learn about each other's cultural backgrounds, deepening their understanding of the cuisine cultures of their respective countries. Lee Dong-min, a 3rd-year student from the culinary department at Gwangju Natural Science High School, shared his experience: "It was new to make tteokguk and communicate with Japanese students in real-time through an online lesson. This exchange helped us better understand the cuisine cultures of both countries, and I hope to have more opportunities in the future to promote our food to the world as a chef." Gwangju Natural Science High School's principal, Baek In-hwa, stated, "This lesson provided an opportunity for students to broaden their perspective on culinary cultures by comparing traditional dishes from both countries. We will continue to foster students' cultural sensitivity through diverse international exchange programs linked to our school's curriculum."