We have prepared safflower tea. It has a color reminiscent of the red flower symbolizing Shinsegae, a stunning floral aroma, and the unique richness of Korean fermented tea. You can freshen your mouth with the pine nut snacks served alongside and enjoy the main tea.
On April 9th, when spring rain fell, a neat table was set with mandarin tea, pine nut dumplings, mugwort rice cakes, dried persimmons, silk sweets, and omija pear cakes. This place is the 'House of Shinsegae Heritage Dessert Salon' newly introduced at the Shinsegae Department Store in Seoul's Sogong-dong. Shinsegae Department Store opened this heritage hall on the 5th floor after renovating the old headquarters of the First Bank last month on the 9th. Although it was a weekday afternoon, there were many people enjoying tea and desserts.
The dessert salon features modern interior design, but the food follows traditional Korean methods. The rice cakes and traditional sweets were developed in collaboration with renowned food researcher Seo Myung-hwan, and the tea was made based on the 'Bupung Hyang Cha Bo' (扶風鄕茶譜) written by Kim Dong-hyun, the 18th heir of the Maewoldang tea lineage, in the 18th century. Although it is a tea house, it also offers mugwort coffee made from roasted black barley for customers seeking coffee.
The dessert salon is directly developed and operated by the Korean Cuisine Research Institute of Shinsegae. Established in 2021, the institute previously introduced 'Fermented: Pantry' selling Korean ingredients and 'Jaju Hansang,' a modern Korean dining experience, and now unveiled the dessert salon.
Why did Shinsegae establish a research institute for Korean cuisine? On the 9th of last month, ChosunBiz met with Head of Team Han Hee-jung, who noted, 'Desserts were particularly challenging within Korean cuisine.' He said, 'Our goal is to allow customers to frequently and closely experience Korean cuisine in their daily lives, passing it on as a legacy to future generations.' The following is a Q&A with Head of Team Han.
―What does the Shinsegae Korean Cuisine Research Institute do?
"We started with the desire to revive the essence of Korean cuisine based on our unique nature, seasons, and the food culture heritage of our ancestors, and to pass it on to the next generation. Currently, we operate three specialized Korean brands in our department store food court. 'Fermented: Pantry' is a premium grocery brand showcasing fermented foods with quality ingredients and craftsmanship, while 'Jaju Hansang' offers modern Korean dining with a neat meal setup. Recently, we launched the 'House of Shinsegae Heritage Dessert Salon,' reinterpreting traditional Korean snacks in a modern way."
The common philosophy shared by each brand is 'to help enjoy Korean cuisine naturally and healthily.' They strive to harmoniously blend the profound flavors of traditional methods with a modern sensibility.
―Why is Shinsegae engaged in Korean cuisine research?
"Shinsegae prides itself on having played a leading role in the development of Korean food culture. It was Shinsegae that first introduced premium food courts in domestic department stores and brought in advanced deli and dessert sections such as Sweet Park from overseas."
As they brought in Sunjin food products and food culture, there was a consensus on the need to shed new light on the valuable asset of Korean cuisine. They saw this as aligning with Shinsegae's pursuit of 'lifestyle design.' Previously, they had expanded stores selling traditional sauces, liquors, and rice cakes made by masters throughout the country, but they felt the need for a direct Korean cuisine research institute to present something more valuable and differentiated.
―How does Shinsegae handle Korean cuisine?
"Maintaining authenticity is key. Our direction is to preserve the essence of Korean cuisine while interpreting it in a contemporary manner. The rice cakes you see are indeed shaped and presented in a modern way, but they haven't been altered at their core. However, to cater to customers seeking modern tastes, we introduce variations like mugwort coffee as an alternative to traditional coffee or create soy sauce caramel and brown sugar snacks as new takes on traditional recipes."
In menu development, they are collaborating with renowned traditional food researchers while enhancing the skills of their internal chefs. They also consider how the Korean aesthetic can naturally permeate not only the food but even the pottery and packaging used.
―What were the key focuses when introducing the 'Dessert Salon'?
"If 'Fermented: Pantry' is a space that showcases a variety of traditional Korean ingredients and 'Jaju Hansang' is a space proposing neat meals, then 'Dessert Salon' can be seen as the finishing touch to that experience. In selecting the menu, we focused on three elements: the balance between tradition and modernity, seasonality and health, and convenience. We paid the most attention to ensuring that customers could feel familiar yet refreshed by our offerings."
In the case of the Dessert Salon, the research institute's chefs learned from Master Seo Myung-hwan for over two years how to make rice cakes and traditional sweets while developing the recipes. Director Kim Dong-hyun from Roha Seoul also collaborated on the development of Korean tea. They emphasized modern interpretations of the teas consumed by ancestors.
―Were there any challenges?
"Desserts in Korean cuisine require a lot of effort. For regular meals, you can prepare the ingredients and start cooking when an order comes in, but desserts require a lot of advance preparation. For example, it takes three days just to make the coating for the pine nut dumplings. The nuts need to be cleaned, ground, and the oil extracted to create that perfect coating. Rice cakes tend to be familiar and close at hand, so there is a tendency not to regard them as valuable compared to Western desserts, but they involve a great deal of care and effort."
Korean cuisine seems to become more challenging the more you work with it. Since it’s always close by, it’s assumed that it would be easy to master, but the processes are intricate and require expertise. However, it is difficult to find skilled Korean chefs. During this project, I hope there will be many training institutes that nurture experts in Korean cuisine.
―What is the most critical area of focus for the Korean Cuisine Research Institute?
"Food starts with 'ingredients.' We are contemplating how to find natural and health-friendly ingredients and deliver them deliciously and healthily. Given that we distribute through department stores, safety is also paramount. Since many Korean dishes are fermented foods, cases often arise that don’t meet food hygiene standards. This also applies to foods made by masters. We present foods that meet the standards of the Shinsegae Product Science Research Institute."
―Consumer preferences are changing rapidly. How is the Korean Cuisine Research Institute responding to consumer demands?
"Products like small packaging or vacuum-sealed rice sold at 'Fermented: Pantry' were developed for one- to two-person households or those who prefer convenience. Recently, we are expanding small gift sets for easy gifting. I believe Korean cuisine must evolve in line with the changing times."
In the Dessert Salon, while the tea is maintained in a traditional manner, the snacks have variations introduced through the ingredients. For example, making brown sugar snacks by adding butter to the Maewokwa dough or creating rice cakes using products like seaweed, brown rice, almonds, and blueberries. A soy sauce ice cream is also in development. Yet all of this is fundamentally based on traditional confectionery making methods.
Starting from May, they plan to present seasonal snacks with new themes every month. They are also preparing to expand the base for Korean dessert experiences with 'Tea Experience.'
―What are your future plans and goals?
"The Dessert Salon has not yet shown even 60% of what we have prepared. We are at the initial stage, so instead of expanding hastily, we are focusing on enhancing the brand's quality and depth. I believe gaining the trust of our customers is crucial first."
The Shinsegae Korean Cuisine Research Institute aspires to create a brand that adequately reflects the food culture and aesthetic of Korea, and gradually hopes to establish itself as competitive Korean content in the global market.
I constantly tell my staff to 'allow customers to frequently and closely experience Korean cuisine in their daily lives, broadly sharing it and passing it on as a legacy for future generations.' My personal wish is to see our brands grow into beloved names like Kaya no Ya, a Japanese specialty store founded in 1893 that focuses on natural ingredients. It would be the greatest hope for us as developers if overseas customers who visit our stores come back to buy gifts.