With increasing interest in the health and safety of food served in restaurants, more emphasis is being placed on the importance of health and food. As a result, Yaksun cuisine with new added effects and image is becoming more popular as a way to improve people’s health. This study analyzed the effects of selection attributes relating to Yaksun cuisine on customer satisfaction and intention to maintain relationship in order to understand various needs of consumers as they relate to health food. The results showed that, among selection attributes of Yaksun cuisine, price, safety, and health were found to have significant effects on customer satisfaction; however, the effect of quality on satisfaction was not verified. Moreover, while the effect of safety and health of Yaksun cuisine on the intention to maintain relationship was found to be significant, the effects of quality and price on the intention to maintain relationship were not verified. These findings suggest that consumers believe Yaksun cuisine is more beneficial for health than general food and trust the origin label, hygiene, and safety of ingredients in Yaksun cuisine. Therefore, the results of this study suggests providing opportunities for consumers to experience diverse tastes in Yaksun cuisine and that development and promotion of different recipes using Yaksun ingredients will help reinforce competitiveness of Yaksun cuisine in the market and increase sales.

Yaksun, a medicinal diet, has been traditionally prepared and applied (based on theories in oriental medicine) for the modulation of disease symptoms and signs. However, restaurants that serve and claim Yaksun mainly focus on stamina foods. A consistent definition of Yaksun has not been provided, which can confuse the public interpretation of Yaksun. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perception of Yaksun in Korean adults living in Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Chungbuk regions. Among the participants (M=55, F=168, 25y), only 10.4% understood the definition of Yaksun (mainly through the broadcast media). The frequency of Yaksun consumed when eating out was 2~3 times per month in 50.2% of participants. The main reason for choosing a Yaksun menu (46.3% of participants) when eating out was for health. The mean satisfaction score of Yaksun was 3.5±0.8 on the five point Likert scale. Participants highly agreed (3.8±0.8) that Yaksun is composed of nutritious foods combined with oriental medicinal herbs for the treatment of disease, which was significantly higher in groups with learning experience on Yaksun (p〈0.05). Interestingly, participants showed neutral to the description, that a diet without oriental medicinal herbs is not Yaksun (3.1±1.0), which was significantly different between genders (p〈0.05). Men recognized more than women that Yaksun should be based on oriental medical theory (p〈0.05) and should be prepared for the prevention or treatment of diseases (p〈0.05). In conclusion, the concept and terminology of Yaksun need to be defined and publicized in modern diet.