To explore the origins of Korean food culture, the results of archaeological excavations of pottery relics from the early Neolithic period on the Korean Peninsula were examined, and the changes in the form and usage of the potteries in the stratified layers of shell mounds were investigated. The findings revealed that pottery was made for use as cooking vessels, fermentation crocks, and storage jars. Advances in materials. shapes, and techniques reflected efforts to produce larger vessels that were more durable, water-resistant, and heat-resistant. The consequent food items developed were traced, the biochemical changes in cooking pot and fermentation crock were estimated, and the nutritional and hygienic contributions of the early pottery to the Neolithic people were evaluated. The primitive pottery culture era is considered an important starting point that determined the food culture of Koreans. It is argued that the production of traditional Korean cuisine, jjigae, and fermented foods such as kimchi, jeotgal and makgeolli began by using pottery. As a result, the food availability of the early Neolithic period greatly expanded, and the nutrition and hygiene of Neolithic people were drastically improved, leading to the beginning of sedentary life and agriculture, and the formation of ancient Northeast Asian states.
The purpose of this study is to analyze the articles of food and nutrition published in the Yeo-Sung magazines from 1936 to 1940 in Korea. Out of the 67 articles about the food and the nutrition from the Yeo-Sung magazines, 28 (41.8%) of them were about the brief information of food and nutrition news, 16 (23.8%) of them were about the recipes, 6 (9.0%) were about the nutrition information, and 17 (25.4%) of them were about others. As the number of recipes mentioned from the Yeo-Sung magazine was 103, 77 items, the majority, were about the Korean foods, 18 of the Western foods, 6 of Chinese foods, and only 2 of Japanese foods. This result showed that the Japanese colonization didn't seem to influence on Korean tastes and gastronomy. During this period, the modernization caused the numerous changes to our traditional cuisine with introduction of new western menu items and concept of nutrition. The nutrition articles highly recommended eating brown rice, vegetables, tofu, and the white meat. Shin-Young Bang, one of the main authors, insisted that "Cookery is not only the skill, but also the one of the very important academic sciences." showed budding modern cookery sciences in Korea.