MANILA — The Korean Cultural Center (KCC) in the Philippines has opened an interactive exhibition dedicated to Korean culinary traditions, inviting Filipino visitors to explore the country's food culture through one of its best-known comic series.

Titled "Sikgaek: The Journey of Tasting Korea," the exhibition is presented by KCC, the National Asian Culture Center Foundation, and Chonnam National University. It opens on Nov. 6 and will run until Feb. 27, 2027. The Taguig-based KCC is part of South Korea's network of overseas cultural centers, which operate under the country's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to promote Korean arts and culture abroad.

The show follows chef Sungchan, the main character of "Sikgaek," a Korean comic created by artist Hur Young-man and first published in 2002. The series has since expanded into various media. The title translates to "gourmand" in Korean, pointing to the series' long-running focus on the country's culinary world.

Spread across multiple floors of the KCC building, the exhibition is organized around five key ingredients of Korean cuisine — rice, kimchi, fermented sauces and pastes known as jang, vegetables, and seafood — explored through interactive activities and installations.

The journey begins on the ground floor, where visitors encounter Sungchan's vegetable truck and can use artificial intelligence technology to transform themselves into characters inspired by the comic. The library houses the author's archives and digital works, where the comic can be explored through an interactive wall and library display. Along the way, visitors can also read memorable quotes from the series' characters as they move through the building.

On the third floor, the exhibition introduces hansang, a traditional Korean meal in which multiple dishes are served at once. The display presents signature dishes representing the five ingredients featured in the comic, illustrating the harmony and balance of Korean cuisine.

The main exhibition occupies the fifth floor, where visitors can delve into the stories behind the five ingredients through interactive activities designed to deepen their understanding of Korean culinary traditions. The experience concludes at a photo zone styled after a traditional Korean alleyway.

During the exhibition's opening ceremony on Nov. 5, guests also took part in a kimchi-making workshop, offering a firsthand look at how the traditional Korean side dish is prepared. Kimchi-making, known in Korea as kimjang, was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2013, a recognition of the tradition's place in Korean daily life.

KCC Director Kim Myeongjin said the exhibition aims to introduce visitors to Korean culture beyond its cuisine. "Through this exhibition, we hope to offer visitors not only an enjoyable experience but also a deeper appreciation of hansik, or Korean cuisine, and its important role in Korean culture," he said.

Korean popular culture — spanning music, television dramas and food — has built a broad following in the Philippines in recent decades, and showcases like this exhibition give local audiences a closer look at the traditions behind a cuisine that has gained increasing international visibility.

The exhibition is open to the public from Nov. 6, 2026 to Feb. 27, 2027, Mondays to Fridays, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Korean Cultural Center in Taguig City. The nearly four-month run gives weekday visitors an extended window to view the show.

— Kaizzer Angela Marie V. Manuba, BusinessWorld