Taiwan food wins on a South Korean variety show, creative braised pork rice officially launched at convenience stores

The Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications has cultivated the South Korean market for visitors to Taiwan for many years. Mutual visits between Taiwan and South Korea surpassed 2.45 million person-times in 2019. Starting in 2020, the global COVID-19 pandemic temporarily affected South Korean people's sightseeing travel to Taiwan. According to statistics, before the pandemic Taiwan was among the top 5 overseas travel destinations for South Korean people. To maintain Taiwan's promotional momentum in South Korea and secure South Korean people's choice of Taiwan as their top sightseeing destination after the pandemic, the Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications continued to use diverse methods such as strengthening online promotion on SNS, establishing a team of South Korean student reporters in Taiwan, and holding B to B online promotion meetings, continuously marketing Taiwan in South Korea.

According to a survey of visitor movements in Taiwan, food or specialty snacks are one of the important factors attracting South Korean people to visit Taiwan. To provide South Korean people, who could not travel abroad during the pandemic, with an unforgettable taste of Taiwan, the Bureau specially cooperated with South Korea's KBS 2 TV for the 25th episode of the program "Newly Launched Convenience Restaurant" (hereinafter referred to as Convenience Restaurant) on May 7, inviting famous actor Lee Kyung-kyu and locally renowned Chinese cuisine chef Lee Yeon-bok to take the theme of looking back on a journey to find Taiwanese food, competing in the program against another 3 participating teams, and ultimately Taiwanese braised pork rice with added South Korean characteristics won. In addition to the competition, the program also introduced Taiwan's beautiful scenery and various foods, only 2 hours and 30 minutes from South Korea.

The winning "Lee Kyung-kyu Braised Pork Rice" will not only be launched for sale through South Korea's CU convenience store channels, with proceeds donated to local disadvantaged groups, but will also be sold as prepared sauce packets in cooperation with the ready-meal specialist company "Fresh Easy." Because a representative Taiwanese food was able to win on a famous South Korean variety show, and to continue promoting Taiwan tourism to South Korean people during the pandemic, the Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications subsequently held a lucky draw event on Taiwan Tourism's official Facebook and Instagram accounts. South Korean people could participate by leaving in the event post the name of the meal that won on the Convenience Restaurant program, and so that South Korean people could make delicious Taiwanese-style braised pork rice at home, the winning creative recipe was also introduced on SNS, letting South Korean people who temporarily could not come to Taiwan relive the charm of Taiwanese food. They are welcome to come to Taiwan in person after the pandemic to travel and taste the diverse flavors of Taiwan.