Jeonju with Herbs, Jinju with Raw Beef... Discovering "Living Heritage" through Bibimbap

National Folk Museum Publishes 21st English Edition of "International Journal of Intangible Heritage"

14 Papers Selected from 190 Worldwide Submissions

From Korean Bibimbap to Iran’s Nowruz Festival

World’s First Academic Journal on Intangible Heritage Celebrates 20th Anniversary

A study that views bibimbap not as a mere dish, but as a "living intangible heritage" in which the history and identity of local communities are accumulated, has been published in an international academic journal.

Jeonju Bibimbap (left) is a dish combining rice from the Gimje Plain, local herbs, and the urban culture of Jeonju, whereas Jinju Bibimbap (right), topped with raw beef, reflects the development of the cattle market, the meat industry, and court music culture. National Folk Museum

The National Folk Museum announced on August 18 that it has published the 21st English edition of the "International Journal of Intangible Heritage," the world's first international academic journal dedicated to the field of intangible heritage. This edition, which marks the 20th anniversary of the journal's founding, features 14 selected papers out of 190 submissions from around the world.

Notably, this issue includes a paper by Professor O Seminah of the Intangible Culture Institute, titled "Constructing the Intangible Heritage Meaning of Bibimbap: Focusing on the Communities of Jeonju and Jinju." The study highlights bibimbap as intangible heritage that embodies the history and identity of the community and is passed down in daily life. By examining the transmission and modern reinterpretation of bibimbap in Jeonju and Jinju, the research analyzes the intangible heritage value of food culture and its potential for sustainable inheritance.

The study also connects the regional differences of bibimbap to the history of the respective communities. Jeonju Bibimbap, for example, is interpreted as a dish that incorporates rice from the Gimje Plain and local herbs, and reflects urban culture such as Jeolla Provincial Government, public offices, political elections, tourism, and wedding receptions in Jeonju. Jinju Bibimbap, featuring raw beef, is analyzed as an example that embodies the local history of the development of livestock markets, the meat industry, and gyobang culture.

In addition to bibimbap, this issue includes studies on the intangible heritage of various regions around the world, such as minority languages and ecological knowledge in Italy, traditional weaving crafts in Bangladesh, and Iran's Nowruz festival.

The "International Journal of Intangible Heritage" was first published in 2006, following the adoption of UNESCO's "Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage" in 2003 and a resolution at the International Council of Museums (ICOM) General Conference in Seoul in 2004. The journal is listed in six major academic index databases, including the Arts & Humanities Citation Index (A&HCI), and maintains a Q1 ranking in global journal evaluation (SJR).

The call for papers for the 22nd issue is currently open. The submission deadline is August 31, and after the review process, the issue is scheduled to be published in late May next year.

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