Bebefood Korea Co. Ltd. is a company specializingin infant and toddler nutrition. It was established in 2009 as Hanyang F&D and changed to its currentname in 2018. Bebefood Korea is a company that exports naturally fermented foods using Koreaningredients. The company exported to China for the first time in 2014, and the following year entered 300stores specializing in baby food in China. In 2016, it exported to Taiwan, Thailand, the United States, HongKong and Macau. In 2017, the company expanded its exports to Malaysia, and in 2018 to Mongoliaand Indonesia. That year, the company reached the ambitious level of USD1 million in exports. Exports werealso be made to Cambodia in 2020 and Singapore and Vietnam in 2021. Bebefood is currently preparingto export to Canada and Australia. Bebefood Korea achieved an export value of USD1.2 million in 2018,USD1.1 million in 2019 and 2020, USD800,000 in 2021 and USD600,000 in 2022. The company received ISO 22000certification (food safety management system) in 2016 and ISO9001 certification (quality managementsystem) in 2017. The company also received KMF HALAL certification in 2021. Bebefood Korea's main products are Koreanfermented products, including ganjang (soy sauce) and doenjang (soybean paste), which have a uniquenutritional value and taste, and a total of 34 types of processed foods for infants. Under the slogan"Easy for moms, healthy for kids", all products aremade with more than 95% domestic ingredients. Thecompany aims to use 100% domestic ingredients, but some ingredients, such as organic sugar, are inevitablybe imported. Because the foods are for infants, the company does not use genetically modifiedorganisms (GMOs) or synthetic additives. They have been developed in sizes and textures suitable forbabies, with recipes tailored for them. The products have been developed with customized recipes forbabies to ensure that the sizes and textures are suitable for them. Products include Bebefood ZeroSeasoning Laver, Bebefood Soy Sauce, Bebefood Rice Rusk and Bebefood Elderberry Juice, which containshealthy sweet flavors from Korean apple concentrate instead of sugar. Bebefood Korea has also developedEasy Baby Meals. They have launched low-salt soy sauce made from 100% Korean beans and baby saltmade by blending Korean vegetables with finely ground Korean sea salt. As babies reach the end of weaning, they alsocrave strong tastes, so they need ingredients with enhanced taste. That's why Bebefood's main exportproduct category is seasonings. These include ganjang, doenjang and sesame oil. These productsare made with healthier ingredients and contain less sodium than their adult counterparts. This allowschildren to get used to healthy flavors from an early age. The sodium content of all products is minimizedand the natural sweetness of the ingredients is maximized to produce safe foods that are neithertoo salty nor too sweet. The company has pursued simple recipes, focusing on making healthy foodwith a minimum of unnecessary ingredients rather than adding more. The company has also set up anR&D department to develop its own recipes, and all employees are involved in evaluating new products. Bebefood products are available at majordepartment stores and shopping malls in Korea, including Hyundai, Lotte, Shinsegae Department Store, E-Mart, the Ministry of National Defense Welfare Agency, and Incheon Airport Duty Free.Bebefood soy sauce was once imported into Thailand by a Thai tourist who visited Hong Kong and foundthe Bebefood soy sauce from a major department store by chance. This importation lasted for the pastfive years. Bebefood is available at local department stores, major online shopping malls and franchisestores specializing in baby food. Each country has different preferences; seaweed is popular in China,soy sauce in Taiwan and beverages in Malaysia. In response, Bebefood is constantly researching toimprove the quality of existing export products to meet local needs and tastes, develop new productsand diversify export countries. Most importantly, they strive to produce products with naturalingredients. While there are global players focusing on baby products such as Heinz and Gerber, in KoreaBebefood Korea is growing as a global company offering Korean-style baby and infant products.

I asked 32 friends from 23 countries if they likedKorean food for the purpose of this article. I was surprised by their unexpected and enthusiastic responses,which contained heartfelt essays that showed not only their love for Korean food, but also theiraffection for Korea. Opinions were gathered through social media. Gary Hall from the UK began his essayby saying, “Korean food is a gift from the gods.” Joel Levin from the United States, who worked in Koreafor over ten years, said, “Korean food is an adventure! It’s communal. It’s connected to family and tradition.It’s delicious, diverse, and gives energy to life.” Dennis Berdugo Z from Nicaragua replied, “Korean food isnot just about eating, it’s culture and experience.” Erica Linthorst, who lived in Korea from 1990 to 1996,said, “I like the process of people gathering together and carefully selecting even the smallest details inlocal food. Hasitz Marta from Hungary, who practiced Taekwondo for 30 years, said, through Taekwondo,I learned about the unique features of Korean food that reflect Korean culture.” Pradipta Kumar Roy fromIndia stated, “Food is culture. I have held several successful Korean food festivals in my country.” Yuliana from Russia called Korean Bungeoppang (Cake filled with read-bean paste having the shape of a carp) an incredibly interesting street food dessertand said that “one can distinguish human personality types based on how they eat it.” Amin Namjou fromIran said, “Korean makgeolli (unrefined rice wine) is similar to the traditional food from south Iran.” Royfrom India said, “Korean curry is very similar to the traditional food from West Bengal in India.” Dmitriy Kimfrom Uzbekistan said, “I like Korean food because my ancestors were Korean.” Everyone said they liked spicy Korean food. Kimchiwas the first thing that came to mind. Some also enjoyed Bibimbap (Korean mixed rice with meat andassorted vegetables) and japchae (stir-fried glass noodles and vegetables) galbitang (short rib soup),beef-bulgogi (Korean BBQ Beef) and grilled meat, samgyeopsal (grilled pork belly), jeyuk-bokkeum(stir-fried pork), and ssam (lettuce wrap). Various side dishes, cheonggukjang (rich soybean paste stew),sundubu jjigae (soft bean curd stew), doenjang-jjigae (soybean paste stew), fish stew, hwangtae-jjigae (driedpollack stew), and yukgaejang (spicy beef soup) were also popular. Seafood dishes, raw fish, samgyetang(chicken soup with ginseng), yangnyeom tongdak (spicy fried chicken), dak galbi (spicy stir-fried chicken),and Chuncheon dak galbi were also on the list. Sanchae (wild vegetable Bibimbap), rice, and kimchistew were also mentioned. Cold noodles, dubu (bean curd), mandu (dumplings),jeon (pan-fried rice cake), laver snack, bingsu (shaved ice dessert), tteok (rice cakes), tteokbokki(stir-fried rice cake), makgeolli (Korean unrefined rice wine), soju (Korean distilled spirit), dried anchovies,and hot chicken flavor noodles also came up a few times. Based on the responses from participants, ten reasonswhy people like Korean food were summarized as follows: 1. Korean food is healthy food made fromhealthy ingredients. 2. It is spicy and delicious 3. It has an excellent flavor 4. Korean food uses natural ingredientsand seasonal ingredients that reflect regional characteristics 5. Korean food is a unique combinationof harmonious ingredients and unique flavors 6. The process of preparing the food is delicate and attentive 7. It is a traditional cuisine 8. It is a diverse and adaptable cuisine with a variety of dishes 9. Korean food also includes fermented foods 10. Korean cuisine has many side dishes. Korean food is healthy, and made with a variety of fermented kimchi and sauces such as soybean paste and red chili paste, which keep you from gaining weight while making you feel full. Gary Hall from the UK, Dalibor Krpan from Croatia, Jocelyn Clark, Oojin Mudgett, Joel Levin, Perez Herbert, and Erica Linthorst from theUnited States, Romee Giri from Nepal, Tou Feng Ming and Chaoching Chen from Taiwan, PradiptaKumar Roy from India, Amin Namjou and Mahdavi Hafez from Iran, Dmitriy Kim and SarvarShamusarov from Uzbekistan, Mabo Martial Zouzouko from Ivory Coast, Mustapha Moutarazakfrom the Netherlands, Leslie Hutchison from Scotland, Yuliana from Russia, Szarka Tunde andHasitz Marta from Hungary, Slavi Binev from Bulgaria, Jean Feller from Finland, Mirsaid fromTajikistan, D.G Roger from France, Gladys Njoroge from Botswana, Luc Sougné from Belgium, SandraMagaly Pena from Colombia, Dennis Berdugo Z from Nicaragua, Søren Homgård Knudsen fromDenmark, and Amine Khalifa from Tunisia. Kim, Eil Chul Chief Reporter