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I was randomly Googling trivia facts about Japan, and one interesting one came up: "Up to the 1970s, there was no salmon sushi. Norwegians introduced salmon to the sushi makers in Japan in the 1980s." That's, interesting. After all, I rather suspect that when most people think of sushi or sashimi, salmon would be the first fish that comes to mind. Heck, even Apple's emoji suggestion for sushi on my Macbook Pro Touch Bar (🍣) features a salmon nigiri alongside a tuna one. Salmon has become quite synonymous with sushi/sashimi, and yet it wasn't always this way. I went to Google a little more, and the story behind it is rather fascinating (here's a quick and totally non-exhaustive summary). To be clear, it's not that salmon did not exist in Japan before the 80s. It just wasn't prepared raw. This is due to the parasites found in fished salmon, and the lack of widespread refrigeration to kill those parasites meant that salmon was only served cooked. Additionally, the presence of these parasites also meant that salmon had a reputation (in Japan) of being a 'cheap' fish. "Often used to fill out cheap meals, salmon was the poor man’s fish in Japan." (This article is a worthwhile read.) It's fascinating that it was Norway, of all places, who decided to change that. And explicitly so - the government created 'Project Japan', with the specific intent of exporting farmed salmon to Japan. Norway's burgeoning (and overflowing) fisheries meant that it needed to find a big export market, and Japan was identified as a suitable candidate. The 10-year-long marketing and promotion effort by the Norwegian government helped changed Japanese public perception about salmon, and has directly contributed to the popularity of salmon nowadays as a sushi/sashimi option. Which brings us to the topic of gastrodiplomacy. This particular case of salmon sashimi appears more economically driven, but we can certainly extrapolate outwards and look at other instances of how food is used a a tool for cultural export. Korean food is one that immediately springs to mind. I was at Amoy Street for lunch a week ago, and was reminded of just how many Korean restaurants seem to have popped up in recent times. Amoy Street/Telok Ayer Street and Tanjong Pagar Road are two places where it feels like Korean restaurants make up the majority of eateries, and this is probably true in other parts of Singapore as well. Did Singaporeans suddenly develop a heavy appetite for Korean cuisine? Or does it seem like this Korean cuisine explosion happened in parallel with a notable increase uptick in broader Korean cultural interest, such as music and TV shows? (The answer is yes.) It's no coincidence, and neither is this unique to Singapore. A 2022 New York Times story highlighted that Korean restaurants worldwide increased 262% (!!!) from 2009 to 2017, and it was a result of explicit efforts by the Korean government. In 2010, the Korean Food Promotion Institution was established with the purpose of improving the overall well-being of Korean people and the country's economic status through globalising Korean cuisine. And I think we can all agree that it has been rather successful, as part of the greater effort to export Korean culture (just look at how big K-Pop and K-dramas have become). Other countries also engage in this. For example, Thailand provided state-backed loans to local chefs to open restaurants outside the country. Gastrodiplomacy can be a powerful tool in building a nation's global reputation, and it's all part of the broader attempt to build soft power. Singapore almost certainly does it, too! One wonders how much of the attention on our hawker food (and the accompanying Michelin stars and guides and what not) is part of a broader effort to expand Singapore's visibility and cultural identity. Thinking about it now, I also wonder if there's a particular reason it feels like there is now a Mala stall in what seems like every single coffee shop nowadays. Soft power is not a remotely new concept (and is a much broader and deeper topic that I don't have the intellectual bandwidth to explore right now). But it is quantifiable, to a certain extent. The Anholt-Ipsos Nation Brands Index is a study that measures perceptions of nations around the world, and effectively measures and charts a country's popularity. There are plenty of different factors that go into it, but 'food' is one specific attribute that was added in 2023. (You can view the full report here.) In 2023, Singapore ranked 26, two places behind South Korea. Number one? Japan. One wonders how much they have to thank Norway for that. ~ Desmond Photos from Unplash

Come to think of it, I often hear people say conti car not suitable for SG climate. That's why got engine problem, breakdown,etc. And they will say better to get sushi/kimchi car instead.... But Japan has 4 seasons, and so does Korea.... just like those conti cars from Europe..... So there is no basis at all to this claim? Or must buy those Made-In-Thailand Toyotas then can tahan SG climate?

Don't play play, the fat successor means business SYDNEY - A senior US official has warned North Korea's upcoming missile launch would be aimed south for the first time and impact in an area "roughly between Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines". Kurt Campbell, the assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, delivered the message in person to Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr, the Sydney Morning Herald reported Saturday. "If the missile test proceeds as North Korea has indicated, our judgement is that it will impact in an area roughly between Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines," Campbell was quoted as saying. "We have never seen this trajectory before. We have weighed into each of these countries and asked them to make clear that such a test is provocative and this plan should be discontinued." The nuclear-armed North has announced it will launch a rocket in mid-April to put a satellite into orbit, a move the United States, Australia and other nations see as a pretext for a long-range missile test banned by the UN. On Friday, the North said preparations for the launch "have entered a full-fledged stage of action" and promised unspecified "counter-measures" against opponents of the operation. The move by North Korea's new leadership has set off alarm bells across the region with the Philippines already calling for help from the United States to monitor the rocket, part of which is expected to land off the archipelago. Japan is readying missile defence systems to shoot down any rocket that threatens the country. North Korea's main ally China has urged that "all parties should keep calm and exercise restraint". Carr said after meeting Campbell that the launch would be "in clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions." A UN Security Council resolution passed after the North's missile and nuclear tests in 2009 bans a ballistic missile launch for any purpose. "The North Korean nuclear and long-range missile plans represent a real and credible threat to the security of the region and to Australia," Carr told the Herald. Carr added that he and Campbell had "shared views on how both the US and Australia could engage our regional partners and allies to encourage North Korea to abandon its plans". World leaders including US President Barack Obama are meeting in Seoul next week for a summit officially focused on nuclear terrorism. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon plans to raise the rocket launch at the meeting on Monday and Tuesday. See the map below and note our own location in relation to the suspected impact site. We are within range!

Hi all, Anyone here is a fan for Korean food especially Kimchi? Are you someone who eats Kimchi everyday and even know how to prepare the Kimchi at home? Please share your tips and experience on Korean food. Thank you very much. Regards,

Korean Won sinking...Which 1.4 - 2.0 KimChi is Value Buy?