A distinct centre for Korean food and entertainment is good news for business events, particularly inbound corporate incentive groups.
I have first-hand experience of the importance of their special foods to the Korean people, having visited the country many times both privately and on journalistic assignment. But it came into close focus a few years back when I covered the incentive trip of a Korean life insurance company for micenet.
The group went down the Mornington Peninsula to swim with the seals and dolphins off Sorrento and the chef at the lunch venue had gone to some trouble to give the attendees a special main course of kangaroo, cooked but still pink.
After quizzical looks from the Korean guests and the waiter hopping like a kangaroo, all the Koreans reached into their pockets or handbags, pulled out plastic sachets and drowned the meat in a thick coating of the hot and spicy Kimchi, a Korean staple protein of fermented vegetables with chilli.
Melbourne has had Korean food available for years, but the new Koreatown off Lonsdale Street near Spencer Street will be a symbol to potential business events planners that Melbourne understands their culinary preferences.
From Korean BBQ, Bibimbap (mixed rice with vegetables), Bulgogi (marinated beef) and Ramyun (instant noodles) to Seoul’s famous Sukbong street toast, Healeys Lane has it, along with Soju, the grain-based spirit reminiscent of rocket fuel. Melbourne ‘s CBD even offers a Korean version of karaoke with private booths.
South Korea is the sixth largest source of visitors to Australia with arrivals to June 2024 outnumbering South Korean arrivals pre-COVID.
