고추와 매운맛 : 동북아시아 매운맛의 유행에 대한 연구

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This paper purposes to analyze a growing trend towards ‘spiciness’ in Seoul·Tokyo·Beijing after mid 1990’s in a comparative folkloristic way. Red pepper should be the first to be considered in terms of spiciness, however, in other aspect, mara of Sichuan and hot sauce of Mexico, which is one of chili sauce like Mexican salsa, are major sources for spicy flavor. Spiciness of Korean red pepper has ‘sweet and spicy’ taste while that of mara and chili sauce is referred to as hot as ‘fire in mouth’. ‘Buldak(hot chicken)’, which was one of the most popular food in Seoul around year
2000, has spiciness of hot sauce.
Vogue for spiciness in Northeast Asia has gone through at least two major periodical stages. The first stage was 16th century when red pepper was brought in and became regional preferences. Spiciness of Korean Kimchi and hot pepper paste and that of Sichuan(四川)’s mara was known at this stage. In fact, before the introduction of red pepper, there were already preferences for spiciness in Korea peninsula and some parts of China through cilantro, pepper, and garlic. After the introduction of red pepper, it was added to the spicy recipes in particular regions of China, however, red pepper took the representative position for spiciness over the existing spicy ingredients in Korea. This was driven from the desire of the 18th Chosun(朝鮮) society for homogenization by centralization. On the contrary, upper and middle Chang river(長江) area of China was clearly a constituent region thus rendering red pepper one ingredient among many other spicy sauces.
Compared with the two countries, Japan’s regional division was clear under ecological condition and the society was also under the similar political circumstances, which can be compared to a small basin. Therefore the nation’s condition caused a failure of nationwide vogue for red pepper even after its introduction. In spite of the Japanese avoidance of red pepper, it was counted as one of the seven ingredients which is referred to ‘shiqimitogarashi(七味唐辛子)’. Moreover wasabi is needed in sushi. Spices such as wasabi and shiqimitogarashi became flourishing ingredients among cities’ restaurants in Edo(江戶) period.
Nevertheless, in late 20th century, multinational entrepreneurs spreaded mexican hot sauce, bringing spiciness which has similar taste with Mexican chili into fashion in Japan and adding hot sauce style flavor into existing spiciness in Korea. This trend is somehow related with travel boom began in 1980s to Southeast Asia and China and growing interests in ethnic food in Japan. Indian curry and Sichuan food from China were already Japanized in 1960s. Thai and Korean food were introduced as ethnic food after 1980s. These were the most famous exotic food that led the fever for spiciness.
Amid vogue for spiciness There were restaurants that take the most important roles in the food service industry. The wave for spiciness, a marketing strategy by the industry, stimulated Japan’s young generation’s desire for new food. Main cause for the recent fashion in spiciness in Northeast Asia is new experiential world accomplished by traveling overseas and sharing mass media after 1980s in every Northeast Asian countries. However, the fashion gave different conditions to each countries to maintain the tendency.
In Japan, marketing point is effect of capsaicin in Kimchi on diet. In Korea, existing spiciness was affected and changed by nursery industry and food companies but the industry didn’t stress connection between hot taste of red pepper and weight loss to be the major marketing strategy. In China, mixture of Sichuan food-still has its regional uniqueness-and Beijing food is invented as a fusion cuisine emphasizing its spicy flavor. But nationwide vogue for spiciness in China was a result of dramatical prosperity of food industry after the reform and opening of China because the industry put emphasis on special spicy food of particular regions. Accordingly nutr