K-Food Fair 2016 @ One Utama Shopping Centre: Kore-introduction of Korean Foods

Kimchi! Bibimbap! Annyeo-

“Your designated monthly Korean quota has expired as of 10:49am.
To continue further usage of Korean phrases for any purposes,
 either professional or random, please top-up at the following kiosks: …”

Well, okay. I’m not quite surfing on the Hallyu wave, despite the constant growth it has been having in the Malaysian market. Still, I wouldn’t say that I was disinterested – I was definitely up for the challenge, seeing as it wasn’t purely a promotional stunt for a K-pop group or a specific brand of gochujang (Korean red chilli paste – yes, I topped up).

Being significantly Muslim-populated, the Malaysian market has a high demand for halal food and beverage (F&B) products. Korean companies interested in penetrating the Malaysian market have also identified the importance of securing Malaysian halal certification.  Hence, we were approached to spread the news about a Consumer Experience Event on 27 August 2016, whereby aspiring Korean F&B brands congregated to display their new array of Korean offerings suitable for Malaysia.

Event attendees across floors, basking in the K-Food Fair, with screened sunlight serving as the perfect backdrop.

First-team responders, Fithri and Benjamin surveying the crime scene, with the intern relegated to role of personal photographer

The Oval at One Utama Shopping Centre served as the altar, where Korean-product devotees converged to pay homage to the new F&B products available, not to forget the myriad Korean performances available throughout the day. Orchanites Fithri and Benjamin (yours truly) were dispatched for frontline duty, attending to members of the media.

Korean performers Y-KICK kick-started event proceedings with an exhilarating display of Taekwondo, as One Utama patrons gathered round every floor to catch of glimpse of the performance.

A display of K-Foot Flair at the K-Food Fair.

Invited VIPs and guests getting ready to dish out their culinary skills.

The K-Food Fair 2016 was then officiated with a Giant Bibimbap Ceremony, where invited VIPs mixed a gigantic preparation of the Korean traditional rice dish, which was further embellished with a generous addition of condiments to intensify the flavor, and later served to the hungry attendees. A K-Food Kitchen Zone served to further satiate Korean cravings, with an assortment of Korean dishes being constantly churned out, expertly crafted by Korean chefs.

Eager attendees patiently awaiting their turn to quench their appetite.

What ensued was a flurry of events and performances, with notables including a Spicy Ramen Speed-Eating Competition, a performance by The Dance Company KL, and different Traditional Korean Games. The highlight of the event was left late, as K-pop group APRIL surprised fans with their appearance, after earlier news that they would be unable to make it for the K-Food Fair. Audiences were wow-ed by their performance, and the event concluded with an autograph session by APRIL.

The Traditional Korean Game, Jegichagi; Break a leg, guys!

K-pop group APRIL stealing the limelight with their performance.

Hordes of fans queuing up for the opportunity to meet with their idols.

Having attended to members of the media and our personal cravings (yes, we had our K-Food-Fair share of Korean foods), Orchanites called it a day, looking forward to the next opportunity to work with Korean-related F&B products. As the Korean saying goes, “A-

“Your designated monthly Korean quota has expired as of 12:35pm.
To continue further usage of Korean phrases for any purposes,
 either professional or random, please top-up at the following kiosks: …”

Benjamin is a student of International Relations at the University of Nottingham, currently exploring unchartered realms of the Public Relations field for a voluntary internship. Writing is clearly his interest – a decisive contributor to his foray into the public relations industry. To date, he boasts the proud record of having tamed one of the office cats, and drinking expired tea from the pantry.