
This is a whole foods dish offering a balance of proteins, vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and fat. Bibimbap is a wellness food that contains the wisdom and philosophy of ancient Korea, now loved throughout the world.


The Jeonju-produced Kongnamul is known as the best in Korea because the Jeonju soil is ideal for growing Kongnamul. The breed of beans for Jeonju Kongnamul is called the ‘mice eyes’ bean, and its soft texture is an ideal food for relieving hangovers.Historic records cite that Koreans long ago ate Kongnamul to relieve famines in the Goryo and Chosun dynasties. Detailed recipes for Kongnamul are seen in 1910, and tradition records that it first originated in Jeonju. The traditional Jeonju Kongnamul gukbap is made by boiling rice and kongnamul in a Tukbaeki (unglazed earthen pot) with lots of seasonings. Instead of boiling, though, the hot soup can be added instead to the bowl of rice, which is Nambusijang-style gukbap.These two different types of gukbap are popular with drinkers of alcohol in Jeonju. These gukbaps are low in cost, relieve hangovers and take the edge of hunger for families, working class people and friends.

Travelling in Jeonju will soon fill any empty spots in your tummy, and many restaurants specializing in Baekban are found in the area of the former Jeonbuk Provincial office, where the Jeolla area governor’s office was located in the Chosun Dynasty. Jeonju Baekban was popular with local residents. Professor Song Hwa-seop of Jeonju University states that ‘Kongnamul gukbap is popular outside the four gates of Jeoju Eupseong (fortresses), and Baekban was popular among residents who lived within the fortresses itself’.Baekban restaurants are mostly found where there are large firms or offices nearby, such as the former Jeobuk Provincial office site, the Jeonju City Hall area and the Jeonju Deokjin park area. Jeonju Baekban is also called ‘Homemade Jeonju Baekban’.

-Cited from the “Tenth Planet”, Korean Travel Authors Association, 2006.