The district office canteen and senior centers join a campaign to encourage daily whole-grain consumption — paired with a first-of-its-kind national 'grain sommelier' pairing guide for dishes including samgyeopsal
Gwangjin-gu has designated every Thursday as "Gwangjin Gokgok Grain Day" starting this month, launching a campaign to spread a culture of whole-grain consumption that connects home cooking and dining out.
The "Gwangjin Gokgok" initiative is a district-specific program tied to the Seoul Metropolitan Government's "Tongkwaehan Hankki" healthy-meal dining policy. It was designed to support balanced eating habits among residents by encouraging restaurants to serve meals made with a variety of whole grains.
As part of the effort, the district has produced and distributed a whole-grain usage guide for households and restaurants. The guide was developed with input from what the district says is the country's first designated "grain sommelier," who recommends optimal grain blends for specific dishes — suggesting, for example, a mix of 75 percent white rice, 15 percent barley and 10 percent brown rice to accompany samgyeopsal. The guide is freely available on the Gwangjin-gu district office website.
Promotional activities are also planned to encourage participation from residents and district employees. On Thursday, the district office canteen will serve mixed-grain rice and hold an on-site promotional event, with staff taking the lead in the "one grain meal starting at the district office" initiative to raise awareness of the program.
The district will also partner with its children's and social welfare meal-support management centers to conduct joint outreach visits to senior centers. The visits will feature hands-on activities such as grain-identification games, alongside distribution of the guide, to actively encourage healthier eating habits among elderly residents.
Restaurants certified as participants in the Gwangjin Gokgok program have received integrated signage bearing both the Seoul Metropolitan Government's "Tongkwaehan Hankki" and "Gwangjin Gokgok" branding, along with promotional grain samples. The locations and details of certified restaurants can be found through the Smart Seoul Map platform.
"Through Grain Day, we will build a healthy food culture that connects home and dining out, and create an environment where residents can naturally incorporate whole grains into their daily lives," Gwangjin-gu District Mayor Kim Kyung-ho said. "We will continue to push forward a variety of initiatives to spread a healthier dining-out culture."
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