Approaches to Communicating the Cultural Meanings of Food through Korean Television Series.

Abstract

This study aims to identify and present strategies for communicating food culture through Korean television series by examining the relationship between “food” and the construction of “social class images.” A qualitative textual analysis was conducted using conceptual frameworks of Korean food culture, the Korean Wave (Hallyu), social class theory, semiotics, and representation/myth. The sample comprised ten Korean series released on streaming platforms between 2020 and 2023 (B.E. 2563–2566), selected through purposive sampling from highly popular titles featuring main characters positioned within the working class or middle class, and containing food-related scenes explicitly connected to social contexts.

The findings synthesize six recurring strategies of food-cultural communication 1) using food as a class symbol and indicator of social status. 2) Positioning food spaces (e.g., restaurants, kitchens, dining tables) as narrative hubs and markers of community identity. 3) Employing food as a relational language and form of social capital. 4) Embedding food in everyday routines to enhance realism and facilitate cultural internalization. 5) Mobilizing food as an affective driver for comfort, healing, and emotional safe spaces and 6) Linking food to broader social structures such as capital, education, gender, and organizational life. Overall, the study demonstrates that food in Korean series functions not merely as background scenery but as a symbolic communication device that reflects social realities and generates cultural value. These insights can be adapted as a conceptual model for developing Thai series narratives that communicate Thai food culture and strengthen Thailand’s soft power in the future.