On Sept. 24, 1892, a grand banquet was held at the Geunjeongjeon Hall in Gyeongbokgung Palace to mark two milestones for King Gojong of Korea: the 30th anniversary of his reign and his 41st birthday. The royal feast, spanning three days, featured an impressive array of culinary offerings, including ten distinct types of lavish food displays reserved for the king.
These included the daetak (a large ceremonial table set for the king), chanan (decorative displays for royal family members), byulhaenggwa (paired foods served with tea or alcohol), and misu (side dishes accompanying alcohol). Among these, the misu was served a staggering nine times.
Each time a drink was presented to the king, a new table of seven side dishes accompanied it. In total, crown princes and ministers offered nine rounds of toasts, presenting King Gojong with nine separate tables laden with side dishes—a total of 63 unique delicacies. The first table featured dishes like pan-fried beef tripe, braised abalone, and sinseollo (a traditional hot pot). The second included braised conch, pan-fried octopus, sea cucumber pancakes, and meatball soup. The third offered pomegranate, oyster pancakes, steamed fish, raw abalone, and ox tail soup, with each plate heaped high.
The National Palace Museum of Korea has recreated these nine opulent tables as part of a special exhibition, “Joseon’s Royal Cuisine: A Table for Food, Reverence and Sharing,” which opened Nov. 20. The official of the museum noted, “Serving nine rounds of alcohol with seven misu dishes at each is an exceptionally rare occurrence in royal banquets. After the celebration, the king shared the leftover food with those who had assisted with the event, spreading joy.”
The exhibition highlights the culinary traditions of the Joseon royal court, showcasing over 200 artifacts, including historical records, illustrations, and kitchen tools used in royal palace kitchens. King Gojong’s daily routine included five meals, with formal morning and evening meals served at 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., respectively, along with lighter snacks at other times of the day.
Food also held political significance in the Joseon court. Monarchs often gifted rare ingredients to trusted officials as tokens of favor and rewarded soldiers with generous servings of alcohol and meat, known as “hogwe”. The exhibition features a letter King Jeongjo sent to Chae Je-gong, gifting him a large skate fish.
The exhibition runs through Feb. 2 and is free to the public.
