▲ Aragaya Cooperative / President Baek Yu-ki

(PowerKorea) Haman County was one of the 6 kingdoms of Gaya. It was called Aragaya. People in Aragaya were makers of earthenware and ironware with the unique blaze pattern and goblin pattern on the surface. Passing down its unique culture, Aragaya Cooperative recently is attracting attention with their ‘bulbbang (blaze bread)’ engraved with these ancient blaze and goblin patterns.  

“Aragaya Cooperative is a social enterprise that has a goal to pass down its unique patterns that have 1,500 years of history. Many relics were excavated around the Sungsan Mountain Fortress with these unique patterns intact and our bulbbang is delivering them with taste of the local bread” says Baek Yu-ki, the president of Aragaya Cooperative.

Bulbbang is made 100% of locally grown wheat flour, eggs, dried persimmon and watermelon with added ingredients such as autumn squash, green tea and chocolate powder. No preservatives or artificial colors are added. The patterns are a combination of dragon and goblin symbolizing eternal life and good luck according to Baek.

Lee Geun-pyo, the operation head of Aragaya Cooperative, has served as the secretary general of the Haman Watermelon Festival and Haman Persimmon Festival Operation Committees for 10 years. He played a great role for three years of research and development to set sail the cooperative. 

“The show kitchen of the store lets visitors to see how the bulbbang is made with strict health and hygiene guidelines. The breads are made 100% local ingredients and by hands and you can still eat after 10 days of the bread being left in high temperature” says Lee.

November last year, the cooperative released a ripen persimmon juice alongside Haman bulbbang. Persimmon is known to be good for diarrhea, high blood pressure, hangover and bronchial trouble thanks to the tannin in the fruit. 

“It was really difficult to remove the acerbity of tannin. I have met many specialists in the field and traveled far and wide which took 3 years to finally know how to do it with help of two food doctors. Arahongsi is the very result of this hard work” says Lee.

Arahongsi was sold 200 million won ($178,491) within 3 months of its release on the market and received a ministerial prize from the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. 

“We are now working on introducing automated manufacturing system to meet the market demand for Haman bulbbang and Arahongsi. We hope these two local foods can promote the splendid history of Haman to more people.”

PowerKorea is an official partner of Herald Corporation. The magazine is distributed to the KOTRA business centers in the world. PowerKorea publishes latest news of government, Samsung, Hyundai and LG and endeavors to serve a platform to engage with people around the world.