Dịch bài viết sau sang tiếng Hàn: On September 18, 2024, the Korean newspaper Hankook Ilbo reported, "The technique for making hot stone pot bibimbap, one of Korea’s representative traditional dishes, was confirmed as a provincial intangible cultural heritage of China three years ago."

According to the article, the Jilin provincial government in China announced a list of 65 provincial intangible cultural heritage items in December 2021, which included the technique for making hot stone pot bibimbap.

A Korean official from the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Office stated, "We were aware of some Korean cultural heritage items being included in China's national intangible cultural heritage list, but we had no knowledge of the recognition of hot stone pot bibimbap, as it is a provincial-level designation." He also clarified, "Hot stone pot bibimbap has not been recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage in Korea, and there are no plans to do so." Meanwhile, Jeonju bibimbap was recognized as an intangible cultural heritage of Jeollabuk-do Province in 2008.

In the Dictionary of Korean Culinary Culture compiled by the Korean Cultural Institute, hot stone pot bibimbap and Jeonju bibimbap are distinctly differentiated.

Hot stone pot bibimbap is made by placing rice in a stone pot, adding various vegetables and small pieces of stir-fried beef, along with red chili paste, and serving it hot. The stone pot is described as a type of cookware used by nobility during the Baekje period.

In contrast, Jeonju bibimbap is a dish made by the people of Jeonju, Jeollabuk-do Province, also called green bean bibimbap. One theory suggests that it originated from the Donghak Peasant Rebellion in the late 19th century.

A chain of hot stone pot bibimbap restaurants in China has used the designation as a means of promotion. A Korean employee in Wuhan, Hubei Province, discovered an advertisement in a store in the city that stated the hot stone pot bibimbap technique from the Chaoxian people (ethnic Koreans in China) had been recognized as an intangible cultural heritage of Jilin Province. He was shocked and commented that if hot stone pot bibimbap belonged to the Chaoxian people and was considered an intangible cultural heritage of Jilin, then Korean rice dishes made by Korean-Americans could also be considered regional cultural heritage in the U.S.

Moreover, the photo used in the advertisement featured a fried egg on top of the dish, a characteristic of typical Korean hot stone pot bibimbap, which originated in the South and spread nationwide.

Mr. Koo Do-young, a researcher at the Northeast Asia History Foundation, pointed out that from a historical perspective, the Chaoxian people did not have such a culinary culture and argued that they are selling a 21st-century Korean culture, which raises serious issues.

This article revolves around the heated dispute between Korea, China, and Japan regarding the origins of dolsot bibimbap (bibimbap in a hot stone pot). The controversy arose when, in 2021, China's Jilin Province officially recognized the hot stone pot bibimbap as a provincial intangible cultural heritage. This shocked the Korean community, as this dish is regarded as a significant part of Korea's traditional culinary culture.

Specifically, according to the article, Korean hot stone pot bibimbap is acknowledged as a prominent traditional dish, especially when using the stone pot that dates back to the Baekje period, an ancient Korean kingdom. Hot stone pot bibimbap is a hallmark of Korean cuisine, famous for combining rice, various vegetables, stir-fried beef, egg, and spicy chili paste. Although the dish has long been popular in Korea, it has never been registered as a national cultural heritage. According to Korean officials, the dish has not been included in the national heritage list, and there are no plans to register it.

China's registration of hot stone pot bibimbap as a provincial cultural heritage has angered and disappointed many Koreans. They claim that China is attempting to appropriate a significant part of their culture. Many Korean netizens have expressed their dissatisfaction, criticizing China's actions, claiming that such cultural theft reflects a lack of confidence in China's own culture. They also accused the Chinese of not understanding how bibimbap is eaten while attempting to claim it as their own heritage.

Japan has also entered the debate with controversial reactions. Some Japanese claim that hot stone pot bibimbap is neither China’s nor Korea’s cultural heritage, but actually originated in Japan. They argue that the dish was developed by the Korean community in Japan (Zainichi Koreans), especially in Osaka around the 1950s. Some comments suggest that hot stone pot bibimbap was a Japanese creation, where ethnic Koreans in Japan came up with the idea of using the stone pot to retain the heat of the dish, making bibimbap unique.

Many Japanese on social media have agreed with this view, claiming that the stone pot—an essential part of hot stone pot bibimbap—was Japan's invention. Some comments even asserted that Japanese were pioneers in using stone pots for bibimbap, and that it is not purely a Korean dish. Some Japanese have compared hot stone pot bibimbap to other Japanese dishes like ramen or grilled dishes on iron plates (yakisoba), claiming it is not a long-standing Korean traditional dish.

In response to these claims, some Korean netizens argued that despite changes in the cooking method, hot stone pot bibimbap remains a part of Korean culinary culture. They emphasized that bibimbap, in all its forms, is an inseparable part of Korean cuisine, regardless of variations or developments abroad. To them, China’s attempt to claim the dish as part of their cultural heritage is unacceptable.

Cultural tension between China, Japan, and Korea regarding the origins of cultural items is not uncommon. Similar issues have arisen in the past, from disputes over cultural heritage items like kimchi and hanbok to other dishes and customs. Countries attempting to "appropriate" elements of each other’s cultures have become a part of ongoing conflicts, especially between Korea and China.

In the ongoing story of hot stone pot bibimbap, each party has their own reasoning. China claims that the dish was developed by the ethnic Korean community in Jilin Province, Japan asserts that it was invented by Korean migrants in Japan, while Korea maintains that bibimbap, in all forms, is part of its cultural heritage.

Hot stone pot bibimbap is a special dish not only because of its unique flavor but also due to its preparation and presentation. Traditional Korean bibimbap typically consists of rice, vegetables like cucumbers, bean sprouts, carrots, and spinach, combined with stir-fried beef and fried eggs. Everything is mixed with spicy gochujang (red chili paste), creating a harmonious blend of spicy, salty, and sweet flavors. However, the hot stone pot version is elevated by using the stone pot, which retains heat longer, creating a crispy layer of rice at the bottom of the pot. This crispy layer is the most distinctive feature separating regular bibimbap from hot stone pot bibimbap.

Although bibimbap has been a long-standing dish in Korean cuisine, the hot stone pot version is a more recent variation and has gained popularity through its presence in Korean restaurants worldwide. The combination of traditional ingredients with the hot stone pot presentation has made the dish more appealing and unique. While the exact origins of hot stone pot bibimbap may still be debated, it is undeniably a standout dish in Korean cuisine and has become a culinary symbol of the nation globally.

This controversy over the origins of hot stone pot bibimbap highlights the broader issue of cultural appropriation and disputes over cultural heritage. In an increasingly globalized world, nations strive to protect and assert their cultural identity, sometimes leading to tensions and disputes, as seen in the case of hot stone pot bibimbap.