Strawberries have taken over retail and dining. Convenience stores, coffee chains, and bakeries are rolling out new products using strawberries, and it has long been the top-selling fruit at big-box retailers from January to March every year.
Many people think strawberries are in season from March to April, but gourmets say "winter strawberries are the real thing." That is because strawberries that ripen slowly at low temperatures in winter are sweeter and have firmer flesh with superior texture.
Strawberries are also ideal for wintertime health management. During a period when indoor heating makes it easy to lose bodily fluids, water-rich strawberries help replenish hydration. They are also rich in vitamin C, which boosts immunity.
The benefits of strawberries are recorded in old texts. Heo Jun wrote in Donguibogam that strawberries boost energy, lighten the body, and relieve fatigue. Bencao Gangmu notes that strawberries replenish qi and blood and bodily fluids, and help ease fatigue.
Nutritionally, strawberries are rich in antioxidants. Anthocyanins and polyphenols, which give strawberries their red color, suppress reactive oxygen species in the body, help vascular health, and have anti-inflammatory effects. They are also high in dietary fiber, which promotes bowel movements and aids digestion and bowel activity.
Strawberries that deliver both taste and nutrition have been knocking on the door of the global market. Domestic varieties such as "Seolhyang" and "Maehyang," as well as "Geumsil," which combines the strengths of Seolhyang and Maehyang, and the large-fruited "Kingsberry," have targeted the palates of wealthy consumers overseas.
The stature of Korean strawberries is now crossing borders. Starting with the domestic varieties "Seolhyang" and "Maehyang," the high-sugar "Geumsil" and the overwhelmingly large "Kingsberry" have recently captured the tastes of affluent consumers abroad. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, last year strawberry exports reached $72 million, up 4% from a year earlier. The South China Morning Post (SCMP) said, "Korean strawberries are the most popular fruit in winter and spring," spotlighting the craze for K-strawberries.
The center of Korea's strawberries is Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province. Accounting for about 20% of national output, Nonsan has established itself as a "strawberry mecca" through continuous varietal improvement since their introduction in 1967. In particular, the spread of the domestic variety "Seolhyang," developed in 2005, resolved royalty payments previously made for foreign varieties and secured market leadership. Recently, it developed the new variety "Joyberry," which moves up the shipping schedule by about 15 days, achieving even export contracts overseas.
Nonsan now plans to elevate strawberries from a simple agricultural product to a national industry. At the core is the Nonsan World Strawberry Industry Expo, which is being prepared with a goal of opening in 2027. Korea has had many strawberry-related festivals, but Nonsan will host the first international event to carry the name "expo."
The organizing committee, launched in July last year, is operating with two divisions and four teams. It is planning an "industry-focused expo" that goes beyond simple exhibitions or tastings to encompass smart-farm technology, processing and distribution, and the bioindustry.
An official with the Strawberry Expo organizing committee said, "We are preparing meticulously so that Nonsan strawberries can leap from Korea to a global agri-food brand," adding, "Through this expo, we will imprint Nonsan as a global city symbolizing smart agriculture and a sustainable future."