SBS Documentary 'The Rice' Part 2 to Air on the 17th at 8 AM... Revealing Rice Subscriptions and Secrets to Delicious Rice

“Rice, crafting your taste”

The ‘secrets of gastronomy’ that complete a delicious bowl of rice

Highlighting the diverse transformations and infinite possibilities of rice

Part 2 of the SBS special documentary will meet viewers on the 17th at 8 AM.

Under the theme ‘Rice, crafting your taste,’ Part 2 highlights the diverse transformations and possibilities of rice, from new food cultures of selecting rice to technologies that complete the taste of rice, its expansion into health and cooking, and responses to climate change. Following Part 1, broadcaster Choi Hwa-jung will once again provide narration for Part 2, delivering the diverse world of flavors contained in the rice eaten every day and the changes brought by rice with her warm and delicate voice.

Choosing rice based on taste, just like coffee

While people have previously purchased rice based on price and familiarity, an increasing number of people are now finding their own rice preferences. As single-person and two-person households increase and the frequency of cooking rice at home decreases, subscription services that deliver 500g of rice regularly have emerged. Rice specialty shops, where rice sommeliers recommend varieties that suit one's palate, blend rice according to consumer preferences, and even perform immediate milling for freshness, are also drawing attention. In Japan, where a culture of enjoying rice according to personal taste has taken root, specialty stores can be found that sell small quantities of varieties from all over the country and recommend rice tailored to consumers' dietary lifestyles. The program vividly captures the ‘era of taste,’ where even the rice eaten every day differs in taste, aroma, and texture depending on the variety.

The secrets of gastronomy that complete a delicious bowl of rice

The efforts of experts to complete the best taste of rice do not end with selecting the rice. The program tracks the efforts of Japanese masters searching for the best rice and the finest taste. At a rice specialty restaurant in Kyoto, Japan, which has been passed down through eight generations, rice carefully selected from across the country is combined to harmonize seven characteristics of rice, including sweetness, stickiness, gloss, and aroma. At a sushi restaurant in Ginza, Tokyo, they complete a rice taste optimized for sushi using special milling technology that enhances the flavor of the rice. At a restaurant operated by a famous rice cooker manufacturer, they provide unlimited refills of rice tailored to preferences using rice-cooking techniques that adjust heat and pressure differently. The program delves into the secrets that have elevated a single bowl of rice to the art of gastronomy.

Protecting health and responding to climate change... the infinite possibilities of rice

Through variety development, rice is opening new possibilities in health, cooking, and even responding to climate change. The National Institute of Crop Science is continuously researching new varieties that consider diverse consumer palates and climate adaptability. From people managing their health through 'Dodam Rice,' a functional rice that helps blood sugar management, to farmers challenging the domestic cultivation of long-grain (indica) rice, which is perfect for fried rice and curry. The program highlights the new possibilities of rice that go beyond the dining table.

Meanwhile, SBS special documentary ‘The Rice’ Part 2 will be broadcast on the 17th (Sat) at 8 AM.

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