CreatripTeam

Food columnist Park Sang-hyun compares selecting rice to choosing specialty coffee: prefer single-variety (단일 품종) over mixed blends, check grade (특·상·보통) which depends on the proportion of whole grains (완전립), and note the milling date (도정일) because rice loses freshness after polishing. During harvest season both last year’s and newly harvested rice appear in markets, so confirm the production year or look for 'new crop' (햅쌀). For best taste, pick single-variety labeled rice, aim for top grades (or ‘완전미’ if listed), and buy rice milled within 2–4 weeks (recommended shelf-life: 2 weeks in spring/summer, 4 weeks in fall/winter). The Rural Development Administration also names top-quality new varieties each year—Korean premium varieties rival Japan’s 'Koshihikari'—so try those for superior flavor.