KB News Desk
Korean fermented food products-maker ramps up paternship with H Mart
Sempio is expanding its live online Korean cooking program for consumers in the United States in partnership with Asian supermarket chain H Mart, extending participation to the West Coast after a successful pilot on the East Coast earlier this year.
The Korean fermented food company said Friday that its “Cook Korean Live” classes will become a regular bimonthly program beginning in August with sessions held on the first Sunday of every even-numbered month.
According to the 2026 Global Hallyu Survey released by the Korea Foundation for International Cultural Exchange, food was the most widely experienced aspect of Korean culture among overseas respondents, cited by 78 percent.
Sempio said that while Korean food content has become increasingly accessible online, opportunities for overseas consumers to learn authentic Korean cooking has remained limited. The online classes are designed to bridge that gap by teaching participants not only recipes but also practical tips such as where to purchase Korean ingredients abroad and how to store and reuse leftovers.
According to Sempio, the session on August 2 will focus on bibimbap, one of Korea’s signature dishes, and will be held at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time. The menu was selected in response to requests from participants in the pilot class held in May, when attendees learned to make rolled omelet gimbap and asked for more representative Korean dishes.
Future sessions will feature tteokbokki in October and bulgogi in December, with Sempio planning to expand the program as interest in Korean cuisine continues to grow.
The classes will be led by Moon Jun-seo, a researcher at Sempio’s Woorimat Research Center and a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, alongside Stella, a member of the company’s global marketing team originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Participants can register through H Mart stores, the retailer’s website or Sempio’s global website. Ingredient lists and recipes will be provided in advance to make the classes accessible for beginners.
Following the positive response to the pilot program, Sempio said it decided to expand participation nationwide and establish the classes as a recurring series.
Drawing on its experience operating the Yeondu Culinary Studio in New York, the company said it plans to continue developing educational content and interactive programs to help overseas consumers prepare Korean dishes more easily and healthily at home.
