Abstract
This study was conducted to evaluate changes in food consumption during the 1950's on the basis of articles that reflected national policy and changes in society during that time period. Many factors are involved in the development and changes in food consumption culture, and these factors can affect each other. As a result, the process involved in the development of food consumption culture acts as a living system. This study evaluated the food consumption culture during the 1950's because this period was subjected to obvious influences that may explain the modern food consumption market logic and commercialism. Changes in the national food consumption are dependent on natural changes such as income enlargement or cultural exchange with a foreign country. Accordingly, food consumption during the 1950's was influenced by changes in economical, social, and political needs. In addition, the influx of surplus agricultural products from the United States had an adverse effect on local agriculture and resulted in an increased external dependence on food during the 1950s. Moreover, the import of raw materials and simple manufacturing techniques led to the development of an industrial food processing industry that enabled accelerated mass production of food at a low-price. Furthermore, the importation of surplus agricultural products from the United States that were used as the raw materials for foods that had traditionally been produced domestically led to an increased burden and qualitative decline in the local food-service industry. Taken together, the results of this study indicate that during the 1950's fresh food began to be replaced with processed foods in Korea.
