Since ancient times, Korean people have cultivated soybeans and widely incorporated them into their diet, creating various dishes, one of which is tofu. The process of soaking soybeans in water, grinding them, straining the soybean liquid, boiling it, and adding a coagulant to create tofu is known as tofu making.
Historical records from the Koryeo period (918–1392), such as Mokunjip, include poems about tofu and mention that monasteries sold tofu along with noodles to local residents.
This indicates that tofu held an important place in people’s diets at the time and was widely enjoyed as a popular food.
The tofu-making techniques and traditions of the Koryeo period were carried forward during the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910), leading to the production of various types of tofu that became known even in neighboring countries.
Typically, a coagulant (seoseul) was used when making tofu, but in coastal areas, seawater was also utilized. Methods for making tofu are documented in historical records from the Joseon Dynasty, such as Rimwon Sipryukji.
There were over ten varieties of tofu, including soft tofu (sundubu), firm tofu (makdubu), silky tofu (yeondubu), pressed tofu (modubu), and frozen tofu (ondubu). Dishes made from tofu included soft tofu soup (sundubu-guk), marinated tofu (dubujang), pork and tofu soup (dwaejigogi-dubu-tang), tofu hotpot (dubu-jeongol), steamed tofu (dubu-jjim), grilled tofu (dubu-gui), spicy tofu stew (gochujang-dubu-jjigae), and tofu meatballs (dubu-wanja), among many others.
The tofu-making tradition, a culinary heritage created and developed by Korean ancestors long ago, continues to thrive today. In 2018, tofu making was officially designated as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.