An official luncheon was held at the Blue House on January 19, 2026, to commemorate Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s first state visit to Korea. The menu featured traditional Korean ingredients harmoniously blended with Italian cooking methods and flavors familiar to the Italian delegation. Carefully tailored to the preferences of Prime Minister Meloni and her team, the luncheon symbolized the deepening cultural exchange and friendship between the two nations. The event showcased a unique blend of tradition and modernity from both countries.
The appetizers included handmade jeonbyeong (Korean pancakes) using gimtae chips, glutinous rice chips, and red yeast rice chips, arranged to represent the colors of the Italian flag. The main dishes featured braised short ribs with Wando abalone and warm vegetables, seasoned with soy sauce and enhanced by Italian red wine, wishing for the continued prosperity of Korea-Italy relations. A special rice cake and dumpling soup, crafted in the shape of Italian ravioli, celebrated both Meloni’s first visit and the New Year. The Italian delegation expressed admiration for the flavors, especially the ravioli-shaped tteok-mandu-guk. The luncheon also featured chamber music, including Ennio Morricone’s ‘Nella Fantasia’ and Michael Jackson’s songs, reflecting Meloni’s musical tastes.
Delegates commented on the romantic and beautiful lyrics of ‘La cura’ by renowned Italian singer-songwriter Franco Battiato, expressing pride in Italian music. After the meal, President Lee Jae-myung surprised Prime Minister Meloni with a pink Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, creating a friendly atmosphere as the two leaders took a selfie together. The pink color was especially meaningful as it is Meloni’s favorite.
Prime Minister Meloni expressed hope for more concrete progress in future meetings, to which President Lee responded with strong agreement, highlighting Meloni’s practical approach. President Lee also mentioned his past visit to Bologna to study Italian cooperatives, expressing a desire to learn from Italy’s cooperative model. The Italian delegation showed great interest, signaling expectations for expanded cooperation. This meeting sets a positive outlook for the future development of Korea-Italy relations.
This luncheon went beyond a diplomatic event, serving as a model for cultural exchange through food and music. The creative fusion of Korean and Italian cuisine fostered mutual understanding and laid the groundwork for deeper collaboration. The leaders’ warm and practical dialogue demonstrates the potential for sustained and meaningful growth in Korea-Italy relations.