▲ Kitchen Facility in Jiphyeonjae (Photo by Dinh Phuong Thao Reporter)

   As of now, Jiphyeonjae is the only place for a public kitchen facility combining the Jukjeon and Cheonan campuses. Even though Jiphyeonjae is accessible for foreign Dankookians(Students of Dankook University), they feel discomfort due to the difficulty of accessing Jiphyeonjae and the inconvenience of entrance. As a result, other dormitory Dankookians prefer to eat at cafeterias or buy food from convenience stores. However, due to financial and nutritional advantages, they aspire to establish a public kitchen. The Dankook Herald (DKH) presents dormitory Dankookians’ voices about a public kitchen and highlights their discomfort.

   The lack of proper kitchen facilities in certain dormitories poses significant limitations and challenges for Dankookians when it comes to meal preparation. Dankookians residing in dormitories without kitchens face the inconvenience of not having a convenient space to cook. Although the Jibhyeonjae dormitory offers a kitchen for international Dankookians, it remains impractical for residents of other dormitories like Jinri Hall, Ungbi Hall, and the dormitories on Cheonan Campus to trek to Jibhyeonjae for cooking purposes regularly. Consequently, a considerable number of Dankookians across these dormitories are left with options for dining out or relying on convenience store food. However, these alternatives are neither as cost-effective nor as health-conscious as preparing homemade meals. In light of these circumstances, the importance of providing Dankookians with direct access to kitchen facilities becomes increasingly apparent. Equipping Jinri Hall, Ungbi Hall, and the Cheonan Campus dormitories with dedicated kitchen would yield numerous benefits. These dormitories would enable Dankookians to prepare healthier meals, consequently fostering improvements in their overall health and well-being. Moreover, the substantial number of residents in these halls would find the convenience of having kitchens facilities on-site, thereby promoting a shift towards preparing their own meals. Beyond this, the nearby eateries tend to charge around 8,000 won per meal, making self-preparation considerably more cost-effective, with potential savings of over 3,500 won per meal. Even the alternative of convenience store offerings falls short in maintaining a balanced diet, as exemplified by convenience store kimbap, which is higher in calories than a bowl of rice but lacks sufficient protein content. The positive effects of having accessible kitchen spaces extend beyond physical health to encompass mental well-being. The opportunity to prepare nutritious meals empowers Dankookians to take control of their dietary choices, fostering a sense of accomplishment and self-care. Additionally, the presence of shared kitchen facilities creates a communal environment among residents, encouraging interaction and bonding over the act of cooking and sharing meals. Ultimately, addressing the lack of kitchen facilities in Jinri Hall, Ungbi Hall, and the Cheonan Campus dormitories stands to substantially enhance Dankookians' quality of life, promoting healthier eating habits and a stronger sense of community within these living spaces.

   Most universities are reluctant to prepare kitchens due to difficulties in managing them and the risk of fires. However, Duksung Women's University (DWU) and Ewha Womans University (EWU) have communal kitchens in their dormitories in preparation for these difficulties. DWU spends an hour cleaning and inspecting the shared kitchen every day from 11:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Additionally, two kitchens were placed on the same floor and used separately to take collective responsibility for cleaning and fire accidents by region to prevent management and fire risk problems.

   EWU has one large, shared kitchen in the dormitory. When a fire alarm is activated or a fire occurs, the students who caused the problem will leave the dormitory. Therefore, students pay attention and have awareness of fires to prevent fire accidents. By effectively adopting and applying the examples mentioned above, it is anticipated that Dankook University (DKU) dormitories can also successfully possess and maintain kitchens. The establishment of large-scale communal kitchens, fostering a sense of ownership among Dankookians regarding kitchen facilities, promoting collective responsibility, and ensuring fire prevention, appears to be prerequisite task for initiating the establishment of dormitory kitchens.

▲ Kitchen Facility in Jiphyeonjae (Photo by Dinh Phuong Thao Reporter)

  The DKH conducted interviews with Dankookians who lived in each dormitory and school officials to discuss the lack of kitchen facilities. Lee Eun-seo (Sophomore, Political Science and International Relations) living in Jinri Hall, said that since there is no kitchen, she relies on delivery food, convenience store food, and instant food, and it is burdensome because it costs a lot of money. In addition, She hopes to have a kitchen due to health concerns with the high-calorie delivery of food. Kim Jae-hee (Sophomore, Political Science and International Relations) who lives in Woongbi Hall, also said that she hopes to have kitchen facilities because it is difficult to have meals. Kim Do-yoon (Freshman, School of Communications), mentioned that the kitchen in Jiphyeonjae is only available for foreigners. The kitchen for Koreans was removed a few years ago due to a fire issue. So actually there is no kitchen for Koreans in Jiphyeonjae. Also from what he saw, the management of the kitchen for foreigners was not good. It is often dirty and needs improvement. Meanwhile, there are three dormitories at the Cheonan Campus without kitchen facilities. Lee Eun-hee (Sophomore, Dept. of English) living in Bongsa Hall, said "It is difficult to save food expenses, but if the kitchen is built, it would require a lot of attention because of the risk of fire and management." Kim Na-young (Senior, Dept. of Russian Studies) also a resident of Bongsa Hall, expressed discomfort with the lack of a kitchen and requested one.

   The DKH interviewed school officials, questioning why only Jiphyeonjae now has kitchen facilities. An official at Jukjeon Campus stated that the reason for having a kitchen only in Jiphyeonjae is due to the presence of more than 600 foreign Dankokians who want to cook their hometown food or cook for religious reasons. Therefore, Dankook University International Affairs requested a cooking facility. An official at Cheonan Campus said that there was a cooking facility in Haksajae in the past but that was closed in early 2020 because now Haksajae is exclusively for the Dept. of Major Recreation & Leisure Sports and Dept. of Marine Corps Military Studies Dankookians. Both campus officials said they had no plans to install a kitchen in other dormitories.

   Dormitory Dankookians expressed discomfort due to inadequate kitchen facilities and the limitation of access only to foreign Dankookians. While the challenges of fire hazards and management may make it difficult to create a new kitchen, there is still an expectation that adding a kitchen in other dormitories excludes Jiphyenjae would offer Dankookians financial and nutritional benefits. The DKH hopes the kitchen to be installed so that all dormitory Dankookians can enjoy a wholesome life.