The Korean Cultural Centre in Abuja, Nigeria, on Saturday, 28th of March 2026, hosted the finals of its third Annual Hansik contest with the theme “ The Soul of Hansik”. The cooking contest was held at the Red Dish Culinary School and Truck Central, Sterling Bank Boulevard. CBD, Abuja, Nigeria.  The final contest had 8  teams compete to explore the heart of Korean cooking and cook meals that embody the soul of authentic Korean Cuisine. It also had over 300 people present and featured interesting activities that showcased the Korean culture, such as K-Pop performance, Hansik exhibition, Photobooth, games like playing the popular Dalgona Game in Squid Game, Jang Sauce tasting, among others.

Victor Ogagaoghene Mac-Adonai was announced the winner of the finals contest, making him the first male winner and champion since the contest began in 2024. His winning dish was Doenjang jjigae as his main dish and Maekjeok as the side dish. This is an interview with Victor conducted via email and Instagram from 29th March to 31st March 2026.

1. Please can you briefly introduce yourself?

안녕하세요? I’m Victor Ogagaoghene Mac-Adonai, proudly from the Southern Nigerian state of Delta. I’m 25 years old and currently unemployed, so I mostly spend my time writing Kdrama scripts and making creative reels about Korean food and traditional etiquette online. I got into Korean culture two years ago, when I saw someone speaking Korean online, and I felt inspired to begin learning the Korean Language at King Sejong Institute, Nigeria!

2. What inspired you to explore Korean cuisine, and how did you prepare for the contest?

My passion for Korean food developed when I first cooked with Jang in 2024. The Korean Cultural Centre in Nigeria was having a pre-Hansik competition, and I was given a Hansik meal kit along with a recipe manual to prepare Japchae! That experience was basically a core memory for me, because it was the first time I prepared and even tasted a Korean dish. I vividly remember that explosion of flavour in my mouth and even the extraordinary aroma within the atmosphere of my Kitchen, all thanks to the Jang sauce I used in cooking the meal. Since that day, I took a deep interest in exploring Korean foods, ranging from simple Noodle dishes, like Ramyeon, to more elaborate hansik menu like Korean hotpot, right here in Nigeria! My preparation for the contest was as much psychological as it was physical! First and foremost, I placed my full focus on making history as the first male to win the Hansik competition in Nigeria. Then, like I mentioned earlier, I have been passionately involved with Korean food, so while I was trying out different Korean dishes, I was also learning new recipes and studying various types of traditional Korean food!
 

3. How does your winning dish, Doenjang Jjigae, reflect the cultural philosophy of Korean food?

I prepared Maekjeok as my side dish, and Doenjang jjigae as my main dish! The theme this year was to represent the Soul of Hansik on the table for the judges. And I knew for a fact that to answer that question, the soul of Hansik was Jang! So while I was making my research on the history of Jang, I discovered a very ancient Korean recipe for Maekjeok, which is Doenjang Pork BBQ, and this recipe dates to the time of Korean Nomads of the Maek tribe from the Goguryo kingdom in BC 37-668, which was a time when there were no chili peppers in Korea, so there was only Doenjang! Now I knew culturally, Koreans loved meat, and generally, anybody appreciated a great Kabob! In Nigeria, we have Suya recipe, and Koreans have the Maekjeok! So I decided to identify the cultural heritage of both similar worlds by preparing maekjeok, using Doenjang; to respect ancient Korean traditional cooking, and I also improved the recipe with my modern signature spicy twist and prepared it also using Gochujang. Speaking of cultural philosophy, I made one with ground pork and the other by stacking the Pork onto skewers! The difference being, I creatively crafted and improved my plating and presented the dish in the form of the Korean flag, which sparked instant recognition from the judges. As for my main dish, Doenjang jjigae, the cultural philosophy behind it was simple! It’s well-loved by everyone and also popularly referenced as the Soul of Korea! So that was what I reflected on in order to showcase the Korean cultural philosophy behind my dishes.

4. You've mentioned plans to launch a Nigerian brand of Ramyun noodles in collaboration with Korean production companies. Can you elaborate on this project?

As well as my dream of becoming a culinary entrepreneur one day, when it comes to Korean food, I’ve always had a deep interest in Korean noodle dishes! From my in-depth legwork way before Hansik, I know that there’s a large global population that consumes and also enjoys Noodles, ranging from university students, to even the working-class adults in Nigeria, because Noodles are relatively simple to prepare! Plus, I really want others in Nigeria to explore Korean food too, just like me, and since Ramyun is a staple consumer’s choice, I did my research on noodles production, including the packaging, and I also reached out to someone working directly at Nongshim since they are a brand in Korea. Plus, I have my bachelor's in Processing Engineering, so I figured a Nigerian ramyun brand would be an ingenious way to get more people interested in exploring Korean food in Nigeria. So far, from my business plan drafts, the most expedient way forward would be to acquire batch production of both noodles and spice from Korea and subsequently initiate packaging and distribution right here in Nigeria. The budget rundown for this is already counting in millions, and that's why I’m currently working on a full-fledged business proposal with KOICA Nigeria. So I’m not allowed to reveal much details on this right now, until the meeting with KOICA is concluded. However, I know when push comes to shove, my resilience yields impressive results, and my passion speaks great volumes.

5. How do you think Nigerian ingredients can be incorporated into traditional Korean dishes to create unique fusion flavours?
It all depends on the Nigerian ingredients and the Korean dish in viewpoint, because both countries have similar traditional dishes. So in Nigeria, we have numerous seasonings, unlike Korea, which singularly has just jang sauces! And take, for example, when it comes to meat kabobs, in Nigeria we have traditional Suya, and in Korea they’ve got Maekjeok! Both traditional recipes incorporate cooking meat on skewers with an open flame! The difference being one is made with Jang and one ‘Yaji’ spice! Now we could very much create a spicy blend of Han-Na fusion by using Nigerian Yaji in the basting sauce, which would definitely create a unique fusion of flavours. So in summary, it’s all about identifying the similarities and even the complexities of the recipe, so that when swapping out traditional ingredients, there is ultimately harmony and balance in the dish.

6. What role do you believe the Hansik contest plays in promoting cultural exchange between Nigeria and Korea?
This program has given me a great opportunity to express my passion for K-food and K-culture right here in Nigeria. Additionally, these days, the easiest way to accrue anybody’s interest towards a foreign culture is either through film or food! I have been at Hansik three times, and I have closely observed people come together from different backgrounds to celebrate Korean food culture in Nigeria! The Hansik contest created that atmosphere for such cultural exchange, and with every annual event, people get to experience delicious Korean food right here in Nigeria. In my opinion, this further develops the curiosity and promotes their inquisitive nature to learn more about Korean culture and its traditional Jang sauces! This ultimately bridges the gap between both countries.

7. As a pioneer male winner, what message do you have for aspiring male chefs interested in Korean cuisine?

They say what a man can do, a woman can do better! However, when it comes to cooking, Anyone can cook! All you need is patience, discipline and consistency! You must be imaginative, strong-hearted, resilient, and you must not let anyone define your limits because only the fearless can be great! Always cook from your heart because when you love how it tastes, others will too! That’s the secret to being great in the Kitchen.


8. This is your third time in participating in the contest; the first time you won 2nd position, the 2nd time you got to the semi-finals. And on your third time, you won first place. My question for those interested how did you have the zeal to continue?

It was all about staying focused on the goal! Not the prizes attached to winning, but the reward of achieving my dream! I learnt from a world-class footballer that “Dreams are not what you see in your sleep. Dreams are the things which do not let you sleep” And believe me when I say, ever since I got into the Korean food game in 2024, I've had just one dream, and that was to be worthy of the glorious title of Hansik champion! My goal at Hansik 2026 was to finally fulfil that dream and make Hansik history by winning the title—not just for myself, but to represent all the hardworking guys out there, because the women had previously dominated at Hansik twice in a row. This was my third shot, and Third chances don't come very often in life, not unless you're as resilient as I am! And I made sure to maintain a champion’s mindset even to the very minute the results were being announced. I wasn’t worried at that point because I came in with a vision, and I believed I executed it perfectly by representing the Soul of Hansik! Once upon a time, I was a runner-up at Hansik, and now I am a Hansik Champion! So, to everyone out there, ask yourself what it is that you really want to achieve at Hansik? Why do you want to achieve it? And always stay focused on that dream. 화이팅 하세요!

Hallyu K-creator and influencer Winner Abel, a participant at the event, talked about how the event was fun and amazing, and it featured several activities like making and playing the popular Dalgona Game in Squid Game, Jang Sauce tasting, K-pop performances from K-pop class students, and winners from the 2025 K-pop dance festival by name “THE extreme movement”. She also shred how there were other fun activities like Ramyeon Mukbang eating competition, chopstick competition which entailed picking up 10 beads with a chopstick and there was a raffle draw competition for attendees and lucky winners whose numbers were randomly picked were gifted flasks, Stanley cups and chopsticks and we were part of the winners for the raffle draw and we were gifted a Stanley cup. To her, the star of the event, was the Hansik cooking competition, and the award ceremony, where the 3rd position was gifted a blender and an air fryer, the 2nd position, by name Faith, was gifted an oven, and the 1st position was gifted a fridge by the KCCN director, and the winner gave his speech. The event closed with all attendees filling out a survey or scanning a QR code for our gifts. Everyone was given a gift.