Capstone Project Proposal Draft

Name of student: Amy – Minchae Kim

Date: Oct 3rd, 2023
Teacher: Ms. Lacroix
Capstone strand I have chosen is Product Creation Strand
Proposed title for my project: Homemade Korean Dish On the Go!

What is your inquiry question that interests you for further research? It should be a question that
connects with a purpose, passion or personalized area of interest for you. This is a question that
you cannot just google an answer for. Please see examples from your Capstone booklet.
My inquiry question is:

As a member of the community, how can one promote accessibility and productivity of Korean
cuisine amongst the Non-Korean ethnic demographic?

Rationale/context: Detail your reasons for choosing this inquiry question. Explain WHY you are
choosing to investigate this topic as a major area of focus. How does this area of inquiry connect
to your passion(s), purpose? Why is it of personal interest to you?

Growing up as an immigrant in Canada, I was only granted access to my cultural cuisine

through my own mother at home. It was difficult to find restaurants that depict the traditional,
conventional core of the cuisine, which is issue that is found with not just Korean cuisine but
other foreign cuisine as well. When conversing with friends, they commonly expressed to me
that they want to try Korean food but is unsure on where to access them. As someone that
knows the true beauty of the cuisine, I hold genuine passion in spreading the dishes amongst
my friends and loved ones. My mom and I often cook these cuisines for my friends, but this is
limited. I will not be able to do this for strangers or people who are irrelvant to me, therefore I
started brainstorming ways I could potentially reach strangers with my food.

Background: What background knowledge/connections/prior learning do you have in this

area of inquiry?

A few years back, I approached the concept of meal prepped kits through a friend introducting
me to it. As a child that had both my parents working from a young age, I had to construct my
own meals myself, limiting myself from dinner options. I started cooking my own food a few
years back, but when I was a child my dinner was often consisted of food my mom had
cooked the morning before she left for work. Hence, when I heard about this concept of meal
prepped kits, it was a game changer for me. I would be able to cook a warm, proper meal that
grants me the illusion of a homemade dish, on the go. When I was busy and often occupied

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 with other tasks, I could afford to heat the kit up and enjoy the food. With this personal
experience, I have the knowledge of the concept I can implement it into my capstone.

Career connections: What is your intended career area at this point in time? What
connections does this inquiry question have to your life, academic and/ or career goals?

Although this does not have a direct connection to my career area, there are hard and soft
skills that I can acquire through this Capstone project. I will learn how to design a product
conducting the proper steps such as choosing a theme for the design and including
appropriate labels for the product. This will be through Adobe Illustrator, which is widely used
in profressions to create a visual presentation in various areas of profression. Additionally, I
will learn how to create sustainable packaging, and how to I will be able to apply these skills in
my potential career area which is dentistry.

Interdisciplinary and core competencies connections: What subject areas and core
competencies will be connected with your project? Outline and explain the connections.

I value diversity, defend human rights, advocate for others, and act ethically in my
interactions, including online.

This is an element of myself that I am very proud of. As a fellow POC, I understand the
struggles and adversities over us placed as a minority, therefore it becomes natural in me
to value these differences and appreciate them. In a school setting, I stand up for those
who are undergoing mental pressure and make my best efforts to make them feel
welcomed. My Instagram can be found with reposts of posts that stand up for POC
minorities, ethical issues that are happening currently, and showcase the brutal and
inhumane acts against these minorities.

I can use the environment around me, including others, and my unconscious mind to
generate new ideas.

I constantly strive for intriguing, and creative ideas in both school and personal settings. I
am able to utilize the environment around me to inspire myself, as the environment that I
am placed in shape the person I am to a large extent. Generating the idea of my
Capstone, the environment around me and the consider of those around me was my
biggest aspiration. Korean cuisine is the most common type of cuisine around me, but
recognized that it may not be very accessible for those who are not a part of the
community. I know many peers, including myself who cook their own meals predominantly
due to occupied parents/guardians, inspiring me to create a meal kit of a warm Korean
meal. I wanted to create a product that could grant to those who were in similar, in terms
of solitary meals, or opposing, in terms of cultural background, environments from me.

I understand how what I value has and will shape my choices.

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 From a young age, my sets of values and priorities were clear in my mind. Under any
circumstances, my family came first. Then, it was my own success and wisdom that I will
acquire along the way. I have constructed my life plan that revolves around preserving
these values safe by my side. I am intending to have a family before I can walk into dental
school, or whatever masters that may be down the path for me. I don’t believe wisdom
only comes from books, rather from conversations and experiences of my lifetime.
Therefore, when I approach people, I always try to make the best out of it. I mentally take
notes of interesting opinions, take account of every mistake to learn something, and deal
with every heartbreak as thoughtful experience.

Capstone Presentation medium: select one or more project mediums you wish to use to
present your project. Outline and give details about how you will present your project once
completed. You may use a combination of mediums.
o Electronic portfolio: Prezi or PPT
o Physical portfolio
o Website
o imovie presentation
o YouTube channel

Electronic Portfolio:
I will be utilizing PowerPoint to create a PPT that captures my process and endeadvours
through this capstone project. It will present my initial designs of the product, the research
process and the thought process behind the packaging and results that will come to be.

Physical Portfolio:
Since I am creating a tangible product, I will also be able to demonstrate my project physically.
My physical product will consist of a Korean meal kit of possibly three courses. If possible
during the final presentation, I would like to utilize a burner stove or an instant stove that can
present my product to the full extent. The focus of this project is not only the meal itself but the
design and production of the physical product.

Description of my Capstone project. Specific Project Details of the Capstone Project: what
will you research, create, study, produce, solve, investigate? What product will be produced
at the end of this project for evaluation. Write a one-page description outlining your
proposal.

The product will be a pre-planned meal kit, thus making the only process assembling the
components and heating it up to be gifted with a warm, traditional meal. The kit will consist of
the ingredidents whether that be the meat, the vegetables and the seasonings. I want to put
the attention to the detail the design of the product will have. The unique aspect of the
packaging is the demonstration of the history behind the dish. I am unsure on how to execute
this, but I have brainstormed ideas such as an illustration or short cartoons that playfully retain
the history. This will make it easy for the audience to approach the product as well as gaining

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 some thoughtful insight on the history. I will also include a friendly instruction guideline for the
food. This can be in the form of step-by-step instructuions on how to properly enjoy the dish to
its fullest potential. I will be creating this meticulous design on Adobe Illistrator, a design
program that can be accessed through my MAC.

To reach this level, I will research

- Price line for product
- Product margin hedging
- Background research for each dish
- Efficient marketing
- Precise, yet detailed design for the packaging
- Nutrition factors
- Expiration dates

I will do this through research of primary resources that are peer-reviewed, properly
conducting the process. There is already a resource list that is provided below of the aspects
that I have discovered in this inquiry area. Another aspect of research I will do is the study of
different meal prepped kits, market research. I will go to some grocery stores and see the
appealing aspects I would like to include in my own project and identitfy some flaws that I
would not emulate. There are variety of products already out in the market therefore this
market research will guide me to produce the perfect kit that will meet my needs and
standards.

I am creating a product that intends to increase accessbility and supply of the Korean dishes
which is one of the many direct solutions of the inquiry questions. The issue I see is the limited
supply of the cuisine to foriegners as well as the lack of awareness they have on the food.
Learning an entire new cuisine and the culture behind it appears to be intimidating to others,
but can be approached in a friendly manner, from the process of compensating viewpoints.
The pre-planned aspect will be the most appealing factor of the product. The unfamiliar food
ingredients may lead people to revert back to the foods they are comfortable with, however
the kit will prevent so from happening as the the entire cooking process is pre-eliminated.

Resources/ Technology/Skills: Make an assessment of the resources, technology and

skills you will need to be able to complete this project. What is your plan to be able to
access/learn all of the resources necessary to achieve completion of this project? Detail
your plans.

- Cooking skills: I have to learn how to cook the spices and condiments for the Korean
meal.
- Knowledge of Korean cuisine: I would have to conduct some research on the history
behind Korean dishes, how the process evolved and resulted in the dish we see in
present days.
- Adobe Illustrator – I took Graphic Designs in both Grade 9 and Grade 10 and know at
a decent level the mechanics of the program. I have the resources to access the

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 program, thus I will have to learn certain skills in specific to product designing. I will do
this by watching resources online and Youtube videos; I also have a mentor that is
skilled at Adobe and is willing to educate me on certain areas.
- Eco-Friendly Packaging – I would learn the mechanics behind sustainable pacakging
and how to reach that within a reasonable budget.

Mentors/Community Connections: What types of mentor(s)/community connections will

you need to help you complete your capstone project? How will your mentor(s) help you?
What is your plan to access the mentorship/community connections necessary for this
project?

I have two potential areas that I may need a mentor for. First is the Korean cooking part.
There is a mentor that is located in Langley that hosts Korean cooking classes weekly and I
am highly aware of exceeding knowledge and experience in this area of cuisine. I have heard
people acclaiming her works and I would like to gain insight from her on how to constuct a
recipe that retains the traditional cores of the dish. Second, I would like to have a mentor for
the product designing and for the technical program, Adobe Illustrator. This can potentially be
the Graphic Designs teacher at our school that can guide me through this process. Since they
are already teaching in this area at our school, I can presume their are insightful and
considerate to help me solve hardships I may face.

Project limitations: What are some project limitations and potential obstacles that you foresee
that might affect progress with your Capstone Project?

I think the biggest obstacle I will have during my Capstone Project is the packaging and the
physical component. I am unsure how I will be able to efficiently pack the small elements of
the meal kit including the vegetables, noodles and seasoning whilst retaining environmental
sustainability. I am thinking of using recyclable paper and create little pockets that can hold
the ingredients.

I will have to do research on meal kits that are already out on the market for comparison and
reference.

References:

Attach a REFERENCE LIST. Your list should be written using correct APA formatting.
An example is provided on page 21 of your Capstone booklet.

ahn, roy. (2009). Home Run: My Journey Back to Korean Food.

Gastronomica, 9(4), 12–15.

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https://doi.org/10.1525/gfc.2009.9.4.12

An, S.-Y., Lee, M. S., Jeon, J. Y., Ha, E. S., Kim, T. H., Yoon, J.Y., Ok, C.-O., Lee, H.-K.,
Hwang, W.-S., Choe, S. J., Han, S. J.,Kim, H. J., Kim, D. J., & Lee, K.-W. (2013). Beneficial
Effects of
Fresh and Fermented Kimchi in Prediabetic Individuals. Annalsof Nutrition & Metabolism, 63(1/2),
111–119.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/48514199

Asakura, T. (2016). Cultural heritage in Korea – from a

Japanese perspective. In A. Matsuda & L. E. Mengoni (Eds.),
Reconsidering Cultural Heritage in East Asia (pp. 103–120).
Ubiquity Press. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv3t5qwd.10

cho, grace m. (2014). eating military base stew. Contexts,

13(3), 38–43. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24710550

Kim, C.-H. (2017). Let Them Eat Royal Court Cuisine! Heritage
Politics of Defining Global Hansik. Gastronomica, 17(3), 4–14.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/26362456

Kim, H. S., Brorsen, B. W., & Anderson, K. B. (2010). Profit

Margin Hedging. American Journal of Agricultural Economics,
92(3), 638–653. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40648009

Marshall, C. (2015). The K-Town Dream: California in Korea,

Korea in California. Boom: A Journal of California, 5(1), 14–19.
https://doi.org/10.1525/boom.2015.5.1.14

Story, M., Nanney, M. S., & Schwartz, M. B. (2009). Schools

and Obesity Prevention: Creating School Environments and
Policies to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity. The
Milbank Quarterly, 87(1), 71–100.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/25474360

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