[CES 2024] Mega-bites: Robot chef whisks up Korean classics

Pulmuone's 'Chulchul Robot Chef' unmanned instant cooking vending machine is exhibited in the Food Tech Zone at CES 2024 in Las Vegas, USA. [PULMUONE]

Pulmuone presented a menu of Korean dishes — including yukgaejang noodles, tteokguk, and plant-based bulgogi bibimbap — created by its unmanned instant cooking vending machine, the Chulchul Box Robot Chef, at CES 2024.

This is the third time the Korean food company has participated in the world's largest technology fair in Las Vegas.

Named after the Korean term for expressing hunger, “chulchul,” the vending machine is Korea's first smart unmanned instant cooking device. It is capable of preparing frozen food products immediately upon order in about 90 seconds.

Already operational at select locations in Korea, including highway rest areas and an outdoor café, the robot chef aims to expand into environments with a high demand for smart unmanned dining experiences, such as corporate cafeterias and university student cafeterias.

The Chulchul Box Robot Chef device is showcased at the exhibition booth of Yo-Kai Express, a U.S.-based smart vending startup. Pulmuone secured exclusive rights to the Yo-Kai Express' automatic cooking device business in Korea through an investment agreement in August 2022.

"The 'Robot Chef' received a warm response from consumers and buyers worldwide who visited the venue, as it demonstrated restaurant-level instant cooking by the robot," said Nam Jeong-min, managing director at Pulmuone's Food Innovation division. “We aim to expand domestic unmanned [vending] platform business ... integrating Pulmuone's business know-hows with global startup technology.”

BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]