Oh, Pepper! Ö PEPPER! — An Exclamation for Pepper

Oh, Pepper! Ö PEPPER! — An Exclamation for Pepper

Known as the king of spices, pepper adds a sharp kick to food, masks the gamey smell of meat and fish, and even extends the shelf life of dishes. Could pepper, long relegated to a supporting role in cooking, become the star of our everyday lives? Director Jeong Rokyun of Ö PEPPER, a brand that creatively reinterprets pepper, shares the charm of this humble spice.

Interviewer Parc Jinmyoung
Interviewee Jeong Rokyun (Director, Ö PEPPER)

Could you give us a brief introduction to Ö PEPPER?
We’re a brand dedicated entirely to fresh pepper. We introduce seasonal pepper harvested at its origin and develop a variety of blended products that break down preconceptions about pepper. Ultimately, we want to bring a bit of unexpected joy to everyday life through pepper.

What made you start a pepper business?
Every beginning starts from some kind of lack. It was hard to find pepper in Korea that satisfied me, so — purely so I could enjoy good pepper myself — I started sourcing it directly from abroad. My major and career have nothing to do with F&B or branding, but I was fortunate to grow up around fresh ingredients from a young age, which naturally sharpened my sense for good produce.

I hear you import single-origin pepper from the Kampot region in Cambodia and the volcanic highlands of Madagascar. Why did you choose these two regions?
Pepper is agricultural produce, too. Who grows it, on what kind of land, and how — all of that is reflected in its flavor. I didn’t pick these two regions for any special reason. After comparing samples from many farms, the ones that suited my palate best simply happened to be from Cambodia and Madagascar.
Kampot has a unique climate and soil shaped by sea breezes and large temperature swings, which produces pepper with a clean, strong aroma. Madagascar’s pepper, on the other hand, has a soft, mellow flavor typical of volcanic terrain. Even comparing white pepper from both regions, the products are completely different. In the end, what determines the flavor of pepper is terroir*.

* The French term terroir refers to the total influence of the natural environment in which agricultural produce is grown. It’s traditionally used to describe wine, but these days it’s widely applied to coffee, pepper, chocolate, and many other crops.

Blending with various ingredients is another thing that sets Ö PEPPER apart. What led you to develop blended products?
We make a range of products, from our signature blend of five different peppers to a rosé blend combining white and pink peppercorns*. I wanted more people to enjoy fresh, diverse pepper in playful ways, but contrary to my hopes, people rarely try anything new with pepper. So we decided to have fun with it ourselves first. In fact, developing a new blend every month has become a kind of play for us.

* Peppercorns refer to the berries of the pepper plant. White peppercorns are made by peeling black pepper before it fully ripens and drying it in the sun, while pink peppercorns are the pink berries from the Peruvian pepper tree or Brazilian pepper tree.

You must have gone through a lot of trial and error while developing products.
Whether something counts as an ‘error’ really depends on your point of view. I tend to see big and small problems as part of the process rather than obstacles, so I never felt too burdened by the difficulties that came up along the way. In that sense, Ö PEPPER has always focused on the ‘trial’ part.

You’ve been meeting consumers at markets like Marché and Bom Market.
We only set up at markets that align with the values Ö PEPPER pursues — though sometimes scheduling conflicts keep us from joining truly great markets. I think the experience of smelling and tasting pepper in person, offline, is incredibly important. Getting the chance to actually encounter and taste a pepper you’ve been curious about is a special experience that sparks a sense of adventure. Tasting pepper firsthand can completely shatter your preconceptions. That’s exactly the kind of experience markets are meant to offer.

You’ve also collaborated with various farms and local brands. Is there a project that stands out to you the most?
At Marché, once the market closes, leafy greens and herbs that don’t sell often meet their end that same day. One day, we gathered those leftover herbs to make ‘Ppuchu,’ and that became the starting point for our ‘Ppuchu of the Month.’ It’s a limited-edition product that blends pepper with seasonal ingredients like wild chives, rosemary, rose petals, or yuzu each month. I want to bring joy through unexpected combinations of familiar ingredients.

Is there a principle you never compromise on while creating pepper-related content?
Since freshness is the lifeblood of Ö PEPPER, we avoid mass production. This also reflects our desire to reduce unnecessary costs and environmental burdens that come with factory-style overproduction.

What’s the most memorable place you’ve traveled to, and why?
I once went to Norway to see the midnight sun. Many people think of Norway as the land of the northern lights, but I want people to know that just as there’s a season when the aurora shines, there’s also a season when the sun never sets. I believe that being aware that everything in life has another side is one way to maintain balance in life. Ever since I experienced the midnight sun in Norway, whenever I look up at a pitch-black night sky, I often think of that sky where the sun never sets. I’ll never forget the sight, at 2 a.m., in the middle of the sea at 70 degrees north latitude, of the sun refusing to dip below the horizon and rising back up instead.

Is there a place you’d like to travel to for pepper or food in general?
Marrakech, Morocco. The Middle East feels mysterious to me, and I’d love to experience Marrakech’s distinctive aesthetic and its markets brimming with spices someday.

Can you give us a hint about your future plans or goals? Any plans to open a physical store?
This year, alongside pepper, we plan to introduce the essential spices used in Ö PEPPER’s blended products. We’ll unveil an offline space once everything is completely ready. Please keep an eye out until then.