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The Re-invention of Black Soy Beans into Soymilk

Professor LEE Ki Won
Professor LEE Ki Won

Seoul National University has developed a new product made from black soy beans (Jwinuni kong or Seomoktae). Professor LEE Ki Won (College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Natural Products Functional Genomics) transformed a regional bean usually used as an ingredient in oriental medicine, into a popular soy bean milk. Only six months after its initial launch in January, the “Soymilk Plus” (Yak Kong Doo Yu, Medicinal Soy Bean Milk) has sold over 2 million units nation-wide.

Inventing a Healthy Soymilk
Until now, soy bean milk products available contained a sweet flavor. Challenging the common idea that soy bean milk should be sweet, “Soymilk Plus” disregards all artificial sweeteners and presents the black soy beans in their most original and naked taste. The rising popularity of the drinks has created a “healthy” soy bean milk trend in the market.

Professor Lee Ki Won, the head researcher and producer of “Soymilk Plus,” recalls his original motivation for developing the product. “Through research, I realized that there were three problems with the current soy bean milk products. First, I found them to be too sweet. Second, they failed to reduce the less pleasant taste of the beans. Third, they contained an immoderate amount of artificial additives.” Then how is the “Soymilk Plus” any different? According to Professor Lee, “Soymilk Plus is not a regular drink. I would rather call it a medicinal drink. You can only find these Seomoktae in Kangwon province. The method I used is reminiscent of the way grandmothers traditionally cook bean soup. The Seomoktae and soy beans are wholesomely grinded as to provide the highest amount of nutrients good for the children and elderly.” Much smaller in size than regular black soy beans, Seomoktae is consumed to improve the detoxification process and prevent adult diseases, such as diabetes, artery hardening, and cardiac disorders.

Soymilk Plus
Soymilk Plus

The new soy bean milk also received positive reviews from SNU students. JURNG Sunhyung (School of Chemical and Biological Engineering) described the taste of “Soymilk Plus” as “thick and natural.” She finds the milk “as a good substitute for a meal on a busy day and for replenishing nutrients.” LEE Hyunji (Dept. of Biosystems and Biomaterials Science & Engineering) used to drink one “Soymilk Plus” a day when she frequented the fitness center to workout. Hyunji prefers “Soymilk Plus” over other milk beverages because “they contain a very low amount of sugars and calories, so it makes [her] me feel healthy.”

Making Research into Reality
BOBSNU is the producer of “Soymilk Plus,” a subsidiary company of SNU Technology Holding Company, co-established by Professor Lee. SNU’s ideas and technology successfully accomplished the entire process of creating the product from a not-well-known regional bean to launching it in the market. Unlike past SNU products that have only the labels “participated by SNU researchers,” BOBSNU enabled SNU researchers and institutions to participate in all aspects of product creation; SNU’s patented technology was grafted and Advanced Institutes of Convergence Technology conducted User Experience research. Regarding BOBSNU, Professor Lee said, “BOB stands for ‘Best of Best,’ signifying that the top researchers in each field should come together and cooperate to create the best.”

BOBSNU upholds Professor Lee’s belief that industrialization of meaningful research is the only way for it to be sustainable. He suggests that the university’s role is to encourage socially useful studies and technologies that could be industrialized by the SNU Technology Holding Company. Afterwards, companies and institutions that utilize the technology should provide feedback to SNU. This process would gradually improve the quality of research and technology. His core idea is that once technologies engender “virtue” or “worth,” researchers then gain the freedom to embark on a truly inventive and creative research.

Transdisciplinary Approach of Wellness
Professor Lee’s main research topic is on wellness, the compound word of “wellbeing, happiness, and health.” The study strives to seek how the process of growing and aging, from the moment the embryo is implanted until his or her death, could be that of a healthy and happy life.

Professor Lee questions how people can live happily and healthily by a transdisciplinary approach. His two ongoing researches focus on using an ICT platform to support wellness related contents education and product development, and also developing personalized food and medicines based on one’s daily emotions and nutritional state. The research is a convergence of biotechnology, information technology, nanotechnology, psychology, French literature, and design.

SNU as the Center of Creativity
“SNU’s aspires to be a creative, intellectual community that leads the world,” stated Professor Lee, “but I began to wonder how SNU is pursuing that role of fostering creative intellectuals.” Thus, Professor Lee strives to construct an atmosphere that places students to take on a leading role in lecturing and studying. Students plan their own curriculum and invites notable persons in the field to the lecture hall. As a young and active professor, Professor Lee brings his innovation in research back to the classroom and to the students. He hopes that a creative and transdisciplinary leader would be born in the lab.

Written by BAE Su Hyen, SNU English Editor, suhyenbae@snu.ac.kr
Reviewed by Eli Park Sorensen, SNU Professor of Liberal Studies, eps7257@snu.ac.kr