Kimchi is a traditional fermented food in Korea. It is made by salting and seasoning napa cabbage, radishes, or other vegetables with chili powder, scallions, garlic, and other spices, then fermenting them. It’s considered one of Korea’s national dishes, an essential part of Korean meals, and comes in many varieties depending on the region and ingredients. It’s also used as an ingredient in various Korean dishes and is designated as an official food for events like the Olympics, Asian Games, and FIFA World Cup.
Preparing kimchi in large batches for consumption over the winter is called “kimjang.” Kimchi made this way is stored in large clay fermentation jars called “onggi” buried underground to keep it cool in the hot summer and prevent freezing in winter. It can also be stored in outdoor containers called “jangdokdae.” Nowadays, kimchi refrigerators are more commonly used in households.
The 《Eumsik Dimibang》, published in 1670, records a type of kimchi made by fermenting cabbage or san-namul in small containers without salt, then pouring warm water over it and placing it on a warm hearth to mature. The 17th-century document 《Yorok》 also records eleven types of kimchi, including kimchi made with cabbage, radishes, san-namul, fernbrake, and soybeans, as well as dongchimi made by soaking radishes in saltwater.
Before the introduction of chili peppers from the New World, kimchi was made with ingredients such as chives, wild leeks, or other spices instead of chili peppers.
In 1766, the 《Jeungbo Sallim Gyeongje》 describes soaking kimchi in red water made from mandarin peel, and many varieties of kimchi made with chili peppers or chili powder appear. A method called “Chimnabokhamjeobeop” is described, which involves mixing vegetables like radishes with chili peppers, ginger, garlic, and mustard juice to make a kimchi similar to today’s chonggak kimchi, and another method called “Hwanggadamjeobeop” is introduced, which involves making a kimchi similar to today’s oi-sobagi kimchi by making incisions on three sides of a cucumber and stuffing it with chili powder and garlic. Additionally, various other kimchi types like dongchimi, baechu kimchi, donggak kimchi, jeonbok kimchi, and gul kimchi are introduced.
In the 《Imwon Gyeongjeji》 published in the early 19th century, it is described that using a lot of chili peppers in kimchi helps radishes to be preserved longer. The book also introduces “Haejeobang,” a kimchi made by fermenting salted radish stems with various vegetables like cucumbers and cabbage, seaweed like sea tangle, chili peppers, ginger, chives, garlic, mustard, as well as fish, shellfish, and abalone shells to enhance the flavor.
In the past, radishes were the dominant ingredient in kimchi before cabbage, but with the widespread cultivation and distribution of tightly packed cabbage in the 20th century, cabbage kimchi overwhelmed radish kimchi.
Since the Seoul Olympics in 1988, kimchi has become widely known worldwide, and on July 5, 2001, kimchi was registered in the Codex Alimentarius, the international food standard. In 2008, kimchi containing probiotics was certified as space food that can be consumed at the International Space Station.
Types of Kimchi
- Ggakdugi: Kimchi made by slicing radish into small, square pieces, salting it, then mixing it with seasoning like red pepper powder.
- Mul Kimchi: Kimchi with a lot of broth and a delicious soup taste. It includes varieties like Nabak Kimchi, Dongchimi, and Dungdungi Kimchi.
- Bossam Kimchi: Kimchi made by slicing radish or cabbage into uniform sizes, seasoning them generously, then wrapping them in large cabbage leaves.
- Scale Kimchi: A type of kimchi where whole radishes are turned and layered like scales, with seasoning in between the layers, then pickled along with whole cabbage.
- Sliced Kimchi: Kimchi made by slicing ingredients into pieces.
- Chae Kimchi: Kimchi made by slicing cabbage, radish, or young radish into thin slices and pickling them.
- Geotjeori: A side dish made by salting and lightly seasoning vegetables like cabbage, lettuce, or radish, then eating them right away.
- Neutkimchi: Kimchi made without fermented fish sauce so it can be enjoyed until spring.
- Dokkimchi: Kimchi fermented in a crock.
- Mugeunji: Well-ripened kimchi that has been fermented for a long time, typically used in soups or stews. (Aged Kimchi)
- Bomkimchi: Kimchi made with spring cabbage.
- Saengkimchi: Freshly made kimchi that is not yet fully fermented.
- Jirekimchi: Kimchi made a little before the kimjang season.
- Foot Kimchi: Kimchi made with fresh young radish or cabbage in spring or fall.
- Pusae Kimchi: Kimchi that is not fermented or aged, but eaten immediately after preparation.
Kimchi Dishes
- Ge-gukji: A dish where crab is prepared, boiled along with fresh kimchi.
- Kimchi Guk: A soup made with kimchi.
- Kimchi Gimbap: Gimbap with kimchi inside.
- Kimchi Ramen: Ramen with a kimchi flavor.
- Kimchi Mandu: Dumplings filled with kimchi.
- Kimchi Mal-i: A dish where noodles are added to kimchi soup. If it’s kimchi with noodles, it’s called “Kimchi Mal-i Guksu.”
- Kimchi Bap: Rice cooked with finely chopped kimchi. Often mixed with seasoned raw oysters.
- Kimchi Burger: A hamburger with kimchi inside.
- Stir-fried Kimchi: A dish made by stir-frying kimchi.
- Kimchi Fried Rice: Rice mixed with chopped kimchi, vegetables, and sometimes meat, then stir-fried in oil.
- Kimchi Buchimgae: Kimchi sliced and cooked into pancakes. Also called “Kimchi Jeon.”
- Kimchi Sujebi: Sujebi made with kimchi.
- Kimchi Jjigae: A stew made with kimchi.
- Kimchi Jjim: Kimchi seasoned with spicy chili powder and then steamed. When made with aged kimchi, it’s called “Mugeunji Jjim.”
- Kimchi Pork Stew: A dish made by stewing mugeunji (aged kimchi) and pork.
- Kimchi Stir-fried Pork: Stir-fried dish made with kimchi and pork.
- Kimchi Porridge: A porridge made by soaking whole cabbage kimchi in water, then chopping it finely and mixing it into the porridge.
- Kimchi Stew: A stew made with kimchi.
- Kimchi Noodles: Noodles cooked with kimchi.
- Kimchi Pizza Tangsuyuk: Sweet and sour pork topped with kimchi and pizza cheese.
- Ggong Kimchi: A dish made with boiled quail in a broth made with the same proportions as the kimchi soup.
- Dak Kimchi: A dish made by removing the innards of a chicken, filling it with minced beef, sliced mushrooms, and tofu, seasoning it, then boiling it. After boiling, remove the chicken, shred the meat, separate what’s inside, season the chicken broth with kimchi, and add ice to make the dish. It’s eaten during hot summer days.
- Dubu Kimchi: A dish where kimchi and various seasonings are stir-fried, then served with heated tofu.
- Memil Jeonbyeong: Buckwheat flour is roundly and thinly pan-fried, then filled with kimchi.
- Mu Kimchi Namul: A side dish made by blanching mu kimchi in water to remove the saltiness, then chopping it finely and stir-frying it or seasoning it with various spices.
- Tong Kimchi Ssam: A wrap made by wrapping kimchi leaves around food.
- Kimchi Bossam: Mugeunji is pickled and served with boiled pork slices as a bossam.
International Image
Until the early 1960s, kimchi was considered “smelly and difficult food” outside Korea, and Koreans couldn’t recommend it to foreigners even though they ate it regularly themselves. The image of kimchi externally was “smelly but irresistible” until the 1960s, changed to “smelly but delicious” in the 1970s, and further evolved to “delicious, healthy, and environmentally friendly” in the 1980s. In the 2000s, feeding kimchi to foreigners visiting Korea became a sort of customary event, but this trend has diminished since the 2020s.
Similar Foods
Similar pickled vegetables to kimchi include sauerkraut from Germany, achar from South Asia, and tsukemono from Japan. In China, there’s dongcai, suancai, zacai, and paocai, while in Japan, there’s tsukemono. In Southeast Asia, achar is similar, and in the West, there are cucumber pickles. These are more akin to jangajji than kimchi since they don’t undergo fermentation.