The ‘inevitable side dish’ created by rice culture… Kimchi is a fermented food found only in Korea.[권대영의 K푸드 인문학]

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Daeyoung Kwon, Korean food humanist

Interest in the uniqueness and healthfulness of Korean kimchi, a fermented food, is increasing. However, the distorted stories about kimchi that have already spread are making it difficult to properly understand the history of kimchi.

A typical distorted claim is that ‘Korea has been eating pickled foods such as Chinese pao chai, Japanese tsukemono, and German sauerkraut for a long time, but after the introduction of peppers, the same shape of kimchi was created.’ There are no papers that have undergone scientific verification, and it is a common belief that is circulating among the general public through selective literature. Even though there are many logical flaws, people in our country generally easily accept this level of argument. However, foreigners do not understand this logically.

Humanities scholars with excellent reading skills in Chinese characters should definitely be evaluated for their leadership and development of research on the history of Korean food. However, studying the history of food is not the domain of these humanities scholars alone. The food research based on ancient Chinese literature that they target may be appropriate for Chinese food research, but it is not appropriate for Korean food research. That is why the above critical error occurs. To reduce these errors, we must study the history of our food anthropologically, geographically, biologically, gastronomically, and scientifically.

From a culinary point of view, kimchi is not a pickled food that exists in other countries. These are fermented foods such as yogurt, cheese, alcohol, soy sauce, and vinegar. Among them, kimchi is a unique fermented vegetable food found only in Korea. Anthropologically, the root of our civilization is the Liaohe civilization, which is different from the Yellow River civilization, which is the root of China. The unique food of a region is not developed from something introduced from other countries, but is created based on the geographical and agricultural characteristics of that region. Due to this probability, all fermented foods in the world were created by accidental discovery as food changed in the wisdom of life over thousands of years.

Kimchi would never have been created in Korea if there were peppers so spicy that you would die if you ate them like Central and South American peppers. Our kimchi was born naturally because of the vegetables that grow abundantly in our country and our spicy, sweet and very pretty red peppers. In a food culture environment like our country’s dining table culture, there had to be delicious side dishes like kimchi, and there was no need for scientific knowledge about Chinese characters, food technology, fermentation, or microorganisms.

In Korean food, a table culture, many side dishes were needed to enjoy rice, and seasonings were created to make side dishes delicious. The key to seasoning is color and taste. The red color of the pepper stimulates the appetite, and fragrant ingredients such as pepper, garlic, green onion, and ginger stimulate the stomach and stimulate gastric activity, thereby stimulating the appetite and promoting digestion. If you season it with garlic, green onions, and red pepper, season it with soybean paste and salt, and mix it with vegetables, it becomes a delicious side dish (geotjeori). There were times when I couldn’t eat all of this geotjeori and had leftovers, but after a few hours or even days, when I tried to eat it because I felt like it was a waste, even though it smelled, it didn’t hurt my stomach and even made the food taste better.

This realization is the secret to the creation of kimchi and the reason kimchi exists only in Korea.

Daeyoung Kwon, Korean food humanist

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It seems that what you provided is an excerpt focusing on the origins ⁢and cultural significance of kimchi, a ⁢traditional Korean dish, as ⁣articulated by Daeyoung Kwon, a Korean food humanist. The text highlights⁣ several key points ‍about kimchi, emphasizing its uniqueness and the misconceptions surrounding it.

Here’s a summary ⁤of the main ⁤ideas presented:

1. Distorted Claims: There are misconceptions about the‌ history of kimchi, particularly​ claims that it evolved‍ purely from pickled ‍foods introduced from other cultures. Kwon argues⁢ that these claims lack scientific support and are based on ⁣selective literature.

1. Holistic⁢ Study of Food History: Kwon advocates for an ⁢anthropological, geographical, ⁤biological, gastronomical, and ​scientific approach⁢ to⁣ understanding the history ⁤of Korean food,⁤ as opposed to relying solely on ancient Chinese literature, which may not apply ​to ​Korean culinary traditions.

1. Kimchi as a Unique Fermented⁤ Food: Kwon emphasizes that kimchi is a‍ distinct form of fermented vegetable food, akin to other fermented foods ⁢worldwide but uniquely influenced ⁣by Korea’s geography, ‌climate, and agricultural‌ practices.

1. Culinary Significance: The ‌text describes the role of kimchi in Korean dining culture, where it serves as a crucial ​side⁤ dish that enhances the enjoyment of rice meals. Kwon⁢ notes that seasonings used in kimchi⁢ not only ⁤enhance flavor ⁢but also stimulate appetite and digestion.

1. Cultural Context: The creation of kimchi is ⁣linked to specific regional conditions and⁤ the natural abundance ‌of local ⁣vegetables and peppers, suggesting that kimchi could ​not have been developed in the same way elsewhere, such as in regions with different ⁤types of peppers.

Kwon’s perspective on kimchi emphasizes its cultural originality and the need for a⁤ nuanced understanding of its history, free from misinterpretations and categorization with ⁣foreign pickled products. The exploration of kimchi​ thus reflects broader themes⁤ of culinary ‌identity and the importance of ⁣recognizing local food practices ⁢within their historical and ⁢geographical⁣ contexts.