Kimchi isn’t just food.
It’s a story of survival, celebration, and soul of Korean cuisine.
Aged in time, seasoned
with care, and shared
across generations.
Introduction of Kimchi
The Soul Food of Korea, Alive in Every Bite
Kimchi (김치) is a fermented vegetable dish from Korea, most commonly made with napa cabbage
(배추) or radish (무), seasoned with garlic, ginger, red chili flakes (고춧가루, gochugaru), and salted seafood. But to call kimchi just a “spicy pickle” would be an injustice.
Kimchi is a living food, a cultural identity, a survival technology, and a symbol of resilience and celebration. Every jar tells a storyof Korean seasons, generations, and souls.
Kimchi (김치) is Korea’s iconic fermented dish, traditionally made with vegetables, salt, spices, and time. It's history you can taste, medicine you can eat, and culture you can feel.
It’s sour, spicy, savoury, sometimes crunchy, sometimes soft and always alive!
It’s what Koreans eat with almost every meal, every day.
Some say, “Without kimchi, a meal isn’t complete.”
“김치 없으면 밥 못 먹는다”(If there’s no kimchi, I can’t eat.)
History of Kimchi
~1500 BCE – 100 BCE
PREHISTORIC ERA
Three Kingdoms period emergence
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농경사회와 저장 음식의 시작 (Agrarian Society & Early Food Storage)
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Before kimchi had a name, ancient Koreans preserved vegetables using natural fermentation and brining to survive long, harsh winters. They buried salted vegetables in earthenware jars called 옹기 (onggi) breathable clay vessels that supported anaerobic fermentation.
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Typical ingredients:
무 (mu – Korean radish), 미나리 (minari – water celery), 파 (pa – green onion) -
Onggi jars were stored underground to maintain steady temperatures between 5–15°C the ideal environment for 자연 발효 (natural fermentation).
Source: “Early Korean Food Culture and Onggi Use” – National Folk Museum of Korea, 2000
57 BCE – 668 CE
THREE KINGDOMS PERIOD
First textual evidence of preserved vegetables
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‘침채’ 시대의 전조 (The Pre-Kimchi Era: Chimchae)
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Chinese historical texts like 삼국지 (Sanguozhi) mention that people of Goguryeo (고구려) preserved vegetables in salt. This marked the earliest recognition of 침채 (chimchae) vegetables submerged in brine.
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No chili, no fermentation as we know it today
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Seasonal greens and root vegetables were lightly salted and buried in jars
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“The people of Goguryeo had a tradition of salting vegetables before winter.”
— Sanguozhi, 3rd century CE -
Texts like Sanguozhi (Records of the Three Kingdoms) note that the Goguryeo people consumed salted and fermented vegetables.
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These early "kimchi-like" dishes were simple: salted cabbage, radish, cucumbers, no chili, no complex seasoning.
Source: “Korean Traditional Fermented Foods and Ancient Records” – KISTI ScienceON, 2010
918–1392
GORYEO DYNASTY
Birth of the word 'chimchae' (침채)
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‘김치’ 명칭의 등장 (First Written Use of 'Kimchi')
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The term 침채 (chimchae) evolves into 딤채 (dimchae), later modernized to 김치 (kimchi).
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Still non-spicy. Common vegetables: 무 (mu – radish), 오이 (oi – cucumber), 배추 (baechu – Chinese cabbage)
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Vegetables were salted and preserved with limited seasoning. Primarily salt, garlic, and green onions
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Records from Song Chinese envoys mention Goryeo’s preserved dishes.
Women fermented vegetables in onggi jars buried near their homes, a method passed down for generations. -
First written mention of "침채" (chimchae), meaning "soaked vegetables," appears in the Goryeo Dogyeong (고려도경), a Chinese record of Goryeo customs.
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Kimchi during this period was mostly white (non-spicy) and fermented using salt and simple brine.
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Radish-based and cucumber-based kimchi were common.
Source: “The Etymology of ‘Kimchi’ and the Development of Korean Pickling” – RISS.kr, 2014
1392–1897
JOSEON DYNASTY
Chili enters Korea → Modern kimchi is born
The Birth of Modern Kimchi
Late 16th Century (~1592–1600)
고추 (Gochu – Chili Pepper) arrives in Korea via Japan during the 임진왜란 (Imjin War).
This fundamentally transforms kimchi , from white and salty to spicy and red.
Red chili flakes (고춧가루, gochugaru) become essential for both flavour and preserving power.
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Chili peppers introduced to Korea from the Americas, likely via Japanese invasions (Imjin War).
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This marked a turning point: kimchi evolved from white, salty vegetables into the iconic red, spicy versions we know today.
18th–19th Century Joseon
Cookbooks like 시의전서 (Siuijeonseo) and 규합총서 (Gyuhap Chongseo) record:
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백김치 (baek kimchi) – white kimchi without chili
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동치미 (dongchimi) – watery winter kimchi with radish and pear
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보쌈김치 (bossam kimchi) – luxurious wrap kimchi stuffed with chestnuts, jujube, pine nuts, and oysters
Even the royal court (궁중) had specialized kimchi recipes — made with care, delicacy, and seasonal balance, following 음양오행 (Eumyangohaeng – the Five Elements principle).
Source: “Transformation of Kimchi after Chili Introduction” – RDA Korea, 2020
The red colour of kimchi? It’s only 400 years old.
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Recipes in royal documents such as Siuijeonseo (시의전서) and Gyuhap Chongseo (규합총서) describe:
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Baek kimchi (백김치) – white, mild
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Dongchimi (동치미) – watery radish kimchi
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Bossam kimchi (보쌈김치) – wrapped luxury kimchi with chestnuts and pine nuts
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Source: “조선시대 김치의 유형과 조리법 (Types and Recipes of Kimchi in the Joseon Era)” – Korean Food Culture Society,
1910–1945
JAPANESE COLONIAL PERIOD
Mass standardization and loss of diversity
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Adaptation Under Suppression
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Kimchi-making became difficult due to Japanese restrictions on salt and red pepper.
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Households improvised using 산나물 (wild greens) and local sea salt
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Japanese pickles (tsukemono) began replacing kimchi in some public institutions — sparking a cultural identity crisis.
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But Korean women held the tradition alive through 집김치 (home kimchi), often hidden or made communally in defiance.
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Kimchi began appearing in print cookbooks under Japanese influence.
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Salt and chili pepper rations made kimchi-making difficult; many families adapted using local greens.
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Fermented anchovy/fish sauce (액젓) became more common as a substitute for preserved seafood.
This era reduced regional diversity in kimchi due to resource scarcity and colonial control of food systems.
1950s–1970s
KOREAN WAR & POST-WAR ERA
Kimchi becomes a food of survival and national pride
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Kimchi as Survival and Symbol
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During the Korean War, kimchi was made with limited ingredients — yet remained central to daily life.
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Refugees and displaced families kept kimchi culture alive with local adaptations:
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나박김치 (nabak kimchi) in the North
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열무김치 (yeolmu kimchi) using summer radish tops
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Post-war, the rise of 도시형 핵가족 (urban nuclear families) created demand for mass-produced kimchi , leading to the first commercial 김치 공장 (kimchi factories).
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📚 Source: “Post-War Korean Foodways” – Korean Society for Food and Culture, 1999
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During the Korean War, kimchi was often made with what was available : wild greens, little seasoning, but still essential.
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In the 1960s, with the industrial boom, urban families started buying kimchi, and kimchi factories began to emerge.
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The government included kimchi as part of wartime rations and promoted it as a "patriotic food."
📚 Source: “Postwar Korean Food Culture and Industrial Kimchi” – RDA Korea, 2009
1980s–2000s
MODERN KOREA
Kimchi goes global
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Kimchi Goes Global
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1984: LG (then GoldStar) introduces the world’s first 김치냉장고 (kimchi refrigerator)
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1986: Korea begins Codex petition to formally recognize kimchi
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1988: Seoul Olympics — sparked diplomatic outrage when Western media confused kimchi with Japanese pickles
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This era marks the official globalization of kimchi , a proud emblem of Korea’s identity.
📚 Source: " Globalization of Kimchi and National Branding” – Ministry of Culture, 2007
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The first kimchi refrigerator (김치냉장고) launched in 1984 by GoldStar (now LG).
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International outrage during the 1988 Seoul Olympics when media confused kimchi with "Japanese pickles" led to government campaigns to promote it as uniquely Korean.
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In 2001, Codex Alimentarius (UN FAO/WHO) officially recognized kimchi as a Korean fermented food, not Japanese tsukemono.
📚 Source: “Codex Kimchi Standardization and National Food Sovereignty” – Korean Ministry of Agriculture, 2002
2010s–2022s
GLOBAL WAVE
Kimchi becomes a superfood and cultural icon
Superfood, Cultural Star, and Heritage Icon
📍 2013
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UNESCO designates "Kimjang Culture" 김장문화 as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
📍 2016–Present:
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Kimchi is featured on Netflix, in fine dining, and on TikTok.
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Space kimchi developed for Korean astronauts (2008) proved the durability and scientific interest in fermentation.
"Kimjang is a ceremony of togetherness." UNESCO Committee on Intangible Heritage
📍 2020–2022
During the COVID-19 pandemic, studies show that regular kimchi consumption may reduce symptom severity due to anti-inflammatory properties and gut-health support.
📍 Present Day
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Over 200 regional kimchi types catalogued across Korea
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Kimchi appears in Michelin-starred menus, TikTok trends, and international school lunches
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Served in fusion dishes from tacos to poutine.
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Studies show regular kimchi intake may reduce COVID-19 severity, due to its ACE2 inhibition and probiotic immune support.
📚 Source: “Lactic Acid Bacteria and ACE2 Downregulation in Fermented Foods” – RDA, WIKIM, 2021
2022-present
KOREAN DNA
Madame Kimchi Global Hub is born
김치의 새로운 얼굴 The New Face of Kimchi
In 2022, a new chapter in kimchi history was born, Not in a remote Korean village, but in Montréal, Canada, where the flavours of Korea met the creativity of Québec.
Madame Kimchi 마담김치 is a cultural bridge, educator, artist, and fermentation rebel carrying 3,000 years of Korean heritage into the future.
🌏 What defines the Madame Kimchi era?
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Launched in 2022 in Montréal by a Korean-born creator deeply rooted in heritage, food science, and storytelling
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First to present kimchi as an artisanal, culturally-rooted experience in Québec
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Hosted hundreds of people through workshops, VIP events, tastings, and kimjang experiences
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Introduced Quebecois-Korean fusion products like Gochujang Maple Sauce and Kimchi Seasoning
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Built a global bilingual audience, blending Korean emotional depth with Canadian French hospitality
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Leads with a bold mission:
“Madame Kimchi is not a person. She’s a movement with a delicious rebellion in a jar.”
“To make kimchi the world’s most respected food — not just trendy, but timeless.”
What exactly is Kimchi?
At its core, kimchi is a fermented food where natural lactic acid bacteria (LAB) transform salted and seasoned vegetables in an anaerobic (oxygen-free) environment. Over time, this process develops complex, tangy, umami-rich flavours and preserves the vegetables without heat or preservatives.
The fermentation is not a flaw , t’s the purpose.
Kimchi is alive. Every bite contains millions of beneficial microbes.
Kimchi is traditionally made during 김장 (Kimjang), the communal practice of preparing large quantities in late autumn to last the long Korean winter. This annual event, rooted in agrarian rhythms, was inscribed in 2013 as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Fun Facts & Truth
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There are over 200 documented varieties of kimchi.
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South Korea’s kimchi refrigerator market is worth billions.
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North Korea makes kimchi with wild greens and little to no chili.
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During NASA’s astronaut food development, Korea sent space kimchi into orbit in 2008.
Citation: “Development of Space Kimchi” – Korea Food Research Institute (KFRI), 2009
so.. what is Kimchi, really?
Kimchi is a fermented vegetable universe, yes — but it’s also a life lesson in patience, community, and transformation.
It teaches that decay can lead to flavour, time can nourish, and imperfection can ferment into beauty.
It is Korea’s past, present, and future — in a jar.
Want to learn more?
Learn about Fermentation & Its Health Benefits
Discover Korean Pantry Staples to make your own
Or explore How to Ferment at Home and join the Madame Kimchi Collective