KOREA FOUNDATION

As kimchi continues to grow more recognizable, the world is taking greater interest, even exploring options such as vegetarian kimchi. And in Great Britain this fall, multiple large events focusing on kimchi were held.

This September at the Korea Festival in the London suburb of Kingston, home to the largest Koreatown in the nation, kimchi emerged as the hottest star. At the festival, the Gwangju-based World Institute of Kimchi held a kimchi exhibition and tasting event, themed “Korea’s Vegetarian Diet, Kimchi and Fermented Food.”

The festival provided residents with a variety of kimchi-related experiences, from an exhibition to kimchi-making and tasting demonstrations. Variations such as yangbaechu kimchi (cabbage kimchi), vegan kimchijeon (kimchi pancakes), and kimchi bruschetta were especially popular with festivalgoers.

Meanwhile, the World Institute of Kimchi set up a business agreement with the Korean British Cultural Exchange (KBCE) to promote cooperation for joint research and development of a kimjang project for the documentation and dissemination of kimchi culture. The two entities agreed to share information and publicity duties, and to conduct joint consultations for technical development. For the KBCE Kimjang Project, They will write up recipes for 20 kinds of kimchi and document their memories of kimjang, the traditional kimchi-making season that occurs in winter. These records will be stored in the city archives.

Additionally, a Kimjang Festival was held in late November as a follow up to the September event. In the festival, local residents had the opportunity to share in the kimjang cultural experience firsthand, making kimchi with their own hands to preserve it for the winter. Who knows? Maybe kimchi might one day be served side by side with fish and chips!

Written by Kim Shinyoung

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