Eating kimchi is like encountering a lively friend that shakes you awake. The vibrant flavors of chili, garlic, and sourness parades into the mouth and leaves a lasting first impression. Each satisfying crunch further launches a ripple effect, sending the spice and warmth throughout the mouth. The chili heat slowly intensifies, its tanginess traveling gradually to the cheeks and across the body. The aftertaste is an umami delicacy – a dynamic, spicy acidity that leaves one wanting more.
For many years, Korean cultural delicacies have been making its appearances in multinational dining tables. I experienced this first hand when my 81-year-old Taiwanese grandmother began adding kimchi into her stir fry dishes, referencing her favorite K-drama stars, Rowoon and Lee Min-Ho, eating kimchi in their dramas.
With the purpose of enhancing cross-cultural understanding of kimchi, the yearly “Korea Kimchi Festival” was held in L.A.’s Seoul International Park, from September 26 to September 27.
But the highlight of each day was the afternoon, when festival attendees gathered together in the central plaza to experience Kimjang, or the traditional practice of making kimchi together.
Woo Kim, the CEO of W Korea, the PR advertising firm for the festival, said it was his personal highlight to see 80 local middle school students and their teacher make kimjang on the first day.
“It was very amazing because they don’t know much about the process of making kimchi, but they had a lot of fun and really enjoyed the taste of their kimchi,” said Kim.
Historical Significance of Kimjang
Developed out of necessity, kimchi was made to sustain communities during the cold winter months, when vegetation cannot be grown. It started as a way to preserve vegetables for the winter months. Batches were typically made during late autumn after the first snow, when cabbage and radishes are typically the sweetest.
During the Joseon era, the practice of kimchi making was solidified. Neighbors and families, specifically women, gathered to help each other make kimchi and shared tips and tricks. It became a way for communities to bond and support one another. During this time, variations of kimchi also developed, with coastal towns adding fermented fish into their dishes.
A key revolution in kimchi making occurred during the late 16th century, when Portuguese traders from Japan introduced chili peppers to the nation, and led to the development of now-popular spicy kimchi.
With modern refrigeration, though the practice of kimjang is no longer as widespread, it is still integral to Korean culture and practiced at times during holidays or breaks.
100+ vendors, all for the 2 day event
Accompanying the kimchi-making festivities are more than one hundred vendors selling a wide assortment of Korean products, ranging from the Mixsoon bean essence that went viral on Tiktok in 2023, to Nakiji-Bokkeum, a marinated spicy Korean octopus side dish, and packs of frozen Yachaeyeon, the traditional vegetable based Korean pancakes.
All vendors had a special story about how they made their way to the festival.
Frank Kim is a L.A. local selling raw fish products. He was wearing a red apron, standing in the middle of the row of shops, inviting visitors to his stand.
“I am actually here for my mother in law,” Frank explained, “I live in L.A., but I am here to support her… It is fantastic to provide an opportunity to the Korean community and the surrounding community an opportunity to try specialties from Korea.”
Many vendors traveled across the Pacific Ocean to table at the festival, bringing with them their brand specialties.
Jason Kim happily introduced the jeotgal to me when I asked him what it was out of curiosity. The jeotgal is a marinated spicy octopus side dish that can be added to a dish to enhance its flavor. He explained that he was recruited through his university, Hanyang University. As a sponsor of the festival, the university opened applications for students to help out.
When asked whether he would be back next year for the festival, he said, “I love L.A. and I come to L.A. twice a year, so I will be back.”
Eunju Kim, a manager for ECOJ Goods, was the last person I interviewed. She had a smile on her face when I approached her stand, filled with a variety of packaged baked goods from Jeju Island. Among them was a madeline-like pastry made from the island’s mandarin oranges (or hallabong).
She highlighted the importance of the Korea Kimchi Festival to their brand. “The Korea Kimchi Festival is the largest festival for Korean goods of the year in L.A., making it really important for [the company] to come,” she said.
The Korea Kimchi festival is an opportunity for the Korean community in L.A. to get a taste of Korea that may not be otherwise available throughout the year. It is also an opportunity for people of all walks of life to experience first-hand the unique foods integral to Korean culture.