2019 JB LIFE! Magazine Winter Edition

Culture
Kimjang
The Tradition of Sharing in Korea
There’s more to this
yearly activity than
just making Kimchi
“ When I was young, my
mom used to make 200
heads of cabbage during
wintertime Kimjang,” says Maangchi, a
Korean cooking sensation who gained a
huge following on YouTube for her easy
Korean food recipes.
Words & photos by
Dianne Pineda-Kim “Kimjang allows Koreans to practice
the spirit of sharing among neighbors,
while promoting solidarity and
providing them a sense of identity and
belonging,” a UNESCO representative
explained when Kimjang (김장)—or
Kimchi-making season that is usually
held in late Autumn or early winter in
Korea—was recognized and added onto
its list of intangible cultural heritage
items at a ceremony in 2013. According
to a report by Korea.net, “Korea now
has a total of 16 items on UNESCO’s list
of intangible cultural heritage items,
including taekkyeon, a traditional
martial art, and the weaving of mosi, or
ramie, a fine hemp-like fiber from the
Hansan region.”
Before winter comes, members of the
family all around Korea gather to make
tons of Kimchi which will be preserved in
bulk supply for the rest of the year. It has
become a tradition for families to pass
down their secret Kimchi recipes and
preservation methods from generation
to generation—and this yearly collective
activity has cultivated an enduring value
of Korean camaraderie, cooperation,
sharing, and sense of community.
14 Jeonbuk Life Magazine / Winter 2019 • Issue 17