Kimchi is a well-seasoned side that comes along with Korean meals, and there’s a man in South Korea for whom the art of kimchi is a true lifetime commitment. Kim Myung-Sung has perfected his own version of this fermented vegetable dish, and his quest was born of a desire to make something delicious for his wife. Myung-Sung demonstrated his process in a video for Great Big Story.
Myung-Sung says kimchi is a symbol of national pride for Korea, and for him specifically, it “represents love and future.” The ideal kimchi is “fresh, crisp, and lightly tingly,” he says, and it requires a healthy dose of seasoning. The rest of his process includes six months of fermentation in air-tight clay pots and, of course, sharing the products of his labor with his wife and children, whom he hopes will carry on his recipes.
• Kimchi: A Story of Love and Patience [YouTube]
• All Video Interludes [E]