In a European supermarket, a ‘kimchi sauce’ featuring an image of a woman in a Japanese kimono is being openly sold, sparking controversy. This issue arises as unique aspects of Korean culture, like Netflix’s ‘K-pop Demon Hunters,’ gain global recognition, but awareness of K-food remains low in Europe.
Professor Seo Kyung-duk of Sungshin Women’s University expressed concern, saying he recently received reports about the misrepresentation of ‘kimchi sauce,’ which could lead Europeans to mistakenly believe it’s Japanese food. He pointed out that Korean ‘kimchi’ and Chinese ‘pao cai’ are distinctly different, yet the product was translated as ‘泡菜’ (pao cai) in Chinese, and the source of the product was traced back to a Spanish company.
This is not the first time such an issue has arisen. In Germany, ALDI, a popular supermarket, previously labeled ‘kimchi’ as ‘Japanese kimchi’ on its website, causing significant controversy. In the past, this company faced backlash for labeling kimchi products in German and Italian as ‘originating in China.’
Professor Seo criticized the recurring issue, attributing it to a lack of understanding of Asian culture among Europeans. He emphasized the importance of correcting such mislabeling and designs, especially as K-food continues to gain global popularity, and announced plans for a ‘Korean Cuisine Globalization Campaign’ targeting Europe starting next year.