Ever since human beings began cultivation, they have enjoyed vegetables that are rich in vitamins and minerals. However, during the cold winter season, cultivation was practically impossible, which naturally led to the development of a storage method: pickling. As a kind of pickled (salted) vegetable, kimchi was born in Korea around the 7th century. Use of Hot Red Pepper Powder At the earliest stage, kimchi was just salted vegetables, but during the 12th century people saw the appearance of a new type of kimchi that included some spices and seasonings. In the 18th century, hot red pepper finally became one of the major spices used for making kimchi. Thanks to the introduction of Baechu(English name: Chinese cabbages) in the 19th century, people of that time witnessed the same type of kimchi we know today. The origin of the name Kimchi It is suspected that the name kimchi originated from shimchae (salting of vegetable) before going through some phonetic changes (shimchae to dimchae to kimchae to kimchi). Reasons why Kimchi Was Developed in Korea Few fermented vegetable foods are found worldwide. Some possible reasons why kimchi was developed as a fermented food in Korea are as follows: (1) vegetables were popular to the ancient people of Korea whose main industry was agriculture; (2) Koreans had remarkable technology for slating fish that was frequently used as a seasoning; (3) Baechu(English name: Chinese cabbages) appropriate for making kimchi were widely grown.

The development of kimchi is reportedly rooted in the agrarian culture that began before the era of the Three Kingdoms on the Korean Peninsula Due to the cold Korean winter,they had to come up with a storage technology for vegetables(salting)as a means of securing food. It is difficult to identify the process use to develop kimchi in ancient times, as historical records of the period are limited. We can only assume that people simply salted vegetables in order to keep them as long as possible. Though no direct references to kimchi are found in records from this period, cabbages were mentioned in an oriental medicine book titled Hanyakguguppang. There were two types of kimchi: jang-a-jji (sliced radish preserved in soy sauce) and soonmoo-sogumjeri (salted radish). In this period, kimchi began to receive new attention as a processed food enjoyable regardless of season and as a storage food for the winter. It is suspected that the development of seasonings at that time enabled the appearance or spicy kimchi. It was after foreign vegetables, in particular Baechu(English name: Chinese cabbages), were introduced and used as the main material in Kimchi that the current type of Kimchi was formed. Hot red pepper was imported to Korea from Japan in the early 17th century (after the Japanese invasion of Korea in 1592), but it took roughly 200 years until it was actively used as an ingredient in kimchi. Therefore, it was only during the late Joseon period that kimchi became associated with its red color

Normally three types of kimchi (whole-cabbage kimchi (jutkukji), diced-radish kimchi (Kkaktugi), and water kimchi) were served for the kings of Joseon. Jutkukji was named after Korean anchories for a good deal of pickled fish (e.g. croakers) was added to the kimchi. A cook book of Joseon, Joseon-massangsansik-yori-jaebup, explains how to make jutkukji as follows: First, cut well-washed cabbages and radishes into small chunks and salt them. Second, mix them with chopped hot red pepper, garlic, dropworts (minari), (gat) and some seaweed. Third, boil fermented fish in some water and then cool. Fourth, add the boiled fish to the mix. Fifth, store in a pot and wait until it is fermented. Even through the main materials of water kimchi (dongchimi) are radish and water, other garnishes were used to enhance its taste in the royal court of Joseon. The radishes used for water kimchi should be of a wholesome shape. In addition, they should be washed and salted for a day before being stored in a jar to be buried underground. One anecdote states that King Kojong, the second to last king of the Joseon Kingdom, liked cold noodles in dongchimi juice mixed with some meat (beef) juice as a winter-night-meal. Hence, they prepared special water kimchi with pears, which was exclusively served with the cold noodles.

Kimchi has been scientifically proven to be highly nutritious and is recommended as a health food by many nutritionists at home and abroad. As a result the export of kimchi to foreign countries is rapidly increasing. Overseas Koreans were the first to introduce kimchi abroad. Korean immigrants to China, Russia, Hawaii and Japan continued to eat kimchi as a side dish, and it gradually gained popularity among foreigners. Consequently, kimchi may be found wherever Koreans live. In America and Japan, where relatively many Koreans live, packed kimchi is readily available. In the past, the production and consumption of kimchi was confined to Korean society, but it has now become a global food.