Kimchi is not just a piece of fermented cabbage. The dish has been an integral part of Korean culture and national identity for over a thousand years. What was initially merely a way to survive the harsh winter soon became a key symbol of the Korean nation. Recipes that have been passed down through generations reflect the country's complex history and serve as an important source of cultural heritage. In 2013, the traditional process of making kimchi (kimjang 김장) was even added to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. Kimchi has not only reached the status of a national dish at home but also serves as a representative national dish of Korea worldwide. In the initial part of the thesis, the role of national food in the global context is analyzed using three theoretical analytical levels. The historical factors that have shaped around 200 seasonal and regional variations of the dish and embedded it in the lives of the Korean people are described in the second part of the thesis. Kimchi is then considered as a national symbol of the country on a global level: from the historical factors that elevated it to the level of a national symbol, to the meaning of kimchi today (the traditional process of preparation and a symbol of global health food and a bearer of philosophical values). The final part of the thesis describes the interaction between kimchi and the processes of commercialization and globalisation, which led to the expansion of markets, international conflicts, and the establishment of kimchi as an ambassador of Korean culture and a source of gastrodiplomacy and soft power.
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