Kimchi, the national symbol of the Republic of Korea, which is made of salted and fermented vegetables in a mixture of seasonings, has been part of the daily diet of Koreans in one form or another for thousands of years. There are approximately 200 different types of kimchi, which vary by season, region, fermentation time, and the added vegetables and spices. In my thesis, I aim to present the basic properties of kimchi, from its historical background, regional variations, health effects, and its cultural significance for Koreans in Korea and around the world. Then I analyzed these qualities from the point of view of nationalism and national identity because I was interested in how kimchi was raised from a simple dish, which was created due to the need to store vegetables for the long winter, to the national symbol of South Korea and one of the tools with which this country presents itself on the global market. Food is an important part of our national identity. Still, in connection with nationalism, it is often overlooked and unexplored, even though it can offer us a better understanding of a certain culture. The consolidation of kimchi as a national symbol were the Olympic Games in Seoul in 1988, which was the result of the efforts of Korean society (industry, media and the scientific community), which soon began to be supported by the state as well. Food, especially on the global market, is also politics, and promoting some food as national in a globalized world can lead to tensions that can threaten its authenticity. This has also happened with kimchi, which is often at the center of conflicts between South Korea, China and Japan.
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