Korean kimchi is being sold as a Chinese delicacy in several markets and stores in Taiwan, according to a professor and promoter of Korean culture.
Seo Kyoung-duk, a professor at Sungshin Women’s University, said Thursday that several people who recently visited Taiwan sent him photos showing kimchi displayed with inaccurate origins and names.
He shared a photo of kimchi served at a hotel restaurant in Taipei, where the dish was labeled “Chinese side dishes” in English and “Chinese-style pao cai” in Chinese.
Pao cai refers to Chinese fermented vegetables that originated in Sichuan but exist in various forms across China. China has previously translated kimchi as “Korean pao cai,” despite the two fermented dishes differing in origin and preparation, a practice that has drawn repeated complaints from Koreans.
“Korean kimchi and Chinese pao cai are completely different types of food,” Seo said. “Rather than simply criticizing inaccurate labeling, we should work to promote kimchi more widely so that proper labeling becomes standardized.”
In an effort to avoid confusion between the two dishes, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced in 2021 that kimchi’s official Chinese translation should be “xinqi,” a term closer to its Korean pronunciation.
However, the term has yet to gain widespread use internationally.
minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com
