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A controversy has arisen over a famous Korean ramen company writing the name of a food from northeastern China, which is entirely different from Kimchi, on the packaging of ‘Kimchi Ramen’ sold in the United States. Instead of the Chinese term for Kimchi, ‘Shinchi’ (辛奇), the package is labeled with ‘La Bai Cai’ (辣白菜).
On the 25th, Professor Seo Kyung-Duk of Sungshin Women’s University stated through social media, “Netizens living in the United States have reported this,” and “La Bai Cai is a pickled cabbage dish from northeastern China, and is a completely different food from our Kimchi.”
He added, “Recently, China has been continuously carrying out ‘Kimchi operations,’ including provocative articles about Kimchi in the People’s Daily and Global Times, and distorting the origin of Kimchi from China’s largest portal site, Baidu Encyclopedia.”
Professor Seo pointed out that “We have to use the correct notation for Kimchi, both domestically and abroad,” and “If we use the wrong Chinese notation, we will provide another excuse for China.”
He also emphasized, “The government has specified the correct Chinese notation for Kimchi as ‘Shinchi’ when revising the ‘Guidelines for Foreign Language Translation and Notation of Public Terms,'” and “Korean companies should also unite to use the correct notation for Kimchi to spread our status as the main Kimchi-producing country worldwide.”
By. Sharon Lee
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