International Museum Day: Museum Kimchikan, Seoul
My combined passion for good food and museums brought me all the way to Germany to visit the Currywurst Museum and to Japan to design my own instant cup noodles. When it was time for my trip to South Korea in 2019, food museums were definitely on my list. While I was researching attractions to visit and things to do in the buzzing Korean capital, I was delighted to come across Museum Kimchikan — South Korea’s very own food museum!
As one of my favorite banchan, kimchi is top on my list of things to eat in Seoul, and learning about this amazing health food was an even better way for me to appreciate Korean culture. Located in the heart of Insadong — Seoul’s famous indy craft street, the museum covers the fourth to the sixth floor of Insadong Maru. For those who don’t read Hangeul, keep a lookout for a small alley diagonally across from Ssamziegil. Once you see Hotel Saerim, just head into the gray building beside it and take the lift to the fourth floor to enter the museum.
Museum Kimchikan is uniquely dedicated to the history of Korea’s national dish as well as the craft that goes into making kimchi. Known as kimjang, this time-tested craft was even designated as one of South Korea’s 16 UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity! Having been passed down through generations of kimchi makers, kimjang still remains a family-bonding activity that plays an important role in keeping Korean traditions alive.
I was really drawn to the exhibitions that featured many interactive elements and videos. Before this visit, I naively thought that there was only one type of kimchi, the red cabbage type. The visit was an entirely eye-opening experience for me to learn about all the different types of kimchi. I also appreciate the section that showed the export of kimchi to Korea’s neighbors as well as to countries far away. Korean immigrants have brought this aspect of Korean culture with them as they settled down in new countries, and that has brought even more variety to this traditional dish.
My favorite part about the museum was the kimchi tasting room. After learning so much about the dish’s history, method and iconic role in Korean culture, getting to taste the different kinds of kimchi was an awesome addition! And even though white kimchi or baek kimchi is equally refreshing, I still prefer the sour and spicy red kimchi.
On the top floor of the museum, there is also a large activity room that holds regular kimchi-making classes. For those of you who want to attend a hands-on session during your trip to Seoul, make sure to book yourself a spot via Museum Kimchikan’s official website. Although I didn’t get to participate, I still took home souvenirs with me from the next room. Providing postcards and unique kimchi-themed stamps, I penned myself a quick note to remind myself of this special day.
There are plenty of photo opportunities and even special cut-outs of napa cabbage kimchi, ginger, and leek for you to take cute photos! The visit wasn’t just an educational journey for me, it was equally delicious and I brought home some great tips on how to make my own kimchi. What can be a better way to celebrate the beauty of museums with Museum Kimchikan in Seoul?
