Kimchi-gate: China-South Korea culinary row breaks out over what to call spicy side dish
- Calls for cabbage sanctions as unholy bilateral dispute ignites over Chinese word for kimchi on back of Netflix TV show
A heated international row has broken out over the most unlikely of culinary matters, kimchi.
Netizens in South Korea are demanding the Chinese word used for the spicy food be changed from la bai cai to xinqi to properly reflect their cultural identity.
Their calls have sparked a fierce backlash in China, with some people even calling for sanctions on cabbage exports from the mainland to South Korea.
The traditional Korean side dish made from fermented cabbage, salt and hot peppers, is served with almost every meal in the country and holds significant cultural importance.
Kimchi is also popular in other Asian countries, and has diverse names such as la bai cai (spicy white cabbage) and pao cai (fermented vegetables).
The recent controversy emerged from a Netflix reality show, Super-Rich in Korea, which debuted in May and showcases the extravagant lifestyles of wealthy individuals from Singapore, Italy and Pakistan who are living in South Korea.