We do a lot of shopping at the local Korean grocery store. It isn’t that local–about 40 minutes away–but whenever we are in the neighborhood we stock up on the essentials, namely, 라면, 초코파이, 김, 된장/고추장, and 김치.

We typically buy our 김치 rather than make it more out of convenience than anything. My wife does make good 김치 but finding the time to get it all done is the hardest part, so we buy. Usually the 김치 is pretty good, not great, and the flavor changes according to the season. The flavors can change according to what part of the 배추 leaf is used as well. This last bottle of 김치 was not my wife’s favorite. She likes the yellow leafy 배추 but that bottle of 김치had green leaves. She said it was not as flavorful and it went sour in a bad way. The bottle is still sitting in my fridge. She can’t throw it away for some reason. You know the saying “when life gives you lemons make lemonade?” Well, I say when life gives you bad 김치 make 김치찌개. One day…

일숙씨: My favorite 김치 that I remember when I was a young girl are 오이김치 and 굴김치(baby oyster in 배추김치) I say when you like to eat the food the natives enjoy you will learn the language easier. Koreans love food and 김치 is a staple of the Korean diet. If you like to eat Korean food then you will have more opportunities to be with the natives and see the culture or characteristics of the people. The language is a living thing that evolves and changes according to the situation and changing culture and ideas in that society. Good luck learning Korean. I’m still learning Korean even though Korean is my mother language.

Enjoy all kinds of 김치!

화이팅!!