# I'd Suggest Staying Away From Seoul for a While **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 21, 2008, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-suggest-staying-away-from-seoul-for-a-while/473748 "2008-11-21T00:00:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-suggest-staying-away-from-seoul-for-a-while/473748/1 "2008-11-21T00:00:37Z")
[They’ve just whipped up a record batch of kimchi.](http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hl4LjvgzYuuyn8J8uYqSxbjNRH5wD94IJUTO2) > [@](#): > > Thousands donned aprons and hair nets Thursday outside Seoul’s City Hall in a bid to make the world’s biggest batch of kimchi, the spicy pickled cabbage that is Korea’s best-known dish. > > Kimchi traditionally is prepared in the fall during an annual rite called the “kimjang,” and then packed into giant pickling jars and buried in the ground to ferment. Kimchi comes in hundreds of varieties and is eaten with most Korean meals, but the most common form is Napa cabbage slathered with red pepper and garlic. > > On Thursday, some 2,200 volunteers — South Koreans and foreigners — braved a cold snap to make 143 tons of kimchi from 58,000 heads of cabbage, said Kim Sung-tae, a Seoul government official. Yeah, its tasty, but some of the “after effects” _aren’t_ nearly so pleasant. ---
**Author:** ![kasuo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@kasuo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kasuo)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-suggest-staying-away-from-seoul-for-a-while/473748/2 "2008-11-21T00:15:52Z")
The distance, it does nothing [to quell the smell]! ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-suggest-staying-away-from-seoul-for-a-while/473748/3 "2008-11-21T00:17:02Z")
I want some! I love kimchi. A Korean friend of my brother’s gave us some authentic home-made stuff when we were teenagers. Absolutely scrumptious stuff: if you like spicy, pickled, fermented cabbage, that is. (No seriously, it’s to die for.) ---
**Author:** ![Jaglavak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85f322/32.png) [@Jaglavak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaglavak)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-suggest-staying-away-from-seoul-for-a-while/473748/4 "2008-11-21T00:35:29Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I want some! I love kimchi. … (No seriously, it’s to die for.) Correction: It’s to seriously die _from_. Anything that’s fermented and buried in the ground, you’re supposed to put a headstone over it and call it done, OK? ---
**Author:** ![AllWalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@AllWalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllWalker)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-suggest-staying-away-from-seoul-for-a-while/473748/5 "2008-11-21T01:14:00Z")
> [@Jaglavak](#): > > Correction: It’s to seriously die _from_. Anything that’s fermented and buried in the ground, you’re supposed to put a headstone over it and call it done, OK? Yes, and when it’s done, you dig it up and invite some friends over. Seriously, it is good stuff. A Korean exchange student introduced the stuff to me a few months ago. I really wish I had tried it sooner. And now I’m hungry. _packs bags for Seoul_ ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-suggest-staying-away-from-seoul-for-a-while/473748/6 "2008-11-21T01:59:47Z")
> [@Jaglavak](#): > > Correction: It’s to seriously die _from_. Anything that’s fermented and buried in the ground, you’re supposed to put a headstone over it and call it done, OK? It’s made with the same bacillus that gives us yogourt. I love that little bastard. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-suggest-staying-away-from-seoul-for-a-while/473748/7 "2008-11-21T02:09:57Z")
Oh, man! I LOVE kimchi. It’s a great natural mosquito (and everything else) repellent. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-suggest-staying-away-from-seoul-for-a-while/473748/8 "2008-11-21T07:08:02Z")
“Hey Al, you think they call it kimchi because there are so many Kim’s in Korea, and they believe in chi?” [“I don’t think so Tim.”](http://s3.ytmnd.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-suggest-staying-away-from-seoul-for-a-while/473748/9 "2008-11-21T07:57:41Z")
I love kimchi. I can get some in glass jars here, but it’s seriously weak. It does tingle on the tongue like it was carbonated, though. I wish I lived closer to a good Asian food store so I could get some spicy stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-suggest-staying-away-from-seoul-for-a-while/473748/10 "2008-11-21T09:14:27Z")
Yum, kimchi! > [@Derleth](#): > > I love kimchi. I can get some in glass jars here, but it’s seriously weak. It does tingle on the tongue like it was carbonated, though. I wish I lived closer to a good Asian food store so I could get some spicy stuff. Dude, it’s surprisingly easy to make. Here’s the [recipe](http://www.fabulousfoods.com/recipes/article/15/17609) from Joy of Pickling. I blow off the scallions because I don’t care for the texture, and use about 1.5 times the amount of brine (keeping the salt concentration the same) because it never seems to cover up the cabbage correctly. You just have to keep an eye on it and make sure that you don’t under or over ferment it. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-suggest-staying-away-from-seoul-for-a-while/473748/11 "2008-11-21T09:29:28Z")
> [@Darryl\_Lict](#): > > Yum, kimchi! > > Dude, it’s surprisingly easy to make. Here’s the [recipe](http://www.fabulousfoods.com/recipes/article/15/17609) from Joy of Pickling. I blow off the scallions because I don’t care for the texture, and use about 1.5 times the amount of brine (keeping the salt concentration the same) because it never seems to cover up the cabbage correctly. You just have to keep an eye on it and make sure that you don’t under or over ferment it. What happens if you over ferment it? Does it turn into booze? 'Cause that would be cool. ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-suggest-staying-away-from-seoul-for-a-while/473748/12 "2008-11-21T11:59:22Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > What happens if you over ferment it? Does it turn into booze? 'Cause that would be cool. It explodes. Anyway, the optimal amount of fermentation is completely subjective. Some people like it nearly raw, others prefer it nearly rotting. (Over-fermented kimchii is perfect for stew and pancakes.) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-suggest-staying-away-from-seoul-for-a-while/473748/13 "2008-11-21T12:14:56Z")
> [@HazelNutCoffee](#): > > It explodes. > > Anyway, the optimal amount of fermentation is completely subjective. Some people like it nearly raw, others prefer it nearly rotting. (Over-fermented kimchii is perfect for stew and pancakes.) Really?? Pancakes? Really?? ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-suggest-staying-away-from-seoul-for-a-while/473748/14 "2008-11-21T15:18:14Z")
> [@Mr.Slant](#): > > Really?? > Pancakes? > Really?? Uh, not the kind you put syrup on. :smack: More like… kimchii mixed with flour and water and cooked in a frypan. ---
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-suggest-staying-away-from-seoul-for-a-while/473748/15 "2008-11-22T01:33:47Z")
Kimchii, no, never could acquire the taste for the stuff. I did try it a few times. Now, if there was a recipe to ferment soju, I would be set. SSG Schwartz ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-suggest-staying-away-from-seoul-for-a-while/473748/16 "2008-11-22T02:15:08Z")
> [@SSG\_Schwartz](#): > > Kimchii, no, never could acquire the taste for the stuff. I did try it a few times. > Now, if there was a recipe to ferment soju, I would be set. > > SSG Schwartz Hey SSG, where you been lately? ---
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-suggest-staying-away-from-seoul-for-a-while/473748/17 "2008-11-22T02:21:42Z")
> [@Cluricaun](#): > > Hey SSG, where you been lately? Had a stressful week, had some chest pains from Monday through Wednesday. I tried to make a doctor’s appointment and was told to go to the Emergency Room. I went and was treated to three days of hospitality from the Paris Regional Medical Center to find that they don’t know what caused the chest pains. My 1SG called me about 30 minutes ago, now I know what caused the pain. :smack: Thanks for asking, **Cluricaun** 🙂 SSG Schwartz