Fermented Resistance: The Role of Kimchi in Preserving Korean Identity Through Colonialism and Modernization

This thesis began with a simple observation during my year abroad in Seoul: kimchi was everywhere. It appeared at every table, in every household, and soon, in every question I had about Korean identity. What started as a personal curiosity evolved into a deep historical inquiry into how this single dish — made of fermented cabbage, radish, and spices — came to represent the soul of a nation. This thesis traces kimchi’s journey from a humble survival food in agrarian Korea to a symbol of resistance during Japanese colonization, a tool for reclaiming identity after liberation, and ultimately, a globally recognized emblem of Korean pride and soft power. Drawing from history, food studies, and cultural analysis, I argue that kimchi is not just something Koreans eat — it is something through which they remember, resist, rebuild, and represent themselves. In telling the story of kimchi, I aim to show how food can preserve a people’s history, even when their voices were nearly silenced, and how something as everyday as a meal can speak louder than politics, borders, or time.