Gim (laver, red algae): a journey through Korean history, culture, and nutrition

Abstract Gim (laver, Porphyra spp.) is a traditional Korean edible seaweed that occupies a central place in Korean dietary culture and has gained international recognition through foods such as gimbap and sushi . This study examines the historical, cultural, and culinary significance of gim . Archeological evidence from Neolithic shell middens in Busan indicates that its consumption dates back to prehistoric times. The term “ gim ” originally referred to unwanted vegetation on land and at sea, distinguishing it from other seaweeds such as miyeok and dashima . Historically, gim was consumed as a banchan (side dish), including gim-jaban and gim-bugak , and later developed into thin dried sheets owing to its polysaccharide composition, enabling its use as a food wrapper. During the Chosun Dynasty, gim became a royal tribute item, which promoted its cultivation. Advances in cultivation techniques in the twentieth century enabled large-scale production. Gim ’s adaptability in Korean cuisine, from traditional dishes to modern fusion foods, reflects the ingenuity of Korean food culture. Nutritionally, gim contains proteins, vitamins, minerals (including iodine and iron), dietary fiber, and distinctive bioactive components such as porphyran, a sulfated polysaccharide that has been investigated for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. These characteristics have drawn attention to gim as a nutrient-dense traditional food and as a source of functional ingredients of interest in food and nutrition research. Today, gim and gim -based products such as gimbap are distributed globally, representing the internationalization of Korean cuisine. This review follows gim ’s transformation from a local dietary staple to a globally recognized food item, emphasizing its cultural heritage, culinary applications, and emerging roles in food-related and non-food-related industries.