Kimchi as Korean fermented-food heritage in everyday meal practices: a qualitative focus group study in the USA and the UK

Abstract Kimchi is a Korean lactic acid-fermented vegetable food and cultural tradition shaped by seasonal preservation, regional diversity, and kimjang . This exploratory qualitative study examined how consumers in the US and the UK interpreted kimchi and described incorporating or not incorporating it into everyday meals. Four online focus groups conducted in August 2023 comprised 14 participants: six US consumers stratified by current consumption status and frequency, four UK consumers, and four UK non-consumers. The small groups, structured differently in each country, were designed for analytic contrast rather than national comparison. Transcripts were analyzed thematically using sensitizing concepts from food choice and practice theory; inductively derived negative and ambivalent cases were retained. Participants initially classified kimchi through relational categories such as side dish, pickle, salad, or ingredient. Sensory uncertainty concerned unfamiliar aroma, sourness, texture, and fermentation-related variation. Four analytic positions—routine use, partial incorporation, selective incorporation, and pre-trial uncertainty—differed in the practical competence available to support use. According to participants, ways to make kimchi easier to serve and eat in everyday meals included familiar food pairing, routine building, portion and sensory adjustment, and guided exposure. Cultural authenticity could motivate learning but also increase uncertainty. Within this small purposive sample, the findings suggest that incorporating an ethnic fermented food into everyday meals involves practical competence as well as sensory acceptance. Consumer education may benefit from pairing heritage context with concrete guidance on selection, storage, portioning, and meal use. Such guidance might also support the continuity of a seasonally grounded, plant-forward fermented-food tradition.