A bill that would dedicate a day to kimchi — the flavorful and beloved Korean side dish — passed out of the House Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee on Friday.
House Bill 1950, introduced by state Rep. Linda Ichiyama (D, Fort Shafter Flats-Salt Lake-Pearl Harbor), would designate each Nov. 22 as “Kimchi Day” in Hawaii.
The bill notes that South Korea already celebrates a “National Kimchi Day” each Nov. 22 because the month represents 11 major ingredients in kimchi and the date represents its 22 benefits.
Amanda Chang, president of the Hawaii Korean Cultural Center, submitted written testimony in support of HB 1950. “Kimchi Day Hawai‘i will be for the festival of collective history and the celebration of cultures cherished,” Chang wrote in support of HB 1950. “It is no different from National Pizza Day, National Pretzel Day and so on.”
David Suh, president of the United Korean Association of Hawaii, wrote that “Kimchi Day” would allow Hawaii to embrace “inclusivity, fostering deeper connections among its diverse population.”
Suh told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Friday that kimchi is not just a side dish, but also a “representation of the resilience of people’s minds.”
Suh moved to Honolulu from South Korea in 1987.
He wrote in testimony that kimchi is a staple in Korean cuisine that “embodies centuries of tradition, craftsmanship, and communal gathering.”
Suh said that making kimchi takes “time and patience and hard work,” including pushing cabbage down into salted water with force and then waiting throughout the fermentation process.
“It sort of represents the patience and trials that it takes to produce something that is beneficial,” Suh said. “You don’t want to take a short cut in making kimchi so it represents people’s mindset about when you try to achieve something positive.”
Suh said it’s important, especially in Hawaii, to find acceptance in different cultures.
He said that “Kimchi Day” would affirm Hawaii’s commitment to inclusivity, cultural appreciation and a celebration of culinary diversity.
