Michelle Park, a 22-year-old resident of Ewa Beach from South Korea, was recently made aware of Hawaii’s new “Kimchi Day.”

Gov. Josh Green signed House Bill 1950 into law last month, designating Nov. 22 as “Kimchi Day” in Hawaii.

“It definitely seems like a meaningful celebration since kimchi is a well-known staple of Korean cuisine,” Park said. “I feel like Kimchi Day can provide us an opportunity to celebrate Korean culture with our friends, family and also the broader community. It can allow others from different backgrounds to experience and enjoy an important aspect of Korean culture.”

Park relocated to Hawaii from the U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan-Casey in Seoul, South Korea, eight years ago following her military father’s reassignment.

She said that while her parents tried their best to keep her aligned and connected to her Korean cultural heritage, she sometimes loses sight of her culture while living in Hawaii because of the lack of statewide recognition and celebration.

“I miss home and want to go back to visit soon but for now, having something like Kimchi Day where people can celebrate would help a lot of people like me feel at home,” Park said.

South Korea already has “National Kimchi Day” each Nov. 22; several states in the U.S. have passed resolutions designating Kimchi Day as well, including California, Virginia, Georgia and Maryland.

On Nov. 22 2023, Hawaii opened its first Kimchi Museum to celebrate the state’s first Kimchi Day, exhibiting different types of kimchi and its history.

State Rep. Linda Ichiyama, (D, Fort Shafter Flats-Salt Lake-­Pearl Harbor), who introduced the bill, said that establishing a Kimchi Day would further recognize the importance of Korean culture.

“We want to support cultural events and share Korean culture, and kimchi is a big part of that,” Ichiyama said.

The bill stated that establishing an annual Kimchi Day “will foster economic commercial relations with Korean American businesses in the State and across the continental United States.”

Celebration planned

After the bill got signed into law, David Suh, president of the United Korean Association of Hawaii, met with members of other Korean organizations in Hawaii to discuss Kimchi Day celebrations.

Oahu will hold a Kimchi Day celebration at Makiki District Park on Nov. 4 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., sharing food, including contests; kimchi making demonstrations; and a music festival toward the end. Maui will hold a Kimchi Day celebration on Nov. 18.

Suh previously told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that kimchi, the staple Korean dish, serves as more than just a side dish.

He described it as a “representation of the resilience of people’s minds,” requiring “time, patience and hard work” to make.

Francis Park, president of the Korean American Foundation Hawaii, said he’s excited to collaborate with Korean communities in Hawaii for the celebration.

“Kimchi is meaningful and symbolic of Korean culture,” Park said. “It adds to the cultural diversity in Hawaii, which is a melting pot of cultures.”

He’s excited about the dish receiving recognition from communities in Hawaii and hopes it will encourage people to appreciate Korean history and tradition, while also promoting healthy eating.

“Kimchi is no longer just a Korean food — it’s a worldwide dish,” Park said. “It serves as a great medium to understand the connection between Korean culture and the rest of the world.”

Legislative priorities

Korean-American Yejin Yoo said that having lived in other states across the nation, she feels most connected to her Korean heritage in Hawaii because of its cultural diversity.

“I’ve lived in places like Monterey, but I feel more in tune with my identity here in Hawaii,” Yoo said.

She said that celebrating Kimchi Day makes her feel special, “like a little piece of my heritage is being acknowledged and recognized. I also love kimchi.”

While Yoo appreciates the intent behind Kimchi Day, she believes the legislative effort was unnecessary.

“We can still celebrate Kimchi Day without officially designating it through the Legislature. There are more important issues the state should focus on instead of spending time on bills that simply name a date.”

State Sen. Brenton Awa, (R, Kaneohe-Laie-Mokuleia), who voted “no” on the Kimchi Day bill, said he couldn’t support a “fluff bill” that does not address more “serious issues.”

“That particular bill wasted time,” he said. “When we’re trying to push important issues like stopping foreigners from buying homes here, the House says we don’t have time for that. But at the same time, the introducer of that kimchi bill has us in the Senate hearing it, so I know we have time for these things.”

Awa said he’s not against kimchi or the purpose of the bill, but rather focused on the Legislature’s priorities and “the principle of wasted time.”

“We have a limited window in the Legislature and we deal with so many of these low-hanging fruit bills,” he said. “All of our time and effort should be spent on real issues.”