Baidu, China’s largest portal, introduced the origin of bibimbap as “China,” sparking controversy.
After claiming kimchi as China’s own food for a few years, the information on bibimbap, Korea’s representative traditional food recognized by people around the world, has been distorted.
Seo Kyung-duk, a professor at Sungshin Women’s University, said on his social networking service (SNS) on the 18th, “He insisted that the origin of kimchi was China, but now he introduces the origin of bibimbap to China,” adding, “Distorting traditional Korean food does not turn bibimbap into Chinese food.”
For a long time, China has distorted the Korean food culture by describing kimchi as ‘paochai’. Paochai means ‘vegetable pickle’ eaten in China. It is a method made by pouring water boiled with alcohol and spices into vegetables, similar to the Western pickle.
Kimchi is a food that is fermented by adding red pepper powder, green onions, and garlic to salted radish or cabbage. Despite being different from paochai in all aspects, such as how and taste, China insists that kimchi is its own food.
However, bibimbap is also added to the list. “Baidu is at the center of China’s cultural fairness,” Seo said angrily.
Bibimbap is loved by people around the world so much that it ranked first in the Google “Search Word of the Year” recipe (recipe) category in 2023.
Professor Seo said, “Since bibimbap appeared as an in-flight meal on the national flag in the late 1990s, it has been introduced to many foreigners,” adding, “The love of bibimbap by superstars Michael Jackson, Paris Hilton, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Nicholas Cage has also helped to promote it publicly.”
We will further strengthen overseas promotion of bibimbap this year, he said. “We will continue to protest Baidu and do our best to change the origin of bibimbap to Korea.”
The distortion of China’s history is also constantly becoming a problem. The “Baidu” encyclopedia lists poet Yun Dong-ju’s nationality as China.
Professor Seo, who discovered the case of China’s distortion of history, is publicizing the issue and demanding correction from Baidu.
There were also achievements. While providing information on Yoon Bong-gil, Ahn Jung-geun, Lee Bong-chang, and poet Yoon Dong-ju, Baidu labeled “ethnic group” as “Korean-Chinese (朝鮮族),” which he deleted.
Professor Seo delivered the news of last year’s information correction, saying, “Now that we are distorting Ahn Jung-geun even online due to lack of offline, it is time for a strong response from now on.”
“If we respond strongly to China’s distortion of history through calm and systematic preparations, not just anger, we can sufficiently prevent it,” he said. “We will conduct a survey on the nationality and ethnicity of many Korean independence activists introduced in Baidu and change any distortions to the end.”
SOPHIA KIM
ASIA JOURNAL
