Professor Seo Kyoung-duk Urges Correction of Kimchi Labeling at Van Gogh Museum Restaurant Amid 'Misunderstanding as Japanese Food' Concerns

Concerns have been raised that the origin of kimchi may be misrepresented as Japanese food on the menu at the restaurant within the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Professor Seo Kyoung-duk of Sungshin Women's University reviewed the explanatory text on the menu of the museum's restaurant, 'Bistro Vincent,' based on a tip from an internet user. Professor Seo explained that the problematic text, which states the menu was 'inspired by the Netherlands, France, and Japan, countries that influenced Van Gogh's artistic world,' and that it 'blends traditional French cuisine with a Japanese touch using the finest Dutch ingredients,' has the potential to cause kimchi to be mistaken for a Japanese dish.

According to the restaurant's latest menu, the controversial dish is officially named 'Kimchi Sandwich with Spicy Persimmon Hummus' and is a vegan item topped with persimmon hummus, kimchi, and sweet potato on sourdough bread, priced at 14.5 euros (approximately 25,000 Korean won).

Lee Ji-soo, who visited the restaurant, pointed out in a Google review that kimchi is a cornerstone of Korean cultural identity and that the incorrect explanation is uncomfortable given its historical background. In response, the restaurant left a reply stating they would 'discuss improvement measures internally,' but the menu content has not yet been revised.

Professor Seo cited past incidents where the German supermarket 'Aldi' introduced kimchi as a Japanese food and a Spanish company used Japanese imagery on kimchi sauce bottles. He stated his commitment to working towards correcting such misrepresentations of kimchi across Europe in the future.