TWS Member Han Jin Faces Backlash for Mislabeling Kimchi as ‘Pao Cai’

An online storm erupted when TWS member Han Jin mistakenly referred to kimchi as “pao cai,” the Chinese name for pickled vegetables, drawing sharp criticism. Renowned Professor Seo Kyung Duk condemned the gaffe, deeming it a grave error.

The controversy unfolded on February 1st, as Han Jin engaged with a fan on Weverse. In response to a query about his meal, he said, “I had kimchi jjigae,” but curiously included “pao cai” in brackets.

Distinguishing between the two, “pao cai” hails from China and stands apart from kimchi. In a bid to uphold kimchi's cultural distinction, the South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, in 2021, officially endorsed “xin qi” as the accurate Chinese translation.

On the 5th, Professor Seo Kyung Duk shed light on the matter, expressing concern over the misrepresentation. “The reports flooding in are alarming. Han Jin mistakenly equated kimchi with ‘pao cai’ while conversing with fans on a social platform, triggering a wave of debate.”

He elucidated, “Kimchi and China’s ‘pao cai’ are unrelated delicacies. China’s insistence that kimchi is derived from ‘pao cai’ and is integral to their heritage is unfounded.”

Professor Seo underscored, “Given the context, Han Jin’s wording was unquestionably an error. As a prominent figure with substantial sway, he should have treaded more cautiously, respecting Korean cultural sentiments.”

Although Han Jin has since retracted the remark, Professor Seo Kyung Duk stressed the necessity of averting similar incidents. “This blunder isn’t isolated. Celebrities straddling both the Korean and Chinese markets have erroneously labeled kimchi as ‘pao cai’ in various media, necessitating heightened vigilance to counter China’s narrative in cultural conflicts.”

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