"Talking about Korean Kimjang, but calling it Japanese Kotatsu..." Absurd Promotional Material Controversy

An illustration posted on the official Twitter of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs on the 7th, marking the beginning of Ip-dong. Photo by the official Twitter of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

[Asia Economy Reporter Nahana] As Ip-dong (the beginning of winter) approached, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs sparked controversy by posting a message about the kimchi-making season along with an illustration reminiscent of the Japanese heating device 'kotatsu'.

On November 7, the day of Ip-dong, the Ministry tweeted, "November 7, today is Ip-dong, the solar term signaling the start of winter," adding, "There is a saying that after Ip-dong, you must make kimchi."

They explained, "In the past, after Ip-dong, napa cabbage would freeze, making it difficult to obtain fresh ingredients."

The promotional illustration posted alongside the message depicted a child lying under a table blanket drawing, and another person reading a book and drinking coffee at the table.

Netizens who saw the illustration protested, saying the table in the picture reminded them of the Japanese-style heating device 'kotatsu'.

Comments from netizens included, "Talking about kimchi-making and then showing a kotatsu...", "How can a (Korean) government agency include a Japanese traditional heating device in an illustration without review?" and other negative reactions followed.

Kotatsu is a table with a built-in heating element, symbolizing Japan. It is a heating device where a blanket or quilt is placed over a table with a heater or stove underneath to retain heat.

In contrast, the traditional Korean house heating method is ondol, which circulates heat under the floor to warm the entire room floor, a completely different system from kotatsu.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs posted an apology on its official Twitter on the 7th after the 'Kotatsu' illustration sparked controversy. Photo by Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs official Twitter capture

As the controversy grew, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs deleted the post on its official Twitter account that day and issued an apology. They replaced it with another image reflecting Korean sentiment. The Ministry stated, "Due to issues with the image, we re-uploaded the post," adding, "We apologize for causing discomfort and will be more careful in content production going forward."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.