[Summary] Ham So-won’s Controversy Over Kimchi 'Paocai' Remark... "Step Down from Broadcast" Petition to Cheongwadae

Hamsowon Posts Kimchi Photo on SNS Amid Controversy

Broadcaster Ham So-won. Photo by Ham So-won Instagram

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Amid controversy over broadcaster Ham So-won referring to kimchi as 'pao cai (泡菜),' a Blue House petition has been posted urging her removal from broadcasting. 'Pao cai' is a Chinese pickled vegetable dish, and recently Chinese media have claimed that kimchi originated from 'pao cai.'

On the 15th, a petition titled "Petition to remove A from broadcasting for calling kimchi 'pao cai'" was posted on the Blue House petition board.

The petitioner stated, "In January, when the atmosphere was tense, a Chinese mother-in-law entered the country, and while continuing to film and engage in commercial activities, (A) referred to kimchi as 'pao cai,' and viewers requested corrections," adding, "Although the live broadcast was deleted after repeated criticisms, there are many witnesses and evidence."

They continued, "During Lunar New Year, even our family, who honors up to the ninth generation ancestors, did not perform the ancestral rites for the first time. Even if she had come to see family in this situation, she would have been quiet, but the live broadcasts filled with Chinese and continuous inappropriate remarks are very unpleasant as a Korean," demanding A's removal from broadcasting.

Photo by Ham So-won, Instagram capture.

A similar post was made the previous day. A netizen posted on an online community titled "Announcing a petition to remove broadcaster H.S.W."

The writer criticized, "On the 3rd, H.S.W. called kimchi 'pao cai' during a mukbang with her Chinese mother-in-law eating hongeo samhap," adding, "The Chinese mother-in-law has entered and stayed in Korea multiple times for extended periods, so she must know kimchi, yet deliberately called it 'pao cai.'"

They raised their voice, saying, "Kimchi and bulgogi are proper nouns, and no one in Korea translates them. Should we understand that because her husband and mother-in-law are Chinese, she cannot call it kimchi due to Chinese netizens?"

The writer also pointed out, "Even though her Chinese family appears on broadcasts trying to earn money in Korea, she has not used basic Korean for four years," questioning, "Do we have to watch Chinese broadcasts with subtitles every week in my own country?"

Some netizens, based on the information raised in the petition and online community posts, have strongly criticized celebrity A, presumed to be Ham So-won.

In response to the controversy, Ham So-won posted a photo of kimchi on her Instagram on the 24th. When a netizen commented, "I haven't seen the video, but maybe you called it 'pao cai' so your (Chinese) mother-in-law could understand," Ham So-won replied, "That's right."

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