From Strangers to Community

On Sunday, August 2, just after 10 a.m., the garden in Riehen began to fill with people. For the second consecutive year, the Jeolla Kimjang Experience was fully booked, with a waiting list, welcoming 42 participants from across Switzerland. Some participants set out before sunrise, taking journeys of over three hours from southern Switzerland, Zürich, and Konstanz. Some were back for the second time. One mother joined with her daughter, who loves Korean culture, looking for an experience to share. Koreans and locals, from children to seniors, sat side by side at four long tables.

At first, they were simply people arriving from different places. By the end of the afternoon, they had become a community.

The Story Behind Kimjang

Kimjang is the Korean tradition of preparing kimchi together in late autumn for the winter ahead. From salting the cabbage to preparing radish and spring onions, from mixing the seasoning of chili powder, garlic, ginger, and fermented seafood to filling every single cabbage leaf: the whole process takes time, care, and many helping hands. For generations, families and neighborhoods have come together for this work and the harvest. For exactly these values, UNESCO recognized kimjang as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2013.

A Family Recipe from Jeolla

At the heart of this year’s workshop was a family recipe from Korea’s Jeolla Province, shared by Yanghui Seo.

Jeolla is often called Korea’s culinary heartland. It is renowned for its rich flavours and abundant seafood. For the workshop, Yanghui Seo brought dried ingredients directly from Korea, sourced from local farmers and traditional jeotgal master producers. The fresh vegetables came from farms in the Basel tri-border region. Before the workshop began, she offered a simple reminder:

“For this one day, the people at your table are your family. Help one another, not only while making kimchi, but also when it’s time to clean up.”

The recipe carries a story of its own. At the Kimchi Contest of the Korean Embassy two years ago, it won a prize, and the winner was the family’s Swiss son-in-law, making kimchi for the very first time in his life. A recipe that rewards beginners, as 42 pairs of gloved hands confirmed once more on Sunday.

Traditionally, kimjang extends over several days. Families salt cabbages, prepare vegetables, make the seasoning and work side by side until every cabbage has been carefully filled. For the workshop, these preparations were completed in advance so that everyone could focus on the main steps and the meaning behind them, without losing sight of how much time and cooperation stand behind the tradition.

Around One Table

By lunchtime, the atmosphere had changed. What had begun as a workshop had become a community. Lunch came from a family kitchen, and for the second year running, Pietro arrived with a very special Italian wine, in a bottle so large it needed both hands. Not a sponsor, but a friend with excellent taste.

Around shared tables, conversations continued over homemade Korean dishes. New friendships were formed, familiar faces met again, and people who had only met that morning were already exchanging stories, ideas, and plans to meet again. This is the kind of encounter Friends of Korea seeks to create: opportunities for people from different backgrounds to meet, learn from one another, and build meaningful connections through culture.

Bringing People Together

At the end of the afternoon, 42 jars of kimchi left our garden. We hope each one carries not only the flavors of Jeolla, but also the conversations, laughter and new connections that were created around the table.

Friends of Korea is grateful to Gemeinde Riehen, Gedenksätte Riehen; Sempio, KOTRA Zürich, Genesis, photographer Charlie Hui, and all the volunteers and participants for making the day possible.

Until next year’s Kimjang!

Photos: Charlie Hui, Viswerk