A Study on the Differences of Kimchi Consumption according to Household Characteristics
The purpose of this study is to provide basic information to improve understanding of contemporary kimchi culture in Korea. Many Koreans are now purchasing kimchi at markets, while the proportion of self-preparation is gradually decreasing. This commodification tendency of kimchi is considered to be associated with changes in consumer’s behavior and attitude. In this study, a linear regression and a logistic regression model were used to identify relationships between kimchi consumption behavior and household characteristics. The results showed that the probability of kimjang activity was positively related with family size, possession of a kimchi refrigerator, self-preparation practice, and the intensity of sharing behavior. I also found that kimchi consumption volume per capita of ‘purchasing’ household was greater than that of ‘selfpreparing ’ or ‘sharing-dependent’ households, and that the number of family members was inversely related with kimchi consumption volume per capita. The inverse relationship between family size and kimchi consumption volume per capita is considered to be contrary to the widespread thoughts in Korea, which have been developed while experiencing kimchi preparation and consumption in traditional extended families. I think that the relationship comes from differences in menu varieties, which appear to vary with family size. This issue will be investigated in subsequent studies.