This time it's kimchi making
A new work by artist Mudol, who has consistently worked on traditional Korean cultural picture books.

Author Mudol, who has consistently produced picture books featuring Korean traditional culture, such as 『The Palace Where Monsters Live』, 『Save the Goblin!』, and 『The Secret Hanbok Country』, has published a new work, 『The Crazy Kimchi Expedition』.
Author Mudol hopes that children can experience our traditional culture in a friendly and fun way. This time, he created a traditional culture picture book based on kimchi, a unique Korean way of preparing for winter.
Author Mudol tried the entire kimchi-making process himself for the first time a few years ago.
I didn't realize it when I was just eating, but after experiencing it myself, I realized that kimchi-making is a very labor-intensive task.
However, author Mudol, who had so much fun gathering with his whole family and having fun together, wanted to share this valuable experience with young readers.
In 『Woodangtangtang Kimjang Expedition』, where the story unfolds as you solve missions in the game, everything about kimchi is included, from preparing kimchi ingredients to how to make kimchi.


Let's go save the kimchi wizard!
We are a tumultuous kimchi-making expedition

"The Crazy Kimchi Expedition" begins with the twins Yu and Go going on a kimchi expedition to their grandmother's house to make kimchi.
My grandmother is a kimchi wizard who can quickly make kimchi with various vegetables such as cabbage, radish, mustard greens, and green onions.
Every winter, my grandmother makes kimchi and sends it to the homes of my twin siblings, Yu and Go, as well as to my uncle and aunt.
But this year was a little different.
My mom said, 'Let's take responsibility for making kimchi this year so that Grandma and Grandpa can rest comfortably.'
This year, my twins' family, my aunt's family, and my uncle's family are all on a kimchi-making expedition.
The Kimchi Expedition must travel from place to place to find kimchi ingredients and go on various adventures to make kimchi at grandmother's house.
Will the Kimjang Expedition be able to complete all missions and end their adventure?

What day is November 22nd? It's Kimchi Day.
The reason why November 22nd is Kimchi Day among many other days is because kimchi is made all over the country from the end of November, before the cold winter comes.
There are many different images that come to mind when you think of 'kimjang'.
The grandmother who sends me kimchi she made with great care, bright red rubber gloves, a kimchi mat that looks like a swimming pool, cabbages piled high in the yard, and spicy chili powder that makes you sneeze.
"The Crazy Kimchi Expedition" is a picture book that contains all of our culture related to kimchi, including the ingredients needed for kimchi, how to make kimchi, the scenery of kimchi-making day, and the food eaten on kimchi-making day.


First level, find the kimchi items!
Gathering various ingredients needed for kimchi

The first level of the Kimjang Expedition is to collect various items needed for kimchi making.
We go to the salt farm to get granular salt, and to the fishing market to get savory salted seafood.
I meet my uncle's truck loaded with green cabbages, and my aunt at the mill where she grinds red peppers into chili powder.
Finally, we wander through the countryside market, looking for various ingredients needed for kimchi, such as garlic, ginger, radish, mustard greens, and green onions, as if on a treasure hunt.
Thanks to the kimchi expedition, we've already filled our shopping cart.
'congratulations.
"Found all the kimchi items." Wow, I finally completed the first level! Kimchi is a staple side dish on Korean dinner tables.
Kimchi is one of the first representative foods of our country.
Kimjang is making kimchi to eat during the winter.
Because it has to be eaten for a long time, storage and ingredients must be prepared more carefully.
There are dozens of ingredients needed for kimchi.
Your first adventure in finding kimchi ingredients will teach you exactly what you need and where to get them.

Second level, make delicious kimchi!
Making kimchi according to the kimchi pickling process

The second level of the Kimjang Expedition is making kimchi.
The kimchi expedition piled up kimchi ingredients in the yard of Grandma's house and shouted, "Trust us!"
But what is this?
Even trimming the cabbage is a mess, full of trial and error.
But suddenly, “Beep beep, I lack experience.
An alarm starts to sound, saying, “Get help from someone with abilities.”
Grandma had no choice but to step forward.
Then, all preparations proceeded quickly.
I guess my grandmother is a real kimchi wizard.

The kimchi expedition team removed the outer leaves of the cabbage, cut off the bottom, and then cut it open with a knife.
I washed the well-trimmed cabbage in salt water and then covered it with a salt blanket.
Well then, that's all for today.
Cabbage needs some time to wilt.
The next morning, I rinsed the well-pickled cabbage and laid it out in layers.
Now the cabbage preparation is complete.
Now it's time to make the kimchi filling to put inside the cabbage.
Spread out a large kimchi mat, gather finely chopped radish, mustard greens, green onions, and carrots, then mix in the salted seafood, red pepper powder, and glutinous rice paste. Your kimchi seasoning is complete! Now, carefully spread the seasoning on each cabbage leaf.
"congratulations.
"The delicious kimchi is complete." Yay! I completed the second level too.


Another fun aspect of kimchi making is the variety of foods that go with it.
Kimchi eaten with cabbage pancakes, boiled pork, or oysters is delicious.
Kimjang is hard work, requiring you to make a lot of kimchi at once.
But what if the whole family got together and enjoyed kimchi-making as a game? Just like author Mudol, who created this picture book with the hope that "kimchi-making will become a warm and cozy event enjoyed by the whole family,"


Learning 'Kimjang' by solving missions one by one
Fun sticker game is a bonus
Would you like to go on an adventure with the Kimjang Expedition?

"The Crazy Kimchi Expedition" is a picture book that is full of fun to read and look at.
The story structure, which portrays the process of gathering kimchi ingredients and making kimchi as if playing an adventure game, is novel and innovative.
The use of various 'adverbs' also adds flavor to the story, making it even more enjoyable to read.
The quirky dialogue between twin siblings experiencing kimchi making for the first time is hilarious.
You can't help but be amazed when you see watercolor paintings that realistically and delicately depict kimchi ingredients such as cabbage, radish, and salted seafood.
It is also quite fun to observe the characters' various expressions and actions.
Additionally, the missions and energy gauges that appear with each page turn add tension to the story.
Lastly, a fun sticker game in which readers can participate is a bonus prepared by author Mudol.
Now, shall we go on a fun adventure with the Kimjang Expedition?