■ An imaginary story about the birth of kimbap

Kimbap is a familiar food enjoyed by many people.
It is a food that is made by rolling rice with various ingredients such as vegetables, ham, and eggs in seaweed and eating it. It is easy to eat and children also like it.
How was this familiar kimbap first made?

The origin of kimbap is not clear, but the custom of wrapping rice in seaweed and eating it is recorded in 19th century Korean literature.
There is also a theory that kimbap was created by modifying kimchi sushi that was introduced from Japan.
Kimbap, which is made by wrapping various ingredients together with rice, is one of the foods that is excellent in appearance, taste, and nutrition.

However, this picture book, “The Birth of Kimbap,” is not an information book that tells the origin of how kimbap actually came to be.
The story features the ingredients of kimbap, such as spinach, carrots, radish, eggs, ham, rice, and seaweed, appearing as living, moving characters.
And the country they live in reminds me of a refrigerator where people keep food from spoiling.
Author Shin Yu-mi created an imaginary story where the refrigerator, an appliance we use in our daily lives, is set in a virtual world called 'Naengbariojanggogowingwing' and the ingredients for kimbap become personified and active.
The cool blue color of Naengbariojanggogowingwing symbolizes the image of the inside of a cold refrigerator.
In addition to the kimbap ingredients, you can also see other foods such as drinks, fruits, and vegetables.


You may have had the experience of leaving food in the refrigerator for too long, causing vegetables to wilt and ingredients to spoil.
The ingredients for kimbap are also vivid when I first moved to Refrigerator Country.
But even after a long time, it still doesn't taste good and ends up being thrown deep in the refrigerator where the cold air is even colder.
The original fresh and plump appearance is also changing.

But no matter how cold the refrigerator gets, there's one ingredient that stays strong. That's right, it's seaweed.
When his friends are in danger from the cold, Kim steps in and saves them, and this is where the secret to the birth of kimbap lies.
Now, discover the warm and touching story of how Kim and his various food friends create kimbap.

■ Stand firm despite bullying

Kim wanted to be friends with his friends, but his friends said he was ugly, flat like paper, and that he didn't fit in with them.
Even though Kim is lying on the floor, they ignore him and are busy playing among themselves.
They don't even ask about Kim, and they don't even talk to him.
They just look at Kim's appearance and label him as a 'strange kid' and shun him.
Kim spends his days alone, watching his friends play from afar.


Kim's appearance reminds me of children who are bullied at school or kindergarten.
Author Shin Yu-mi also said that she was briefly ostracized by her friends during her childhood, and that she used that memory to express Kim's expressions and feelings.
In our daily lives, we sometimes see ourselves secretly distancing ourselves from or ostracizing someone because of prejudice or preconceptions about their appearance, gender, disability, or region.
The author put his hope in this book that everyone would be warmly embraced without prejudice or preconceptions, and he thought that kimbap, which is rolled up and embraced by everyone, was the perfect food for this.

In that sense, although the title of this book is 'The Birth of Kimbap,' I think the hidden meaning is 'The Heart of Kimbap.'
I hope you feel the warmth of a broad heart, the generous and kind sincerity of a heart that embraces you.

■ A meeting of free drawings and exciting rap

Kimbap is a food with a unique flavor created by combining ingredients of different colors and flavors.
The materials drawn by artist Shin Yu-mi also have their own unique character.
Spinach exhibits a quick, lively, open and active personality.
A carrot with wrinkles on its forehead gives off the image of a stylish grandfather who looks cool with sunglasses.
The bright yellow radish is cheerful and lively, the bright red ham is cute and fresh, and the eggs are plump and cute as if they are bouncing.
Bob has a simple and enterprising look.
Kim has a generous and warm impression on everyone.
In the book, the words for these different materials are expressed in colorful letters, allowing you to enjoy them vividly and enjoyably, as if you were playing a role.


Author Shin Yu-mi is well known as a writer who plays the piano.
Artist Shin Yu-mi's beautiful picture books, accompanied by piano performances, are complex works of art that go beyond books for the eyes to be enjoyed with the ears.
This picture book transforms the serious and delicate style of Shin Yu-mi's previous drawings into a playful and free-spirited style, unfolding a world of cute and fun stories. To match this, you can enjoy bossa nova-style piano performances and exciting rap.


After reading the book, if you scan the QR code inside the kimbap on the back cover, you can hear the exciting rap about the birth of kimbap.
After listening to the lively rap that contains the touching story of how Kim and various ingredients overcome conflict and transform into Kimbap, I hope you enjoy singing along.