Kimchi-making costs fall about 4% this year, but more Koreans are buying it ready-made

Good news for anyone facing a mountain of cabbage this month: making kimchi at home is a bit cheaper than last year. But fewer households are doing it themselves.

What happened?

The Korea Rural Economic Institute said that, as of late October, the cost of kimjang (Korea's annual winter kimchi-making) for a four-person household is about 4% lower than last year and about 5% lower than in a typical year.

The reason is a bigger harvest. Autumn cabbage output is forecast at 1.214 million tonnes, up 18.5%. Autumn radish is expected at 372,000 tonnes, up 11.1%.

Shop prices already show it. On 9 November, a head of cabbage averaged 2,749 won, down 26.5% from a year earlier. A radish cost 1,839 won, down 5.6%.

What about the garlic?

Garlic is the exception. Stocks of warm-climate garlic stood at 71,645 tonnes at the end of October, 8.3% less than last year. The report expects prices to rise, but says government discounts and extra stockpile releases should soften the blow for shoppers.

Why are fewer people making their own?

The institute surveyed 1,000 households online from 2 to 12 October. Some 58.6% said they make kimchi themselves or get it from family and friends. That is down 5.5 percentage points from last year's 64.1%.

Buying ready-made kimchi rose by the same margin, to 41.4%. It has climbed every year: 29.5% in 2022, 33.1% in both 2023 and 2024, 35.9% last year and now 41.4%.

What's next?

The institute suggests stepping up publicity about stable ingredient prices and lower kimjang costs. It also calls for ways to boost spending, such as extra-purchase perks and discount sales.