Netizens react to viral Reddit post about mother packing kimchi in her kid's lunch
Article: American teacher calls 5-year-old's lunch "disgusting"
Source: Financial News via Naver
1. [+934, -57] I really love kimchi and can't eat a meal without it but if I was packing lunch for my kid who attends a pre-school in the US, I would reconsider adding kimchi. It's a strong smell and probably uncomfortable for people from other cultures. This is not an issue of discrimination but being considerate of others.
2. [+392, -23] I think the mother needs to reconsider what's actually best for the child. As a mother, I would not intentionally pack something for my kid that I know westerners don't enjoy the smell of, like strong garlic. The mother's stubbornness is just going to make things more difficult for the child at school.
3. [+276, -22] The teacher's problematic but the mother also lacks consideration for others by choosing to pack kimchi like that
4. [+254, -4] I reckon Americans would bring out their guns if the kid packed 'hongeo (fermented skate)' instead
5. [+197, -33] Kimchi in the lunchbox of a 5-year-old... hmm, I don't think even kids in our country pack kimchi to school.
6. [+101, -12] Let's be honest, kimchi does smell... I can definitely see it annoying someone
7. [+63, -4] Both parties lack consideration for the other
8. [+64, -8] If you live outside of Korea, please keep your kimchi in your homes... Even us Koreans feel annoyed when we smell kimchi outside of an eating environment...
9. [+50, -2] If you live abroad, you need to stop packing kimchi, sesame oil, or dwenjang in lunch boxes. Just have them buy lunch at school or pack them something light like a veggie and sausage stir fry. The US is a melting pot so it requires more consideration for others. Let your kid eat whatever they enjoy at home.
10. [+48, -3] Kimchi probably really smells in the lunchbox when temperatures get hot
11. [+47, -3] I'll be honest, kimchi is probably really unpleasant for Americans who aren't familiar with it. You should think twice before packing something like that for a kid who will be eating with a bunch of other children in an indoor environment. As a parent, I wouldn't pack it... I think the mother is thoughtless for this one.
12. [+41, -3] Is the kimchi even necessary? The teacher might be able to hold it in but why should young children be forced to deal with the smell? What if it causes them to associate unpleasant feelings with Korean food? I'm not calling the kids racist, I'm saying it's a natural instinct. Why force your kid to eat kimchi at school? It's just forcing your kid to be a nuisance to everyone around them.
13. [+41, -3] Both the teacher and the mother are problematic. The kid doesn't have to pack kimchi to school every day.
14. [+34, -0] Learn some consideration for others~ if you want to pack kimchi so badly, at least make sure it's white kimchi
15. [+30, -3] I think the right answer is not packing it at all. We can't stand some western smells so I'm sure there are smells they can't stand of ours either. It's not racism. It's just being considerate. My kid studied abroad in middle school and homestayed with a Korean family who made sure they limited kimchi to the weekends so that my kid wasn't smelly at school. I completely understood why. Westerners are super sensitive when it comes to garlic smells with Asian foods.
16. [+30, -3] Discrimination or whatnot aside, isn't kimchi inappropriate for a 5-year-old's lunch in general? There are liquids that will seep out of the box, it smells and stains for a long time... It's a difficult smell for anyone who isn't familiar with it. It's the same as us Koreans finding the smell of Chinese stinky tofu or Japanese natto unpleasant.
17. [+26, -2] I just don't see the point in forcing the kid to pack it to school. Sure, K-Food is having its moment right now but that doesn't mean everyone enjoys it. This is a lack of consideration.
18. [+24, -2] I can't live without kimchi... but I can't stand the smell of kimchi on my clothes. There are a lot of Koreans who avoid eating lunches with kimchi, green onions, or garlic because of the strong smells. There are even Koreans who avoid eating kimchi before an important meeting. How can you be so inconsiderate enough to pack raw kimchi in a child's lunchbox;;
19. [+24, -3] Kimchi is honestly a really strong smell.. there's no reason it should be packed in a lunchbox when the child can enjoy it at home.
20. [+13, -1] Logically speaking, I can't side with the mother. I don't see how packing something that you know westerners find unpleasant in your child's lunchbox is a good idea. What're you going to pack next? Fermented skate? Why not Cheonggukjang too?
Source: Nate
1. [+738, -22] Yeah, well, you westerners smell foul so
2. [+722, -18] How can a teacher say such a thing?
3. [+61, -5] This is no different than if a Chinese student kept bringing stinky tofu for lunch in a Korean classroom. Everyone gets affected by certain smells. Just keep the kimchi at home. Why is it necessary to pack it for lunch? When in Rome, do as the Romans do. The US is not Korea.
4. [+47, -3] Why is it necessary to pack something that everyone doesn't like the smell of in another country? If the child likes kimchi, just let them eat it at home.
5. [+46, -0] The teacher was certainly wrong for saying that, but the mother needs to get a clue. I work at a pre-school overseas and there are some parents who are really adamant and stubborn about the types of foods they pack. There are often students who pack something completely different than the other kids and the classroom really doesn't like it. I think the sensible thing to do here is to let the kid eat their cultural foods for breakfast and dinner but pack something more standardized for lunch.
6. [+35, -0] The teacher could've definitely phrased things better. Us Koreans find the smell of stinky tofu unpleasant as well, so I can understand Americans finding the smell of kimchi difficult to deal with. There really is no reason for it to be packed for lunch.
7. [+24, -3] Even Koreans don't pack kimchi for lunch to work these days... and by the way, what kind of combination is kimchi and bluee cheese?... Sriracha and Doritos? Why pack a lunch full of such strong smells... I don't think even American kids bring blue cheese in their lunches..
8. [+23, -5] Only Koreans eat kimchi so just keep it at home and eat it with your family. Why pack that for lunch? ㅋ
9. [+23, -2] You guys really need to read the mother's full post. The teacher is totally being racist. She didn't even ask the mother to pack something else, just straight up called the lunch "disgusting".
10. [+23, -3] What's with the comments? I like kimchi but even I'll admit the smell is gross out of context. I've lived abroad for a long time and I've never seen anyone pack kimchi for lunch. The mother needs to learn to be more considerate of others.
11. [+18, -3] Even Koreans don't pack kimchi for pre-school lunches...
12. [+15, -0] I've lived abroad for a long time but even I'll admit that the smell of kimchi finds a way of getting into everything..
