A kimchi refrigerator is a refrigerator designed specifically to meet the storage requirements of

kimchi ''Kimchi'' (; ko, 김치, gimchi, ), is a traditional Korean side dish of salted and fermented vegetables, such as napa cabbage and Korean radish. A wide selection of seasonings are used, including ''gochugaru'' (Korean chili powder), sprin ...

and facilitate different

fermentation Fermentation is a metabolic process that produces chemical changes in organic substrates through the action of enzymes. In biochemistry, it is narrowly defined as the extraction of energy from carbohydrates in the absence of oxygen. In food ...

processes. The kimchi refrigerator aims to be colder, with more consistent temperature, more humidity, and less moving air than a conventional refrigerator, providing the ideal environment for fermentation of kimchi. Some models may include features such as a

UV Sterilizer Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) is a disinfection method that uses short-wavelength ultraviolet (ultraviolet C or UV-C) light to kill or inactivate microorganisms by destroying nucleic acids and disrupting their DNA, leaving them unab ...

. In a consumer survey aimed at

Korean Korean may refer to: People and culture * Koreans, ethnic group originating in the Korean Peninsula * Korean cuisine * Korean culture * Korean language **Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Chosŏn'gŭl **Korean dialects and the Jeju language ** ...

homemaker Homemaking is mainly an American and Canadian term for the management of a home, otherwise known as housework, housekeeping, housewifery or household management. It is the act of overseeing the organizational, day-to-day operations of a hous ...

s conducted by a top-ranking Korean media agency in 2004, the kimchi refrigerator was ranked first for most wanted

household appliance A home appliance, also referred to as a domestic appliance, an electric appliance or a household appliance, is a machine which assists in household functions such as cooking, cleaning and food preservation. Appliances are divided into three ...

History and design

The start of the Kimchi refrigerator dates back to 1984. At that time, LG predecessor, GoldStar (Hangul: 금성사), first used the word 'Kimchi refrigerator' (Hangul: 김치 냉장고). The model name of the first kimchi refrigerator was 'GR-063', an
according to the advertisementvideo
, the inside was made of stainless steel and the internal temperature could be set, but it is assumed that the direct cooling method was adopted. The volume of this product was 45 liters. After many years of comprehensive work on development to best suit kimchi fermentation and storage, WiniaMando (Hangul: 만도기계) launched commercial brand, DIMCHAE (Hangul: 딤채), into the mass market in December 1995. The model name was 'CFR-052E'. As of November 2007, more than a dozen home appliance manufacturers, including

Samsung The Samsung Group (or simply Samsung) ( ko, 삼성 ) is a South Korean multinational manufacturing conglomerate headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea. It comprises numerous affiliated businesses, most of them united under the ...

and LG, were involved in commercial production of kimchi refrigerators. The top-loading or "lid-type" designs were introduced first. The initial design took up much space and heavy plastic kimchi containers had to be lifted to get to the bottom part. Some units are now designed instead with two deep drawers on the bottom, that are accessible from the outside. Top or bottom, the bins can be used to refrigerate anything from kimchi to fresh produce and meats. The door-drawer types (the "stand-type" in Korea) are gaining popularity because of their space-saving ergonomic design. A single door with a wine-bar type design at the top can be opened in full or partially at the wine-bar section to save energy. The top portion can be used as a freezer. Kimchi refrigerator3

References

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