"Why Did Anyone Eat This?" Once Shunned, Now Sold for 1 Billion Dollars [Delicious Stories]

Unlike Korea’s Abundant Gim Farms Thanks to Tidal Flats,

the West Struggled to Cultivate Gim—Often Seen as a “Disgusting Food”

Now Returns as a Superfood Amid Wellness Trends

Editor's NoteThe earliest snacks are said to have been discovered in ancient Mesopotamian civilization. Snacks, in other words, have accompanied every moment in human history—biscuits, chocolate, ice cream, and more. Here, we share delicious stories behind the snacks we love.

The popularity of domestically produced gim (seaweed) continues to reach new heights every year. Last year, Korea exported gim worth 1.1 billion dollars to more than 120 countries worldwide, earning it the nickname "black semiconductor."

Photo by Getty Images Bank

Dried gim, which is cultivated in the sea and then processed into thin sheets, is produced only in limited regions—Korea, Japan, and parts of China. At one time, gim was considered a "disliked food" in the US, Europe, and the Western world. Why was the West so slow to discover the taste of gim?

Gim Is Difficult to Cultivate... Thriving Only in East Asia

The reason why gim production is geographically limited is due to the challenging farming environment. According to the Korea Seaweed Industry Association, cultivating gim requires careful consideration of sea temperature (around 5 to 8 degrees Celsius), water salinity, and even depth. The Korean peninsula has long been known for its well-developed tidal flats and nutrient-rich brackish water, providing an optimal environment for gim to grow.

It is believed that our ancestors began collecting and cooking gim from the sea as early as the 13th century. Full-scale farming began in the 1640s when Kim Yeo-ik, a fisherman from Gwangyang in South Jeolla Province, introduced the "seopkkotgi" method. Japan also began cultivating gim around the same time.

Panoramic view of a domestic seaweed farm. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Unlike East Asia, the West lacks coastlines suitable for gim cultivation. The Atlantic Ocean and North Sea surrounding Europe are known for their rough waves and deep waters. In the past, even in Korea, fishermen would risk their lives by tying ropes around their bodies and diving into the sea to harvest wild gim from rocks along the shore. Such labor was even more dangerous in the coastal environments of Europe.

In Europe, Gim Was Demoted to "Peasant Food"

There have been attempts to use gim as food in Europe as well. A prime example is Laverbread, a traditional dish in the UK and Ireland. The word combines "laver" (meaning seaweed) and "bread," literally translating to "bread made from seaweed." For laverbread, pieces of seaweed are mashed together into large lumps, coated with grain flour and fried, or spread on wheat bread much like a spread.

In the UK and Ireland regions of Europe, during times of poverty, people ate 'Leverbread.' It is made by crushing natural seaweed and then forming it into a spread to be eaten on bread or crackers. Welsh Food and Drink website

However, laverbread was mostly consumed out of necessity during times of famine, earning it the label "poor man's food" or "peasant food." This led to gim being stigmatized as an undesirable ingredient in the West. Even in "The Journal of Hendrick Hamel," written by Dutch sailor Hendrick Hamel, who was shipwrecked in Joseon in the 1650s, Hamel describes being served gim and harshly criticizes it, saying it resembled "black paper."

A Dazzling Comeback as a "Healthy Chip"

Today, gim is regarded as a superfood in the West. Its high protein content and abundance of minerals have made it popular among younger generations, especially with the growing interest in wellness foods.

The gim seaweed exported to the United States, Europe, and other regions is closer to a snack substitute than a side dish, and its flavor is differentiated with various seasonings. The photo shows Dongwon Yangban Gim, presented at the Anaheim International Food Expo in the US. Dongwon F&B

In particular, gim is now treated more as a "snack" than a "food" in the United States and Europe. This is thanks to seasoned gim, which is brushed with sesame oil, roasted, and flavored with a variety of seasonings. Seasoned gim is as crispy as potato chips, but unlike regular snacks, it is gluten-free and not high in calories. Large retail chains such as Costco in the US have promoted gim as a "healthy chip" based on these qualities.

Unlike in Korea, where gim is lightly salted and eaten with rice, a unique feature of gim exported to the West is the wide variety of flavors—such as salt and vinegar, chili lime, avocado, and cheese—offering greater product diversity.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.