This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). I’m kneeling on the tiled floor of my host Annise Lee’s kitchen, sitting next to three of her pink-rubber-gloved Korean girlfriends.

Kimchi sits at the heart of Korean cuisine as a fermented vegetable dish that delivers a punch of flavor in every bite. Picture napa cabbage or radishes transformed by salt, chili, garlic, and time ...