김치 Kimchi
Fermented vegetables, most often napa cabbage, seasoned with chili and salted seafood and served as a side dish.
Spice: Mild
Kimchi
동치미 Dongchimi
A water kimchi of radish in clear, cold brine, served as a side dish.
- Radish Water Kimchi
- Spice: Not spicy
- Vegetarian option
At a glance
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Main ingredients | Korean radish, salt brine, green onion, ginger, mild green chili |
| How it's served | Radish pieces in cold, clear brine in a small bowl, set out with the other side dishes |
| Spice level | Not spicy — No chili heat. |
| Diet | Vegetarian option — The dish is meat-free, or a meat-free version is commonly served. Still check the broth and sauces. |
| Ask about | Some versions add a little fish sauce or salted shrimp to the brine. |
| On the menu | 동치미 (Dongchimi) |
| Also called | dong chimi · tongchimi · water kimchi |
| Region | Nationwide |
Based on the usual recipe. Restaurants vary, so always tell the staff.
How to eat Radish Water Kimchi
Sip the cold brine
Use your spoon to drink some of the liquid. It is cool, tangy and a little salty.
Eat the radish with your meal
Pick up a piece of radish with chopsticks between bites of rice or the main dish.
Ask for a refill
Side dishes, including dongchimi, are often refilled for free.
On the table
Order it as 동치미. You rarely need to: many restaurants serve it free, especially with noodles or grilled meat.
- On the menu: 동치미
- Usually sold: Included with a meal, as a side dish
Where it comes from
Before chili peppers spread in Korea, kimchi was made with salt. Dongchimi can be seen as the earliest basic form of kimchi. Old cookbooks record it as dongchim. In the north, people ate cold noodles in dongchimi broth as a winter treat.
Sources: Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (encykorea.aks.ac.kr)
Similar dishes
깍두기 Kkakdugi
Cubes of radish fermented with chili flakes, garlic and salted shrimp, served as a side dish with soups.
Spice: Mild
오이소박이 Oisobagi
Cucumber pieces slit and stuffed with chili flakes, garlic and green onion or chives, served cold as a side dish.
Spice: Mild
Questions about Radish Water Kimchi
Is dongchimi vegetarian?
Often, yes. The usual brine is made with radish, salt and vegetables. Some versions add fish sauce or salted shrimp, so ask the staff.
How spicy is dongchimi?
Not spicy. It has no chili heat, and the cold brine is often eaten next to spicy food.
What is the difference between dongchimi and kimchi?
It is a kind of kimchi. It is made without chili flakes and kept in plenty of clear brine, so you drink the liquid too.
- By Jason Kim (Bumsoo)
- Last reviewed October 24, 2026