To all of you living in Korea, do you know what ‘Shintobuli’ means? Do you know why mainland Korean vegetables found in traditional markets are packaged as ‘Shintobuli’? I think there are many people who do not know what exactly Shintobuli means and how it relates to Korean culture.

So, if you want to understand Korean culture more deeply, Shintobuli also plays a very important role, and I think you can only understand Korean culture better if you know about it. Therefore, this time, I would like to introduce you to Shintobuli in traditional Korean markets.

Korean domestic vegetables and Shintobuli

Shintobul is a Chinese character for ‘body and earth’ and means ‘the body and the earth are not two but one’. This means that eating plants suited to the soil and climate where you live is good for your health.

Korean domestic vegetables refer to vegetables grown in Korea. Korean vegetables are fresher and safer than imported vegetables, and can support domestic agriculture and farmers.

Source: How to tell the difference between domestic and domestic products (tistory.com)

Labeling Korean vegetables as Shintobuli can be said to be a marketing strategy to emphasize the advantages of Korean vegetables and encourage consumers to purchase Korean vegetables. The term Shintobul reflects Korea's traditional eating habits and views on health, and can increase Korean people's pride and identity.

Why Korean vegetables are safer than imported ones

The reasons why Korean vegetables can be said to be safer than imported vegetables are as follows.

Because Korean vegetables are grown, harvested, stored, and distributed in accordance with Korean standards, they are fresher and more hygienic than imported vegetables. Imported vegetables take a long time to reach Korea from where they are grown and have to go through the laws and regulations of several countries, so they are less fresh and are more likely to be mixed with harmful substances.

Source: Amazing complete list of imported vegetables: Naver blog (naver.com)

Korean vegetables are richer in nutrients and taste than imported vegetables because they are varieties adapted to Korea's soil and climate. Because imported vegetables are grown in environments different from those of Korea, they may lack nutrients suitable for Koreans' bodies or may not suit Koreans' tastes due to their different tastes.

Source: Summary of things you want to know about imported vegetables: Naver blog (naver.com)

Korean vegetables are meaningful in supporting Korea's agriculture and farmers. Purchasing Korean vegetables can increase the competitiveness of domestic agriculture and increase farmers' income. On the other hand, purchasing imported vegetables can benefit foreign agriculture and farmers and worsen the domestic agricultural crisis in Korea.

Above, we have explained why Korean vegetables can be said to be safer than imported vegetables. If you want to buy Korean vegetables, look for vegetables that are marked as Shintobul. Shintobuli is a term referring to Korean vegetables, and means ‘the body and the soil are not two, but one.’

Relation to Korean Culture

Shintobuli is a term that reflects Korea’s traditional eating habits and views on health. Shintobuli means ‘the body and the soil are not two, but one’ and believes that eating plants suited to the soil and climate where one lives is good for one’s health. This is closely related to Korea's agricultural culture. Throughout its long history, Korea has relied on agriculture as its main means of livelihood, and agriculture has had a great influence on Korea's politics, economy, society, and culture. Additionally, Korea is a country with four distinct seasons and different soil and climate in each region. Therefore, Koreans are characterized by making good use of the special products of each region and enjoying different foods depending on the season.

Source: Korean food you miss when you live abroad - Shintobuli: Naver blog (naver.com)

The Shintobuli of Korean domestic vegetables is meaningful in enhancing the pride and identity of the Korean people. Korean vegetables are thought to be richer in nutrients and taste than imported vegetables because they are varieties adapted to Korea's soil and climate. Additionally, purchasing domestically produced Korean vegetables can increase the competitiveness of domestic agriculture and increase farmers' income. For this reason, labeling Korean vegetables as Shintobul stimulates Koreans' pride and patriotism and expresses their desire to support Korean agriculture and farmers.

Above, I explained how the Shintobuli of domestic vegetables is related to Korean culture. Shintobuli, a Korean vegetable, reflects Korea's traditional eating habits and views on health, and is meant to enhance the pride and identity of Korean citizens. Eating Korean vegetables is good for your health and supports Korean agriculture and farmers.