Kimchi Stew Recipe from Crash Landing on You (2026 Guide)

Bottom line: This kimchi stew recipe recreates the rustic, North Korean-style kimchi-jjim inspired by the village kitchens of Crash Landing on You. Aged kimchi, pork shoulder, potatoes and rice water simmer into a mellow, deeply savory braise you can make anywhere. Updated for October 2026, just in time for kimjang season.

1. Why Crash Landing on You Still Sparks Kimchi Cravings in 2026

Crash Landing on You (사랑의 불시착) aired on tvN from December 2019 to February 2020 and ran for 16 episodes. Its finale drew a nationwide rating of about 21.7%, making it the highest-rated drama in tvN history until Queen of Tears, another Park Ji-eun script, overtook it in 2024. Netflix distributed it in more than 190 countries, and as of October 2026 the full series is still streaming there.

Food is one of the ways the show bridges the two Koreas. In episodes 2 and 3, the women of Captain Ri Jeong-hyeok’s village gather by the sea for kimjang, salting cabbages in seawater before finishing the kimchi together in a neighbor’s house. Captain Ri even keeps an underground kimchi cellar at his house, a detail that fascinates viewers used to the kimchi refrigerators of modern South Korea and the world of chaebol heiress Yoon Se-ri (Son Ye-jin).

The production team worked with North Korean defectors to get these details right, and one defector told reporters she had made kimchi with seawater herself. That realism is why viewers still search for a kimchi stew recipe that tastes like Captain Ri’s village. This kimchi-jjim is our tribute to those scenes rather than a copy of a single on-screen dish.

1) Streaming in 190+ countries on Netflix, introducing millions of viewers to North Korean village food culture

2) Lead actors Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin married in February 2022, keeping the drama in the headlines for years

3) An American remake by Studio Dragon is in development, a sign the story’s global pull hasn’t faded

2. What Makes North Korean-Style Kimchi-jjim Different

First, a quick naming note. Kimchi jjigae (김치찌개) is a brothy kimchi stew, while kimchi-jjim (김치찜) is a slow braise with less liquid and a more concentrated flavor. In English, both are often called kimchi stew, so this kimchi stew recipe sits right in the middle: a braise that still leaves you a ladle of broth for your rice.

Northern kimchi tends to be lighter and milder than the salty, chili-heavy styles of southern Korea, where extra salt and fermented seafood help preserve kimchi in warmer weather. Our version leans into that gentler, cleaner profile.

1. Potatoes take center stage
Potatoes are a staple in the North and a classic partner for kimchi. They soften the sourness of aged kimchi and make the dish hearty enough to be a full meal.

2. Simple, clean seasoning
Instead of piling on chili paste, the seasoning lets the kimchi speak for itself. Garlic, a little soy sauce and perilla oil are all you need.

3. Rice water instead of stock
Rice water (ssal-tteumul, 쌀뜨물) is the cloudy water left from rinsing rice. It thickens the braise slightly and adds a soft, nutty depth, a frugal trick home cooks across the peninsula still rely on, and the secret behind this kimchi stew recipe’s soft finish.

3. Ingredients for 2–3 Servings

Everything in this kimchi stew recipe is easy to find at H Mart, a Korean grocer or most large Asian supermarkets. The older and sourer your kimchi, the better the result.

Main ingredients

1. 1/4 head of aged napa cabbage kimchi (mukeunji, 묵은지), about 400 g / 14 oz

2. 300 g (about 2/3 lb) pork shoulder

3. 2 medium potatoes

4. 1/2 onion

5. 1/2 green onion (scallion)

Seasoning ingredients

1. 3 cups (about 720 ml) rice water

2. 3 tablespoons soy sauce (start with 2 if your kimchi is salty)

3. 1 tablespoon minced garlic

4. 1 tablespoon sugar

5. 2 tablespoons perilla oil (toasted sesame oil keeps the kimchi stew recipe just as tasty)

6. 1 tablespoon rice wine or mirin, plus a pinch of black pepper (for the pork)

4. Step-by-Step Kimchi Stew Recipe

Here’s how to make this kimchi stew recipe in about 75 minutes. Most of that time is hands-off simmering, so it’s a relaxed weekend project.

Step 1: Prep the ingredients (15 minutes)
If your aged kimchi is very sour, rinse it lightly in cold water. Cut the pork into bite-sized pieces, cut the potatoes into large chunks and soak them in water. Rinse your rice and save the second rinse as rice water.

Step 2: Marinate the pork (10 minutes)
Toss the pork with the minced garlic, rice wine and black pepper. This short marinade tames any gamey smell and builds flavor.

Step 3: Sauté the kimchi (8 minutes)
Heat the perilla oil in a heavy pot and sauté the kimchi over medium heat. It’s ready when the sharp sourness mellows and the kimchi smells slightly sweet.

Step 4: Add the pork and vegetables (5 minutes)
Add the marinated pork and stir-fry it with the kimchi. Once the meat is about halfway cooked, add the potatoes and onion.

Step 5: Simmer (40 minutes)
Pour in the rice water, soy sauce and sugar, then bring everything to a boil. Keep the heat high for the first 10 minutes, then lower to medium and simmer for 30 more minutes. Scatter the green onion on top just before serving, and your kimchi stew recipe is ready for a bowl of hot rice.

5. Kimjang Season and Kimchi Day: Why Now Is the Time

Late autumn is kimjang season in Korea, when families and neighbors make large batches of kimchi together to last through the winter. The Republic of Korea’s kimjang was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2013. North Korea’s own tradition of kimchi-making followed in 2015, so the communal scenes in the drama reflect a heritage both Koreas formally share.

South Korea also celebrates Kimchi Day every November 22. If you’re reading this in October, it’s the perfect moment to buy a jar of well-fermented kimchi now, let it sour in the fridge, and serve this kimchi stew recipe on Kimchi Day or a cold Thanksgiving weekend.

New to fermenting? Our guide to aging kimchi without a kimchi refrigerator walks you through 15 methods that work in any climate.

6. K-Food Global Trends in 2026

K-food has never been bigger. Korea’s food and agriculture-related exports, branded “K-Food Plus,” hit a record $13.62 billion in 2025. Ramyeon became the first single food item to top $1.5 billion in annual exports, and kimchi was one of 12 products that set new export records that year.

The momentum continued into 2026. K-Food Plus exports reached an all-time first-half high of $7.05 billion, and kimchi exports alone rose 3.2% to $86 million. North America was the standout, with shipments up 15.3% to about $31 million, roughly 40% of all kimchi exports.

One reason: in January 2026, the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans named kimchi for the first time, listing it alongside sauerkraut, kefir and miso as examples of fermented foods. Korean experts also reminded readers that kimchi is high in sodium and suggested servings of roughly 40 to 60 grams.

1) Kimchi now appears in official US dietary guidance, nudging it from niche to mainstream and making a homemade kimchi stew recipe an easy entry point

2) North American kimchi shipments are growing faster than any other major market

3) Animated hit KPop Demon Hunters helped fuel record ramyeon sales, proving K-content still drives K-food demand

7. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

8. Related Reading

1. Korean Seaweed Exports Hit a Record $997 Million in 2024
2. Why Do Koreans Eat Everything at Once? 7 Philosophies Behind Banchan Culture
3. Why Korean Convenience Store Ice Cup Combinations Are Hooking Foreigners
4. The Buldak Craze: How Korean Ramen Exports Topped $100 Million a Month
5. Aging Kimchi Without a Refrigerator: 15 Ways to Do It Anywhere in the World
6. A Foreigner’s Complete Guide to Korean Haejang Food – From Bean Sprout Soup to Bugeotguk

9. References

1. Crash Landing on You – Netflix
2. Crash Landing on You – Wikipedia
3. Korean Drama Food – Crash Landing on You – Korean Bapsang
4. Kimchi Jjim (Braised Kimchi) – Korean Bapsang
5. Kimjang, Making and Sharing Kimchi in the Republic of Korea – UNESCO
6. Tradition of Kimchi-Making in the DPRK – UNESCO
7. Food Exports Hit Record High in 2025 – Korea JoongAng Daily
8. Ramyun Leads K-Food Exports to Record $7.05B in First Half – The Korea Herald
9. US Dietary Guideline Recommends Kimchi for 1st Time – The Korea Herald