Eight Differences Between Sushi and Kimbap

If you can’t tell sushi (the Japanese food) from kimbap (the Korean food), learn from this article.

This is sushi. Photo by Vinicius Benedit on Unsplash

I learned to roll rice after I moved to Greece. I like to make kimbap and am proud to share it with my Western friends.

However, I noticed something peculiar about how my friends would recognize the food. They all called it SUSHI. 😅

Sometimes, I call it sushi too, for practical reasons. But I eventually have to shed some light on people. It’s kimbap, not sushi.

Here is the thing: sushi (寿司) and kimbap (김밥) may look similar. They are both rolled rice. Both can be wrapped with or without seaweed sheets, called nori (海苔) in Japanese or kim (김) in Korean.

Sushi is also a popular food for New Year’s Eve, as it represents hope for a prosperous and happy new year. But kimbap is also popular at family gatherings for the celebration.

Although they are similar, there are at least eight aspects that make both foods different.

1. Origins

• Sushi originated in Japan. It is deeply rooted in Japanese culinary traditions.
• Kimbap originated in Korea. It is a staple in Korean cuisine.