[Asia Economy Reporter Suyeon Woo] Ahead of the kimchi-making season, home appliance companies are intensifying competition in the kimchi refrigerator market by continuously launching new products with added features. These companies are showcasing functions that keep not only kimchi but also various other ingredients fresh, establishing kimchi refrigerators as essential appliances for all four seasons.
According to the industry on the 18th, Samsung Electronics recently released a premium kimchi refrigerator, the 'Bespoke Kimchi Plus 4-Door,' which introduces the concept of customization. A key feature of this new product is the 'Kitchen Fit' design, which allows for kitchen furniture-matched interior styling without separate construction.
Samsung Electronics' Bespoke Kimchi Plus offers ▲ Ultra-precise temperature control technology called Metal Cooling that maintains a deviation within ±0.3℃ at the set temperature to create crisp kimchi flavor ▲ Functions that allow customized storage of various ingredients, from meat and fish to hard-to-store root vegetables, tropical fruits, grains, and even wine ▲ Bespoke design options that can be selected according to personal preference, differentiating itself in an increasingly competitive market.
The Bespoke Kimchi Plus is available in Kitchen Fit (420ℓ) and Freestanding (490, 586ℓ) types, and offers a total of 22 types of panels, identical to the Bespoke refrigerator. Additionally, users can choose their preferred color from the 'Prism Color' palette, which consists of 360 colors.
Last month, LG Electronics also launched a new kimchi refrigerator, the 'Dios Kimchi Tok Tok,' which finds the optimal kimchi storage method. The AI-based customized storage function has been significantly enhanced to set the optimal storage temperature and time for packaged kimchi by brand and product, maturing the kimchi in the best condition.
The packaged kimchi compatible with this function includes nine products from CJ CheilJedang, Daesang, Pulmuone, and others, with plans to steadily expand the range. Furthermore, through the LG ThinQ application’s 'LG Store,' customers can purchase packaged kimchi with AI-customized storage available via subscription service.
Additionally, this kimchi refrigerator is designed so that the upper, middle, and lower compartments can store not only kimchi but also various other ingredients. In particular, the upper compartment is divided into left and right spaces, allowing customized food storage with individual temperature settings for each space.
This product also features a differentiated cooling care system including ▲ three-dimensional cooling that evenly distributes cold air ▲ cooling care that periodically circulates cold air to reduce temperature deviation ▲ and cold air guard applied to the upper and lower compartments using separate partitions to minimize cold air leakage. The new product is available in 27 stand-type and 12 lid-type models, with capacities ranging from 128 to 565ℓ.
Winia Dimchae, which shares the domestic kimchi refrigerator market with Samsung and LG, introduced the '2022 Dimchae' new model equipped with a kimchi fermentation algorithm that boosts immunity. The new Dimchae has further improved its unique ±0.1℃ ultra-precise temperature control technology.
In particular, it is equipped with ten specialized kimchi fermentation modes completed with Dimchae’s proprietary technologies such as original underground cooling, which cools the storage chamber directly, and the top cooling system. A new fermentation algorithm has also been applied that can increase the antioxidant capacity (ability to remove active oxygen) of fermented kimchi to more than twice that of freshly stored kimchi.
The flagship 4-door 5-room model includes a 'Bordeaux Special' room specialized for storing wine, beer, and soju, and the fermentation mode for making and storing makgeolli or fruit syrup has been applied to both stand and lid-type models, reflecting the recent homemade trend.
It uses transparent containers that allow users to check contents without opening the kimchi, and is equipped with a powerful deodorizing filter to keep the interior clean. Additionally, a 400ℓ-class 3-door model with door pockets has been released, significantly improving space efficiency and ease of use.
An industry official said, "The functions of kimchi refrigerators are expanding beyond simple kimchi storage and fermentation to fresh storage of various ingredients," adding, "They have become essential appliances usable throughout the year, not just during the kimchi-making season."
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