Hawaiʻi may be the next state to designate Nov. 22 as Kimchi Day.
South Korea's government first devoted the day to the beloved dish in 2019.
Since then, a handful of states, including California and New York, have adopted resolutions to recognize Kimchi Day.
The state House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs voted in favor of a Kimchi Day measure last week. It's now one step closer to becoming law.
The bill states that this year is the 121st anniversary of the arrival of the first three Korean immigrant workers in Hawaiʻi.
They estimate that there are now approximately 50,000 Koreans in Hawaiʻi, which is about 3.5% of the state's population.
Additionally, the bill finds that Hawaiʻi Island is the birthplace of the first commercialized bottled kimchi in the country.
The measure has received support from the Hawaii Korean Cultural Center, The United Korean Association of Hawaii, and the Korean American Foundation of Hawaiʻi.
