Korean chili pepper

Korean chili peppers or Korean hot peppers, also known as Korean red, Korean dark green, or Korean long green peppers according to color (ripening stages), are medium-sized chili peppers of the species Capsicum annuum. The chili pepper is long, slender and mild in flavor and spice. Green (unripe) chili peppers measure around 1,500 Scoville heat units.

Names
In Korean, the chili peppers are most often called gochu (고추), which means "chili pepper". Green ones are called put-gochu (풋고추), and red ones are called hong-gochu (홍고추).

DNA analysis
A PLoS One 2013 DNA study sequencing Korean gochu pepper varieties compared to other Capsicum annuum species reveals specific genetic lineages through cultivation and in the wild. However, a 2022 review has found that principal component analysis (PCA), the statistical method used by the 2013 study, cannot be validly used to demonstrate ancestry because it produces arbitrary results based on researcher degrees of freedom. Despite such a counter claim undermining the foundation of genetics and DNA based forensic science, the 2013 study conducted by non-Korean researchers would not have had a particular cultural bias. Peer reviewed genetic studies include a section clearly delineating the scope and parameters used in the methodology to resolve DNA sequencing in contrast to arbitrary data fishing. Using non-annuum species as a baseline, with K=2 the variety of peppers included in the study were broadly grouped as Capsicum annuum as expected. With K=6 the wild CM334 was finally differentiated into its own distinct node from the baseline whereby the domesticated cultivars fell into distinctly separate clustered clades as a result. The wild CM334 with its greater genetic variation was the focus of the study as a potential rich evolutionary gene pool for exploring disease resistance afflicting popular domesticated chili pepper cultivars grown as crops around the world, the authors set out to resolve ancestry of domesticated peppers in relationship to wild ones.

Korean Milyang, Cheongsong, and Jeju gochu DNA were sequenced, respectively, and analyzed. Milyang gochu and Cheongsong gochu are famous in the Gyeongsangbukdo regions. The one from Jeju is a recent hybrid mixed cultivar and thus does not represent traditional gochu.

One of these clades is specifically "East Asian.”

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/figure/image?size=large&id=10.1371/journal.pone.0056200.g005

The East Asian clade to which Korean gochu belongs branched into a node preceding the Jalapeno and Anaheim/Ancho nodes emergence.

With Jalapeno estimated to have been cultivated a thousand years ago in Mexico, the East Asian node preceded the cultivation of the representative Mexican chili pepper.

DNA analysis reveals the East Asian node of Capsicum annuum that eventually became cultivated into various Korean gochu regional landraces developed prior to and separate from the Mexican Capsicum annuum varieties.

Korean gochu DNA being in a prior and separate clade from Mexican jalapeno contradicts the Columbus Exchange Theory speculation hypothesizing erroneously that peppers should have spread from the New World to Spain to Portugal to Japan then Korea where ancient Northeast Asia is concerned.

Introduction to Korea
Scholars claim different origins, stating that the Korea's gochu arrived at the Korean peninsula millions of years ago, having been spread by birds. It states that gochu has evolved for millions of years, therefore, we can infer that Korean gochu existed as a completely different variety. Proof of this is in documents such as  “The Chapter of Dongyi in the Book of Wei, the records of the Three Kingdoms, 三國志魏志東夷傳” (years 233–297, Chen Shou)

Some other sources claim that Chili peppers, which originated in the Americas, were introduced by Portuguese traders to Korea, via Japan, in the late 16th century. There is mention of chili pepper or mustard in Korea traced to Japan found in Collected Essays of Jibong, an encyclopedia published in 1614. Farm Management, a book from around 1700, discussed the cultivation methods of chili peppers.

The Collected Essays of Jibong or Jibongyuseol 《지봉유설》(芝峰類說) is a 20 volume Joseon era encyclopedia that came out soon after the Imjinwaeran Japanese invasions of Joseon Korea concerning the lives and customs of ancient Koreans with commentary on some foreign affairs of other countries.

The pertinent entry pertaining to a type of introduced chili pepper from Jibongyuseol 《지봉유설》(芝峰類說) 1614:"'Nammancho 남만초(南蠻椒: 고추) has a strong poison. Since it was first introduced from Waeguk (倭國: 일본 Japan), it is also commonly referred to as wae-mustard 왜겨자(일본고추), which has recently become more common to see farms that grow it. A tavern sold it along with soju, and many people lost their lives after consuming it.'"Without that entry, naysayers insisting Korea did not have gochu prior to the Japanese 16th century invasion have no other historic documentation that some type of what was considered severely poisonous pepper or mustard was brought from Japan. In fact, when dug up, numerous historical documents started to emerge from Japan stating the opposite.
 * " ‘Yamato honzō (大和本草),’ published in 1709, states: “It was not in Japan in the old days, but during Hideyoshi conquest of Joseon, he brought seeds from the country. That’s why it’s called the Korai Koshaw [Goryeo gochu]" and in 1775, Butsurui shōko (物類稱呼) states:  “In Kyoto, it is called the Korai Koshaw. Hideyoshi says he brought the seeds during his conquest of Joseon.”...  In addition, the Japanese documentation, including Taishuhen nen ryaku (對州編年略), Seikei zusetsu (成形図説), and Wakun no shiori (倭訓栞), clearly stated the same thing, which supports the transfer of red pepper from Joseon to Japan."
 * "However, other records are reported in mainland Japan. It is said that Kiyomasa Kato, during the lengthy Japanese Invasion of Korea, brought chili peppers from Joseon. Daemado(Tsushima) Island also has a record that chili peppers were introduced from Joseon in 1604." The "nammancho" mentioned in the Jibongyuseol is the "southern barbarian" ornamental aji Malagueta Capsicum baccatum pepper brought by the Portuguese, however it is a different species from the Capsicum annuum of Korean gochu. The Japanese never consumed the Portuguese introduced chili peppers but adopted the practice of the Portuguese sailors of using nanbancho "southern barbarian" aji chili peppers inserted into socks as a foot warming agent.

Oddly, Japanese attribute bringing the chili pepper from Korea as the origin. A 2017 Japanese research paper published in The Horticulture Journal examining the genetics of the shishito pepper theorizes a Korean origin."“There is one possibility that the mutation resulting in pun14 occurred in Japan, and two possible theories have been proposed for the introduction of peppers to Japan. The first theory suggests that peppers were introduced to Japan in the 16th century from the Korean peninsula.”"

Culinary use
Gochugaru, also known as Korean chili powder, is chili powder or flakes used in Korean cuisine. The name gochugaru is derived from Korean, where (고추) means 'chili pepper' and  (가루) means 'powder'. In English, gochugaru usually refers to the seedless, Korean variety of chili powder. It has a vibrant red color, the texture may vary from fine powder to flakes, and the heat level from mildly hot to very hot. Traditionally made from sun-dried Korean red chili peppers (태양초), gochugaru has a complex flavor profile with spicy, sweet, and slightly smoky tastes. Gochugaru made from Cheongyang chili peppers is finer and hotter.

In Korean folk culture
The use of red gochu pepper to ward off misfortune has been a shamanistic folk practice used in many aspects of ancient Korean life.

From the National Folk Museum of Korea: Gochu, or red pepper, is used to cleanse impurities and to chase away evil spirits in the event of an illness or the birth of a son.

The pepper’s red color was believed to symbolize the sun and its spicy flavor to be effective for chasing away bad forces, while its shape was associated with the birth of a male infant.

The practice of attaching red peppers to the taboo rope (geumjul) hung over the gate to announce the birth of a son is observed around the country.

Upon the outbreak of a contagious disease, three red peppers are hung over the gate of a home along with the fastening ribbons from a shirt that belongs to a patient, while in some other regions, ten peppers are strung together with thread and hung near the gate.

In some regions, if no smell was produced after burning peppers, it was believed that the disease had been caused by a spirit angered by the breaking of a taboo, and a shamanic ritual or a village ritual was held.

In fishing villages, boat rituals (baegosa) and cleansing rituals include the sprinkling of red pepper powder, or soaking of red peppers or wood charcoal (sut) in jeonghwasu (fresh water fetched from well).

A taboo rope with red peppers was also hung over the gate when new sauce or paste was being made inside the home.