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Kimchi is South Korea's most famous dish however the modern version with spicy red chili peppers is actually a relatively recent invention. Why didn't ancient Korean kimchi contain chili?
A
Chili peppers are native to the Americas and didn't reach Korea until the 16th century via trade
B
Ancient Koreans considered spicy food medicinal and reserved it for illness only
C
Early kimchi was a royal court dish and chili was considered too common
D
Red dye was used historically instead, and chili replaced it for flavor in the 1800s
E
Chili plants couldn't survive Korea's cold climate until a heat-resistant variety was developed
