During the hot months of summer, other types of kimchi are often swapped for the cooling oi sobagi or cucumber kimchi. Pronounced as oh-ee so-beh-gee, oi sobagi is believed to be an older type of kimchi, sharing similarities between the Korean fermented cucumber and the 3,000-year-old pickled vegetables.

Per Korean Bapsang, a popular method to make oi sobagi kimchi involves soaking cucumbers in salt brine and then making four incisions to create a pocket in each cucumber. Typically, Korean cucumbers are used to make the kimchi, but Kirby cucumbers are an equally good option when the former is unavailable. Then, a mixture of fish sauce, saeujeot, gochugaru, and Korean garlic chives or buchu is stuffed inside the cucumber. Korean Cooking says that an alternate (and easier) method to making oi sobagi kimchi is to slice up the cucumbers into smaller pieces and toss them in the spice mix.

Korean Cooking reports that oi sobagi is one of the few kimchi types that do not fare well under long fermentation periods. Serious Eats echoes this: Oi sobagi is enjoyable with a short time in the fridge, if not best when freshly prepared. When fresh, oi sobagi also lacks the funky smell that follows most varieties of long-fermented kimchi. With a nice balance of sweet, salty, spicy, and acidic flavors, oi sobagi is best eaten alongside a Korean BBQ on a hot and sunny day!