Momoya "Kimchee Base"

I found this Japanese product on a recent trip to Viet Hoa in Louisville and bought a couple jars for a lark. I'm pretty sure it was significantly cheaper than this price on Amazon.

It seems like it'd be a fine starter for a batch of kimchi, given the ingredients:

Vegetables and fruits (garlic, oranges, apples, ginger) salt, sugar mixed high-fructose corn syrup, vinegar, pepper, seafood extract (bonito, squid), fermented vegetables, vegetable protein hydrolyzate, dried bonito, kelp, seasoning (such as amino acids), acidulant, stabilizers (xanthan), paprika dye

But I'm a hot-sauce junkie, and I've used it in lieu of the familiar Huy Fong sriracha; it's definitely saltier and, despite its sweetness, a more savory condiment, thanks to the seafood and fermented vegetables. Really, it's just more of everything, like someone taped flavors over the bands on a graphic equalizer and pushed all the faders to the max - if Huy Fong's sauce is a disco smile, this is a pained rictus... and that has its time and place. Admittedly, it's probably not meant to be poured atop everything like ketchup, but the site does suggest that you mix it with pickled cabbage for instant kimchi, not that it lasted long enough to do that. After a week's worth of tacos, pizza and roasted pork butt, I don't even have enough to add some kick to a Bloody Mary, which is a bummer. If I see it again at Joong Boo or the like, I'll certainly buy more.