In the past, many foreigners used to tease Koreans for eating kimchi. When Koreans emigrated to other countries, they often confessed in interviews that they were ridiculed for this at school.
However, things are quite the opposite nowadays. If someone mentions eating kimchi, they're seen as someone who cares a lot about their health.
This shift makes sense because kimchi has been recognized as a superfood, which I believe has significantly changed people's perception of it. Moreover, as South Korea's GDP has risen to stand shoulder to shoulder with that of developed countries, I think the status of kimchi has also been elevated.