This study was conducted to investigate the effect of monosodium glutamate (MSG) and fermentation methods (C-I; fermented for 5 days at 1$0^{circ}C$ after 2$0^{circ}C$ fermentation for 2 days, C-II; fermented for 7 days at 1$0^{circ}C$, M-I; kimchi with MSG fermented for 5 days at 1$0^{circ}C$ after 2$0^{circ}C$ fermentation for 2 days, M-II; kimchi with MSG fermented for 7 days at 1$0^{circ}C$ on fermentation and free amino acid content. Fermentation of M-I and M-II was slightly delayed compared to C-I and C-II. Total microbe of C-I and C-IIwere lower than those of M-I and M-II, and lactic acid bacteria of C-I and C-II were lower than those of M-I and M-II respectively. The major free amino acids were alanine, asparagine, homocystine and valine in C-I, especially, glutamic acid and ornithine were high in C-II. Homocystine, alanine, asparagine and valine in M-I, glutamic acid, alanine, hydroxyproline, asparagine, homocystine, ornithine and valine were the major free amino acid in M-II, respectively. The sour taste of M-I and M-II was lower than those of C-I and C-II, respectively, and the effect of delaying fermentation at 1$0^{circ}C$ did not showed in the C-I and M-I. The crispy taste of the M-I and M-II was higher than those of C-I and C-II, which was the opposite results of sour taste. Palatable and overall taste of M-I and M-II were higher than those of C-I and C-II, respectively These results suggest that the MSG in kimchi affect not only increment of free amino acid content but also shelf-life and taste improvement, and continuous fermentation at 1$0^{circ}C$ also enhance the content of free amino acid and shelf-life of kimchi.