We have made 4 batches of kimchi over the past couple years. Our latest batch raised a concern. After fermenting for 4 days we went to remove it from the crock and the top layer was slimy and the cabbage started to deteriorate? Everything under the top layer seemed to be fine, smelled fine, was still crisp. Do we dare eat what was underneath? We went ahead and put it in jars and cut it up. It wasn’t totally submersed in liquid. Our first batch created enough liquid to cover the kimchi. Our second batch we purposely left the cabbage extra wet because we wanted a lot of extra liquid for recipes. When our Korean friends give us kimchi it never has a lot of liquid in the jar. If it makes any difference this last batch with the slimy cabbage on top was made with raw oysters.