Food, Food?, and Food!

My first experience with food in Korea will make many of you laugh, but some of you will understand right away. The scene: I have just settled in to my first night in Korea, sitting with David relaying my journey when that old familiar feeling of hunger came up. Actually I was starving, my last meal had been on the plane at 3 p.m. and 6 hours later I was famished. David told me that there were few options at this hour, but I already knew exactly what I wanted. I told David and to my delight he said it was open and just around the corner. Soon we arrived at McDonalds and my hunger was satisfied. That’s right, my first ‘Korean’ meal and it was super good too. One thing I have found is that no matter where you go in the world, no matter what culture or what language they may have, there are two universals when it comes to food: Coke and a Big Mac. Sounds the same in every language and tastes the same in every culture. I have had Big Macs in Amsterdam, Santo Domingo, Chicago and Cheonan and the only difference is the person serving it. It’s comforting too in a way, a scary way actually. I see McDonalds and feel good about life, not because I love the food or am filled with a since of nationalism for the motherland. For some reason it is just nice to be familiar with something in a culture where I cannot read or understand anything that is said to me.

Back to food, which I feel is one of if not the biggest parts of the cross culture experience. We all eat and we all love to eat, this fact transcends all cultures. I often hear people say that all we ever do in America together is go out to eat, even if we go to a movie or bowling eating is seemingly a requirement. And this why we are fat right? WRONG! It is the same everywhere, eating is a communal thing, it is a bonding thing. It’s been like that forever, it was for a long time, the only part of the day that families or friends could get together. Work all day in the fields come home, do chores, then everyone pauses to eat together. It is a beautiful thing and it is not why Americans, or rather U.S. citizens are fat. The portion sizes in Africa and Korea are phenomenal, often outstripping meals I have had in the States. It is what is in the food that is making us fat and killing us, not the act of eating a big meal. 


Once again, back to food. The food in Korea ranges from the exotic and tasty to the disgusting and downright hysterical. My meals have been so turbulent that I cannot really compare them. Everything from breaded pork cutlet called donkkaseu (which is perhaps one of my favorites) to a plate of seasoned chicken’s feet (ordered by accident) to live octopus or sannakji, which I have yet to try but will in the name of science and bragging rights.


Needless to say Korean food has wondrous variety, much of which has never been seen in the states. Seafood is huge in Korea, which is fine with me I just have to get used to the general rule of seafood in Korea. What is this rule you ask? Well, if it is in the sea then by golly its seafood! This rule has led to some interesting soups and dishes, many of which have actually made me thankful that I cannot read the menu to see what it is I am actually eating. There are of course familiar things to be consumed, some super delicious fried chicken and corndogs, also there is pizza but it often falls under the hysterical category. I think when pizza first came to Korea a Korean asked what it was and some idiot said “oh, pizza can be anything you want it to be, as long as there is cheese” thus cementing a description of Korean pizza for the rest of time. There is no end to what they put on pizza here, name it and I have seen it. My first pizza (picture to follow) in Korea, was cheese, hotdog, green olive and hardboiled egg; we chose this because it was the most normal pizza combo available.  

Food will always be an adventure here and I don’t think I will be able to sample it all, though I will try. Much of it is very cheap in fact going out to eat is often more economical than making your own food, unless you’re really into instant ramen which is huge here, I mean literally three isles inthe super market are nothing but varieties of instant ramen. Unfortunatly I am ramened out from college. 


Here are some of the staples of Korea I have discovered so far:

Kimchi - basically this is fermented cabbage with spicy red peppers, garlic, ginger and fish sauce. There are literally hundreds of type of Kimchi from cucumber to seaweed but cabbage seems to be the most popular. I happen to like it,
which is good because it is served with every meal

Donkkaseu - Pork that has been breaded and fried with a really good sauce

Samgyeopsal - Pork bellies that come salted and you cook them yourselves at you table, this is quite common with meats here. You eat this in a lettuce wrap with garlic and bean paste

All of these are delightful and interesting but of course if there is any craving for North American fast food there is no shortage. Besides the golden arches I have access to: Kentucky Fried Chicken, Popeyes, Burger King, Taco Bell, and most recently Dominoes where pepperoni pizza can be had -praise Jesus. Of course most of these places have variations of what you are familiar with and additions that are stricly korean, like the shrimp burger at mcdonalds or the fried squid rings (that can often be mistaken for onion rings) at KFC. There is also more upscale dining like Outback Steakhouse. With all of these familiar and mysterious options I am sure I will end up writing about food again soon. Very soon, cheers!