Jajang myun

I love Korea.  I'm having one of those evenings. 

Spent all evening planning a trip to New York.  When I finally emerged from the lair my officetel has become as a result of having a 3-week long cold, the smell of the rain in the streets just felt so homey.  I think it’s because in all my first experiences with Korea, there has been rain.  When I arrived in Yeosu at 2009’s Chuseok to visit, and when I arrived in Uijeongbu last August.  Korea has a feeling of familiarity; of a place where I am and could always be happy … I noticed it when a tourist and tonight I felt it again.  

I walked over to the area near the college I live by, and found a new place to get one of my favorite things—jajang myun.  “Jajang” is a black (bean?) sauce with meat and onions which Koreans call Chinese food—they are always surprised when I say there is no jajang in American Chinese restaurants.  The story is that Chinese immigrants in Korea created it using Korean ingredients.  So really it is unique to Korea.

mmm ... so delicious.

“Jajang myun” is putting the black sauce over a big bowl of noodles, served with raw onion on the side and the ubiquitous yellow radishes (that seem to come with everything).   On Black Day in Korea (sometime last month), single people eat jajang myun or “black noodles” to morbidly wallow in their own singleness.  I told Lisa I thought a jajang myun restaurant on Black Day would be a great way to meet people if one were in the market.

the yellow pickled radishes -- they are sweet and tangy.  also the raw onions and nasty bitter black sauce that come with jajangmyun

So I ordered my jajang myun and asked several times for it to be take-out … but alas my new friend the proprietor did not understand me, so I sat alone in his place as it was closing and slurped down my late dinner.  Tonight marks the first time I’ve ever eaten jajang myun without splattering black sauce on myself somewhere!  Eating noodles with chopsticks has not been my forte as yet, but I like jajang so much I’m happy I finally managed it.  

Impressed with the little Korean I knew, the proprietor made many attempts at asking me questions I could not understand, but he was so smiley and happy I only felt sad I couldn’t answer him.  My dinner only cost me 3,000 won, or about $2.80.   I left incredibly satisfied—not only no longer hungry, but also proud of my little Korean skills, new noodle-eating skills, and that I found a fun new place to go eat.  On the walk home I stopped in at one of the ever-present mini-stops (the Family Mart near my apartment) and got an “iced lolly” as I’d once heard them called, and some Cass.  Cass is Korean light beer and an iced lolly is ice cream on a stick, as you might imagine : ).  I am enjoying them now.

It has occurred to me lately that while I’ve posted about some things, I’ve left you in the dark as to the mundane details, like tonight, that comprise living in Korea.   I am going to attempt to share more little things with you so that you can picture it.  It really is a very happy place to live.

Further reading:   jajangmyun   Black Day

Busan Weekend

Last weekend, we went down to Busan on the relatively spontaneous whim of my friend Thildi, whose birthday was the week before.  We took a late KTX (Korean high-speed train) down on Friday night and promptly found a cozy wine bar to eat and relax.

I love how over-the-top the decor is in so many bars and coffee shops in Korea :)

That night we stayed in a love motel - a novelty which never ceases to amuse me and one of my favorite things to do in Korea :).  Koreans only call them motels, but everyone knows that the quirky, completely dodgy motels' primary function is a place for unmarried Koreans to meet for a singular purpose, as Koreans live with their families until marriage (sometimes into their late 30's and 40's).  Anyway, they are very seedy looking but always, in my experience, clean and well-stocked with the amenities.  Shampoo and anything else you might think of is always provided.

The next day we checked into our minbak, or Korean guest house.  It had 2 rooms with lots of blankets and cushions for sleeping on the floor, and an excellent view of the ocean just on the corner of Busan's famous Haeundae Beach.

one half of the minbak.  that mattress was nothing but springs so we all ended up on the floor.

view from the minbak. Haeundae beach to the right!

After, we visited the Jagalchi Fish Market -- another famous location in Busan.  There were many interesting fishes available for immediate chopping and eating raw.  My friends enjoyed trying a couple strange shellfish raw, though I abstained and offered to be the photographer instead.  It was a memorable experience, nonetheless!

the coolest fish in the market, my opinion.

friends with their raw eatings

Jagalchi Fish Market

That night we had delicious Thai food and then went out to have drinks for Thildi's birthday.  We went to a bar called Miami, haha.  An ice cream cake was stealthily purchased for the birthday girl, and then less stealthily smeared over just about everyone in our party all in good fun.  We decided to go home to the minbak after braving the stormy weather to catch a cab and getting soaked in the rain.  Rainstorms at the beach are always more exciting!  But, earlier in the day, it came about that the dress code for the evening was going to be ahjumma clothing.  You may have heard me refer to ahjummas before -- middle aged women with a very specific style in Korea.  It all started because I actually liked a dress I saw at an ahjumma shop and then everyone else decided they wanted to try out ahjumma clothes.  It was a great time :).

the beautiful ice cream cake ... before

ahjumma dresses, pants, and expressions.  they are tough!

The next day we caught a few moments' pleasure in the returning good weather before running for the return train home.  It was a wonderful, whirlwind weekend!

the ladies: Lisa, Thildi, Sunny, Holly, and I

approaching Haeundae from our minbak

with Thildi Birthday girl

 I am happy to have friends more spontaneous than I am :). 

kj

Mangwolsa

On Easter weekend, I invited friends from Bucheon to come check out my home, Uijeongbu and to visit the temple my area is named for that I'd yet to visit.

We went to Mangwolsa Temple and it was soooo  wonderful.

lanterns and cherry blossoms on the hike up

Mangwolsa was originally built in 639.  so old!  Here is copied some information I found about it online (here):  Deep inside Mt.Dobongsan is its largest and most historical temple. Mangwolsa Temple was built by Saint Haeho in the 8th year of Queen Seondeok's reign during the Silla era (639). It is said that, from the temple, people prayed for the prosperity of the Silla Kingdom while gazing upon the rising moon, which explains the name Mangwolsa, meaning temple where one watches the moon.
  

doorways are always some of my favorite things at temples.

lanterns up for Buddha's birthday. Generally speaking I love Buddha's taste in decor :)

Anyway ... so you can see, I loved it.   For all pictures, I will create a folder in my smugmug (am so backed up with these pics!).  I'll insert a link when it is ready. 

After Mangwolsa we got cleaned up and went out for budae jjigae, Uijeongbu's spam stew as I've mentioned before.  then out for drinks, then home to my place to crash.  I hosted 4 extra people in my little apartment and loved it :).  I love sharing my home with others.  For Easter I cooked a big brunch and the Uijeongbu friends who live here and thus did not sleep in my apartment came over to partake, too.  Then a walk to our river path, which was at the time brimming with cherry blossoms, magnolias, and the like.  Then the most dedicated of us dyed eggs for Easter.  All in all a brilliant weekend!

Holly, Rebecca, Lisa, and Sungwon on our river path

we're dyeing.  get it?!?!