Seoul Food

Being that Ian's birthday was the week we arrived, I had to jump into action quickly. As it turned out, the teachers at my school were all really nice, so I coaxed as many as I could to come out for our first Friday night. A group of us went out to a Korean restaurant. Ian and I had our first real introduction to Korea's national dish, kimchi, which is fermented chili cabbage. It wasn't love at first taste, although usually it isn't for the first time taster. But eventually it is said that against all odds, and wills, the flavor of fermented cabbage starts to haunt you until one day it becomes a full on craving. Then you're hooked. Its almost like an initiation. Once you can stand the taste of kimchi, you can truly make it in this country. Sort of like how kissing a fish in Newfoundland makes you an official Newfy. Well, sort of. With the kimchi came soju, the national drink. Its a very cheap rice alcohol that will knock the wind out of you if you're not careful.

Eating in a Korean restaurant is an experience all on its own. There are what seems like hundreds of side dishes served with every meal, and there is no point trying to finish any one of them, as they get refilled instantly. At the end of each meal, there is alway a table full of uneaten food that is left behind. Since doggy bags do not exist in this country, it is painful leaving so much food behind, knowing how good it would be for lunch tomorrow. No wonder South Korea is considered one of the most wasteful countries. It is SO true.

In Korea, meals are eaten communally, so if there is something you want to eat, you have to be aware that everyone else has free reign over it as well. This irritates Ian so much that for awhile, he was boycotting dinners out at Korean restaurants altogether. However, this really evolved from the fact that Ian is incapable of using chopsticks, and Koreans have, well lets say a very 'healthy' appetite. In fact, it's down right jaw dropping to watch them eat. Such little people can ingest SO MUCH food and AGGRESSIVELY! Many an injury is suffered by getting in the way of flying chopsticks scrambling to get the last piece of sweet and sour pork. So while all the food is devoured at breakneck speed, Ian is left struggling to pick up his first piece of chicken. Poor guy, he almost starved his first week here.

After dinner, we hit a few bars and a norebang, which is a private karaoke room complete with a huge screen, two microphones, a stage, free ice cream and beer, and a box of instruments to suit ones needs. No wonder norebangs are so popular over here. They are the greatest things since.....well, I can't really think of a single thing to compare them to. That's pretty much the running theme with everything we've encountered here so far. It only gets better!