GIMBAP, bibimbap, dongibap and kipidap! Ohhh, the play of words that get me smiling every time I hear it! It's undeniable that Korea would hold that much of a sway over the rest of the world. Who hasn't heard of gimbap?? Or Blackpink? Or kimchi? Or the increasingly popular series (my favourite, of course) Extraordinary Attorney Woo?
An invitation from SK Magic, a leader in home appliances category from Korea, to visit their headquarters in Seoul had gotten me excited, of course. The land of kimchi, bulgogi and all things delicious beckons. I mean, the fact that there are over 100 different types of kimchi should tell you something about the pride Koreans have in their food. The good folks at SK Magic understood that thoroughly; so as much as we were going to get up close and personal with one of the most influential companies in South Korea, whose ubiquitous presence is clearly felt throughout the capital city, I was clearly in for a food adventure for the next couple of days as well!
There appears to be no dearth of groundbreaking cultural exports from South Korea. For decades the country's reputation was defined by its cars and cellphones from Hyundai and LG, while its movies, TV shows and music were mostly consumed by a regional audience. Now K-pop stars like Blackpink, the dystopian drama Squid Game, the countless Korean dramas and award-winning films such as Parasite appear as ubiquitous as any Samsung smartphone.
But let's not simply chat about handphones, cars and K-pop stars. Just as popular as those things and more, SK Magic's influence as the largest chaebol after Samsung is evident everywhere I go. From new-fangled toilets to dishwashers; from award-winning water purifiers to Covid-killing air purifiers, the Korean company seems to understand the delicate combination of life, health and cutting-edge technology with their leading brand of kitchen and home appliances. But that's another story for another day. In the meantime — and thanks to our very generous hosts — we were deluged by all that food, glorious food!
Korean cuisine, an important component of the country's soft power along with K-pop and K-dramas that have a relatively short history, dates back centuries, with written records going back to the Three Kingdoms period from 57BC to 668AD (not to be confused with the Chinese version from 220AD to 280AD). In metropolitan cities, fine dining restaurants that serve ornate contemporary local cuisines and small eateries with bite-sized snacks are easy to find.
In general, however, Korean food is not a subtle cuisine. It is bold, rustic and often vibrantly spiced. There is great variety, but chilli and garlic are the dominant flavours. Herbs like cilantro, common in other Asian cuisines, are rare, while pickles and vinegar add a cleansing note. The delicate artistry of the Japanese table or of some Chinese cuisines, especially Cantonese, is not easy to find in Korean restaurants. But if anything, the robust and forthright seasonings should add to its attraction for Malaysians.
Throughout this whirlwind tour, I've come to realise that there's more to Korean cuisine than what I was introduced to, back in Malaysia. The varied dishes and cuisines served up speaks of the ancient agricultural and nomadic traditions in Korea, and they have evolved through a complex interaction of the natural environment and different cultural trends. Forget the paltry fare you're familiar with back home, there's so much more to uncover.
So hold on to your kimchi… we're in for quite an adventure!
TTEOKBOKKI
Hongdae Seabooung
DON'T be fooled by this tiny nondescript little nook with pictures of cutesy owls hanging all over the place. There was ample seating for our large group inside (okay, so it was a tight squeeze!) this cosy space. The mini flea market at the centre of the restaurant showcases little souvenirs made by students from a nearby university; and when they are purchased, the money is apparently sent to the student — which is, if you ask me, a nice way to encourage entrepreneurship among young people!
But above everything else, this place is known for their its seafood tteokbokki. Tteokbokki is a street food made primarily of chewy rice cakes that resemble overblown penne pasta. The orange sauce, a mix of water, soya sauce, sugar, red chilli flakes and gochujang — a paste made out of fermented soya beans and red chillis — is unabashedly spicy, but pairs perfectly well with an array of fresh seafood in the hot pot. The tteokbokki alone doesn't hold much flavour, but the dressed-up version of it (coupled with grilled octopus, clams, crabsticks, quail eggs, succulent scallops and much more) is absolutely delicious! And oh, don't forget to ask them to add in the fried rice at the end to mop up the remaining sauce in your bowl — you'll thank me later.
Tteokbokki has a long history in Korean food history since it traces back to the royal palace. It was considered a refined food that was eaten by nobles and members of the royal court. But in the wake of the Korean War in the 1950s, it transformed into a different kind of dish, made by boiling wheat flour cakes with fish cakes and vegetables in a red pepper sauce mixture. By the 1970s, it had become the people's snack, enjoyed by folks from all walks of life. From being made exclusively for the royal court, just about anyone can now stop on the streets to fill up on these chewy rice cakes!
GEJANG
Woojunok Restaurant
WHAT could possibly go wrong with crabs? Spicy crabs, they said. It's delicious, they promised. As I stare down at the dish in front of me, I'm wonder if my delicate stomach is ready for this famous dish. The wall outside the brightly-lit cheery restaurant showed a picture of a happy crab. But I seriously doubt if their journey from sea to plate is anything but happy!
Traditionally, gejang is made by marinating fresh — preferably live — crabs in soya sauce, but a spicy version marinated in a chilli powder-based sauce has also become popular in modern times. Well-cleaned live female crabs are stacked in layers — carapace facing down — in a crock, into which the boiled and cooled soya sauce is poured until the hapless crustaceans are completely submerged (talk about a slow death!). After some time, the soya sauce is removed from the crabs and boiled and cooled, then poured into the crock over the crabs once again. This process is repeated three or four times over the course of two weeks.
Koreans have been eating gejang as far back as the 17th century. Back then, the gejang was prepared with common ingredients like salt water, vinegar and soya sauce. This salted, fermented seafood is hugely popular in Korean cuisine and is referred to as "rice thief". Why? Because you'd find yourself losing track of how much rice you're eating as the saltiness of the marinated crab whets your appetite. You can suck the soft flesh straight out of the shell or squeeze the crab meat and roe onto your rice. There are no hard and fast rules about eating this unique dish.
Did I enjoy the dish? Not particularly. To be fair, I'm really not a fan of crabs and knowing how the crabs were prepared made me feel like I was an accessory to well… crabicide. Everyone else, however, seemed to love it. The dish was emptied faster than you can say: "Jal meogeosseumnida!" (I have eaten well and am happy!).
KOREAN GINSENG CHICKEN
Korea Samgyetang
ONE of the recommended Michelin Guide restaurants in Seoul, this second-generation restaurant has been serving up bowls of hearty, chicken soup since the 1960s. The delicious samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) is made using only four-year-old ginseng cultivated in Geumsan (a town famous for its ginseng) and chickens raised in local farms. Young chickens (no more than 49 days old!) are slaughtered and delivered fresh, making for the tenderest meat ever. The chicken is boiled with high-quality ginseng, garlic, glutinous rice and a plethora of medicinal herbs, making it both flavourful and energising.
Imagining it to be the perfect food to eat in the middle of a cold winter, I'm surprised to learn that samgyetang is often served up during hot summers instead. The properties of samgyetang are thought to be heightened if you eat it on sambok days — which are the three hottest days of summer. "It's the Asian concept to combat the heat with heat. When it's really hot, you should have something even hotter!" explains our guide. Talking about fighting fire with fire!
The fact that Koreans enjoy this amazing dish reveals an ancient wisdom. Hot weather increases our body temperature on the outside, resulting in our internal organs (which is lower in temperature) working extra hard to cope with the heat. It's believed that drinking medicinal soup like samgyetang will replenish the nutrients lost from sweating during the hottest days of summer and warm the insides of your body, thus regulating your temperature.
The origins of this hearty chicken soup also dates back to the era of the Three Kingdoms. Back in the ancient days, they used to boil one entire chicken without adding any seasoning — very different from the soup we know today!
According to South Korea's Rural Development Administration, Koreans have been making chicken soup since at least the Joseon era (1392-1897). Samgyetang was popular among wealthy Koreans during the Japanese colonial period (1910-1945) and they enjoyed the chicken soup with ginseng powder. Back then, only rich people could afford chickens so most of people ate different rejuvenating food like yukgaejang (spicy beef soup with vegetables). In 1950, the first chicken soup restaurant opened in Seoul, and was called gyesamtang. This is the same soup as we know today. In 1960, the name of the chicken soup changed to samgyetang and it became one of the most famous dishes in Korea as an iconic summer food.
Finally, chicken soup for the soul! As the chicken has been stewed for hours, it's tender to the point that you can effortlessly split the meat to get to the treasure stuffed inside — the glutinous rice plump soaked in rich broth. Everyone has their own way of going about digging into samgyetang. I enjoyed splitting the chicken open and focusing mostly on the rice first (before the rice gets completely soggy) with a bit of broth and chicken, and taking in bites of kimchi in between. Absolutely delicious!
SANNAKJI
Busan Jagalchi Jogae Restaurant
THE array of mouthwatering seafood dishes paled in comparison to the harrowing sannakji — octopus sashimi, that is. Live or raw — octopus isn't really my thing, but seeing it for the first time on a plate is clearly an interesting experience! If you've not heard of this dish before, it's basically octopus served up raw. Sounds innocuous? Think again. What makes it challenging (and notorious, I dare say) is that the tentacles are still squirming on the plate when it's served up to you!
I don't know if this is much of a reassurance — but the octopus is actually already dead and chopped up. Though the cephalopods have been de-brained, impulse in the tentacles — where two-thirds of their neurons are located — will still cause posthumous wriggling. I honestly can't help but think of the wriggly gecko tail! You can also eat the octopus whole; either way, chew with vigour, lest those suction cups refuse to release from your tongue without a fight. Gulp.
Records show that sannakji has been consumed since the Three Kingdoms period of Korea, as early as 57BC. It is made from nakji, the Korean common octopus, sometimes translated to "baby octopus", because of their small size.
If you like sashimi and can get past the sight of squirming tentacles dancing on your plate, then I strongly urge you to try sannakji. It's really good, even better than how I imagined it to be. I guess the freshness has a lot to do with it. The flavour is surprisingly mild, but it's the slimy and chewy texture that attracts culinary daredevils. Traditionally, the legs are served with sesame oil and seeds to complement the dish's ocean-fresh aroma. For some heat, add red chilli paste (because I'm sure that's not going to piss off the moving legs or the recently departed octopus even more).
You can also try the very hearty kalguksu, a favourite summertime dish of many South Koreans, usually served during rainy seasons and on windy summer days. It consists of handmade wheat flour and egg noodles in a broth that is usually made with shellfish, dried anchovies, and kelp. Of course, there are other delicious seafood options if you choose to pass up on sannakji. Fresh lobsters, abalones, scallops, prawns make for a delightful afternoon lunch by the sea.
KOREAN BARBEQUE LAMB
Yang Good Korea BBQ Lamb
WHAT'S not to love about barbequed meat? If anything, the people milling outside the restaurant and patiently waiting to enter, is a great indicator of Yang Good's popularity here in downtown Seoul. As the Korean palate becomes more adventurous, a whole new meat has become South Korea's next big culinary craze — lamb.
For years, lamb and mutton were considered unpalatable by Koreans — too strong and too gamey. Besides, who'd want to slaughter and kill cutesy lambs prancing around in the fields for food? For a while, meat consumption was limited to beef, chicken, pork and sometimes, duck. But a booming Korean-Chinese population has got the country into the swing of lamb.
But Korean barbeque itself has been embedded in a history of war, conquest and reclamation. Formed by eras of conflict, Korean barbeque can be traced back to the Goguryeo era (37BC to 668AD) with the creation of maekjeok or skewers roasted over an open fire. Maek refers to the group that lived in the Goguryeo era, while jeok means skewer.
So while beef has been the mainstay of Korean barbeque for ages, lamb is now fast gaining popularity amongst Koreans. The restaurant ships in the halal-certified lamb meat from Australia and it's famous for having fresh and juicy lamb skewers that are a hit among locals and Muslim travellers.
The sizzle of the meat on the grill is enough to whet your appetite. However, another star emerged in the form of kimchi soup. The hearty kimchi jjigae is ideal on crisp, cold days and is prescribed (non-medically, of course) to clear up colds.
Despite its heat — both of the temperature and spice varieties — you'll find it on menus nationwide, even in the steamiest summer months. The rich broth with a zing paired well with the barbequed meat and rice, making it a complete — if not extremely delicious — meal!
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