Korean Traditional Food

I don’t know why but I’ve been itching to blog on FunnySexy for days now, but I never got the chance to sit down and write my profound and life-altering thoughts. As you probably know, I’m in the “Land of the Morning Calm” at the moment, otherwise known as the birthplace of Kim Jaejoong, and since I can’t properly write (schedule’s been super hectic from all the eating), I’ll just share with you some of the food that I’ve tried here for the first time.

DAY 1: 길거리 음식 Gilgoeri Eumsik more popularly known in the English-speaking countries as STREET FOOD.

Although I may have eaten some of these in Korean restos back home, it’s a delight to see these street food where they belong. They’re a must-try when you go to Korea and I actually ate them when I was here for the first time! Do not expect them to be as cheap as the isaw and kwek-kwek though. They’re worth around Php 40-100!

Day 2: 호떡 Hoddeok also called “I have not idea what it is in English”.

I saw these being sold in the Namdaemun street market and even if I was full, I asked Yongjin to buy me a piece. It reminded me of the hotcakes that used to be peddled in the streets of Manila – cheap, sweet, exposed to pollution. It’s a thin bread with honey inside. Not bad! And only for Php 25 at that!

Day 3: 고추 Gochu or Green pepper.

If you have eaten in a Korean resto before, chances are you have been served gochu as a side dish. Because I stay away from spicy food, I never really gave gochu a chance… until yesterday. And thankfully, it did not disappoint! I ain’t taking my chances though, sometimes you can get unlucky and eat a REALLY SPICY son-of-a-bitch.

Day 4: 산낙지 Sannakji aka Raw Octopus aka Bad Ass Mother Chucker.

No introductions needed. You read the caption. Sannakji is LITERALLY a delicacy that you must try when you go to Korea. I haven’t found a resto that serves this in the Philippines (there’s a few though) and it’s srsly bad-ass. And no, I’m not some drunk uncle who would eat the thing whole!!! It’s Jimmy Kim’s retaliation for when I made him eat balut so please watch out for our Krimmy video! Those wriggling tentacles of awesomeness are worth Php 400 / serving.

And sorry, I just had to include this.

When we went to 평택 Pyeongtaek yesterday, we dropped by this “Korean traditional market” that Jimmy has been freaking out about since we got here. Apparently, from where he was born and raised, there were no traditional markets and he was sooo amused to see them in 군포 Gunpo and other places. So I was like… hmmm… traditional market? Will I see vendors in hanbok? Perhaps people selling traditional wares and food from the Goryeo era? Nuh-uh. This is what their traditional market looks like:

Korean traditional market, palengke in Pilipino.

It’s but an ordinary wet and dry market. Like you know, your typical palengke in Metro Manila and other places in Pinas, except the Korean version is much cleaner and doesn’t smell like estero. I was LOL-ing at his naiveté! Oh, and I saw dogs being sold in the market alongside other meat. I was weirded out at first but let’s not be hypocrites, Pinoys. Our people eat dogs and monitor lizards, too. Heck, our markets are even dirty!

Okay, so it’s only been four days. I wonder what else Korea has in store for me in the next two weeks. I don’t feel like a tourist at all because I don’t have a map when I go around and I eat in restos where locals go to. Hahaha! Will update you, guys!

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