KOREAN SPRING

Sulbing (설빙), the bingsu franchise, seems to be everywhere these days, now that "snowflake" bingsu has become a thing here in Korea. Mango yuza (citrus) bingsu Strawberry bingsu The ice really feels like snow, except it's made with milk and therefore much less bland. I don't know how they make it, but it's been pretty revolutionary in the history of bingsu. It's super soft, the type that melts right in your mouth. And bingsu cafes these days offer a wider variety of toppings; today my friends and I went for something fruity, but they've also got cheesy, chocolatey, grainy, etc. This type of bingsu seems to be more available than the traditional shaved ice dessert these days. And it makes me a little sad. :( To be honest, I still prefer the traditional bingsu. It's crunchier, much more refreshing, and I feel it leaves me much cooler on hot summer days. I have a feeling that this snowflake bingsu is somewhat of a more sophisticated and refin

It was one of those days where you crave something with lots of carbs, something savory and creamy and cheesy and delicious and high in calorie content. Italian food meets all of these standards, so my friend and I decided to go with Italian for lunch after our visit to the palace. To be honest, all pastas taste the same to me. Jaehee went to culinary school in Las Vegas, so if she says a restaurant is better than others, I tend to trust her judgment and follow her advice. Primo Bacio Baci is located in Daehakro - just a few steps from Hyehwa station exit 2. Walk town toward exit 1, and turn right at the big street. It will be smack in your face, and really isn't difficult to find at all.  The interior was dimly lit, with dark red seats and cozy, cute decorations along the walls. The menu was full of Italian-ish names I'd never heard of. I didn't really look through all the menus because we already knew what to order. A pizza margherita and pasta pane, along with a

I always considered myself extremely behind in Korean history and culture because I didn't grow up in Korea, hearing bedtime stories of historical war heroes and kings and leaders and the like. I can barely recall Korean folk stories, or famous pansori  plots - and when I mention I don't know, I can see people's eyes widening, as if it's unbelievable that I could be unfamiliar with something so common, something that's such an inherent part of our childhoods and lives. I also believe it's more difficult for me to follow Korean politics because I don't know much of modern history as well. Our sentiments against Japan, the importance of our president being the daughter of a dictator, our relationship with the United States; it's all connected to history, and sadly I have very limited knowledge. I began to feel frustrated of my ignorance at some point, so last year I actually paid a tutor to give me Korean history lessons. She started from the very beginn

My close friend and colleague Fangyin asked me to take her, and her cousin who was visiting Korea, to the fish market to try some seafood. I barely know anything about seafood, but luckily I'd been to the fish market a few months before so I was able to at least take them there without getting lost. The first and only time I went was with three exchange students: Mikael from Sweden, and Tomi and Laura from Finland. Mikael had wanted to try live octopus, so I figured we would kill two birds with one stone by having it at one of the largest and most famous fish markets in Seoul, Noryangjin Fish Market. It was certainly an unforgettable night. See, I thought he was referring to just-chopped-up octopus, which still squirms and writhes and clings to your tongue when you chew. Even when it's cut up, it's still called sannakji (live octopus), so I'd told him of course I'd tried it before. But nooo, he wanted real live octopus - as in not dead and not chopped up. And sinc

I gathered up a few Couchsurfers to meet up with my aunt and her classmates from English academy for dinner. One Polish girl, whom I was expecting to host tomorrow night, cancelled on us, but the rest made it: an American couple Breanna and Mike, and a Korean-American guy Doug. My aunt brought along a girl named J, a guy named Taylor, who brought a Swiss friend Larissa (the one I mentioned in my last post), and a military officer named Kevin. Side note, I think it's interesting that Koreans all make "English" names for themselves. As if there is something wrong with the names they already have! I don't understand why they change their names for Western people's convenience. But on the other hand, it does seem fun to be able to create a name for yourself. I digress. So we met at Bulgogi Brothers, which is a pretty popular chain that I'd never tried before. I'd seen it on TV a couple of times, and it seemed like a typical enough Korean dish to introduce