Pine needle tea

Had a great evening tonight with a couple of friends - after expecting another typical 3-stage night out, I was happily proved wrong. This time things started out unconventionally at the Yongsan electronics market, a massive expanse of all kinds of gadgetry, ranging from shops hawking DVDs of movies that hadn't even been released yet to perfectly legitimate enterprises selling high-end computer equipment for bargain-basement prices. I didn't ask how they kept their prices so low, but took the opportunity to buy a couple of things I had been needing for a while. Nothing glamorous - just a memory stick and a hard drive, but it was just satisfying being able to take part in the giant, free-for-all electronics market that back home would have just been a trip to some sterile big-box store.

Later we met up with a friend of my friend Keun-Tae "the Kindness" and had samgaetung - ginseng chicken soup...the best I've had in Korea so far. It's basically a whole (small) chicken stuffed with rice and dates, cooked in a ginseng broth, accompanied of course by some ginseng liquor on the side. Later it was on to another spot for some dong-dong ju (a fermented rice drink served in a big bowl that looks a lot like Kava, but tastes almost fruity) and vegetables with acorn jelly, kimche, and soybeans - very eclectic, yes. The final stop of the evening was at a great little Insadong teahouse hidden up a flight of stairs that I would have never found on my own. It's one of the oldest places in the neighborhood, and Keun-Tae's friend Jung-yeob had been going there for more than 10 years just to hang out, read, and do traditional ink-drawings. On the walls were messages and drawings scrawled over the years...traditional Korean window frames hung from the ceiling and doubled as separators for the various nooks of the restaurant. Our menu came written on a large piece of bamboo (that I never could have de-ciphered) and thankfully Jung had a recommendation for me. I didn't know what it was until it came out - but soon found out that it was nothing I had ever had before...ice-cold pine needle tea. It was excellent, but a little strange to be drinking and tasting something that I had only smelled for my whole life. And if that weren't satisfying enough, the owner came by our table and told us he had a special gift for us to try - persimmon leaf tea. I had actually ordered this tea last time I was in Insadong, as persimmons are one of the things that always remind me of Korea (I don't think I've actually had one in over 20 years...) Jung was so surprised to get this gift, compliments of the house, as in all his years in going there as a loyal customer, had never gotten anything for free...just another example of how generously Koreans treat foreigners. Of course neither Keun-tae or Jung would let me pay for anything during the entire night.

An unexpectedly great evening, with some truly memorable conversations. We had a really interesting talk about how Koreans, after reaching the age of 60 or so, are given a "second name" by their good friends. It's typically no more than two words, and to be a truly great name, it must reflect the very essence of that person's life thus far. A person may have many second names, but might choose one that they like in particular and stick with it. So there's a lot of pressure, if you're really close with someone, to figure out a name that suits them, and that in two words gets at the very core of their being. These "second names" are typically those found written in Chinese characters on traditional Korean paintings.

On a totally different topic, my mom and sister arrive tomorrow and I can't wait to see what their impressions are of Korea - especially my sister who will be seeing her birthplace for the first time. Hopefully she'll feel right at home...

~Sean-toki