Since there’s not much going on today in the way of pomp and circumstance (see below), how about another trip down yeot nalwei ku-rioun? Here’s a short piece I wrote maybe three or four months into my first Korean adventure. In fact I just did some research and learned the original e-mail went out on November 4, 2002. Note: I’ve edited this for clarity and typographical errors. Also, no pictures this time.
* * *
Yes, but are you sure it’s fresh?
My friend the doctor recently took me to a Japanese restaurant for sushi. It’s a new restaurant in a trendy part of town. Sushi for most Americans means California Rolls or the occasional piece of raw salmon or tuna wrapped around a glob of rice. Not so in Korea. For one of the appetizers the waitress brought out a plate of octopus. It wasn’t the first time I had eaten octopus so I took a piece without thinking much about it. No big deal. It was rather tough, but not bad. Then the doctor pointed out to me the octopus was still alive. Or, not quite dead yet is probably more accurate. He held up a piece of it with his chopsticks, and sure enough, it was still squirming. Next he stuffed it in his mouth and began to chomp on it. I felt faint. I’ve heard of this, but I had never actually seen it to that point. The deal is they take a live octopus out of a holding tank and cut it to ribbons with scissors, then throw it on a plate and serve it before it has even finished watching its little octopus life flash before its little octopus eyes. Next time I’ll be more careful.
Sometime later the same waitress brought out a plate with four small pieces of flesh and said it was whale meat. Now, let me be clear on this one. I decided before I ever left Portland that I wouldn’t eat dog meat, but if I ever had a chance to eat whale, I’d give it a go. It was good, but not great. Not good enough to destroy a species over certainly. It was a little like eating the fatty part of a chunk of roast beef. So, I ate whale. I can never look those boys from Green Peace in the eye again, no matter how cute they are, but I made my choice so there is no use blubbering about it.
Your own personal Confucius
Since I’ve been in Korea I’ve been trying to learn more about Confucianism. Korea is a Confucian society and I’d like to know what the hell these people are thinking about. All I’ve really learned so far is the principle of the five relationships. In Confucianism there are five basic kinds of relationships between humans: Parent to child, teacher to student, friend to friend, Lawyer to client, and host to contestant, or something along those lines. Funnily enough, it doesn’t say anything about the relationship between man and cut-up live octopus. Anyway, so life is defined by these relationships and you’re supposed to show the appropriate level of respect to a person depending on the category of their relationship with you. To me, it seems Koreans spend a lot of time worrying about the structure of relationships, and not a lot of time actually having them. Confucius say “bite me.”
* * *
At the time I first wrote this, I remember thinking I was very clever. I still think it’s pretty clever, but it now feels a bit forced, like I was trying too hard to be funny. You learn as you go. What more can I say?
* * *
Yes, but are you sure it’s fresh?
My friend the doctor recently took me to a Japanese restaurant for sushi. It’s a new restaurant in a trendy part of town. Sushi for most Americans means California Rolls or the occasional piece of raw salmon or tuna wrapped around a glob of rice. Not so in Korea. For one of the appetizers the waitress brought out a plate of octopus. It wasn’t the first time I had eaten octopus so I took a piece without thinking much about it. No big deal. It was rather tough, but not bad. Then the doctor pointed out to me the octopus was still alive. Or, not quite dead yet is probably more accurate. He held up a piece of it with his chopsticks, and sure enough, it was still squirming. Next he stuffed it in his mouth and began to chomp on it. I felt faint. I’ve heard of this, but I had never actually seen it to that point. The deal is they take a live octopus out of a holding tank and cut it to ribbons with scissors, then throw it on a plate and serve it before it has even finished watching its little octopus life flash before its little octopus eyes. Next time I’ll be more careful.
Sometime later the same waitress brought out a plate with four small pieces of flesh and said it was whale meat. Now, let me be clear on this one. I decided before I ever left Portland that I wouldn’t eat dog meat, but if I ever had a chance to eat whale, I’d give it a go. It was good, but not great. Not good enough to destroy a species over certainly. It was a little like eating the fatty part of a chunk of roast beef. So, I ate whale. I can never look those boys from Green Peace in the eye again, no matter how cute they are, but I made my choice so there is no use blubbering about it.
Your own personal Confucius
Since I’ve been in Korea I’ve been trying to learn more about Confucianism. Korea is a Confucian society and I’d like to know what the hell these people are thinking about. All I’ve really learned so far is the principle of the five relationships. In Confucianism there are five basic kinds of relationships between humans: Parent to child, teacher to student, friend to friend, Lawyer to client, and host to contestant, or something along those lines. Funnily enough, it doesn’t say anything about the relationship between man and cut-up live octopus. Anyway, so life is defined by these relationships and you’re supposed to show the appropriate level of respect to a person depending on the category of their relationship with you. To me, it seems Koreans spend a lot of time worrying about the structure of relationships, and not a lot of time actually having them. Confucius say “bite me.”
* * *
At the time I first wrote this, I remember thinking I was very clever. I still think it’s pretty clever, but it now feels a bit forced, like I was trying too hard to be funny. You learn as you go. What more can I say?
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