Dinners that inspire
In November, Korea began its “living with covid-19 scheme” by easing the stringent restrictions of four people per table. To celebrate our newfound freedom, my friends and I decided to visit 미리 미리 (Miri Miri), a Korean restaurant that specialises in 해물파전 ( heamul pajeon) and 갈비존굴 (galbijoengol).
It is these dinners that continually inspire the next adventure. After dinner, Hankyu and his wife Yuri invited us to join them on a trip to Gochang, 60-minutes west of Jeonju. Hankyu’s family was having 김장 (gimjang). This is a process of making and preserving kimchi for wintertime.
Pictured with Mrs Mirimiri, the owner of the restaurant. We took this picture to taunt her son, who couldn’t join us.
All roads lead to Gochang.
On Saturday morning, we all met at Bunkers Cafe. After our caffeine fix, we piled up in the couple’s car. Yuri played a patient Siri. John and I sat at the back, making endless song requests.
The weirdness between autumn and winter
There’s a strange time in Korea between autumn and winter, just before the snow season. The trees are bare, a stark, sobering contrast from the vivid colours we see in autumn. This in-between “season” is dry, cold, and dull. The mountains are void of the lush green shrubs you see in summer or the earthy colours that are hard to miss during autumn. The lack of colour made the drive to Gochang unexciting. As we meandered between the rice farms and greenhouses, down to Hankyu’s great grandfather’s house — I had little hope of having fun or falling in love with this city. But I was thrilled to finally get to the bottom of how my favourite Korean side dish is made.
This is the view from Haraboji’s house. Haraboji is Hankyu’s great grandfather.
Meeting the family
At Hankyu’s, we were warmly welcomed. After the niceties, plates laden with heaps of kimchi and 보쌈 (*bossam) started coming and were laid on crates, alongside 소주 (soju), and beer, which we gladly demolished. John and I speak very little Korean, something I worried might cause a little discomfort, but the family was ever so patient as we tried to converse in our fractured Korean. From time to time, Hankyu and Yuri would take up the role of interpreters to help bridge the gap.
Going zigzag from the back: Suhyon, Yuri, Sohi, John, daddy Hanyku, Me (the Beyonce of the crew) and Hankyu.
Making kimchi
After eating, we were invited to try making and packaging kimchi. The family had made the sauce the night prior. All we had to do was coat the cabbage with the sauce. This process requires one to drench each leaf on both sides with kimchi sauce and repeat until the entire head of the cabbage is red, then transfer it to a container. Gimjang is a back-breaking process, which made me appreciate how hard-working Korean women are.
Suhyon and I are hard at work. I only put sauce on five cabbages, but by the time I got up, my knees were stiff, and my back hurt so much.
Making kimchi is hard work.
By late afternoon, we had nearly 20 boxes of kimchi, which we helped load in the truck. Hankyu’s dad would deliver some to extended family members, including his three brothers, who own Japanese restaurants in Seoul. With the gimjang behind us, we were now free to do as we please with the rest of the afternoon. Hanyku took us to his home, where he grew up. We met his dad’s hunting dogs (he’s an avid hunter).
John opted for a small stool instead of a lotus position. I wonder if this helped. I forgot to ask. 😛
Sangha farm
The touristy stuff began with a tour at the most famous farm in Jeollabuk-do. Hankyu wanted us to see 상 하 (Sangha), an organic farm he grew up frequenting with his family. According to him, it’s pretty popular with the Korean families in Jeollabuk-do. Most of these families are city slickers with kids who aren’t used to seeing animals roaming the tarred streets of the cities they live in. So this farm solely exists to prevent these kids from the high risk of mistaking a sheep for a Bedlington terrier at a later stage in their lives. Jokes.
At Sangha, there’s plenty to do. Visitors can purchase some vegetables to feed sheep, rabbits and goats. There are bottles filled with milk too if feeding calves tickles your fancy. Among other activities, the farm offers visitors a milking tour through which guests see cows being milked and milk being processed into cheese and bottled milk.
It’s a season to be jolly, so the song goes. Sangha is in a festive mood.
Give water sir, we thirst.
Best ice cream ever!
After walking around the farm and taking some pictures, the couple insisted we go to one of the cafes for the best ice cream in town, which I refused to buy. You see, it’s wintertime, and it’s freezing. My mind can’t compute eating ice cream in this kind of weather. I opted for a delicious blueberry tea, John cut a compromise with an ice cream coffee latte, and the couple went straight for the icy stuff.
If there’s one thing I learned about Yuri on this trip is that she’s excellent at persuading people. I was digging into the organic milk ice cream in no time, and I loved it.
Enjoying treats from one of the cafes at Sangah organic farm.
Watching the sunset
When the couple was satisfied that we were up to date with our animal husbandry, they announced they had yet another treat for us. My favourite thing ever—watching the sunset at Gusipo beach. We frolicked along the shore as the sun slowly got to that breathtaking moment that demands you to stop and stare and remember the existence of a higher power.
Gusipo beach by sunset.
I went back home with a heart full of gratitude and beautiful memories to cherish for a long time to come.
Shout out to our tour guides, who ensured we had the best time in Gochang. You guys are incredible. <3
Glossary:
*Bossam – is a dish that usually consists of pork shoulder boiled in spices and thinly sliced.
*Galbijoengol – is a type of Korean spicy pork stew.
*Haemul pajeon – is Korean seafood and green onion pancake.
Addresses:
Sangha Farm
65-61, Wangjae-gil, Sangha-myeon, Gochang-gun, Jeollabuk-do
Gusipo Beach
545 Jinamgusipo-ro, Sangha-myeon, Gochang-gun, Jeollabuk-do
Miri Miri
전주시 덕진구 우아로 19-1
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