food (installment #2)

Okay, sorry for no updates in a while. I've been spending most of my free time during the past couple of weeks relearning the French I took in high school and college (even though some of my friends--who shall remain nameless-- think it's stupid). I just wanna be as prepared as possible for my trip and I wanna make sure I'll be able to speak it on my own since I might be spending a lot of time there by myself. I've downloaded multiple podcasts and audio courses so hopefully with the next few weeks to practice I'll be ready to go. Aside from that though, not a whole lot else has been going on here (besides the usual humidity and rain). I've been doing a lot of walking and hiking around Seoul since the weather won't allow me to do much else. I don't think there's anything really going on this weekend...maybe the hash on Saturday and I think my friend Dan and I are chilling tomorrow night. In that case, today's update is going to be the long-overdue second food installment that I've been meaning to post on here for quite some time. WARNING--do not view this on an empty stomach...you're likely to start licking the screen (but for your own sake, please don't).
Enjoy.

mandu guk (dumpling soup)

the lady at the bakery said this was pumpkin pie (?)

shabu shabu (a beef & noodle soup that you cook at your table)

sundubu jjigae (spicy kimchi & tofu stew)

my typical lunch (provided by the school)

another typical lunch

dalk galbi (chicken stir-fried in pepper sauce with vegetables & rice cakes)

red pepper-marinated tofu

some kind of seafood stew

pretty cakes at a Korean bakery

Korean-style sushi rolls


kal guksu (hand-cut noodles soup)

ddeok mandu guk (rice cake & dmpling soup)

tuna kimbap (rice roll w/vegetables)

seafood & tofu stew

tofu & cooked kimchi

assorted dried squid snacks

omurice (egg omulet filled with stir-fried rice)

ddeokbokki (rice cakes stir-fried in a spicy pepper sauce)

fruit appetizers

chicken juk (traditional Korean rice porridge)

mul naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodle soup w/vegetables)

the nearly 3-foot long sausage that we ordered once as an appetizer (eww...)

another seafood stew

live baby octopus (and yes, you're supposed to eat it like this...wriggling and all)

bibim naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles with pepper sauce & sliced vegetables)

some kind of boiled egg dish

dwenjang jjigae (soy bean paste stew w/tofu)

salmon sashimi platter w/lemon caper sauce

dried squid

samgyeopsal (Korean barbeque pork)

a ridiculous amount of side dishes

traditional Gyeongju bread (wheat pastry w/a sweet red bean filling)

some kind of tofu stew

assorted steamed shellfish

more tofu & kimchi!

still more side dishes

roasted chestnuts

broiled salmon

a Korean attempt at Mexican food, complete with a baked bean-filled burrito

a very cute rice cake from one of the best ddeok shops in Seoul

raw squid & vegetables

Dan's potbingsu (ice-cream & snow cone sundae)