[Korea] Yeosu Expo 2012 - 10 Tips for You!

After visiting Yeosu Expo 2012 for two days, I tried to evaluate my journey and thought about what people should prepare or do in Yeosu Expo. I wrote down the list based on my experience and opinion hoping that you can read it before you come to Yeosu for a better trip :)

1. Prepare your transportation to and from Yeosu. 
Many people make their trip to Yeosu Expo and you should plan how to go to Yeosu and how to go from there. Whether you want to use train, bus, flight or ferry to and from Yeosu, you better purchase your tickets long before the visit date to secure seats for you, especially if you go in groups.

The Expo Gate near KTX Station 

I almost didn't get a KTX ticket from Seoul to Yeosu because all tickets were sold out. I almost had to took Mugunghwa Train which would took longer journey than KTX and had to wake up too early to board the train. Luckily, our tour guide managed to get one for me :)

More info: Transportation



2. Get yourself a map of Yeosu Expo
The expo area is huge! In order to be able to plan your visit to the Expo, I suggest you have an Expo map or brochure with you. You can see the overall pavilions and decide which one you want to see. The map will also help you to find direction to your next destination. Map is available at the Information Desk of the Expo.


More info: Expo Map

Expo Map

International Pavilion Map

3. Long queue for Lunch or Dinner?
There are many restaurants in the Expo but the queue can be very long on lunch or dinner time. I saw some people brought their own meal and had their lunch on the bench. It would save them time to see more exhibition. So, the choices are: 1) try avoid lunch or dinner time if you don't want to wait for a long time, 2) take-away food (ex. hot-dog, burgers), 3) bring your own meal, 4) join the queue ^^

More info: Restaurant

Queue at restaurant

4. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes!
It is summer and it can be hot all day long or rainy whole day, so being casual will be more comfortable and make sure you wear your comfortable shoes because you may walk a lot on the Expo.

5. Weather forecast:  rainy day or sunny day?
I would suggest you to check the weather forecast one day before you go to Expo to know whether it will be hot day or rainy day. Then be prepared with umbrella or raincoat if it is rain, or sunglasses and hat if it is hot. However, Thea and Anna checked the forecast before we went to Expo, it was supposed to be no rain, but it was raining all day long. Anyway, you can buy umbrella, raincoat or hat in the stores in Expo depends on your needs.

Expo on rainy day

6. Bring your children to Expo?
I saw many family with children came to Expo. Expo provides many attractions, performances and exhibition which are good for children. However, for young children or babies, you may have to prepare baby carriage so that they can sleep or take a rest well enough while they are in the Expo.

7. Which pavilion to see?
You are offered with many options of pavilions range from International Pavilion, Corporate Pavilion, Aquarium, etc. If you want to see all of the pavilions, you may have to stay for few days in Yeosu. One day is just not enough. However, if you only come for one-day visit, I suggest you see the official website of Yeosu Expo to read the Expo Preview so you can decide which one you want to see.

More info: Expo Preview

Many interesting pavilions to see

8. Main performances not to be missed out.
As you click the link below for Cultural and Art Events, you will find many performances to see. Big-O Show is the main performance in the Expo but I missed it out :( Make sure you see the show! Also, every weekend, there are K-Pop performances for Expo Pop Festival.

More info: Cultural and Art Events

Expo Pop Festival - That was Rain on the stage!

9. Enjoy countries performances!
In International Pavilion, some countries offer  their traditional culture performances in the pavilion or outside their country pavilion building. Enjoy seeing the performances, and you will see the richness of world culture!

10. Buy yourself a Yeosu Expo Passport.
When we entered the Expo gate, Suzy said that she wanted to buy an Expo passport at the souvenir shop and collect stamps from each pavilion. We bought the passports, too :) It turned to be a very exciting thing I had in Expo, which made me enthusiast to visit pavilions and look for their unique stamps. The passport is the record of pavilions I ever visited and my treasured souvenir.^^

Expo Passport and Stamp Corner

Hope you have a pleasant visit to Yeosu Expo 2012, as I did.

PS. If you have visited the Expo and have some more tips to add, please write comment below. It would help other visitors. Thank you :)
-Dita-

[Korea] Korean Cookbook - Translated in 10 Languages

When I saw Korea Tourism Organization's Facebook page, I jumped happily!
They posted about a new released book of Korean Family Foods, and it is translated in 10 languages: English, French, German, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Mongolian, Thai, Filipino, and Indonesian. Oh, yes! Learning to cook Korean food will be so much more easier for foreigners.

The English version

The Indonesian version

The book was published by The Community Service Group of Daewoo Securities Co., Ltd. to introduce many kinds of food usually found in the table of Korean family. I believe this book will help many people around the world to learn and make their homemade Korean food. 

Kimchi recipe

The book consists of many types of Korean food ranging from kimchi, side-dishes (banchan), steamed vegetables (namul), soup (jigae), special food (such as bulgogi, samgyetang, galbi jjim) and snack (gansik). 
Beside that, this book also provide the readers with Korean culture of cooking, tips on how to make delicious soup stock, choosing right cooking utensils and tips on buying the ingredients.


I checked the book in Kyobo Bookstore website and found that the price is not too expensive, 12,000 won. And...I have sent to my husband the link of the book in Kyobo website, asking him to buy it for me ^^ Can't wait to serve Korean family food for my little family!


Source:
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/FU/FU_EN_15.jsp?cid=1594947
http://www.kyobobook.co.kr/product/detailViewKor.laf?ejkGb=KOR&mallGb=KOR&barcode=9788960512108&orderClick=LAH&Kc=

[Korea] Happy Dongji - Winter Solstice

Dongji is the day in winter that marks the shortest day in a year, which means that it is the longest distance of earth from the sun. So, the day is the shortest, and the night is the longest.

Korean people celebrate Dongji with preparing Red Bean Gruel or Patjuk. (Pat: red bean; juk:porridge).

I knew that today is Dongji from Korean Travel Organization's page in Facebook. Today is my brother's birthday and also Mother Day in Indonesia.

San came home and told me that he ate a Korean food he never ate before. He said that it has glutinous ball in it and the texture is sticky. Because I have read about Dongji in the afternoon, I quickly asked him further question to check if what he ate is Patjuk.

Happy Dongji to all of Korean people. Korean has a very unique meaning and interpretation about Dongji, the shortest day, which means that it means a year has passed or an increasing in age.

Read more about Dongji here:
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/FO/FO_EN_6_5_2_8.jsp

Picture taken from www.visitkorea.or.kr

Korean Food - Jokbal

After visiting Sajik Stadium, we went to Nampodong, Jeokbal-gil (Jeokbal street) where you can find  many Jeokbal restaurants in the street. Jeokbal is a food name.We went to the famous one, and have to wait for a while because of full seats.

The dish as usual came with many side dishes. All are delicious! Especially the Jeokbal. It has sweet, spicy, savoury taste. The spicy taste was mostly came from wasabi.

Diyas & I, with my tired face...^^

Korea Inspiring

Be inspired by Nature, Be inspired by Culture and Refresh your spirit in Korea!

Diyas & His Food

Kejadiannya sudah lama sih. Diyas waktu itu datang ke Korea waktu masih kuliah dan kerja praktek di Daejeon dan Cheonan. Sebelum dia kembali pulang ke Indonesia, dia main-main ke Busan. 

Ini salah satu yang dipilih Diyas dan San buat menu lunchnya. Waktu itu dia cuma dengan ko San di E-Mart, sehabis belanja untuk cemilan nonton Lotte Giant di Sajik Stadium. 

Kalau engga salah, ini menu 1 set, cuma sekitar 10,000 won harganya, dapat menunya bermacam2.

Mie udon

Donkase - Katsu

Vegetable Salad

Bibimbap

Sushi

Tangsuyuk with Cheese - Koloke Keju ^^

Pernah makan koloke di Indonesia? Daging ayam dibalut tepung, digoreng crispy, lalu disiram kuah saos tomat kental manis. Yummy. Koloke asalnya dari masakan Chinese. 

Di Korea juga, masakan semacam koloke juga ada, dengan rasa yang sedikit berbeda. Sama2 crispy, pakai saos tomat kental manis. Di Korea namanya Tangsuyuk.

Tapi koloke yang satu ini istimewa, karena disajikan dengan keju dan juga ada kentangnya. Kejunya nyumnyum...ditarik sampai molorrrr, ga bisa putus...

Kenyang banget dah kalau makan yang satu ini....kalorinya tinggi tapi enak....^^

Yummy seafood!

[Korea] Food - Live Octopus for Dinner

After a visit to the museum, we had this Korean food for dinner.
It is 'San Nak Ji Jeongol'.

The word 'San' here means 'live'. "Nak Ji' means octopus.
Huh? Live octopus?
Curious?

First of all, the big pan was put on the stove and heated. It was only contained of vegetables, onion, shrimp, etc. No octopus in it. So where was the octopus?

After a few minutes, the 'ajumma' came back and bring three live octopuses! Yes, they were still alive, moving here and there inside the pot. She quickly moved the three octopuses to the boiled tasty hot soup. Then, she took a scissors and started cutting the octopuses into pieces.

We ate it with rice and not to be forgotten...the side dishes!
The soup was spicy but delicious, especially for eating it in fall season like this. 

Prof and my friends kept asking me if it was okay for me to eat it because of I ate it slowly. 

It was not because of the spicy soup, I was trying to chew the octopus hehehe...^^

[WSK 5th] 2011 Makgeolli Expo - Korean Traditional Rice Wine

Makgeolli Expo will be held in COEX next week!

See below for detail information:

http://www.makgeolliexpo.co.kr/ 

- Period : 9 Nov (Wed) ~ 12 Nov (Sat) 2011, 4 Days
- Venue : Hall A,B,C,D COEX, Samseong-dong, Seoul 

But, what is Makgeolli?

Makgeolli is known as Korean wine, the oldest liquor in Korea. It was made starting from long time ago in Korean history. 

I found that this article below (Makgeolli, Rediscovered) is interesting to know about Makgeolli. I have tried few times, only few sips of makgeolli because I was curious about the taste. 

The taste is not so strong, and different compare to soju (another typle of Korean wine). The ones that I tried were in white color, but interestingly nowadays makgeolli is introduced in many colors such as what the article below explained (makgeolli cocktail). Even, people has tried to combine makgeolli with other ingredients such as garlic makgeolli or barley makgeolli.

Since Makgeolli is made from rice, it can match any kind of foods. Korean people would like to eat it with pajeon or meat, but the expert in the article below said that it tasted good with cheese, too!

Curious about Makgeolli?

-----

``Makgeolli,'' a representative Korean traditional wine, may well be the oldest liquor in Korea. The pale white drink saw its heyday back in the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) and again in the 1970s and `80s for its rich taste, cheap cost and the food that went with it, but sales and popularity dwindled as wine, sake and soju reigned. 

However, with growing interest in new and trendy products, many makgeolli makers have added twists to the milky liquor recently, garnering both young and old fans all over again. 

The History

The first document that refers to local rice liquor is the ``Jewangun-gi,'' or the ``Rhymed Records of Emperors and Kings,'' written in 1287 during the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392). Being an agricultural society, the first alcoholic drinks would have been based on grains such as rice and barley. 

Yoon Jin-won, the head of the Korea Liquor Culture Institute (KLCI), an expert on makgeolli and also the head of traditional food and liquor restaurant Dduktak, reminds that before you taste makgeolli, you must know its roots. 

``Makgeolli holds an important meaning in not only Korean liquor history, but also in culture, business and Korean history,'' he told The Korea Times during an interview at the institute in northern Seoul. 

Yoon is the first person to invent what is now called a ``makgeolli cocktail," the colorful drink mixed with various fruits that is currently a big hit among young women.



``There were more than 350 varieties of liquor in documents that date back to the Joseon Kingdom. But with the Japanese invasion, we lost the will and power to manufacture our traditional drinks, and that was when the tragedy of makgeolli began," he said. 

Due to the Liquor Tax Law and the Japanese law preventing Koreans from preserving their own culture, the latter were not given the right to freely make their own traditional liquor, and this continued until independence. Not having a proper preservation plan, local drinks lost their heritage and potential to grow in the market, resulting in foreign liquors dominating market shelves. 

``During the Joseon Kingdom, many houses had their own distinctive way of making makgeolli and other types of liquor, and this formed into its own culture called the 
``gayangju culture,'' or the culture of home-brewed liquor,'' Yoon Sook-ja, the president of the Institute of Traditional Korean Food, writes in her book, ``Our Beautiful Liquor.'' 

This tradition still stands in some households, but much of it has been lost, and the recipes have been altered due to a lack of traditional ingredients and the importing of Western spirits. 

``Tradition and liquor experts have realized the importance of reviving makgeolli, and this is what we have been doing for the past years,'' makgeolli expert Yoon said

The Twist 

Yoon invented the makgeolli cocktail in 2005, realizing that it was the younger generation who had the power to bring back the glory days of the traditional wine. 

``We came up with the cocktail to revive makgeolli. We already knew how to make the best makgeolli and we wondered how we could attract the younger crowd. We added fresh fruits such as peach and kiwis, and it became a hit instantly,'' Yoon said. 

There are 15 different types you can choose from at the restaurant Dduktak, including strawberry, peach, blueberry and even raspberry. 

``A lot of young students and women enjoy the cocktails. They are different, light, pretty, tasty and go well with any type of food. Some of the most popular are the peach, strawberry and pineapple,'' Yoo Gwang-il, the manager, told The Korea Times, while receiving an order from a customer Thursday evening. 

Many complain that makgeolli makes them feel nauseous the next day, and also gives them headaches. But this, according to Yoon, is a common misconception.

``If you have a splitting headache or a stomach ache the day after drinking makgeolli, it probably means that the makgeolli was not made with the proper ingredients. The sad reality is that 97 to 98 percent of the makgeolli sold today is made with imported rice, and some with flour. In order to accelerate the fermenting process, some even use other ingredients as well,'' he pointed out.



Although he invented the colorful makgeolli cocktails, Yoon said he still enjoys the original and that he has stopped drinking other liquors all together. 

At the restaurant, however, more than half of the customers, many of them female, ordered the cocktails. 

``I never enjoyed makgeolli before. I usually drank what a lot of young people do now ― soju, beer and especially wine ― but I discovered the taste of makgeolli a few weeks ago, by coincidence. It's sweet, refreshing and very tasty. It's like rice yogurt with a hint of alcohol,'' Lee Yoo-mi, 24, told The Korea Times while pouring a glass of blueberry makgeolli.

Other liquor makers have joined in the trendy phenomenon, using distinctive ingredients that are abundant in their regions. Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, came up with a barley makgeolli, while Mungyeong Brewery in Mungyeong, North Gyeongsang Province offers an omija berry makgeolli. You can also find garlic makgeolli in Namhae county, South Gyeongsang Province and sweet potato makgeolli in Haenam, South Jeolla Province. 

Makgeolli Tips From an Expert 1. Check the Ingredients: Makgeolli tastes best when it is made with local goods. Be sure to check if the drink is made in Korea with local ingredients. 2. Check the Temperature: Keeping the yeast alive is important. Keep makgeolli at a temperature of about 5 degrees Celsius or lower. "You can drink it again after you have opened it. Makgeolli can last from five to even 10 days after it has been made if you keep it at the right temperature,'' Yoon said. 3. Enjoy with Any Side Dish: Koreans tend to believe the liquor is only good with jeon, or Korean-style pancakes, but Yoon said he enjoys it with cheese. ``Rice is a very tolerant ingredient, thus any type of food can be a good match. Try makgeolli with sushi or pork, you won't feel stuffy the next morning.'' 4. Proper Glasses: Use porcelain or ceramic glass when drinking makgeolli as they prevent the coolness from escaping and are environmentally friendly.

source:

Makgeolli, Rediscovered
By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter 

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2011/03/203_50412.html

Korean Food - A Delicious Gift

San received a beautifully arranged Korean food after a teaching activity.
It was delicious! 

Resep Masakan Korea - 김밥 (Kimbab/Nasi Gulung)

Kimbab plus side dishes & sup.

Sebenarnya sudah beberapa kali membuat Kimbab sendiri dan rasanya enak...(beneran lho...customer-ku puas dengan hasilnya, hehehe). Tapi sayang sekali karena waktu itu kamera ga ada, dan hanya kamera dari cellphone yang kurang bagus hasilnya, ga sreg ah kalau fotonya dipasang disini...ntar kapan2 deh kalau buat lagi.

Kalau beli kimbab dibawa pulang alias dibungkus, kita cuma dapat kimbabnya saja, tanpa side dishes & sup (disini side dishes-nya boleh nambah lho kalau mau lagi, gratis). Jadi kalau sedang ada waktu dan memang lagi lapar, lebih enak makan saja langsung di warung kimbab ^^.

Membuatnya gampang, bahan2 juga mudah disiapkan kok. Kalau pun ada bahan yang tidak tersedia, kreatiflah buat dengan bahan yang ada (memang bakal jadinya kimbab ala kita ^^). Misalnya, waktu tidak ada ham/sosis/daging sapi, aku pernah isi kimbab dengan abon sapi atau teri kecil atau keju.

김밥 (Kimbab/Nasi Gulung)

Bahan:

360g (2gelas beras)

500g air

6g (4lbr) kim/rumput laut kering

70g asinan lobak

120g (2bh) telur

80g (1/2 buah) mentimun

80gr daging sapi yang telah dibumbui

Bumbu Nasi:

13g (1sdm) minyak wijen

4g (1sdt) garam

Bumbu daging sapi:

2sdt kecap asin

1/2 sdt gula

1/2 sdt irisan daun bawang

1 sdt garam

1/2 sdt minyak wijen

Cara membuatnya:

1. Cuci beras dengan bersih kemudian rendam terlebih dahulu beras yang telah dicuci sekitar 30menit, lalu masaklah dengan panci nasi, sekitar 10 menit setelah matang dan tidak ada lagi air yang menetes, ambil nasi yang telah mengempuk kemudian berilah bumbu nasi tersebut.
2. Mentimun dan wortel setelah dicuci bersih irislah dengan memanjang dan tipis, kemudian tirislah hingga air tidak menetes.
3. Asinan lobak diiris panjang 20cm, tebal 0.7cm.
4. Daging sapi cincang setelah dibersihkan hingga tidak ada darah yang menetes, letakkan di mangkok bersama bumbunya setelah diaduk rata kemudian ditumis.
5. Telur beri sedikit garam dan didadar sekitar tebal 1cm, depan belakang panjang sekitar 20cm, diiris dengan lebar 1cm.
6. Kim (rumput laut) depan belakang dibakar sebentar, lalu kim tsb ditaruh diatas penggulung. Letakkan diatasnya (150g) nasi, setelah dipapar merata tengahnya taruhlah irisan wortel, ketimun, asinan lobak, daging sapi cincang, dan telur kemudian gulung bersama-sama sekitar 3-4 putaran lalu iris sekitar lebar 1,5 cm.

http://www.smkf.com/

PS: di resep ini tertulis rumput laut dibakar dulu, tapi di supermarket banyak rumput laut yang ready untuk buat kimbab, jadi tidak perlu dibakar lagi.

Resep Masakan Korea - 비빔밥 (Bibimbab/Nasi Campur)

http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/

Kalau ditanya makanan Korea apa yang kamu ketahui, Bibimbab pasti jadi salah satu Top Five jawaban (menurut aku lho ^^). Saking terkenalnya Bibimbab sampai-sampai dibuat satu pertunjukkan untuk promosi makanan Korea bergaya ala pertunjukan Nanta, namanya BIBAP. Belum tahu apa itu Nanta? Belum tahu apa itu Bibap? Kapan-kapan deh aku cerita ya...(sabar...sabar...^^).

Bibimbab ini sebenarnya sederhana saja, nasi dan sayur-mayur, plus daging sapi atau jamur atau telur atau octopus. Tapi begitu diaduk bersama bumbunya, rasanya ruarrrrr biasaaaaaaaa...!

비빔밥 (Bibimbab/Nasi Campur)

Bahan:

3 gelas beras

3 1/2 gelas air

150g daging

100g gosari

2bh mentimun

100g wortel

6bh jamur

2bh telur

15gr tauge

Bumbu jamur: 2sdm kecap asin, 1sdm gula putih, 1sdm irisan daun bawang, 1/2 sdm bawang putih yang dihaluskan, 1/2 sdm minyak wijen, sedikit garam, bubuhkan merica

Bumbu cabe merah halus: 3sdm cabe merah halus, 1/2 sdm gula, 1 sdm madu, 30g daging sapi, 3 sdm air

Bumbu daging: 1sdt kecap asin, 1/2 sdt gula putih, 1sdt irisan daun bawang, sedikit merica, 1/3 sdt bwang putih halus

Bumbu dasar: 1 gelas air, 5 sdm gula putih, 5 sdm cuka, 1 sdt garam

Cara membuatnya:

1. Nasi dimasak hingga lunak
2. Gosari diberi "bumbu dasar" kurang lebih 1/3, kemudian tumis dengan minyak goreng dan aduk hingga rata.
3. Tauge buang bagian ujung atas dan bawah kemudian dikukus dengan air yang diberi garam lalu remas-remas halus dengan minyak wijen.
4. Daging sapi diiris sedikit memanjang tipis dan diberi "bumbu daging" sekitar 1/3 kemudian ditumis dengan sedikit minyak goreng.
5. Persiapkan mentimun yang dikupas melingkar kemudian diiris tipis sepanjang 5cm, begitu juga dengan wortel yang telah diiris sama seperti mentimun kemudian bumbukan dengan meremas-remas halus.
6. Jamur direbus dengan air hangat dan tiriskan lalu peras hingga tidak ada air yang menetes dan diberi "bumbu jamur" sekitar 1/3 kemudian tumis sebentar dengan minyak goreng.
7. Telur dadar bulat dan iris tipis sepanjang 5cm.
8. Taruhlah nasi di mangkok kemudian bahan-bahan yang telah dibuat letakkan diatas nasi seperti mentimun, wortel, jamur, telur, daging sapi yang telah ditumis, dan variasikanlah dengan warna-warna sayuran yang ada.

Membuat sambal/saos cabe merah halus

1. Daging sapi yang diiris agak tipis dan telah diberi bumbu, tumis di wajan penggorengan kecil.
2. "Bumbu cabe merah halus", gula ,minyak wijen, air, dicampur dengan daging sapi yang telah ditumis kemudian aduk rata.

http://www.smkf.com/

Gongbang (Arts & Crafts) Street & Tea Shop

The 5th WSK Camp (6)

Haenggungdong Mural Village

The 5th WSK Camp (5)

Next destination after Yongjoosa Temple (read previous post) we were brought to a restaurant for lunch..yoohooo...Apparantly,  it was a special lunch because we would have lunch together with Suwon Mayor. Now I know why we were rushed at Yongjoosa Temple ^^

(Picture credited to Lisa Liang)

Take a picture with Suwon Mayor after a very delicious lunch.

The restaurant is not a big and lux one as the one where we had our Samgyetang dinner the day before. The ambience is homy and humble. You can feel you are in old style of Korean restaurant, but still it is clean and neat.

 Entering the first room of the restaurant, I saw many glass bottles, big and small, filled with ginseng and alcohol. I guess those ginsengs have been stored for quite a long time. The restaurant owner has many bottles, not only those on the pictures. Ginseng is healthy for our health but also expensive ^^. The longer you keep the ginseng, the better it is for your health when you eat it.

You can make it by yourself, too. I did a quick search on the internet and found how to make it.

How to make fresh ginseng with Soju:

1. First you need bottles of soju. Soju is Korean vodka with an alcohol content ranging from 20-23%. They can be purchased at liquor stores.
2. With fresh ginsengs, place them in a position where the heads face upward. Keep pouring soju until it covers the top of the heads.
3. Put a date sticker on top of the jar and keep it in a dark place at least for next 6 months. Older it gets, better it will taste.

source: http://kpcginseng.50webs.com/Ginsengfreshroot.html

Our lunch was a tipical Korean lunch with variety of side dishes, tofu soup, bulgogi (beef) and fish. Makgeoli (Korean rice wine) was served, too. I sipped a little bit just to try the taste, didn't finished my full cup of the rice wine. I still had long journey back home after the camp, so I didn't want to collapse because of too much drinking. Besides I still breastfeed JoSH.

The side dishes were awesome. Some of them I never tried before. There were mushroom, radish, peas, green vegetables (I don't know the name), clam, sprout, salted fermented crab, and many more...^^

After lunch, the Mayor guided us to see Haenggungdong Mural Village, located not far from the restaurant. We stopped at a very old building that is still preserved till now. From the blurred painted hangeul on its wall I could see that it was used as a church in the past.

The exterior of the building  was covered with painted small tiles and arranged nicely. The small tiles were painted by the citizens.

The Mayor told us that he also painted a picture on a tile. He pointed to a tile. Can you guess which one? It is the one on the right of blue shirt little boy tile. It is a cherry blossom tree, I guess.

Inside the old building, the rooms is now used as artists' studio. This is one of the studio at level 2.

Picture credited to our 5th WSK member, I forgot from where I took this picture in facebook. Hehe...sorry ^^

Finally the full team pictures, with Suwon Mayor, our guide, Suwon City staffs, Presidential Council of Nation Branding team and all of us.

Next post: Gongbang (Arts & Crafts) Street & Tea Shop

Kimchi Factory

The 5th WSK Camp (1)

Kimchi!

When you hear the word 'kimchi', you will relate it to Korea.

Yes, kimchi represents Korea all around the world. Korean people almost always eat kimchi in every meal.

Even if you buy pizza, toast, burger, or fried chicken which you think supposed to be eaten without kimchi, kimchi is served together with those meals.

What type of Kimchi do you know? Kimchi is not only made from cabbage, but you can also find radish kimchi, green onion kimchi or cucumber kimchi.

I came late for WSK camp in Suwon. I missed the archery practice, trolley riding, Korean dyeing class, Hwaseong tour, and Korean manners class (wearing Hanbok and tea ceremony). :(((

Not only that, I left my camera in San's bag. Oh, no! So, sorry for the low quality pictures. I captured them through my cellphone.

From Suwon station, I took taxi to the Kimchi factory, Pungmi Food.

This is picture of the owner of the factory. She was captured while arranging the seasoned kimchi into the pot for fermentation.

Again I came in the middle of the tour, so I missed to see the factory. I went straight to the small museum. It shows us many types of kimchi, the making process, and the material.

Other than kimchi, there are also many artificial tteok (Korean rice cake) in the museum to teach us about Korean culture. It was arranged such as for a special or big party (for example, 60th birthday party).

The kimchi factory has a special laboratory to do researches on kimchi and the factory's product.

And...this is the one that I like so much. The kimchi jars! After kimchi is seasoned with the spices, it is put inside the jar for fermentation.

Nowadays, people keep kimchi in a special refrigerator called kimchi refrigarator because they live in apartment and have no garden or outdoor space. The refrigerator size is quite big and usually full with ONLY kimchi. 

A close shoot of the jar. 

With Parvina.

When San first came in Korea, he hated kimchi, but he loves it now. We especially like the fresh kimchi rather than the sour kimchi (because it is kept for a long time). I can eat rice only with fresh kimchi.

Kimchi can be eaten even though it has been stored for 1 year. Some people said that the sour the better.

In winter, kimchi price can be very expensive because the increase of cabbage price. Kimchi which is supposed to be side meal, turns to be more expensive than the main menu. Buying kimchi can be too costly rather than buying fried chicken!