[sample translations]heo young man, sikgaek ii eng by LTI Korea Library

Sample Translations

Young-man Heo Sikgaek II E ng l i s h

Book Information

Sikgaek II (식객 2) Siru Publishing corp. / 2014 / 33 p. / ISBN 9788998480226 For further information, please visit: http://library.klti.or.kr/node/772 This sample translation was produced with support from LTI Korea. Please contact the LTI Korea Library for further information. library@klti.or.kr

Sikgaek II Written by Heo Young Man

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Vol 1. Tasting the Longing Vol 2. Making Love ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vol 1. Tasting the Longing

Fermented Cod Giblets You can lose your memories, but you never forget taste.

February 2013 Splash! Well, should I get started? Chop! Chop! Chop! Chop! What is all that noise? Thud! Slice! Slice! Splat! Chop! Chop! Chop!

You’re turning my rooftop into a bloody mess! I’m doing it for a good reason. I always try my best to serve my customers with food made with the best of ingredients. Huh? Isn’t that a croaker fish? We get croakers in the summer. This is a cod. It’s called daegu, “dae” meaning big and “gu” mouth, or daedueo, meaning a fish with a large head. What? My nickname was Daegu. Ha! Don’t laugh! Clang…clang…clang… Thud! Wow! It’s the size of a whale! They’re called nurungyi. It’s a special name that people in Geojae have for cod over 7 kilograms. Scrape…scrape… I waited for these fish for days! Why? Have they become harder to catch these days? No. In fact, the winter this year was colder than usual, so they caught more of them than before. Then did they raise the price on these fish? No, because January is the closed season for cod, I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to find good ones in the market this month.

But why did you put the fish in ice when it’s so cold? The scales on cod are very slippery, so you can cut your fingers when scaling them. If you have them in ice for a day, they harden, so you don’t have to worry about your knife slipping. And you don’t have to worry about their eggs bursting open. First, scale it, Splat…splat… Pour the water right here. Wash it, Chop its head off, Chop! Chop! Slice the head in half, scrape the blood off, and put it aside. Gulp! I could really go for some cod-head stew right now! Drool… You called this cod a croaker, but how do you know about cod-head stew? No need to mention that now! I’m not sure I would have enough for everyone. You have to include me! I’m the building owner! Now I’m going to slice the meat. You have to be careful not to slice the gills. Just take a look at the color of the gills! This fish is fresh! With cod, there is nothing to throw away. Cod is a very popular fish. In Portugal, they say there are over one thousand cod recipes. The Portuguese exaggerate!

Now you have to be extra careful. When you’re separating the innards from the roe, you have to be careful with your knife. If not, the roe will burst open. Wow! Look at the size of the roe! Alexandre Dumas, the writer of The Three Musketeers, was a gourmet, and he said, according to his calculations, if every roe of cod in the ocean were to grow up to become cod, in three years the sea would overflow with so many of them that we would have to walk across the ocean by stepping on them. Slice…slice… You handle the knife just like your name! Mushin, the God of Blade! Fillet the fish, and get rid of this black membrane. The fish is ready! Now all it needs is some salt before I dry it. Can you pour some water on it, and get me a salimeter? Look! I’m the building owner here! The most important thing when drying cod is the amount of salt. If you don’t use enough salt, the cod will go bad, but too much salt will ruin the taste. 5.5%. Good! I thought you made your food relying only on your senses. Sometimes machines are better than your senses. The cod should stay in the salt water for four hours, and they should be allowed to dry for one to two weeks. Can you imagine drinking makgeolli while eating dried cod dipped in sweet and sour chili pepper paste? Gulp!

Vikings were able to travel as they did all because of dried cod. When cod is just out of water, they are made up of only 18% protein, but when they are dried, they contain 80% protein. Clean the part around the gills, take the stomach, slice it with your knife, and scrape the inside clean, and then do the same thing with the giblets. Rub the roe in salt. Sprinkle salt on the gills, wash them, and put salt on them again. I’m going to ferment the giblets, gills, and roe. That’s all great, but what about the floor? If you do this here on the roof, it’s like having fish intestines on my head. Do you have to do it here? If I do it in the kitchen, you know the people who will flock to it. This is a place that only you and I know about, so we’re safe here. But next time don’t do anything that will get blood on the roof! A stew with a cod head! We can wash the blood off…no problem… The bile from the gall bladder is on the liver. I have to slice this part out. Why? I like the liver. Even if you wash it off, the bitter taste of the bile stays on it. That goni looks great! Sir, how many times have you been to a Japanese restaurant? Who counts how many times one goes to a Japanese restaurant? I can say that when I show up near the restaurants behind the market, the restaurant owners

come out to say hi to me. You’re making me suspicious about the quality of those restaurants. These are not goni. The testes are called yiri, and the ovaries are goni. Yiri is male and goni is female! If you get confused, think about man-yiri and she’s goni. Now, let’s try again! Man-yiri! She’s goni! So what do you do when you get them confused? Man-yiri! She’s goni! Burp! I guess your wife didn’t give you anything to help you with your hangover this morning. All she gave me were sweet potatoes saying they were good for me. Come with me. I’m going to make a cod stew with its head, bones, liver, and yiri, and sliced radishes. The liver of a cod and a monkfish is like the foie gras of the sea. It tastes great, but you can’t eat it unless it’s very fresh. It is March, but it is snowing. I was thinking about putting my winter long johns away, but then it started to snow. Still, it’s not so cold anymore. It’s snowing, but it doesn’t pile up on the street. I’ve decided what to eat today. A cod stew is just the thing for a day like today. And it’s almost the end of cod season. Did you call to make sure he’s open today? Have you ever seen the place closed? Of course he’ll be open. It’s snowing. It’s a pretty day!

It sure is! A day for cod stew! Yup, yup! I’m sorry, I’m not open today. Do you know how many restaurants we passed to get here? We resisted all that temptation to get to your place, and for what? Come next time and I’ll make you a tasty stew! So it must mean that you have cod. We’ll eat fast. Just make us one. I’m sorry, but not today. Why won’t you open today? Just because. I’m going to take that sign off the building! Just A Restaurant I told you we should have called. It’s not like the place is a three-star restaurant listed in the Michelin Guide and we have to make a reservation or anything! Not a reservation, but just to see if it’s open! Oh, who knew… Well, how about pollock stew? You know the saying: if you can’t have pheasant, there’s always chicken! No! I want cod stew, and that place is not the only one that sells cod stew. Hey, pollock stew isn’t… Grandma, how about a cup of water? I’m hungry! I want rice!

You little brats dragged me out when it’s freezing outside, and now you won’t give me food! Rumble…rumble… You turned your customers away because of us. I’m so sorry. Don’t worry about it. They can come back tomorrow. Do you think fermented cod will do? I can serve you other dishes in no time. My mother’s hometown is Geojae. Because she likes fermented cod so much, we bought it for her, but she didn’t like any of it. She won’t eat anything else, so there is actually no need for other food. If you don’t give me food by the time I count to ten, I’m leaving! Grandma! One! Two! Three! Seven! Eight! Nine! I’m almost ready! Thunk! Grandma, why did you stop? What comes after nine? Three! Three! Five! Seven! Chansik, when did you get here? I haven’t seen you in a while!

Grandma, I’m Chansik! I’m your husband, Han Jong-man. My husband died a long time ago! You liar! What was the last number that I said? Grandma, if you don’t remember, start from the beginning again. What was I doing? Argh! Here we are! I hope you’ll like it! Wow! Grandma, there’s so much delicious food on the table. Didn’t you say we were going to have steak? I’m leaving! Argh! How about at least tasting it before you leave, Ma’am? This is fermented cod giblets made with the gills, intestines, and stomach of the cod. Thump. Another name for this is Jangjajjeok. It’s made in the winter. You know this dish, Ma’am. Of course I do! This is the taste of my hometown! My mother’s Jangjajjeok was the best! You can say that again! Because you learned it from your mother, every winter my friends were jealous of me. You remember, don’t you? Because you… brought so many of your friends to our house, our whole winter supply of rice only lasted us

a month! It… did… You can remember now… What’s so surprising? Because your grandpa had so many friends, he got conned sometimes, but we were also blessed because of it. I won’t deny it! Yes, Grandma! You’re right! Mom, where is your spoon? Alright. I’ll put some fermented cod giblets on it. How is it? Does it make you remember your mom? It makes me remember the old days. People are happy when they eat this, but it’s not easy to make. Women often cut their fingers when they were preparing large cod or separating the head. I didn’t know that when I brought so many of my friends home for dinner. I’m sorry. How many days did you ferment this Jangjajjeok? In the winter, it tastes better when it’s been fermented for a long time, but because it’s spring, it’s been fermented for a week. What did you season it with? With anchovy sauce. It wasn’t the only seasoning. I also used a broth made with anchovies and kelp. That’s how it should be done. If you season it only with anchovy sauce, it tastes great at first, but later it smells too fishy. Why don’t you try this, too?

Isn’t this pickled radish made with the fish meat under the gills? You can’t even find this nowadays! Where did you learn how to make this? Didn’t I always tell you to eat before the food gets cold?! Honey, you should try this, too. How about I feed it to you? Okay… Say ah! Ah! Isn’t it good? Why are you crying? You’re embarrassing me… Eunjeong, do you still snack a lot? You shouldn’t munch on snacks just because studying is hard. You have to be skinny and pretty and find a nice man to date. Yes, Grandma. Where did you find this place? This place really knows about food. And I’m too old to make Jangjajjeok. I’m going to leave it up to my daughter-in-law from now on. Yes. Mother! Didn’t you feel like something was missing? Let me explain what this is… Ah! Yes, there should have been fermented cod roe on the table! I’d have been so sad if you didn’t bring this out. Wait…

Here you are. Of course! You should have it with sesame oil! Put the roe on the warm rice… Haha. I can’t believe how happy food can make you feel! The cook here really knows his stuff. Thank you. A cook is happiest when he is serving people who appreciate his food. I can tell just by looking at this one sesame seed. A lot of work went into this one seed. You’re right. I soaked the seeds in water, washed them like I would wash rice, peeled them, and fried them in a pan. That way it lessens their mealy taste and it also makes them look more appetizing. And this cabbage leaf is not just your everyday cabbage leaf. Usually people lose their sense of taste with age, but Ma’am, it’s obvious you haven’t. I prepared this cabbage leaf just for this dish. After soaking it in salty water, I drained the water out and seasoned the leaf again with anchovy sauce, garlic, ginger, and the broth made with anchovies and kelp. You can’t compare this to wrapping the roe with just a pickled cabbage leaf. The seasoned cabbage leaf elevates the taste of the roe. You can make a great stew with this fermented roe. Ma’am, would you like more sesame oil with that? Yes, please. It tastes better if you add the sesame oil to the fermented roe. Son, why are you staring at me and not eating anything? Mom, instead of calling me, “son,” can you call me by my name? Why do you want me to do that all of sudden?

Just do it for him. If you do, I’ll give you a prize! A prize? You can’t remember his name, can you? What do you mean I can’t remember? Junsu! Wowow! Mom, you made me so happy! This is the prize! Smooch! You are embarrassing me! You like me that much? Of course I like you that much! Would you like one more kiss? What has gotten into you? Hahaha! Thank you so much. Thanks to you, we had a great dinner. I’m glad you were happy with the food. How much do I owe you? No, there’s no need. What do you mean? The meal meant two or three times more than the bill. No, you don’t have to pay me for the meal. I’m so sorry about yesterday. I thought about never coming back, you know! What made you come back? The cod stew at other restaurants just doesn’t taste the same as yours. Mine tastes different because I put a special drug in it. To get at the best part of cod stew, you have to suck on the bones.

Shlorp…schlorp…schlorp… Stop that! You’re making me remember my old ex. Mr. Goh! Yes? Isn’t it about time for a surprise? You know how you always give us something that you’ve stashed away. Well… Clang. I was saving these for my little girl. Fermented cod gills, pickled radish with cod giblets, and fermented cod roe! I knew it, I knew it! You have to be a grown-up to appreciate this taste! Kids have no idea! This is the last fermented cod for this year. Bring a bottle of makgeolli. Let’s drink to it! It’s so good! Go easy on it! Would you please pour me a drink? Sir? Didn’t you have dinner at my place with your family yesterday? I…did… Why don’t you come inside my restaurant? No, I’m going to stay here for a bit and then go back home. No, please come inside. Sigh… What’s wrong? Did something happen? Did your wife…

She told me to get out. She said I was a security guard and shouldn’t be in the house. Bang! What’s happening? Are you being chased by a crazy dog? Yoink! Hey! I need this right now! Have the other dishes on the table! What? Why are you doing this to us? We’re not going to come back if you’re going to be like this! Hey, Mr. Goh of Just A Restaurant! We’ll forgive you! Just bring that back! Sir!

The person that I interviewed to learn about fermented cod lived in Busan, and his family had made fermented cod for generations. The fermented cod giblets that he presented me with had the gills, stomach, and intestines of the cod, but what overwhelmed me was the size of the diced radishes; they were too big, even if you took into consideration the generosity of the people in Gyeongsang Province when it comes to food. Looking more like pickled radishes with cod giblets, rather than fermented cod giblets, the dish made the cod giblets look as if they were playing second fiddle to the radishes. Because we still had ingredients left over, I thought about dicing the radishes to one-third of their size and re-making the dish, but when the said this was the traditional way of making it, I gave up on the idea, for what I wanted was not something genuine. I found out that the dish came to have this questionable look which did not do justice to its name, the fermented cod giblets, all because of the number of cods that were caught and their price.

Cods are one of large fish, but unlike pollocks, cods are not caught in large amount and are more expensive. Therefore, if one were to make cod giblets the same way as the fermented pollock roe or tripe, or fermented squid, it would become extremely costly. On a spoonful of warm rice, you put diced radish with cod gills and intestines, and when you chew them together, the saltiness of the cod giblets balances out the sweetness of the rice, creating layers of taste that finally leaves a sweet aftertaste. The fermentation brings out from the cod giblets a complexity of taste which is complemented, not overshadowed, by the refreshing and crispy taste of the radish. The surprising size of the diced radishes was the right size to tone down the very concentrated taste of the giblets. The perfect balance between the cod giblets and the radishes boasted a complexity of taste that is different from other fermented giblets or fish that are smeared with chili pepper paste. The feast of taste created by the cod giblets made me take another spoonful of rice while chewing on the first spoonful. Prepared with ingredients such as cabbage leaves, the fermented cod roe, which looked like kimchi wrapped in a cabbage leaf, was one of the best-tasting fermented roe Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had. Also, adding a drop of sesame oil enhanced its taste. The fermented cod giblets and cod roe were so delicious that I emptied my bowl of rice in no time and had to ask for one more bowl. If you could end this meal with a refreshing cod stew, which washes away any saltiness in the mouth, you would be able the taste the best meal that winter has to offer to us.

Vol 2. Making Love

1. Cuttlefish Food made with love connects people.

Paju Paju Association of Young Businessmen

The very first president of JC in Karatsu, Japan, will be coming to Korea on the invite of President Kim Yang-han. I met the former president of JC at a ryokan in Karatsu when I was there on a family vacation. I was so happy that I bumped into him, and I invited him to Korea. I blame the drinks for such a rash decision. Hmm… You must be in a bind because of it. We’ll help you out. Although this is not an official company event, he is an important guest, so the whole company should prepare for his visit. Thank you, President. Then we should start by making reservations at restaurants. The eel from Imjin River is a must, isn’t it? Well… the problem is the food. Otherwise, there would be no need for this discussion. What food do you mean? Squid. What’s the big deal about squid that’s worrying you? Haha! In Japan, Karatsu is a place famous for squid dishes. And the former president of JC is an aficionado of squid dishes. He bragged about the squid dishes from Karatsu so much that… I said there were just as tasty squid dishes in Korea as the Japanese squid dish Iketsukuri. I don’t like to come in second for anything…

What is this Japanese squid dish like that makes you this worried? To make Iketsukuri, they slice a squid like sashimi, with its head and bones intact, and serve it on bamboo so that it looks alive. Don’t you worry, sir! We’ll search the Internet and come up with a list of restaurants famous for squid. Yes, of course. It’s not going to be that easy. Why don’t we each look for the best restaurant and decide on one place? Yes. Then, this meeting is adjourned. Bang…bang…bang. What do you think? Do you think we’ll be able to live up to his expectations? It won’t be easy. I’ve heard about the squid sashimi, too. Even people who are pickier about sashimi than interviewing people for jobs at their company are impressed by it. Well…let’s do our best and see. Mom, I’m so sorry. I wanted to take you out for a nice meal today. Don’t worry about it. We can do that anytime. You should work hard since you don’t even have a girlfriend. I used to work for Mr. Kim before, so I couldn’t refuse when he asked for my help. You can’t live your life doing only the things you want to do. Don’t we say that what’s truly Korean is also most global? If he has this sashimi squid with a bottle of soju with other Koreans, I’m sure it’ll be something to remember. Tap…tap…

Look! Urgh! This is Iketsukuri in Karatsu. The squid looks alive! Then how about this? A plate of stir-fried squid, please! Sure! What’s more Korean than the taste of spiciness? The former president of JC had the stir-fried octopus once and suffered from diarrhea for three days. Then this is no good. But why don’t we have it since we ordered it? Don’t worry. I ate. Rumble… rumble… Oh, no! Another hit! How about this then? We can’t impress him with food, so let’s just go somewhere for the ambiance. Japanese people like baseball, so how about watching a baseball game with beer and dried squid? He’s coming with his wife. I’m sorry, Mom. I’ll be late. This is worrying. We’re going to look terrible! How about stuffed sausage in squid from Sokcho? Can you be more serious about this? Sorry… This is a mission. If we don’t solve it, there’ll be no food.

Food isn’t something you should toy people with! I’m hungry. What’s the question again? I want to go home. Click. Stomp…stomp… This is the place. Just A Restaurant Don’t you think this place is too shabby for our guest? It’s almost dinner time, so why don’t we go in and see? Welcome! It’s been awhile! What’s good today? How about fried fatsia shoots with makgeolli? Are you crazy? How could you… The place doesn’t look fancy, but the food here is the best. The chef will be able to solve our problem. Here we are! Enjoy! Try it! Wait…wait! Look! This place isn’t even reviewed online as a place to visit! Shh! You can’t talk about things like being online here! Let’s not waste our time. Let’s try someplace else! What? Are you telling your customers to get out? You are not my customers! So get out! What the hell! What kind of place is this? These fatsia shoots are for customers who have respect for food!

What’s really ridiculous is talking about online restaurant reviews in front of this gift from nature! You’re full of it, aren’t you? I’ll show you the power of online reviews! Stop it, sir! Let me go! He should be taught a lesson! Please, stop! He has no right to treat his customers that way! You think I have nothing to do right now than… How about me? You think I’m here because I have nothing to do? I have to take care of my old mother, but here I am… Uh…uh… I couldn’t even take my mother to the hospital to get her bad back checked out because I’ve been looking for restaurants. This is the last stop! I can’t help you anymore. I’m sorry, but I have to tend to more important things in my life. So either you come with me to this restaurant, or follow your smart phone. All right… Good! Sir, I’m sorry about what I did. I wanted to find a place with food that would be better than Iketsukuri, but after failing to find it, I just became irritable. I’m afraid this place is the last stop for us. That feels good. Because of my bad back, you’re getting better at massaging me. Let me massage your feet, too. Is something important coming up tomorrow?

I wanted to take you out over the weekend, but I’m afraid I have to go to Tae-an. I’m busy, too. I promised to get my hair done with Mrs. Choe tomorrow. Who are you going with? A young lady? No, Mr. Kim . When this is finished, I’m going to quit working for the association. I have enough things on my plate without it. I know you don’t mean that. When you do things but your heart isn’t into it, you’ll get hurt. It pains me to watch you struggle with not physical scars, but emotional ones. You get blessed by helping others more than by being helped. Keep in mind that by helping others, you help yourself. I will. Vroommm. I’m sorry you have to work today because of me. It’s okay. But why did that restaurant chef tell us to go get cuttlefish ourselves? He must have a reason. He must since he kicked me out for being an improper customer. Vroommm. Shinjin Port in Tae-an It’s a fairly big port. It feels nice to be out at the beach. Yeyeyeye… 32! Bartail flatheads… bartail flatheads… Next are shrimp! Yeyeyeye…

For your mother? Yes, she likes crab a lot. Buy them now. It’s going to be the end of the season soon. When is the closed season? From June 20 to August 20. Two months. Then I should get them now. You should buy female crabs. If your mother has weak teeth, male crabs with softer shells are better. Do you need someone to guide you around here? My name is Jo Jae-yun, and I’m the manager of the marketing department of the Fishery Cooperative in Anheung. Why are you out here working when you must be busy with your job as manager? Managers don’t work at a desk anymore. It’s part of my job to help people visiting Shinjin Port get the best seafood that we have to offer. That way they’ll visit us again. We help them, but they are really helping us. The thing is we need to buy some cuttlefish. You sound like a native here. You trust him? He wanted to dump male crabs on you, the ones that people don’t want! Thank you, but we’d like to look around the place first! There they are! Cuttlefish! You should buy them. The cuttlefish from here are in season at the same time as the riceplanting season. How do they taste?

They can’t taste better than they do. How much are they? 20,000 won. 20,000 won for all of them? That’s pretty cheap! 20,000 won for one! What?! What kind of squid costs 20,000 won? That’s a rip-off. Are they expensive because they’re pibak? Pibak? I haven’t heard that word in a while. We don’t get pibak these days. What? That makes no sense. Without pibak, how can chalbak reproduce? You did your homework on this. It says here pibak is male cuttlefish and chalbak female. People from Seoul are not as smart as they think they are. So are you going to buy or not? We drove down here at the crack of dawn. We can’t go back empty-handed. We’ll buy them, but not at that price. Ask anybody on the street if they’d pay 20,000 for one cuttlefish! They would. Mr. Jo? They are chalbak. See the pinkish color on them? Pibak is cheaper because it doesn’t have a lot of meat on it, even if it is the same size as chalbak. And like she said, they disappeared six years ago. The oil leakage in Tae-an in 2007 and the mining of sand damaged the eco-system, so we can’t catch enough cuttlefish, or short-armed and long-legged octopuses. So they are expensive. I apologize, Ma’am! We will buy 20 of them, so please sell them to us at a good price.

You bargain for them, but you never bargain for whiskey prices at a bar, do you? Vroom… Thank you for visiting our country. I would like to welcome you on behalf of Paju JC. We are grateful just for being invited, and we don’t know what to say now, for you went out of your way to welcome us. It’s all in your hands now. I’ll do my best. Splash! Slice… Rip! Thud! Splash! Slice. Mr. Kim, how have you been? Min-jeong! Good! And you are as pretty as ever. Thank you! Who’s she? Ah, she’s the interpreter, Ms. Choe Min-jeong. How do you do? How do you do? Here we are! This is the cuttlefish that Mr. Kim told you about. So this is it! Kouika detsu! Did he say cuttlefish? Yes, people catch a lot of cuttlefish near Yobuko in Karatsu.

Shit… He said they usually make sushi or sashimi with cuttlefish, but he has never seen it sliced this big. It’s interesting how there is a difference in slicing the fish. Yes, it is! I’m sure this will taste better! Dojo! Dojo! Ah! Sugoi! He said he’s only had thinly-sliced cuttlefish before, but sliced this way, he can taste its chewy texture better. Great job, Mr. Goh! He was sure that Japan had better sashimi, but after this, he might have to think twice. Try this. This is the fin—people call it, “Nalgamji.” This is the softest part of the cuttlefish or squid. I always eat the mantle first even when I eat a dry squid. Honttoda! Mr. Goh! These are sukgats and garlic stems. Cuttlefish are in season in the southern sea around April and in the western sea around midMay. Around this time, farmers like to eat them wrapped with sukgats or lettuce along with garlic stems dipped in bean paste. Hmm… It tastes great. Korean bean paste is saltier than Japanese bean paste, but it has a deeper aroma. You also have to try makgeolli when you are in Korea. This is fantastic! Just fantastic!

I can see how our ancestors appreciated and enjoyed this wonderful taste of nature. Arigato Gojaimatsu! Now how about trying this? Gorewa Nandeska? Shabu shabu? The broth is made with kelp and short-necked clams. Try the rest of the cuttlefish in this shabu shabu. If the cuttlefish had been like ordinary tofu, the shabu shabu would have made it taste like frozen tofu. He said the different texture is just fantastic! I’m glad this is to your taste. Shabu shabu is Japanese, but we’ve never thought about using cuttlefish as a shabu shabu ingredient. When Mr. Kim said that there was a better squid dish in Korea, I honestly didn’t expect much. But now that I’ve actually tasted it, I am impressed not only by the taste but also the work that went into making it. We are so grateful and honored that you took the trouble to go and buy the cuttlefish at the port and to find the best chef to cook them. Thank you so much! It’s all thanks to our manager here. He took the time out from taking care of his mother to make this happen. How about a round of applause for the manager at Paju JC? You don’t have to… Thank you for taking the time out to take care of us like you would your mother. But my mother always comes first. Dojo! Dojo! This is spicy red with chili pepper paste. I’m afraid to try it.

Why don’t we try it first? It’s not so spicy. Yes, it’s fine. But I’m Japanese. Because you’re the honored guest today, I didn’t make it very spicy. Then, let me try one bite. Honey… I’ve never tasted anything like this before… It’s good! It has a sweetness and is slightly spicy… Wait! Not slightly! It’s very spicy! Honey, have some water! No! I don’t want to wash away this taste with water. It’s spicy, but I want more of it! Mo- more? Hot! Hot! Honey, you have to try it! Ah, yes… In Karatsu, we usually deep fry the legs of cuttlefish, but here you season it with chili pepper paste. I’m sure I’ll remember this strong taste for a long time. I only put half of the amount of chili paste I usually use. Next time I’ll put in less. Then it won’t taste like anything. Chef, how about some rice? And we’ll need one large bowl and some small bowls, too. Coming right up!

How about three bowls of rice? No, four! Thunk! What! Now we mix the rice with the rest of the spicy cuttlefish and some sesame oil. I’ll do it. I’m an expert at mixing. OK, here. Mix…mix… Here you go! So good! Ms. Choe, are you okay? Yes, of course! I just haven’t had this dish in a long time, and it tastes so good! Then let me try it. It must be spicy to them, but they are willing to try it because of us. It’s not too spicy, is it? No, it isn’t. And I can’t stop eating it. If there’s any left, I’d like some more please! Hahahaha! Thank you so much! For me, both the squid dish in Karatsu and the cuttlefish here have been the best dishes I’ve ever had. I think it’s silly to think about which dish is better when so much effort and care went into making them both. Aren’t these empty plates proof of how delicious it was? Thank you again for your generosity and hospitality. Clap…clap…clap…

Mr. Goh, thank you. Now I understand why you had us buy the cuttlefish at the port. When I had dinner with clients before, we usually talked about business. But today’s experience of feeling connected was something new and different. Food is a topic that everyone can talk about, regardless of gender, nationality, or political views. I would like to name Just A Restaurant as the official restaurant of Paju JC! Thank you! It’s good to take our time to say hello but not when we say goodbye. Hey! Isn’t that your mother? What? Here I am! Mom, what are you doing here? You bought too many crabs, so I marinated them in soy sauce and brought some for your guests from Japan. Thud! If the crabs stay packed in soy sauce, they become salty, so I packed each crab individually and packed the sauce separately. I hope you’ll like it. Do they marinate crabs in Japan, too? In Japan, people steam them, or eat them like sashimi, not marinated. He said he has had it before and it tasted great. Oh, I’m glad he likes it. Thank you so much, ma’am. Living in Japan, one Korean food that I’ve missed has been this marinated crab. Ms. Choe, this present is for me! Hahaha!

There is enough for you to share! Ms. Choe… Sodeska? The president would like to invite the manager and his mother to the ryokan in Karatsu this summer. What? If you let him know your schedule, he will make the reservation and wait for you. But my mother has a bad back, so it will be difficult for her to travel. Wait! The hot springs in Karatsu are the best thing for a bad back. And I can’t speak Japanese at all… You don’t have to worry about that. I can interpret for you! And I might be busy… Can I let you know after I check my schedule… Whack! I’ll pay for your tickets, so just say yes! We will wait for your call. How could you be so thick-headed? You know male cuttlefish attract females by showing off with eye-catching colors, but if you can’t do that, you should at least have some sense about you. What? Just go! I have a feeling that something good is about to happen to you. This toy boat made from a cuttlefish bone is making me remember my old days. Is that why you wanted this bone? Yes, and when you turn a cuttlefish bone into powder, it works great as a styptic. By the way, when are you going to fix the bathroom?

What about the bathroom? There’s no problem with the bathroom! Clang! It’s making me lose my appetite! I’ll fix it tomorrow! Why didn’t you tell me sooner that there was a problem with the bathroom? You know, you can be really hot-headed sometimes. Yang-seon, would you like to go watch a movie with me? Would you like me to introduce you to a female that is younger and more attractive than me? Oh, yes! Look under the table! Don’t you think she’s perfect to take on a cheap movie date? Wag, wag… Urgh!

Cuttlefish are available seasonally only between May and June. Because of the oil leakage that occurred in 2007 and the mining of sand, there has been a drastic drop in the number of cuttlefish, so if you would like to taste this wonderful fish, you have to do your homework and pay attention to the information from the port. Fishing excursions in the western port towns are offered in the fall, but cuttlefish taste several times better in spring. They taste the best around the time when farmers start planting rice, and because of their refreshing and soft texture, they are called “chalbak” by locals. The best way to eat cuttlefish, with its thick and sweet meat, is to eat them raw. But spicy cuttlefish with vegetables, which is similar to spicy baby ray with vegetables, is also a favorite with people. When you mix rice into the leftover sauce, you can clean the bowl in no time. If you can have it with clam soup, the explosion of taste will make you feel like you’re

tasting an abundance of cherry blossoms in your mouth. In Korean, cuttlefish is called “gabsquid,” “gab” meaning big, oval-shaped bone, but people make jokes and say “gab” meaning the most expensive among squid. I am usually introduced to my interviewees by my local friends. I was able to write Sikgaek all thanks to meeting and becoming friends with local people during the past ten years. When I had asked for assistance at the tourist center of places that I had visited, I had easy access to information and contact numbers. But it would often not match the story I had in mind, and sometimes appointments ended up being quite unnecessary and unproductive. I found out about cuttlefish through a local. He worked for the Fishery Cooperative, which is a government department. But everything was smooth from the start because we were both clear about what I needed. Because I approach my interviewees differently with a different set of questions compared to TV or newspaper reporters, the interviewees are usually taken aback at first. But after spending some time together, we become friends, and they share with me information that I don’t even ask about. In the case of cuttlefish, I was able to learn about crabs and sea cucumbers during the interview. I learned so much about crabs that I wanted to write a story just about crabs. When I do field research, the line between work and personal life always becomes blurred, as I make friends with the people I interview and learn and gain new materials for my manhwa. And you can say that that has been the interview style for Sikgaek. Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to the head of the finance department of Seosan Fishery Cooperative and Mr. Jo Jae-yun, and Ms. Gan Gwang-ok, the owner of Masan Restaurant, for showing me how to cook cuttlefish dishes.