the initial days
2 years back when I had first landed outside Incheon Airport, stepped into a new country, there was nothing that I found I could belong to....concrete high rises standing tall as if to touch the sky and ask permission to penetrate further....cctvs all around gazing upon your every move like Sherlock Holmes....beauty of darkness overshadowed by high voltage neon bulbs.... goodness! is this the place I wanted to be?I belong to the greens... to the earth, to the sand to the rain to the sun....cacophony of city life as it is bothers me a lot...family life had en-caged me long back and now it seemed am castigated for the rest of my life...
well the day following started with no positive note....language was a problem no doubt and realized very soon that language was THE problem. But people turned to be out to amazingly helpful and so we overcome the first inhibition... language is still a problem, even after a years course, but now its more of fun to commit mistakes and be a part of the joke than feeling frustrated.
I will never forget how in my initial days I used to ask the bus driver "ajushi ullejusiye/ wanting to mean in english' pls(ajushi/ hey man) help me to get down' and the bus driver giving me a wired look or at times his very blank puzzled expression left me feeling more insecure;only later when I started my Korean class that I realized what I used to say means just the opposite of what I wanted to mean...ullejusiyo is pick me up while nerejuseyo is getting down!!!!
and then again one day after a few months classes, quiet confident that I will manage my dialogues, went out shopping in local market. Well rehearsed I asked the shop-owner 'sanssangnim challa juseyo' /please cut my fish in pieces; he was about to faint and yet managed as he might as well have similar experiences before or because he is one of the very few who speaks English....fish in korean is sengson and what i said instead sangsangnim means teacher!!!!! so now a word by word translation would mean please cut my teacher!!!!
suddenly life seemed much easier with discovery of new friends on roads and street markets or at friends house and ladies activities...life seemed much better with the kind of people Koreans are..honest,helpful and cooperative...a country so safe to live a country with no pronounced racism at all...I was falling in love gradually with the city,with Korea.
almost throughout the week after dropping my daughter at school and at times bunking my Korean classes I will board a bus with the route map and go anywhere and explore the place, the routes,the food.Suddenly Korea started becoming as familiar as Delhi. Namdaemun Market became synonymous to Chadni Chawk, an evening stroll at Insadong reminds me so very much of Janpath..
I have always loved Delhi because of the aura of history that soaks city in an ancient fragrance...well something that smells like old yellow pages from a childhood book of fairytales ...quiet a few times whenever i wanted some space I used to take shelter in either Humayun tomb or Tughlakabad fort with my favorite book....it didn't took me much of a time to find a similar recluse at one corner of Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul.
on a rainy morning tuned into my favorite Rabindrasangeet I had sat down to write this blog or rather shall I say travelogue...the rain has stopped outside,my coffee cup has had its 3rd refill, the clock says its time to rush back to the kitchen,to the chores of life,to parents over skype and then may be to celebrate the weather I will drive down to somewhere....but till then Anneyeonghaseyo /Goodbye.
settling down
the day we arrived, we barely knew how to communicate....but we needed water, we needed food and equally importantly a calling card to call back anxious parents at home....we couldn't find one.my husband's office help desk representative took us to HomePlus one of the three happening super marts here.but little we knew that they don't stock calling cards.luckily after walking a down a few meters we bumped across a gentleman from our own country, Indian दे सि
भा ई ,who offered us his phone. things have changed much more after that in these two years in favor of foreign immigrants.Now you can get a calling card at Homeplus exactly in the same counter where you get gift cards;else some of the GS 25 or 7Eleven shops also stacks the same. Indian resturants and almost all of thegrocery shops and a few of other shops at Suwon station, Asian Food Mart at Paldanmun and a many shops at Itewon does have calling cards.
but in due course of our stay here we found Skype, Otto international , Viber much convenient.
this is one techfreek country where connectivity to internet is actually no big deal. so in our initial days we were sharing a dear friend's id and password. how elated I was to receive an invitation in my mail box from someone from the Indian Community who had found us through the Indian Group in Yahoo. Later on we became good friends and indeed they were one of those few people who had given us all appropriate information required to settle down in a new place. Friends out there reading this blog please save this number in bold: 021330 : Korea helpline number..
this is one techfreek country where connectivity to internet is actually no big deal. so in our initial days we were sharing a dear friend's id and password. how elated I was to receive an invitation in my mail box from someone from the Indian Community who had found us through the Indian Group in Yahoo. Later on we became good friends and indeed they were one of those few people who had given us all appropriate information required to settle down in a new place. Friends out there reading this blog please save this number in bold: 021330 : Korea helpline number..
whatever information you require or if you are lost and can't find way back dial and press 02 for English..have find this one number guiding me so well so far.
when we came here we had left behind in Delhi a home settled and set up to beauty and serenity, since the last 8 years; so Korea was a new beginning altogether...I have to buy from kitchen storage to serving plates to hangers to everything that you can think of to set a house or as I prefer to say to harbor for the next 3 years at a place;since i we have no plans of settling down here was looking for things cheap but good quality.....a friend of mine who i had meetin one of those exploring the new place sessions took me to Diaso....and then there was no looking back...Diaso outlets or Eco mart /Kims Club in New Core outlet,Metandong has become a happening destination ever since.
Homeplus, Lotte and E-Mart are the three major super marts here ,otherwise we have wholesale stores like COSTO and VICKS and a lot of online shopping destinations like gmarket: global.gmarket.co.kr. but I and many of us still prefer the street markets set up by local vendors throughout the week at different thangies or series. these street markets usually starts around 10 in the morning and closes down in the evening.time of course varies depending on the weather .(well here apartments are grouped in series staring mainly from count of 100.) vegetables are much fresh and cheaper in these markets than at superstores and then there are a wide variety of goodies from dresses to shoes to daily house hold items.so even if you are not buying, these markets are a must visit for window shopping, for making new friends and of course for the latest community gossips!
we were gradually getting into the flow of life,here in Korea .things were now much familiar and slowly we were getting accustomed to the neighborhood. now a days proudly i can boast that i know two ways to reach the local super mart without loosing a single lane and leaving aside the accented pronunciation, i have recited by heart my apartment address in Korean.
when we came here we had left behind in Delhi a home settled and set up to beauty and serenity, since the last 8 years; so Korea was a new beginning altogether...I have to buy from kitchen storage to serving plates to hangers to everything that you can think of to set a house or as I prefer to say to harbor for the next 3 years at a place;since i we have no plans of settling down here was looking for things cheap but good quality.....a friend of mine who i had meetin one of those exploring the new place sessions took me to Diaso....and then there was no looking back...Diaso outlets or Eco mart /Kims Club in New Core outlet,Metandong has become a happening destination ever since.
Homeplus, Lotte and E-Mart are the three major super marts here ,otherwise we have wholesale stores like COSTO and VICKS and a lot of online shopping destinations like gmarket: global.gmarket.co.kr. but I and many of us still prefer the street markets set up by local vendors throughout the week at different thangies or series. these street markets usually starts around 10 in the morning and closes down in the evening.time of course varies depending on the weather .(well here apartments are grouped in series staring mainly from count of 100.) vegetables are much fresh and cheaper in these markets than at superstores and then there are a wide variety of goodies from dresses to shoes to daily house hold items.so even if you are not buying, these markets are a must visit for window shopping, for making new friends and of course for the latest community gossips!
please mark on your calender all these super marts are shut down in the second and fourth Sunday of every month to promote local markets.but of course you will find Premium outlets and New Core open around the year if not they are shut down with prior notice and don't forget to mark Wednesdays also, for every Wednesday there's a good sale on all items at Newcore outlets.
schools
well woman and shopping stories are never ending...one discovery will surely lead to the other, one craving for want of many
but what worried us more than anything is my daughter's admission. though there are a few international and English medium schools here we were apprehensive about how she is going to adjust with kids who speaks mainly Korean in the kindergarten academies.realized soon kids speak one universal language of friendship...they don't necessarily need to understand the linguistics, the culture, that is is so different what matters is that one touch of four little hands, a smile for a smile and a push in the swing
well getting back to the details of schools, there is only one International school in the area where I live( Suwon) : GSIS: http://www.gsis.sc.kr/ but there are a few more in the neighborhood of Dongtan andOsan:http://www.etonhouse.com.sg/schools/korea/dongtan.html
well getting back to the details of schools, there is only one International school in the area where I live( Suwon) : GSIS: http://www.gsis.sc.kr/ but there are a few more in the neighborhood of Dongtan andOsan:http://www.etonhouse.com.sg/schools/korea/dongtan.html
there are a couple of good kindergarten school though where the medium of education is English: EOS: http://www.eoskorea.com/english/expfiles/life_in/life_in.htm
ONE :http://oneenglish.net/
ONE :http://oneenglish.net/
i know how to count Korean money and so while dealing am not lost counting my zeros( money count here starts from thousand so like 1$ is equal to il chanan or a thousand won!!!pretty BIG i know...sounds specially great when boasting about your salary in millions).
while travelling from India we carried ration for about sometime...but after a couple of months stay stock was gradually asking for a refill and i was exactly looking forward to this opportunity; i have seen in Australia the wide variety of Shan spices that are stocked over the counter in Asian shops,that are at times difficult to get a hand on, even in India.
i had never realized before that such a humble vege like okra can be so desirable or Maggie so masisayo (tasty it means in Korean)unless i had stepped into this shop.. it seemed as if am in Alibaba's cave for the next few moments elated at every little देसी items displayed.
since we are stationed at Suwon, Suwon station is the best option...there are a couple of Indian grocery stores and restaurants here Delhi Darbar and Swyambhu
but little then knew how more interesting Itaewon can be. During one of my explore the new place sessions i discovered this amazing place called Itaewon; not only that they have grocery stores(Foreign Food Mart/National Foods Mart) stocking almost everything from spice to gripe water to Fair &Lovely, they have eating joints that can cater to any platter. http://www.onlyitaewon.com/foreign-foomart.html http://aliensdayout.com/2012/01/national-foods-mart-in-itaewon.html
by now am pretty frequent at Paldalmun market also for fresh vegies and cheap buys of household stuff.
though I am a Bengali, but being out of the house since the last 13 years all my affinity for fish has learnt to make adjustments with substitutes from the poultry...but again since am a Bengali i couldn't resist my instincts when i discovered fresh water fish for sale here and what more at World Asia Food Mart (just opposite to Caffe Java) i got মোচা , কাচা আম ,উচ্ছে (banana flower, raw mango,bitter gourd) and the typical Indian chow chow...(all the above mentioned markets are open round the year except Paldalmun where a majority of the shops are shut down on Sundays)
so now i know there is no need to get parcel from home,no need to crib over skype to mom
you just have to look for the right place where to buy what from
there is also a huge Asian market at Ansan about which i cannot provide much information but you can always refer Google or sites like http://chincha.co.uk/2013/02/exploring-ansan/ for details.
(there are a couple of online stores as well if you want a home delivery:
well now that my necessities have subsided, desire peeped in...desire typically feminine and what else can it be other that hopping and shopping at wholesale markets like Namdemun (http://www.namdaemunmarket.co.kr/html/index.php)picking up souvenirs for families and friends back home and reviving memories of Janpath at Insadong market.(http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SH/SH_EN_7_2_2_1.jsp)
transport
but before i stop here for the day ,talking about shopping would remain incomplete if i miss to mention the amazing web of public transport that connects the country ,only you have to know what is your bus number or which sub to board. it's not very difficult to get a route details if you have one of these apps installed https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.whitecrow.metroid (for sub)
but if you are not using any of these you can always call 021330 for assistance.
so happy shopping... i have to take a leave here as i had already missed my gym, it seems if i continue blabbering i will miss our weekly ladies activity too.
so till i come back 안녕/ anneyong 좋은 하루 되세요/chu un halu doeseyo/have a nice day
getting a driving licence
just dropped Tara at ballet....parked my car at Home Plus...with the windows rolled down back to my diary...life has become much easier ever since i had started driving.
if you already have a dl its only a matter of few hours to get your Korean Licence if you don't you have to start from scratch.
nobody back home was confident with my driving skills except for me and my little one who was just an year old when i started driving,,,so to be really honest i used to drive in neighborhoods of Noida without a licence...but that's occasionally... here its a necessity...so to get my dl i joined a local driving school (http://www.southkoreayp.com/category/Driving_schools/city:Suwon).
the first five classes didn't bother me much as it was in Korean totally....i used to sit through the 1 hr lecture either scribbling in my workbook in the last bench or flipping the page of my favorite novel.
mugging up all that I could from this webpage: http://jonnyontheroad.blogspot.kr/ i passed my theoretical...the next one was also easy since i was already driving and it was all about the basic functions.
after this comes the real on road exam....i was pretty sure that am going to flunk because am neither a disciplined driver that i will be in my lane and not jump into the neighboring one & most importantly i couldn't follow what the navigator instructs in Korean.Now that am confident that at the end of the test i will make a frenzied phone call loaded with excuses to my husband, i reached the exam center early in the morning...우회전(right) and 왼쪽(left) had always confused me...so now i gt the words scribbed in my respective hands....우회전 for right and 왼쪽 on my left and when the examiner wanted to know,may be just out of curiosity what it is? 이것은 무엇입니까? flat went the reply"Indo (Indian) tatto!!" with 32 all shinning bright.but whatever it is I passed though i waited to believe in that till the time i get my Korean License in hand.
the first day I took the car out i set it free all on its own....since in an auto gear am free from the clutch of clutch i didn't know what to do with my left leg and then what i did would have fetched us all to heaven without even saying goodbye to folks at home...i drove on the wrong side of the road!!!in Korea it is right hand drive...ever since then till the next few months. Sudiptowould call me after every drive to ensure the kid, the car including the wife is alive! 'গাড়ি ঠুকেছে ?' did you bang the car? would be his first question....
its a year now am driving....i have learnt from mistakes from experiences....am a pretty decent driver now zooming to nowhere on a rainy day or on an autumn afternoon,left leg put to rest up on the seat,right leg pressed hard and harder against the accelerator tuned to my favorite song in the player or simply enjoying the tinkling tinkle of rain drops on perched earth or murmur of dry leaves to each other.
so this is my धन्नो and that's me:
together we make a bingo company; i drive from morning till night and whenever i get a break i write...it was nice talking to you all...a time well spend over a cup of ice peach tea,in the parking lot chatting till its time to pick up Tara from her class.
감사합니다/kamsamhammida/thank you for all your appreciation...goodnight/굿나잇
a busy day comes to an end over the pile of washed utensils drying up for tomorrow morning;with all lights switched off,the rest of the house is in deep sleep...i got some time for myself at last! relaxed on the lap of my rocking chair, over a cup of chamomile tea,now that i have started this diary, i decide to look back ...
was it more fun to stay here? or Delhi was better?
ummm... i prefer not to compare. with Delhi i have memories of three different phases of life, three very important and dear to heart; the life of a teenage girl, life of a woman and motherhood...
Korea is absolutely different...it seems as if am in a prolonged vacation with no files and deadlines...well household chores keeps happening as a part of daily routine...am lucky enough to meet good people with some of whom i got befriended, other are acquiescence and together it looks like a big family extended...
am not only talking about fellow Indians but...life would not have been this easy if native people were predominantly racist or indifferent. not only they are always willing to help but their honesty can set example in any of the moral story books.
how can i forget!!! on a family vacation to Jeju...me being the self am always...lost...slipped my credit card in the airport only to realize it the next day...standing ruined at the bakery shop!!! in a moment all the fun of vacation was overpowered by tension of settling some thousand dollar bills or more may be!!!but to our utter astonishment not a single transaction was made!!!!!경례/ salute to such people.
though i know am running out of time,can't resist to share this really hilarious experience...the other day a neighborhood shop was shutting down...so all his items were put up for sale in custody of an old man....its like a treasure hunt actually...you dig till where you can and surely you will get what you want. i bought a few stuffs and over elated at the price i paid for those branded goods i was rushing back home,only to realize halfway that i have left behind in that shop my umbrella!
i went back but couldn't found it.now that my 10 $ family size umbrella is lost, was not at all happy.wearing a really sad face in a very slow pace i was stepping out of the shop, when .....guess what ?i discovered my umbrella !!! but before i could fetch it back i realized something is horrendously wrong...
poor man!!! he could not recognize and sold my umbrella for 5$to this lady on whose arm my dear umbrella is now hanging.
i didn't know how to explain as i am not too good in Korean but i managed....not only did i get it back but also a 'sorry 'gift'....
even now while writing about it, i can't resist laughing though i know my dear friend waiting for me to finish off the project we started must be cursing me...so i have to rushhhhhhhhhh...annyong.
almost during the same time my Korean teacher introduced me to the Suwon library where i started my voluntary story telling class...an amazing experience it was....one hour spend telling stories or rather ferrying dreams in little eyes...i used to wait eagerly for this Thursday classes as was reviving ,my good old days with Ogilvy and Hindustan latex where i used to work as a trainee and manager respectively in social communication. someday in a separate post i will tell you the story of my work my life...getting back to Suwon library, usually an hr class used 2 extend much beyond outside the hall...beneath the big pine tree mostly i would be sitting with the kids, all n age group of 3-4 and their moms, sharing foods and stories and more stories and at times a little extra of singing together Eng alphabets and nursery rhymes.this is one of the best times i had spend in Korea..
감사합니다/kamsamhammida/thank you for all your appreciation...goodnight/굿나잇
people work in the country, people work in the town people work day and night to make the world go around
a busy day comes to an end over the pile of washed utensils drying up for tomorrow morning;with all lights switched off,the rest of the house is in deep sleep...i got some time for myself at last! relaxed on the lap of my rocking chair, over a cup of chamomile tea,now that i have started this diary, i decide to look back ...
was it more fun to stay here? or Delhi was better?
ummm... i prefer not to compare. with Delhi i have memories of three different phases of life, three very important and dear to heart; the life of a teenage girl, life of a woman and motherhood...
Korea is absolutely different...it seems as if am in a prolonged vacation with no files and deadlines...well household chores keeps happening as a part of daily routine...am lucky enough to meet good people with some of whom i got befriended, other are acquiescence and together it looks like a big family extended...
am not only talking about fellow Indians but...life would not have been this easy if native people were predominantly racist or indifferent. not only they are always willing to help but their honesty can set example in any of the moral story books.
how can i forget!!! on a family vacation to Jeju...me being the self am always...lost...slipped my credit card in the airport only to realize it the next day...standing ruined at the bakery shop!!! in a moment all the fun of vacation was overpowered by tension of settling some thousand dollar bills or more may be!!!but to our utter astonishment not a single transaction was made!!!!!경례/ salute to such people.
i went back but couldn't found it.now that my 10 $ family size umbrella is lost, was not at all happy.wearing a really sad face in a very slow pace i was stepping out of the shop, when .....guess what ?i discovered my umbrella !!! but before i could fetch it back i realized something is horrendously wrong...
poor man!!! he could not recognize and sold my umbrella for 5$to this lady on whose arm my dear umbrella is now hanging.
i didn't know how to explain as i am not too good in Korean but i managed....not only did i get it back but also a 'sorry 'gift'....
even now while writing about it, i can't resist laughing though i know my dear friend waiting for me to finish off the project we started must be cursing me...so i have to rushhhhhhhhhh...annyong.
a 주부 /housewife routine beyond cooking, cleaning & babysitting
during the very first few months in Korea there was nothing with which i can be occupied and be content at the same time....it was extremely frustrating indeed...this was the time i had decided to leave my part time in Delhi, since Tara is growing up and self dependent enough to take care of her self...thought may be will go back to advertising jobs...sum thing i do not as a vocation but with loads of passion....but i had to shift.i always prefer to do something really procreative to justify my being...but here it was a different story altogether...in the beginning i mean...
gradually i found myself in a group of self minded people and so there we are sitting together twice a week working on some craft projects or learning something new from each other. well there i was today, learning the art of decoupage ....
how do you think about my table?it was a worn out memento from Delhi with which neither me nor Tara can part....still was planning to throw away just when i learnt the tissue art at our weekly activity and decide to renovate...
in fact if you are a DIY person you will surely love the huge underground market just opposite to Namdaemun market,selling a wide variety of crafts supplies.
how do you think about my table?it was a worn out memento from Delhi with which neither me nor Tara can part....still was planning to throw away just when i learnt the tissue art at our weekly activity and decide to renovate...
in fact if you are a DIY person you will surely love the huge underground market just opposite to Namdaemun market,selling a wide variety of crafts supplies.
almost during the same time my Korean teacher introduced me to the Suwon library where i started my voluntary story telling class...an amazing experience it was....one hour spend telling stories or rather ferrying dreams in little eyes...i used to wait eagerly for this Thursday classes as was reviving ,my good old days with Ogilvy and Hindustan latex where i used to work as a trainee and manager respectively in social communication. someday in a separate post i will tell you the story of my work my life...getting back to Suwon library, usually an hr class used 2 extend much beyond outside the hall...beneath the big pine tree mostly i would be sitting with the kids, all n age group of 3-4 and their moms, sharing foods and stories and more stories and at times a little extra of singing together Eng alphabets and nursery rhymes.this is one of the best times i had spend in Korea..
here are the links of a few 문화 센터/ munhwa /cultural centers which you may find beneficial :
http://eng.ywca.or.kr/
http://multiculture.dibrary.net/html_contents/htmls/2010_en_US/2010m_fo000015.html
also library cards here are issued free of cost and with one card you can access almost all the libraries in the vicinity.
http://eng.ywca.or.kr/
http://multiculture.dibrary.net/html_contents/htmls/2010_en_US/2010m_fo000015.html
also library cards here are issued free of cost and with one card you can access almost all the libraries in the vicinity.
and some more ladies talk
my bag is a gene's lamp...from hand cream to safety pin,quarter, penny, dime to bills from last year you will get everything...and if you dig a bit further you might also find a thread,a pair of small scissors and a a twizzer....
well girls the one of the very first horrendous discoveries that i had made after a few weeks in Korea is that there are no parlors here offering threading service...at the best they can shave your brows but only if you have the guts to risk it.!!!!
bothers right? i understand...i was in the same boat...at absolute loss as i don't prefer to use those small little eyebrow shavers or twizze either..so the only option i was left with is watching all possible videos on threading in you tube.
next i had to try...
not only on me, i decided to be the sweet newcomer who offers to shape your brows at the very first encounter without letting the secret out, that am still a novice ....more than me it was my husband who was really tensed, as he was sure, next day someone will be bumping upon him at office" यार तेरी बिवि ने तो मेरा बिवी का eyebrows उड़ा दी !!!"
but i was confident and determined that i will be jack of the trade since i would never prefer to wait for my next trip home to get my brows shaped...and it took a year of practice to skill the perfection and so now at gatherings, i simply enjoy the frown at other's brows" OMG! you did it on your own?''
there are a few threading tools available at g-market which may be really a savior and trust me you don't need a threadingवाला thread but just a normal regular stitching one works wonder.
so much so for a Sunday afternoon...have heaps of clothes to dry out in the sun and lots to iron...so have to run!
Tara
do you remember the last time we made castle for the princess
with sand and pebbles?
the last time we fought because i could swing higher than you
do you remember the last time you stood stubborn in the park
not wanting to come back
to homework,to a life entangled in routine
from dawn to dusk
yes that's the agony that most of the kids experience here as soon as they are out of the Kindergarten .the school though ends by 3:05 they are mostly rushing for their extra classes not to return before dark. so this Sunday we decided to play with Tara in the nearby park.
what a relief it was from the montage of high rises. Korea is not a miser when it comes to
many of the Sundays we have spend hoping around Seoul and Suwon with friends cycling by the Han river or a short trek to the Namsun tower.(details of all the local sightseeing and tourist spots are best provided at http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/index.kto
Eating Out
and such Sundays would always end with dinner at the local Korean restaurant or in one of those Indian mess with a preset menu.if we are eating out and eating Indian unlike Sudipto i prefer these mess, mostly run by natives of Nepal, because of the ambiance and quality of food. you will get the same Indian Dhaba/ढाबा feel,as you juggle with a piping hot roti/रोटी fresh from the tawa simmered with a sumptuous layer of fresh butter /देशी घी.well there are MacDonald & KFCs &Pizza Hut at every hook & corner if you prefer and then there are a number of Italian and Chinese Restaurants as well to serve your platter. I am very fond of Taco bell too.
but living in Korea, specially if you are a non-vegetarian try out their cuisine. i can assure you, that you will not be served dog meat as many of us have heard!!! that's a delicacy, a pretty expensive dish preserved for the elite. we are saved so! not that squids will swim alive in your soup unless you are adventurous enough and decide to give it a try!!!Sudipto had experiences of eating squids fresh from the aquarium and there are ways of savoring it so that it doesn't get struck halfway in your throat but i spare you from all those interesting culinary gossips .i will only talk about a few dishes that i enjoy and dishes that are friendly to a beginner's palate.
닭 갈비/dakgalbi is our all time favorite. if you had ever been to one of those authentic Mohammedan eat outs at Hyderabad you will relate how two different countries from two absolutely different cultures can bind so well by virtue of their cuisine or to be precise by virtue of presentation of food. in Dakgalbi & also in Korean barbecue, there is a grill placed at the center of the table and chunks of marinated chicken/pork/duck along with vegetables like sweet potato and cabbage, rice or ramen (noddles) as per your choice is cooked and eaten fresh.you can also try out 김밥/ kimbaap/rice (bap) rolled (with pickled vegetables and egg/meat ) in seaweed paper.
양념통닭/ Korean style fried chicken is our all time favorite.
비빔밥/Bibimbap is rice mixed with vegetables and egg and meat along with red chili paste.
(for more details and recipes you can log in to http://www.maangchi.com/)
but if you are a vegetarian you can always ask for a 야채/vegetable version of whatever bap/ rice / soup dish you are ordering.
