Seoul in the Spring

Cherry Blossom Cheer

This last weekend Spring decided to make its dramatic appearance in Seoul. Gracefully sweeping in like a elegant lady in a white ball gown, drawing everyone's' eyes and levitating everyone's' good humor. After 5 months of cold fingers and burning winds the blue sky and warm sun reminded me that this little earlobe of earth, we call Korea, was actually inhabitable.

A friend and I decided to go and absorb as much of the seasonal bliss as possible and took the subway over to Children's Grand Park. This, like every other place in Seoul, yielded the full capacity of people, strollers, and novelty balloons that could pour into the small park. The park itself was pretty impressive with lots of fields for flying kites and laying on pic nic blankets, a small zoo, and even a decent amusement park. Between the cherry blossoms, the old whitewashed Ferris wheel, and the elephants it was the quintessential spring day.

Rollercoaster

Day in the Park

Ferris Wheel

Jja-Jang for the lonely

So it's now 2 months after Valentine's Day, yet here in Korea I am culturally obligated to once again admit that I am without a gentleman wooer (unless you consider those construction workers who shout out "woooooooo" as I walk by...but I wouldn't call them "gentlemen" per se).

The Korean culture likes to recognize all the many sides of a romantic relationship. Or even, as in this case, the complete absence of a romantic relationship. And it takes 3 separate monthly occasions to complete the observance. We begin with the traditional February 14th; here it is called "Red day" when girls give the boys candy and gifts. Then a month later, March 14th or "White day" the boys kindly return the favor. This would seem to equitably cover all the necessary Love Days needed in a single year. But no, there's more. Wait another month and around comes "Black day" April 14th, for the passionately pathetic. It is a day to rub a little more salt into the wounded hearts of those romantically unattached solitaries who were not able to participate in the previous two months' mush fests.

"Black day" is celebrated by those who did not receive Valentines from an admirer and are therefore entitled to eat Jja-jang Myon or "Black Noodles". Jja-jang myon is a gooey bean paste sauce with onions and carrots, poured hot over fresh noodles. And, despite its aversive appearance, it is quite delicious and satisfying. I know...I ate the noodles. No more need be commented on my relationship status.

I guess in Korea, if you got no romance at least you got ramen. So next time you're feeling lonely, just smother your sorrows and woes in noodles and bean paste. I promise you'll feel all warm and gooey inside.

Black noodles for Black Day