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Published: October 11th 2010
Chuseok is a famous Korean Holiday not too unlike Thanksgiving in America. Thanksgiving is one of my all time favorite holidays, and I find myself increasingly sadder knowing I won’t be home to celebrate it this year. While we hope to plan a comparable substitution among friends here in Korea, it’s difficult to match up to the food, booze, and family fun that go hand in hand with Thanksgiving at home in New Hampshire. However, I am sure I can somehow find a way of enjoying myself blacking out at my friends apartment after too much Soju almost as much as I do with Wild Turkey Whiskey back home. Chuseok, though nothing at all like Thanksgiving the way we celebrated it, was an amazing 5 day break from classes and I think it is safe to say that my friends and I made the absolute best of every (or at least 2/3) minute. Mythical Kebab’s and My Pre- Chuseok Party
So most English teachers in Korea get either the whole week of Chuseok off, or just have to come in for one day. I was one of the poor, unfortunate souls who had to labor on
Monday only to have Tuesday-Sunday off for vacation. The things I suffer through to teach in this country; life really is tough over here.
So on Monday night, rather than being responsible and taking it easy to prepare mentally and physically for the upcoming Chuseok trip, I packed an action bag and went to Seoul’s busiest and craziest clubbing district. Perhaps a questionable decision, but my friends Mike and Emily were in town and I couldn’t pass up a night out with two of my favorite Changster’s.
They put me up in their room in a Hongdae hostel ("The Yellow Submarine"... amazing place for anyone traveling into Seoul for a quick trip) and off we went for yet another night of drunken debauchery. Starting off with a round of incredible Mexican food, the night was a great success. We hit up a few of Hongdae’s finest clubs and reminisced over our past Thia adventures together. Before we knew it, we were tearing up some rug and downing shots of Tequila like it was Mexican Independence Day. As is a frequent theme along my travels abroad, things started to get a bit hazy around this time. One thing I
do remember is being struck by a ravenous hunger around 2am; a hunger that only Hongdae’s most famous Kebab stand could combat.
Seoul is truly a mixed bag of culinary experiences. Walking along the streets in any given neighborhood, you are sure to pass an option for any particular craving that accompanies a groaning stomach. Among the plethora of options, Turkish Kebab’s litter the streets in many parts of town, especially around Itaewon and Hongdae. Now, I don’t want to go on pretending to be some food critic or master chef, but I have had a fair amount of Kebab’s in my day. From Germany to Beijing, I have been on the search for that one perfect Kebab that makes the rest look like frozen value meals at a Roy Rogers (which, by the way are delicious). Next to club FF’s in Hongdae, I believe I may have found that Kebab. Scholars (really this is just in reference to my friend Brad) agree with me in my calculated comparative analysis of the various Kebab stands in Seoul that I have found the one stand to rule them all. The main flaw in my research is the fact that I
have not yet completed clinical trials in a controlled environment (I am always pretty hammered when I eat Kebabs), so the actual results may vary. However, I always make it a point whenever I am in the area to bring friends to this Kebab oasis. On that one particular night though, even after calling Brad for exact directions and loosing Emily due to frustration over my directional incompetance, I was unable to locate said treat. It was a loss that still pains me to this day in that I was forced to bring Mike and his friend from home to a sub-par “Mr. Kebab” to conquer our appetites.
Adventures in Gangcheon
The next morning, I awoke in a fog to the sound of my ear splitting phone alarm. Stumbling to the showers, I cleaned myself up as best as I could, said my farewells to a slumbering Mike and Emily, and headed off to meet the rest of my friends at the train station. Surprisingly, I arrived on time meeting all my friends and no one got upset with me for making them late (which was I surprise because I was sort of expecting to be late…
in fact I sort of planned it that way!). Despite the fact that everyone said I looked like death (I did) and I felt like I got run over by a dump truck, all was well and it was time to get the party started.
The train ride to Gangchon only took about two and a half hours. Gangchon is a small town just outside of Chuncheon (famous for its incredible dak-galbi) in Gangwon-do, Korea. Anyone not from Korea may just see a bunch of babble there but I assure you… it’s at least 72% accurate. Sessions made all the travel arrangements for the group and invited all the guests which ended up totaling about 18 people (I think). Honestly, I still didn’t even really know where we were going till I got onto the train; who needs to worry about minor details like that as long as you know for sure that you got good friends and good food for a couple days out of town? That’s all I really needed anyways.
We arrived in Gangchon and grabbed a couple of taxi’s (after waiting about an hour) to take us to our pension. Driving through the small
town, I realized this place had real some potential. We passed a bungee jumping platform, a small carnival, tons of good restaurants, ATV and scooter rental lots, and a few well placed Norebang’s. It was clearly going to be a fun trip.
We pretty much took over the pension once we showed up and took up an entire hallway of rooms. Everyone got themselves situated and then the drinks started to flow like the waters of the Han River. After playing way too many card games with Soju, the party moved outside where D cooked us up a delicious BBQ dinner. We stayed outside drinking and eating as much as we could until it was time to go back inside and crash for the night (after a nice jam session on guitar of course). One day down, two to go.
Surprisingly, the trip was not just one big booze fest amongst the foreigners storming the hills of Gangchon; we fit some actual “real person” activities in as well. For the first full day in town, Sessions organized (as he so often does with the flare and vigor of Benito Mussolini) a hike up one of the nearby mountains.
At first, I think everyone believed that Sessions was taking us on a nice easy autumn walk up a gradual incline in a tranquil forest. However, I know Sessions…. and he is one clever turnip. I knew that it was more likely that we were scaling the cliffs of Mordor rather than setting foot on an unchallenging mountain peak. With this knowledge, I joined in the hike happily (though I did forget to bring water, which turned out to be an issue).
Besides a few steep inclines, the hike really wasn’t all that difficult. It took us about an hour and a half to reach the peak of Bonghwasan (봉화산). Once at the top, we got a great view of the valley below and the mountains off in the distance. The province of Gangwon has yet to disappoint me with its natural beauty and breathtaking landscapes. Seeing this part of Korea makes me wonder what Gyeonggi-do might have looked like before the urban sprawl of Seoul turned a once beautiful and mountainous region into a large parking lot with 15 story apartment complexes as far as the eye can see.
We ran like billy goats down the
mountain and returned to our pension for some more drinking fun. To begin that night, we started up a game of Diplomacy. This was a new game to me that I have now come to love, similar to the game of risk. However, the game uses no dice and relies on the individual player to build alliances and, eventually, stab close friends in the back. Deception and intellect are vital components to the game and it truly does turn brother against brother as people work to outwit opponents and maneuver across the board. Diplomacy started me on a whole different line of thought and as we walked to dinner, I frequently broke off from the pack to make secret alliances with my friends. I recommend everyone reading this go out and purchase the game but take heed: friends will be lost during play so maybe play it with people you don’t particularly care for.
2nd Degree Burns and Hypothermia
That night, we had dinner at a fantastic dak-galbi restaurant in the center of Gangchon. It was one of the best meals I have yet had, despite the fact that we were still discussing Diplomacy strategy while
dining. In case I have not yet explained what dak-galbi is, it is a Korean dish that cooks in front of you in a large pan over a hot flame. It consists of marinated diced chicken in a gochujang (chili pepper paste) based sauce, sliced cabbage, sweet potato, scallions, onions and tteok (rice cake). The combination of these unique flavors blend to form my favorite food in all of Korea: dakgalbi, food fit for a king yet cheap enough for a lowly English teacher.
Following dinner, we made our way to my favorite drinking venue this side of Hooters: Buy the Way Convenient Store. For a solid 2 hours, we sat outside drinking mixed Soju cocktails and cheap beer until bad ideas began to reign supreme. The first and most destructive came from Brad after he discovered that the store sold fireworks. In my mind, I know that’s an instant game over as we tend to constantly insist on battling one another in violent Roman candle duels to the death. Since touching down in Korea, Brad and I boast a somewhat even record of 5-5 (up to that point at least) and have fought on fields ranging from Gangleung
to Boryeong. It is not a smart idea and I highly discourage children under the age of 24 from taking part in such epic fire fights.
The purchase was made, the stage was set, and as Brad and I stood toe to toe with our friends (and some strangers who were like “check out these crazy white people!”) eagerly waiting the impending bloodshed, I hesitated in lighting my rod of destruction. His first couple of shots ricocheted off the dark pavement as I finally lit my candle and surged into the fight. Within seconds, searing balls of hot fire were hurling back and forth across the street as we each attempted to mortally wound the other. I was having drastic issues finding my mark as Brad darted back and forth across the darkened lot while directing his shots with pinpoint accuracy. Without warning… I was hit! Searing pains shot through my chest as I watched the flaming ball of ash strike me in the heart. Letting out a scream of pain, I tried to retain my footing while keeping my arm straight and my head up (Roman candle strategy 101). BAM! I was hit again in the pelvic bone
and as my vision began to blur, I knew that this was my Little Big Horn. There would be no victory on this field of war for me.
The fight ended with Brad doubled over in tears of hysterical laughter and me angrily limping to the sidelines to survey the damage done. In the end, the worst possible scenario unfolded before my eyes. It wasn’t the fact that I was in a great deal of pain from being struck in the torso by live ammunition, nor the fact that I had lost one of the great battles of our time; no my friends for on that fateful day of Korean Chuseok… I lost much more: my favorite wife beater. Burned through from front to back, Brad’s three accurate shots had torn my undershirt to tattered rags of a once fine shirt. It was a loss that I still have trouble coping with… but in time, I think I will make a full recovery.
The next stop on our tour was a logical choice for a group of 18 drunkards in Korea: Norebang. Off to the singing room we went with Soju and beer tucked away in the girls
purses. We rented out a large room and belted out songs drunkenly for close to 3 hours. Besides almost fighting another group of foreigners who came in, and dealing with a couple overly belligerent members of our crew, we handled ourselves pretty well and left at the crack of 3ish am.
On the way home, treachery in its purest form struck. Disguising himself as Sessions, Lucifer came up from the pits of hell in a brilliant move to separate me from the girls so that he alone could talk to them for the rest of the night. While we were walking home along the river, Sessions dared me to jump in and scale a waterfall. Some might say that this was a simple task, but I swear that the great falls of Gangchon were surpassed only by Angel Falls itself. Without hesitation, I removed my shoes and faithfully jumped onto the falls to climb the stair-like superstructure. There were 5 steps I had to get through, and on the fourth landing… disaster struck. I plummeted to the depths of the 3 foot river below and instantly became soaked from head to toe as I clumsily slipped on the 4th
stair. With fire in my eyes I arose up from this miserable state and finished the Sisyphean task with a victorious cry of accomplishment.
After I composed myself and put my shoes back on, I saw that only Marc and D (I think it was D at least) had stayed to watch me struggle. Sessions!! That devious son of a b***h had tricked me into jumping into the river to weed out his competition. Wet, cold, and angry I returned to confront this demon back at the pension. I’d like to say that I was able to rid the world of the anti-Christ, but in the end… I couldn’t bring myself to cause harm to my “friend” and simply gave him the angry silent treatment. Take that!
ATV’s and Rickety Rides
The next day, we woke as early as we could and made our way back into town. It was a day of motor-sports! The original plan was to rent some scooters and ride through the beautiful countryside, but things changed when rumors of licenses required and price variations complicated the process. In the end, the group split up into different factions. Nathan, Jessica, Jake
and I, made our way to the ATV area and jumped onto our beastly machines for 2 hours of breakneck fun. Lacy and Nikki later joined up with us as well. A portly Korean man showed us all the areas we could ride around and we blasted off down winding roads and through rough sand dunes for the next couple of hours. It was tons of fun and besides getting absolutely covered in mud after tearing through the riverbed, I had no serious issues.
On the other side of the city, however, things were not so easy going. D had decided that sober driving was not in his Serbian nature, so he began pounding Soju before hopping on his scooter. The owner of the scooter shop had told them time and time again that the bikes were not insured so they had to be extra careful. With Janice on the back of his ride, that “wild hog” revved the engine, took off down the street, and… splat; down the hairy beast fell to the anxiously awaiting pavement below. Janice smacked her head (luckily she was wearing her helmet) and D tore up his leg and foot. Brilliant move altogether,
I think. In the end, it turned out okay (besides the fact that D had to get surgery to fix his foot… but D’s always getting surgery on something so it’s… standard).
After our ride was over, the group broke apart again and I went with one faction to pick up some dakgalbi for dinner. Once again, as always, it was absolutely mouth watering and my stomach was almost as happy as I was with my decision. When dinner finished, we moved to the small carnival that was next door to the restaurant.
The rides at said amusement park were in NO way up to code. Frequent creaking and the sound of loud metallic snaps accompanied the few screaming guests in the small venue. Naturally, we thought little of this as we took on such rides as “The Viking” and “The Hurricane.” The Viking at this part was one of the craziest swinging ships I have ever been on. At its peak, you go pretty much perpendicular to the ground below and it really throws you for a loop. On one pass, I put my hands up in the air and came very close to slipping through the
bar and falling to my certain death. It was an experience to say the least.
My favorite ride, the most dangerous no doubt, was this spinning saucer that had seats all along the sides. The saucer would then spin quickly around while hydraulic pumps lifted it up at strange angles. It would then stop and violently shake up and down. The catch is… there are no seatbelts or bars of any kind holding you in place. You can literally get up and walk around as the madman at the controls tries to buck people clear off the death trap. In no way, shape, or form would a ride like this be allowed on American soil. However, I think it is most definitely a “character building” exercise.
After regaining our balance, we made the trip back home to join up with the rest of our friends. That night, we sat around playing Diplomacy and drinking wine while recounting the days adventures and preparing to go back to Seoul the next day.
The Hobos of Dongdaemun
In what seemed like a flash, the epic Chuseok trip came to an end. While waiting for our train
at the station, I decided to whip out my broken guitar and ease the crew through the transition back to reality with the sweet tunes of Oasis. I most likely looked like a hobo/thug (but more hobo) with my backwards hat, wife beater, and un-washed face… but that’s how all the rock stars look these days. After playing a few old time favorites, I got onto the bus and sat beside my fellow sportsmen.
What has become common (and horrific if you ask me) on our various excursions across Korea, is to buy an ungodly amount of Soju for every bus, train, or bike ride we take. There was once a time when I could sit back, read a book and maybe listen to my Ipod in peace and tranquility while traveling… but those days have come and gone. I now live in a time when even in the most vicious and life threatening hangovers cannot exempt me from this fate, for resistance against the Sportsmen is quite impossible. So, for the three hour ride back home, we drank together while playing games and recounting our Chuseok adventure.
Upon arrival in Seoul, we went to one of my
favorite restaurants in the world: Everest. Everest (located in Dongdaemun and Yeondeungpo) boasts an array of Indian cuisine that tickles the senses and appeases the most malicious of appetites. The Palak Pener and Chicken Tiki Masala have recently moved up my list of favorite foods to hold a special place in my heart. If you are ever in Seoul, this is one place you must be sure to visit, as I think the food may be cooked by Jesus himself…. Or Bobby Flay… who knows though.
After a fantastic adventure and a delicious meal, most people would call it quits; head home and recoup to enjoy the rest of their long weekends. However, we are not those people. Instead we found the one patch of grass in all of Dongdaemun, unveiled my guitar, and started belting out songs for all of Seoul to hear. I’m sure the locals don’t get to see such events unfold on a daily basis, so I hold that we were not only having fun, but providing a vital community service to the residents and visitors of Dongdaemun…. You’re welcome Seoul. That pretty much capped off the trip and after an hour or so, we hopped into a cab and made the journey back to my apartment for a night of Xbox and Carlo Rossi.
Korean Thanksgiving was vastly different than any other Thanksgiving experience I have had to this point. Though the boozing and fine dining resembled a typical Godlewski family Turkey Day, the breakneck rides, long excursions and firework battles will make this memory stand out forever for me. Then again, I haven’t been home yet to drive around with my little brother at the wheel so “breakneck rides” may soon become a new Thanksgiving tradition. It was one of the best trips I have taken yet with a fine group to go along with it. Before going on the trip, Lucif… I mean Sessions said that the most important thing about Chuseok was who you brought on the trip, not where you went. At the end of it all, it became clear that the destination and the company were perfect to say the least. Carpe Vita!
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Harvey
non-member comment
Hey Skimango
Good to hear you are enjoying your life at Seoul : ) I've been living in Seoul for like 4 years now, and there are so much to experience in Korea! I recommend you to use this website http://www.visitkorea.or.kr for getting info. I've been using this website all the time and it never disappointed me. If you know a better website please recommend me.