This video is part three in my Real Korean Cooking Stories series filmed in Korea after finishing my first cookbook in 2015. In this episode, I visit my hometown of Yeosu and revisit some familiar places from my childhood, where I lived until middle school.
I also took a trip to the nearby island of Dolsan, which is well known for the growing mustard greens in Dolsan mustard green kimchi. When I was young you could only get there by boat, now there’s a bridge and a cablecar.
When I was young, I used to go to the market in the early morning holding my mom’s hand. The market was full of fresh seafood, like clams, fish, fresh vegetables, and fruits. It felt like stepping back in time to see it again!
While editing this, I couldn’t stop thinking about my mom, who passed away in August 2024. As a child, she would wake me up early, saying, “I’m going to the market. Want to come?” Without fail, I’d rub my sleepy eyes and follow her.
The market always excited me as a kid. Another reason I loved following her was the warm red bean porridge and steaming corn she would buy for me. Watching her bargain with the sellers taught me so much, and those moments became unforgettable memories!
Before she passed, my mom said something to me that I think about every day: “You were not just my daughter, but also my strong friend.”
Video notes
Hwangso Restaurant (Raw crab)
2 Bongsannam 3-gil, Yeosu-si, Jeollanam-do, South Korea
Hamnam Myeonok (Cold noodles naengmyeon)
435 Jungang-dong, Yeosu-si, Jeollanam-do, South Korea
This story originally appeared on Maangchi
