꽃보다 할배 할매

I have a group of life-long friends who will grow old with me. Perhaps one day I will organise a group tour for them to Korea. We can have our picnic in Naejangsan under the autumn foilage, waxing lyrical about the wonder of nature and life. We can have our nostalgic moment at Haeundae beach, exchanging past secrets, regrets and shared memories till distant fishing boats' light lit up the night sea.

Who's afraid of aging?

Autumn foliage at Naejangsan - a beautiful end to an awesome spring

Peaceful Haeundae Beach - a rare moment when we can sit side by side till the end of the day 

버리지 못한 습관

I discover a habit I have not been able to kick after returning from Seoul, that is looking out train's window. I used to confine my vision within the cabin but now, I am always looking out, not at the scenery, but at the openess. Even when the train is crowded, the stress of city life escapes me when I am looking out. I can never forget those days how I always got excited as the train was crossing the Han River.

Crossing Hangang on a rainy day

결산

The 'official' status of this blog is: It's semi-retired. Despite not posting much these days, I still change my blog banner regularly. It's probably the only sign to say I have not abandoned it yet. Looking back at the banners I put up last year, here are some which I like and my thought about them.

Snow field, Daegwalleong - It started to snow as the bus left Gangneung for Hoenggye. I was soon caught in a jam caused by heavy snowfall. Slippery road and low visibility slowed traffic to a crawl. What was supposed to be a half hour journey became two and a half hours. By the time I reached Hoenggye, there was only an hour of daylight before sunset. But it was enough to have some fun in the snow field of Daegwalleong. I waded through knee-deep snow like I was on my way to Lapland. I lied on the soft snow like it was the most comfortable bed in the world. I did what I always wanted to do with snow. I made up for the regret I had in winter 2008. Back then, it did not snow a lot.

Hyeri Art Valley, Paju - I am Zakka (iamzakka.com) is a lifestyle store and this store is located in Hyeri Art Valley. It was a freezing cold winter day with plenty of sunlight. The glass wall of the store threw off a vivid reflection of the gloomy winter landscape, naked trees and hazy sky, a direct contrast to the lovely items displayed indoor. I enjoy roaming in Hyeri, an open space where arts and leisure come together. There is always something new to see and experience. Sip a cup of coffee, read a book, visit a museum, do some handicraft and watch the pace of life slows down. A great getaway from the crowded Seoul.

Azalea, Kyunghee University - Sunshine duirng springtime is most comfortable and anything that soaks in it looks miraculously beautiful. It is a season worth waiting for even if it means to endure the harshness of deep winter cold. The feeling of seeing sea of flowers right before my eyes was surreal. That's nearly heaven to me. I could not stop taking picture of them in fear they would fade away tomorrow. Beautiful time is short but it can always live in memory and photos. That was spring 2009, when I discover how lucky I am.

Frankfurt Train Station - Every year during summer, our suppliers from Europe would send us notice of their summer vacation period so that we can plan our order in advance. Sigh, they go for vacation while we continue to work despite everyday is summer in Singapore. Last June, I have the chance to visit Frankfurt for product training. Travelling on the autobahn, I saw many cars with trailer in tow, carrying bicycles, motobikes and even powerboat, probably on their way to camping site or resort. At city central, food and beer festival was in full swing. There is excuse to stay out late everyday because summer night only arrives after 10. That's summer holiday alright. It was my first trip to Europe and it has piqued my interest to explore more of the continent in future. 

Yeongdo, Busan - The sea was calm but the day was breezy. Every now and then, a strong gust of wind sent ripples spreading across the sea surface. Fleet of weather-beaten fishing boats berthed at Yeongdo, swayed gently as they caught the wind. No busy traffic and no one was in a rush. Pace of life came to a standstill. A peaceful fishery port and a scene of tranquility when seen from far. It was a worthwhile stop-over even if it was just to savour a moment of serenity. There is a part of me that is always connected to the sea which makes every encounter joyful.

Autumn hue, Baekyangsa - I first came across the 의태어 (擬態語) 울긋불긋 while preparing for my KLPT in 2006. I gave back everything I learned after the test, except maybe 울긋불긋. Someday, I thought I would see for myself the "autumn hue" in the word. My 9-month stay in Seoul in 2009 excluded autumn which became one of  my regrets. But I made it up in 2010 with my autumn trip to Mt. Naejang and Baekyangsa. Walking on road covered by fallen red and yellow leaves, I saw more than colours; there was sorrow, pain, relief and peace interspersed among them. Pain because it ends and relief because it ends. If there is one thing I wish I can learn from nature is to make each ending beautiful.

Donghae, Jeongdongjin - I like this banner most as it evokes a sense of direction amid turbulence. The original words on the sign are "정동진역" (Jeongdongjin Train Station). Except the word change, the picture is authentic. I travelled 14 hours by air and land to reach Jeongdongjin on the final day of 2012. I have a simple objective and that is to witness the first sunrise of 2013 and wish for stability in the coming year. There were too much ups and downs that I yearned for a firm ground to land on. I didn't see any sunrise the following day, as it started with an overcast sky. But I do believe my wish was somehow registered. 2013 was a year of peace and stability just like what I wished for.

Ice crystals, Taebaek Station - The morning I left Taebaek city, the city was deeply frozen at -20°C. Passsengers inside Taebaek Train Station would not wander outdoor because of the freezing cold but I didn't care. Outside the station, the sun was shining brightly but the delicate ice crystals on the station's window were in no risk of melting away. I stayed 3 days 2 nights at Taebaek city for the sole purpose of climbing snow-covered Mt. Taebaek. It was a challenge that I was not too sure I could complete. But like all previous challenges, I just put out my first step and move ahead. I must say, it was awesome standing on top of Mt.Taebaek. I now beg for more challenges.   

Frozen North Han River, Chuncheon - "I want to visit Nami Island when its snows", I told myself. I missed the winter window in 2008 as I was busy settling down in Seoul, or maybe, I was too settled down that I did not feel like travelling anywhere far. I did not forget I have an unfulfilled wish when I left Seoul after my study. Four years later, I set foot in Nami Island on a light snowing day. The island was covered in snow alright but there was nothing romantic about it. Too many people I guess. Looking out from the island, away from the crowd, the frozen North Han River, offered a moment of peace, which is what I like about it when I first visited it in 2006. With this trip, I have one less regret. 

전환

Season repeats itself but life doesn't

Season changes, so do things in life. Though a long time supporter of LG, I have since moved on. LCD TV has been changed to Panasonic and notebook to Hewlett Packard. Now, who dare say I am Korean brand bias? Ok, I confess, I just change my handphone from Iphone to Samsung Note.

도망자

... so I took a quick shot of his lonesome figure against a large empty space.

There was no morning crowd at the Busan Coastal Ferry Terminal. Waiting seats inside the passenger hall were mostly empty. The ticket counter staff were having it easy with only few random customers to serve. But when ferry boarding was announced, people suddenly streamed out from nowhere and a queue was formed almost immediately at the boarding gate. The noise level increased for a short while before peace was restored again. The crowd vanished as fast as it was formed.

I was moving around the terminal, taking pictures of it. As I brought my camera to focus on the passenger hall below from level two of the terminal, I noticed a silhouette near the right edge of the viewfinder. A man was leaning over the guardrail, staring out aimlessly. I did not suspect he noticed me, so I took a quick shot of his lonesome figure against a large empty space.

I was an hour too early for my ferry, so I decided to leave the terminal to find a place for breakfast. As I was crossing the overhead bridge to get across the road outside the terminal, a hand from behind pressed down on my shoulder. I turned my head and saw a burly middle-age man.

 "웬일이세요? (What is the matter?), I asked whilst still calming a slight shock.

"Did you take pictures inside the terminal?", he asked in Korean.

"You mean photo-taking is not allowed inside the terminal? I am not aware of that.", speaking in broken Korean, I started to panic, fearing I might get in trouble with the local security.

"I saw you took a picture of me. Show me your camera.", he demanded with a hostile tone.

I surrendered my camera after switching on the photo viewer for him to browse.

"한 장만 찍었는데요." (I took only one shot.), I interrupted as he was viewing my photos.

"Are you a police? Who are you?"

I was taken aback and made more confused by his questions. I thought he was a security guard at the terminal. I could not figure out what he was up to.

"아니요, 저는 외국인이예요." (No, I am a foreigner.)

"You're a foreigner?... Let's go to a photo shop and check all your photos."

So I followed him into a nearby photo shop. He requested the shop owner to use his shop's computer to display all the photos stored inside my SD card. After he was convinced there was only one photo of him, he requested the shop owner to delete it immediately. At that point, he was no longer as tense as before.

We left the photo shop together and walked back in the direction of the ferry terminal.

"If you're not Korean, how could you speak Korean?", he asked in a friendly tone.

"한국어를 조금 배웠어요." (I learned a bit of Korean.)

"You speak Korean well."

"Thank you."

Not satisfied that I did not know what was happening, I asked again,

 "웬일이세요? (What is the matter?)

"나, 도망자." (I am a fugitive.)

"도망자요? 어디에서 왔어요? (Where did you come from?)

I mistook "도망자" as illegal immigrant initially. So I was interested to know which country he escaped from. He could have been a North Korean defector for all I know.

"What?", he returned a confused look.

His look hinted I could have misinterpreted what he said. Then, with a skip of heartbeat, I realised "도망자" is actually "逃亡者", which is fugitive from justice.

He was friendly though, a complete contrast to his earlier self. Perhaps, he no longer saw me as a threat. It could also be I was the first person in a long while whom he could safely talk to without fearing I might turn him in.

We had casual conversation on the way back to the terminal. Once we re-entered the terminal, we parted way because I had a ferry to catch. He showed his appreciation for my company with a gentle pat on my shoulder before he left. By then, boarding had started for my ferry.

On the ferry to Geoje island, I thought about my unusual encounter. Why did our path cross? My heart told me I was a fugitive just like him. He was running away from justice and I from reality. It was like Huckleberry Finn and Jim; their path crossed when both of them were running away from their enslavement, despite one being white and the other black.

"I am no coward. I will go home and face the reality one day. Meanwhile, I just want to enjoy a moment of freedom.", I assured myself. Soon, I fell asleep. I dreamed of seagulls flying freely at the Busan port.

Soon, I fell asleep. I dreamed of seagulls flying freely at the Busan port.

나의 취향

For plane seat, my preference has always been the right window seats. On the trip to Seoul, I would get to witness sunrise and on home-bound, sunset awaits me. In-flight entertainment doesn't appeal to me as much as the chance to witness the start and end of a day. The boundary where light and darkness meets always fascinates me; it's like a divine fight for world dominance.

걷기, 찍기, 올리기

I walk, I shoot, I post. That was my favourite past time in Korea. I have not shoot a picture for a long time. By the way, my camera died on me several months ago, probably due to extended period of neglect. I don't think it has regrets; it has served its due purpose - record my sojourn in Korea.

귀항

귀항 (歸航), Returning to Port

December 2008, I quitted my well-paying job to afford myself a chance to listen to my heart. The trade-off was not insignificant but my mind was long made and I was prepared to pay the price and face the uncertainties. It was definitely an impetuous decision but there was no other way I could have gained control of my fortune if I had moved cautiously. Time waits for no man, looking back was not an option. I knew I have to go and so I went.

September 2009. I returned but to a different 'world'. My life was reset. I could no longer afford to drive a car. I dare not switch on the air-con on a warm night to avoid high electricity bill. The loss of creature comfort was not something I had not expected. I am perfectly fine with my new life except that I was losing sleep over my uncertain future.

Recently, I had a rare conversation with my dad. I am not a person who will divulge my worries but somehow I could not hold back anymore.

"Dad, if my business fails, we may well lose our house. If thing continues the way it is now, I will not be able to pay for the monthly instalment once my savings are depleted in a few years time."

"I was in a worse shape than you now. Take it from me, things will straighten out once you get there. Whether you think your future is bright or bleak, you are both correct. So it is better for you to be optimistic. Things will definitely get better if you stay optimistic."

The reassurance from my dad was a much-needed shot in the arm for my otherwise languishing spirit. I have thought it over; I may not be out of the wood yet but nothing is stopping me from feeling optimistic. While the future may be abound with uncertainties, it also offers many possibilities. I shall stay optimistic and hopeful. If thing doesn't turn out well eventually, I will not have any regret because I chose this path, because at least I have attempted.

잘 돌아왔습니다!

출장

Went for a short business trip to Jakarta over weekend. Hotel gave me a free upgrade to suite. Such good deal never happen to me before.

Fortunately, there wasn't any night programme. I had a good view of sunset from my room at 23rd floor.

Jakarta at twilight. Jakarta at night looks like a city observing Earth Hour; not as much lights as you would expect of a city.

현재에서 살자

I shall stop writing about my memories in Seoul for the time being, just in case I get too soak into nostalgia and become depressed. I like to live in the present and dream about the future. As for the past, I shall keep it in my heart.

I have more or less completed my 'de-koreanisation' process. It wasn't difficult because I wasn't 'koreanised' much to begin with. Korea is like my second home and there wasn't a need for me to change much to fit in. As such, I rarely felt the urge to compare and contrast Korea with Singapore.

Last nine months has been the most well documented period of my life. I have no regret because I have tried to make the best of each day. Ironically, it was past regrets which motivated me to live everyday with no regret. Life is too short to be whining about past regrets so we have to make the best out of each and everyday.

Life becomes boring if you stop trying new thing. But trying out new thing also means having to deal with a new set of problems. I have made my choice between leading a boring life free of problems and an interesting life filled with challenges. But before I can say anything about my future, I need to live each day.

나 할 수 있다. 꿈을 이룰 수 있다. 세상이 더 멋지게 할 수 있다. 과거 말고 미래 말고 현재에서만 살자.

습관 때문에

Beautiful sunset as seen from Hangang Park at Apgujeong

I was at Hangang again today. The park at Hangang gave me some quiet moment for self-reflection. I am still adjusting to life without work. I want to work. I didn't want to quit. But when the only motivation to work is the next paycheck, I knew its time to call it quit. The truth is, I didn't quit my job so that I can come to Korea. I quit my job because I can't see my future in it. I might not have liked what I was doing previously but I still miss working. 습관 때문인 것 같다.

수확이 많길 바란다

Busan fishery port off Jalgachi Fish Market

A fisherman would always hope to return with a ship loaded with seafood each time he departs the port in his fishing boat. I hope likewise for a good harvest.

I know my harvest, if there is any, is not going to be something quantifiable or tangible. To conventional wisdom, what I am about to do is both a waste of time and money. First, it doesn't serve a worthy purpose. Second, it doesn't lead to something measurable. Third, it doesn't come cheap. My balance sheet is definitely in the red - a sure sign of failure-in-waiting.

There is only a fine line that separates courage and stupidity and only time can tell them apart. But I can't wait for time. I need to depart with only a hope that it will indeed be a good harvest afterall.

At this point, I am reminded of the Korean movie - A Man who was a Superman. I watched this movie while I was half awake on board my red-eye flight to Seoul last time. Although I did not watch it in its entirety, I believe I got the main message it is trying to convey.

All of us have super-human strength but we feel weak because we believe that a "kryptonite" is lodged somewhere in our brain. However, the truth is super-human strength is not superman strength. It is the strength to take that half-step forward when the rest take one step back.

We can all be "superman" if we want but we would rather choose to believe that we are weakened by "kryptonite". Fear is our "kryptonite" and a powerful one. I guess we can all forgive ourselves for wanting to feel safe rather than fearful.

며칠 안 남았다

The walk to the Korea Embassy took years.

Just as I was about to get off at the Newton MRT Station, I suddenly felt like running back and hide behind my boring but secure past. An uncertain future is like a thousand-ton weights weighing down on my mind and trying to bring me to my knees. I resisted succumbing to a weak mind because there was no turning back for me. My next step can only be forward. Nonetheless, my steps were heavy and so was my breath.

Goldbell Towers, where the Korea Embassy is located, stood majestically a short distance away from the station's exit. I found my way to the Consular Section, located at the fifth level of the building. The operating hours for the Consular Section is between 9am and 12noon and on weekdays only.

I presented the following items to the Consular's staff for my visa's application:

1. A completed visa application form
2. One passport photograph
3. One photocopy of my Certificate of Admission
4. A study confirmation letter issued by NUS Extension
5. My passport
6. S$80 visa application fee

3 days later, I received my D-2 Student Visa nicely pasted on my passport. There are not many days left before I depart. This shall be the start of a new beginning for me.

며칠 안 남았는데 짐과 맘도 챙겨야겠다. 이제부터 지나간 일들을 다시 돌아보지 않겠다. 쉬운 일이 아니더라도  앞으로만 바라봐야겠다. 힘내!

표를 끊았다

배웅도 마중도 하지 마세요. 조용히 떠나게, 도착하게 해 주세요.

곧 출발합니다

Saemaeul train making a stop-over at Miryang Station (밀양역, 密陽驛)

폐를 끼치기 싫어

Yeong Gwang ordered his lunch while I sat opposite him in a restaurant. I had my lunch earlier so I did not make any order. While waiting for his meal to be served, he asked in Korean, "Why don't you want to meet?"

His question set my mind in a search mode, trying to find the most appropriate Korean expression to reply him. Seeing that I have difficulty speaking in Korean, he added, "It's okay. You can speak in English. I should be able to understand."

"I don't like to trouble you.", I said.

"다른 사람에게 폐를 끼치기 싫군요. 근데 왜요?", Yeong Gwang asked.

"This is not my first time in Kyunghee so I am quite familiar with the place. I believe you should be quite busy with your study, so I try not to trouble you unnecessarily.", I elaborated.

"It's okay. It is my duty to help you. I can help you to practice your Korean or help you with your homework.", He insisted on offering his help.

"It's okay. I knew all that was taught in class because I have learnt them before. This course was just a revision for me.", I insisted on not troubling him.


Yeong Gwang was my "dowoomi" (student helper) during my summer course at Kyunghee. He has the look of a rock guitarist and used to be one as well. When I first met him, what caught my immediate attention was his burn scar. Apparently, he was badly burnt as a kid when a gas cylinder exploded while he was playing near it. What he may be lacking in appearance, he made it up with his sincerity to help others.


After Yeong Gwang had finished eating his lunch, we left the restaurant. Just before we parted, he said, "I shall leave you with my email address. Keep in touch so that if you ever come to Korea again I can help you find a suitable accommodation."

"방금 다른 사람에게 폐를 끼치기 싫다고 했잖아요.", I turned down his offer once again with a big smile. But deep inside, I was touched by his sincerity.

*****

I was brought up not to give trouble to others or in other words - to be self-reliance. From the day I was able to stand on my two feet, I have not asked for anyone's help, not even my family.

I am very grateful to all those people who had shown your concern for me and offered to help after knowing that I have quited my job. I just wanted to say, please do not worry. I will find my way and I will walk on my own as I have always done. 나 괜찮아요. 진짜 괜찮아요. ^^

점점 다가온다

Sometimes, I just wish I can know where my next stop in life will be. But that is only possible if my life is already fixed like a train rail. Assuming that it is fixed and all my life's stations are recorded on a map for me to read, I may still feel depress because I may not like my next destination and yet I can't do anything about it. So I decided that I will define my next station. However, by doing so, my life can no longer be predetermined and there is no longer any fixed rail to ride on. But that's okay, I will get to my next station even if I have to walk there on foot. Between knowing my fortune and knowing what I want, I will choose the latter though for a very long time I have always wanted to know my fortune and then follow it.

마음을 횡단했다

준비를 시작한다

거의 비슷해

On my flight to Korea, a Korean lady sat beside me. At some point during the flight, she started talking. I turned my head towards her, thinking that she might be talking to me but she wasn't looking at me. It seemed like she was trying to find something in her handbag. By then, it was quite obvious to me that she was talking to herself. For the rest of the flight, she talked to herself several times. I wasn't surprise since I heard from Kaye many times that Koreans like to talk to themselves. Like many Singaporeans, she finds it strange but not me.

Frankly, I used to have the habit of talking to myself. It never occurred to me that it was a strange thing to do, at least not until my disturbed friend kept reminding me that I was behaving rather abnormally. As a matter of fact, I didn't talk to myself randomly and neither did I behave as if I had suffered a mental breakdown or sort. I talked to myself only when I was about to do or was engaged in doing something. In my mind, I was quite clear that I wanted to talk about my intention and action to signal to others around me, including strangers, that as a person, I meant no harm to anyone. I knew that it was unsolicited but somehow I felt compelled to speak my mind at a volume that was loud enough to be heard. I believe that you can let your guard down in front of a chatty person or a person who speaks his or her mind freely. People who have no fear of saying anything and everything are rarely sinister. Similarly, one should not be worried when someone talks to himself or herself. It could well be some sort of social signal to say that I am harmless and you need not guard against me. But say what I want, it still remains a socially unacceptable behaviour, at least in Singapore. I have since kicked the habit to conform and be "normal" again.

Two lessons ago, my Korean teacher spoke about her habit of sleeping on the floor. It was something like she will let her son sleeps on the bed while she sleeps on the floor. It is not that she has to but she likes it very much to sleep on the floor. She reasoned that as 습관 (習慣) or habit. Her habit was developed since young in Korea when she used to sleep on the floor. In an ondol room, the floor is heated up by embedded heating elements. To keep warm, Koreans will sleep on mattresses lay out on the floor. There is a good reason why Koreans do not sleep on bed. The mattress on the bed is lifted above the ground and so there is a layer of air between them. Since air is a bad conductor of heat, it is difficult to warm up the mattress on the bed and one can still feel cold despite sleeping in an ondol room.

When I heard about her habit, I was like, hey, don't I have that habit as well? I like sleeping on the floor. It wasn't too long ago before I switched to bed. My old house used to have teak parquet flooring. So it was never too cold or too warm to sleep on the floor. For a very long time, I enjoyed sleeping on the floor with just a mattress, not that there is no bed but for some unknown reason, I tend to like sleeping on the floor more. Even now, though I am sleeping on a bed, I still find sleeping on the floor much more comforting. The reason why I stop is because the flooring in my room these days are simply too cold for the good of my body. I risk suffering from bad body aches if I am to do that. Nevertheless, given the right condition, I will still prefer to sleep on floor.

In another incident at the Seoul Station, I was buying my KTX ticket to Busan at the tourist information counter when the ticketing staff got kinda curious about my nationality.

Staff: Where are you from?
Me: Singapore.
Staff: Have you been a Korean previously?
Me: No
Staff: Have you ever hold a Korean passport before?
Me: No
Staff: Are you a Kyobo?
Me: No
Staff: You look almost like a Korean. There is no way I can tell you apart.
Me: ... (don't know what to say)

I tried to verify what the staff told me with 3 Malaysian tourists at Oedo (I will write about my Oedo trip later). I recognised them as Malaysians because of their accented Mandarin. One of them approached me to take a photo for them. Apparently, she assessed that I didn't look like someone who could understand English. So she just gestured to me to take a picture for them. Since I thought she had mistaken me as a Korean, I played along. Instead of saying one, two, three, I said 하나, 둘, 셋. After I took their picture I blurted out 좋아요 (that's good). I didn't think they sensed anything amiss. Okay, so much for the cheap thrill. Anyway, there are in fact many more encounters where the Koreans just left me alone without probing into my nationality. I suspected that they weren't aware that I am not one of them in the first place. But I like it that way, not that I like to be thought as a Korean but rather I don't fancy unnecessary attention.

Sometimes, it surprises me that I am in fact very similar to Koreans down to the core. My teacher said that Koreans don't like being praised and they will deny anything good you say about them. Even if it is true that they are hardworking and are doing very well, they will still deny it. To some, this seems hypocritical but to the Koreans, it is more important to stay humble. My friend used to tell me that I am almost humble to the extent of being hypocritical. I understood his point of view so I just kept quiet. But I am very clear that I am only as good as as my last achievement and there is always room for improvement. From my perspective, I am not being a hypocrite when I say that I am not good or I am not working hard enough because my belief is that there is no upper limit to improvement. I need to stay level-headed in order to continue to improve. I appreciate people who think that I am good but I would rather that they keep this thought in their heart. Frankly, I don't like to hear praises because it put me in an awkward position. If I acknowledge the praises, I am not humble, but if I don't, I am either proud or rude and to deny it, I am a hypocrite. Whichever way, I am still worse off. While I dislike praise, I am all for encouragement. 파이팅 is music to my ears. There are many more things to be accomplished in life so I need plenty of them.

With so much said, there is probably one incident that is in total disagreement. I was supposed to meet up with a friend in Busan for lunch. She smsed me that her friend and she are going to have "hwae" (sashimi) for lunch and asked if I would like to join them. I replied that I don't take raw meat and asked them to go ahead without me. Her following reply pretty summed up everything. She wrote, !!Haha totally missing out... Okok well enjoy your day then :). Just to reiterate, the key words here are "totally missing out" and I am in total agreement with what she said. I know quite well that not being able to eat "hwae" is like missing out a large chunk of the Korean's culture. In this programme, 6시내고향, which I like to watch on the KBS World, their reporters frequently sailed out to sea with the fishermen to report about their lives and harvest. Normally after every catch, the fisherman will cut, clean and slice up the fish, squid or octopus on the spot to make hwae. After that, everyone will be seen picking up the slices, dipping them in gochujang and eating them fresh. It usually ends with thumbs-up and everyone saying 최고, 최고 (the best). As much as I want to experience the 최고 taste, I can never bring myself to swallow any raw meat. So if it is about eating hwae, I have to concede, unless of course someone is kind enough to provide me with a griller ^^;;