Chicken in a Cup

Whenever I go hungry on my way home from work, I buy “chicken in a cup” in one of the small chicken stalls in Guri City. There is usually a long queue in that chicken stall, so one time I got curious and bought a 큰 컵 (keun keop: big cup) of chicken. I have been coming back to that stall ever since to buy the famous “chicken in a cup”, which is actually 양념 치킨 (yangnyeom chikin), Korean fried chicken cooked in sweet and spicy sauce and combined with 떡 (tteok: rice cake) and some ground nuts. Yum! ^^

Since the chicken is cut into bits and placed in a cup, I could just take it with me to the bus and eat it right there (except when there are no seats available and I have to stand). The chicken is served hot and crispy. I always ask for extra sauce and more tteok.

There are small chicken stalls all around Korea that sell “chicken in a cup”. Sometimes instead of tteok, 감자 튀긴 (gamja twikim: french fries or fried potatoes) is added.

There are two sizes of “chicken in a cup”: 작은 컵 (jageun keop: small cup) and the one that I order most of the time, 큰 컵 (keun keop: big cup). “Small cup” costs around 1,000 to 1,500 KRW (36.90 to 55.35 PHP) (85 Cents to 1.27 USD). “Big cup” is from 2,000 to 2,500 KRW (73.81 to 92.26 PHP) (1.70 to 2.12 USD).

You can also order in boxes: 반 박스 (ban bagseu: half box) and 한 박스 (han bagseu: one box). Prices in boxes can range from 6,000 to 12,000 KRW (221.42 to 442.84 PHP) (5.09 to 10.17 USD).

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Five-Day Market in Janghyeon

Every five days, we have o-il jang in my husband’s hometown. O-il jang or o-il sijang (5 일장 or 5 일 시장) literally means five-day market in Korean. O-il is for “five days” and jang or sijang is for “market”. Although my husband and I usually do our grocery shopping in Homeplus, I like buying vegetables and fruits in the traditional five-day market, as they are fresher and cheaper. Besides, I can always ask for a discount. I simply say “카카 주세요” (Kaka juseyo: Can you give me a discount?) with a wink and a smile, and the halmoni (grandmother) or ajossi (married/older man) usually gives in to my haggling. (I think it’s one of the skills I have. ^^)

It is very common to see grandparents work in the “o-il jang”. Some of them are between 80 to 85 years old.

I like to walk around Janghyeon when it’s market day. Everything excites me: from the street food, different kinds of fresh and dried fish/seafood, traditional snacks and side dishes, to the vibrance of Korean market life and the way people here work.

Although we have a lot of “tikim”, “sundae” and “tokpokki” stores in Janghyeon, there are stalls selling these street food at a cheaper price during “o-il jang”.

Korean doughnuts and steamed buns~~~

“Galchi” (갈치) is one of my favorite fish in Korea. It is called largehead hairtail, belt fish or swordfish because of its looong body. ^^

“Teokk” is steamed Korean rice cake made with glutinous rice flour.

Dried sea laver, dried squid, dried fish… everything dried… ^^
Koreans prepare or cook them as side dishes.

I like the sincere amiability of ajumma (married/older woman) and ajossi vendors. They are quite different from the ones I encounter on my commute. (Do you see the ajossi in the middle? He saw me taking a picture, and he waved and smiled at me. When I passed his stall, he even greeted me hello. Most of the time, older Koreans don’t greet younger ones first.)

It was the first time I saw “udong” (thick noodle soup) being sold in Janghyeon’s ”o-il jang”. I wanted to try it, but I just ate “odeng” (fish cake).

Since o-il jang is a flea market, they sell almost everything… not only food, but also plants, housewares, clothes and shoes. (Sometimes they even sell “pets” like puppies and beetles, but on the day I took these photos, there were no animals in cages or boxes. Good thing there weren’t any. They’re the only ones I can’t bear to see on market day. T.T)

Can you tell what makes the three ajummas similar?
(I was glad I didn’t wear my pink sweater that day. ^^)

I was looking for a pyjama set for my Abonim (father-in-law), but to my surprise, they’re more pricey in the market.

After going to the bank, hubby and I took a walk together to see what’s new in “o-il jang”. They were selling cheap clothes for children, maybe as a preparation for Children’s Day.

The streets of Janghyeon come to life every five days. They remind me a lot of Apo in my hometown in the Philippines, a flea market located just outside Apo church, that opens every Friday of the year, from morning until midnight. The first time I took my husband to Apo, he was fascinated… just as I was the first time we walked around his town on o-il jang.

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Confession of a Shoeaholic

As we were shopping last weekend (my birthday), hubby noticed that I passed the shoe section without checking women’s shoes on display.

 

There were a lot of beautiful shoes on sale, and it was a miracle I didn’t I go gaga over them.

 

 

He was amazed.

 

 

KHAN: Whoah! Did you just pass the shoe section?

ME: (looks at him and smiles)

KHAN: Why don’t you buy expensive shoes? You got (some) money (for your birthday).

ME: I just bought shoes in Hyewadong.

KHAN: Those are cheap.

ME: I’m going to buy shoes when I need them. Right now I have too many.

KHAN: (looks at me like I’m possessed)

ME: Don’t look at me like that. I’m a “changed” woman.

KHAN: (looks at me with pride and holds me closer as we were going down the escalator)

 

One thing I didn’t tell him… I am saving my “birthday” money to buy him the realflex shoes he has been eyeing in the mall.

 

 

 

MARRIAGE DOESN’T ONLY TEACH YOU HOW TO LOVE “TRULY”… IT TEACHES YOU HOW TO BE “UNSELFISH”, TOO. ^^

 

 

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