Korean women prepare kimchi in the early 20th century. Robert Neff Collection
Several decades ago, when I first came to Korea as a young soldier, I knew almost nothing about the country save what I had seen on the popular American television program “M*A*S*H.” I was stationed in the mountainous region of Gangwon Province, a relatively quiet and rural part of the country, and our camp was small and primitive. Very few of my fellow soldiers ventured far from the “ville” — the small camp town located just outside the gate — and they devoted little of their free time to learning Korean, the culture or even experiencing the local cuisine. Many considered eating in the KATUSA snack bar a culinary adventure.
My first adventure with Korean food occurred during an annual military exercise (Team Spirit), when my unit was deployed near a small mountain village. Our timing was perfect. The village was celebrating a wedding, and some of the kind, elderly villagers invited us to come and partake in the feast. As I recall, there were only three or four of us who went — and only after being warned by our commander that we were absolutely forbidden to consume any alcohol.
Our Korean hosts did their best to entertain us. Our plates were heaped with — to us — strange foods, and as the newest soldier in the group, it was decided that I would sample everything first. There was no problem with the meat dishes, of course, but it took some fortitude to try the various kimchi. They were heavily fermented and gave off a strong smell, but, much to my surprise, I found I liked some of them.
A young Korean man enjoys a meal in the late 19th or early 20th century / Robert Neff Collection
Sundae (blood sausage), however, was too much. I barely managed to choke it down, but I smiled at our hosts and pretended to enjoy it. When my companions asked me how it tasted, I could only tell them that it was indescribable and they would have to try it for themselves.
They did, and they did not like it. They refused to eat the small portions on their plates, and I have always regretted their — and to a degree, my own — rudeness to our hosts.
Judging from diaries, letters home, old newspaper articles and books, early Americans were not that adventurous when it came to Korean food.
In 1893, Mattie Noble, an American missionary, described a wedding feast she attended:
“Soon eatables were brought in & given to each one present. There were candies & fruits & nuts. Kimchi (a kind of pickles, highly seasoned) & soup, on top of the soup they sprinkled a meat seasoning (probably dog’s meat).”
Source: Korea Times News
