The Shanghaiist has been running a Q&A service since its inception, offering the pooled intellectual resources of an excellent group blog. Now Kushibo has started an “Ask Kushibo” section:
My sitemeter.com data shows that a lot of the 100 or so people a day who link to my site are looking for cultural information on Korea (e.g., “Who celebrated the first Chusok?” “When did Syngman Rhee die?” etc., etc.).
That got me thinking that, hey, I have a master’s degree in Korean studies and a minor in Japanese studies, I’ve been in Seoul far longer than most foreans my age (whether they’re kyopo or non-kyopo), I teach introductory courses on Korea and its cultural trappings, so why not offer a free service where I attempt to answer people’s questions, point them in the direction of where they can get them answered, and/or offer my regulars (that’s you!) a chance to take a stab at some of this stuff, too.
So I hereby launch “Ask Kushibo.” Just ask a question in the comments section below.
AsiaPundit, as a long-term resident of several countries on the continent, also offers his expertise.
Our first question comes from Canadian reader Mike in Canmore, British Columbia.:
Dear AsiaPundit;
I am having Korean house guests next week, the in-laws of my son’s bride. I read that bundaegi is a popular snack food, so I purchased a couple of tins at a Victoria ethnic-food store. I was hoping to pair this with wine from a B.C. vinyard. What wine goes best with bundaegi?Dear Mike;
Bundaegi has a distinct taste - and smell - that makes pairing a challenge. However, the snack is most often eaten late in the evening well after the main meal. AP would suggest that you chose a nice Pacific Salmon for the main meal, and serve it with either a savignon blanc or zinfandel depending on the style of cooking. Keep the bundaegi for later in the evening - after the cigars - and serve with ample shots of soju. The soju and cigars will help smother taste buds and make the bundaegi edible.
Questions can be e-mailed to AsiaPundit @ gmail . com
