Gogi Guksu “고기 국수” & Jeju Island “제주도” (Jeju, Korea)
Jeju “제주도” is a small, remote Korean island located south of mainland Korea. It is only a one hour flight from Seoul’s Gimpo Airport and is a popular destination spot for honeymooners as well as for weekend getaways. The island is only 749 square miles, or by comparison half the size of Rhode Island which is the smallest of the 50 U.S. states. Also by comparison, Seoul, which is the captial city of South Korea is roughly 240 square miles with a population of over 10,000,000. It’s no wonder that Jeju is a popular destination for Korean people to get away for a weekend from the hustle and bustle of living in Seoul.
Aside from the abundant oceanside resorts and hotels to relax, Jeju is known for their Mandarin Oranges (Tangerine/Clementine) “귤” as well as their infamous Black Pig “흑되지”. Having tried both, the Mandarin Oranges are extremely sweet and tangy and is on a whole different level than what is typically offered in the U.S. or elsewhere. The Black Pig “흑되지”, is also quite tasty and is on par with other great pigs such as England’s Berkshire Pork or Japan’s Kagoshima Kurobuta.
One of the local dishes that Jeju is known for is Gogi Guksu “고기 국수” which literally translates to “meat noodles”. The meat used is pork belly from the Jeju Black Pig. The noodles are served with a broth that is made by simmering pork leg bones over a long period of time which extracts the marrow from the bones and makes the broth slightly creamy and extremely hearty. At only 5,000KRW (about $5USD), it’s a ridiculously cheap and gratifying for a meal that is both delicious and filling.
hamatama 