A Korean Birthday Tradition: Seaweed Soup

What have we here?

What have we here?

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Boil, boil

Boil, boil

Mix it up.

Mix it up.

Bottoms up!

Bottoms up!

I liked it, I swear. It's just really, really hot.

I liked it, I swear. It’s just really, really hot.

A great dame I had the good fortune to meet during a volunteer excursion handed me the other week a pair of very light, green cups of instant soup. Saying it was seaweed soup, she noted it’s Korean tradition to eat seaweed soup on your birthday, to help usher in a prosperous year.

So, this morning, I did just that:

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Good to the last drop! No, seriously, it was. Although on its own my belly barely registered its entrance. Part of a delicious banchan assortment.

All this before it’s midnight in New Jersey. So, if I wanted, I could hold onto 33 a little while longer. But, why would I do that? I didn’t have the seaweed soup last year. The next 365 days are going to be magical.

 


JPDdoesROK is a former news editor/writer in New Jersey, USA, who served a one-year tour of duty in Dadaepo/Jangnim, Saha-gu, Busan from February 2013 to February 2014. He is now a teacher in Gimhae.