Did you say ‘전통 음식’, doc? I don’t know whether it should be named as ‘전통 음식’ but I wonder the writer of this article does know the meaning of ‘전통’ or not, but since when they claim such food as ‘전통음식’?  I honestly feel ridiculous!!!

To me, it should represent a sort of 제주-version of a sad memory/history of deadly(?) poor Koreans struggling from starvation through so many centuries!!!  Indeed, they/제주도 was also dirt poor like other parts of Korea, then, I recall through my first visit to 제주도 to join the 한라산climbing as the member of 대한산악회 고등학생부, organized by 조선일보 홍종인 주필 when I was in the first grade of high school, in the first summer soon after we all got back to Seoul after the War. Yes, they still kept the pigs under the outhouse I saw the first time. But they had an additional option to avoid the starvation with the products from the sea like fishes and kelps/미역, etc. they could retrieve, much better than 강원도 화전민.

Indeed,  I vividly remember my shocking encounter with these 화전민 through my first excursion in very early spring to 강원도 대성산 in my high school days while the War scars still remained all over the places/country, then. And the 화전민 in 강원도 I witnessed literally were starving to death when the wild plants/나물 should fail to grow on time to fight the 춘궁기/보리고개 through.  

I don’t know how many of you saw the round-shaped balls, made of the 보리껍질? or 밀기울(wheat bran), hanging at the kitchen hut ceiling to save/eat when all edible stuff should run out, to make a 죽 with freshly grown 쑥, but it was a life or death for them as emergency food to sustain/live through보리고개. Further, for the first time in my life, I saw the 화전민 child, a small girl with a large distended belly by ‘kwashiorkor’/malnutrition through this trip-  here in Korea and NOT in Africa! – picking up the fruit peels we threw away to rub on her belly to clean to eat, breaking my heart; I gave all the money I have to this child’s mother since it was on my way back home from the excursion with no need for pennies.

Such memory remains through all my life - my wife and kids tease me that I talked to them about this experience more than a thousand times to make sure NOT to throw away any leftover food- so that I am so angry to see Koreans wasting foods, ignoring such painful past through the War. 막말로 언제부터 배때기에 기름이 올랏다고, 쯧쯧 ------!!!!!

BB Lee

P.S. Do you all know the meaning that ' 똥구멍이 찢어지게 가난하다' ? Do you know where this expression was originated?

Sorry to spoil such nice story of 전통 음식, doc, but I couldn't help!!!

All the best,

BB Lee

초근목피, 나무껍질을 먹고 변을 보면 똥구멍이 찢어 집니다. 19 세기 

에서 20세기 중반 민초들의 생활상 이었을 것입니다. 

1965년 의예과 일학년 때 제주도를 무전여행으로 다녀 온 경험이 있는 데, 

Dr. Lee는 1953-4년에 다녀 오신 것 같네요. 기차를 무임승차 하고 차안에서 

차장을 피해서 이 칸에서 저칸으로 옮기며 목포역에 도착하니 밤이 되어 역 

대합실에서 자는 데 벼룩이 어떻게 물어 물어 뜻든지..

배를 타고 8시간을 가는데, 뱃멀미에 배안의 토한 음식물 냄새로 곤죽이 되어 

도착, 구걸 행각을 시작 했지요. 꽁보리밥에 된장과 상추를 주더군요. 7월 초복 

무렵의 상추는 작은 잎에 쓴 맛이 많이 났는 데, 그래도 꿀맛이었습니다.

아마 '65년의 생활 상은 53-4년 보다 훨신 좋았을 것으로 생각 합니다. 요지음 

한국 음식 맛은 그냥 지나가다가 웬만한 집 들어가도 먹을 만 하고 소문난 맛집은 

끝내 줍니다.