Ye Olde Chosun ran a piece today on Uglydolls, the product of the husband-wife team of David Horvath and Kim Sun-Min.
As always with, ahem, couples such as them, it’s amusing to read the comments.
Anyway, Mr. Horvath seems pleased. Congrats.
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31 Comments
Korean male insecurity springs eternal.
Alternatively, one can also purchase these cute dolls online. Aren’t they cuddly?
Uh what do Korean males have to do with this?
do they have jjambbong or jajiang myun in Japan?
I was recently introduced to the idea that jjambbong exists as a Japanese dish as well, assuming that the Chinese don’t eat it themselves…
#3,
Absolutely nothing. Dogbert is just being a Richard.
My wife bought one in the summer of ‘06 in NYC from FAO Schwartz. It is ugly-cute or cute-ugly, or something like that.
Jjambbong (a.k.a. Chanpon) is a specialty of Nagasaki:
http://www.at-nagasaki.jp/fore.....t/culture/
I can’t be bothered to read naver comments (ever) but I will assume those are which #1 is referring to.
I was indeed referring to the comments (as touched upon in the post). Can you even read Korean? If you could, you would be able to see what I’m talking about.
I can’t read Korean very well, but I’ll say with a fair amount of confidence that the internet often brings out the worst in everyone. I gots me a Korean girlfriend and I never gots me any bit of guff for it. However, were I concerned with what folks online thought, I’m sure I could mine all kinds of arsenal to use in my own personal mission to exaggerate reality. Then I could create something with which I could use to cast a hallowed glow over my own vendetta, and then feel better because complaining often meets disinterested ears beyond the pale of the internet.
The number of amateur lawyers around here is exceeded only by the number of amateur psychologists.
#2,
As the father of a three-week old, I could have used a warning on that link. I guess I should have known better.
Another success of the Korean government’s subsidized development of “cultural products” such as characters!
What?! They weren’t recipients?
@9, I see alot of anti-american comments.
But to be honest, most of the world hates the US.
An interesting note about jajangmyeon…while I was in Beijing, I remembered being told that jajangmyeon was originally a Chinese dish, so I tried to look around to see how the original tasted. I found it quite odd that most restaurants I went to didn’t serve it (perhaps it’s more of a fast food kinda meal?), and a couple of Chinese roomies thought it was a Korean dish as it wasn’t a regular thing to see on a menu. Needless to say, when I had it it was quite different from the Zhajiang mian picture… (sauce was soupy, never once had it with cucumbers)
*the picture in wikipedia that is
But most of the world doesn’t hate it in white men partner with Korean women, while decrying the fact that Korean man have to marry Southeast Asian women. That’s what the main thrust of the comments was.
Nice try at deflection, though.
“The number of amateur lawyers around here is exceeded only by the number of amateur psychologists.”
This (legitimate) criticism was made by a guy who had recently posted this:
“Korean male insecurity springs eternal.”
What an ass.
“But most of the world doesn’t hate it in white men partner with Korean women, while decrying the fact that Korean man have to marry Southeast Asian women. That’s what the main thrust of the comments was.”
Ok try to form a coherent sentence when you post. Maybe if you learned to read it was a general “fuck the americans” post.
Dont project your own insecurity its annoying. Go make a program or something if it soothes you.
@#13, re: jajangmyon
Yes, it is a light lunch or snack food, not something commonly found at nicer sit-down restaurants with lazy susans on the table. Authentic Chinese jiajiangmian is delicious and cheap. I never paid more than a $1 for a heaping bowl of finely diced carrots, onions, and celery mixed with fermented black bean sauce atop wheat noodles. My favorite hole-in-the-wall joint always made a thick sauce, but I have been served more watery versions like yours.
Andy (#12), sorry - you’re right. I didn’t consider that, and ought to have posted a warning. If either you or Robert could add one, that would be helpful and much appreciated. Again, my apologies, and please know that I didn’t mean to offend.
No Jajjangmyeon in Japan to my knowledge (20 years residence) but as Robert K. notes, ‘Chanpon’ (Jjambbong) is a regional dish emanating from Nagasaki (but now known and available nation-wide). Nagasaki was for a number of century’s Japan’s window on the rest of Asia (and Europe as well). There was a large resident Chinese population, a Chinese temple, etc. There’s still a Chinatown but it is miniscule compared to those in Kobe or Yokohama (maybe a bit like the Chinatown in Incheon these days?). ‘Chanpon’ also has a similar slang connotation in Japanese- a derogatory term for half-white, half Asian (primarily Japanese) kids. A more polite colloquial term used in recent years is ‘haafu’ (meaning ‘half’), and the clinical or legal word is ‘konketsu’ (’mixed blood’).
Chanpon or Jjambbong is the NE Asian analog of ‘chop suey’ in America- not really a tradiitonal Chinese dish, but something thrown together in overseas ports with available ingredients and served to foreigners who wouldn’t know better. I’ve always believed the original prototype and the word started in Nagasaki, but I’d be happy to be presented with evidence (not opinion!) otherwise.
It’s obvious you can’t read Korean. Why do you keep making up things that aren’t true?
Fitting comment from a guy named “colon”.
Because he can’t read Korean or because he’s pissing on our back and telling us it’s raining (to borrow the IA phrase)?
Break out the umbrellas.
#22 Bad Monkey
I was born and raised in Nagasaki until I was eighteen. Chanpon is quite different from Jajjangmyeon which was not well known in Japan until early 1970s. Chanpon was first started in 1900 by the owner and founder of a Chinese restraurant 四海桜 to serve poor Chinese students studing at Nagasaki Medical School. The Chinese restauranteur used leftovers of fresh vegetables and fish to make cheap but nutritious Chanpon. His daughter was a good friend of my mother and always laughed at my mother’s poor Chinese pronunciation.
Chanpon has the very similar connotation to English “hodgepodge”, mixture of everything and anything. However, it never refers to mixed blood, half-white/half-Asian because Chanpon has far more than two ingredients.
Very good idea, but I don’t feel the website relates well to
potential buyers. I think they’d sell more if the site
emphasized the consumer’s health concerns.
thanks, Mr. K for the link about the dish.
Sonagi, you are a hypocrite.
Tell us how you managed to eat that in China.
Isn’t half the dish carbs?
Oh, No !!
Yes, jiajiangmian is a mixture of refined carbs (noodles) and complex, low glycemic carbs (veggies). Other than eating lots of fresh veggies, I was not following any particular dietary restrictions while in China, but thanks for your concern, doc. I discovered after giving up refined carbs that pasta itself has little flavor; it is a textured vehicle for delivering the flavor of the sauce. Pasta is one forbidden food I have no craving for. I top sauces over shredded and sliced veggies like squash, cabbage, and spinach.
Dear natto (#27)
Thanks for your details on the origins of ‘Chanpon’ in Nagasaki. I never meant to suggest there was any relation between Jajjangmyeon and Chanpon… but somebody asked if either dish were available in Japan. I defer to your native familiarity with Nagasaki (and even envy you a little… one of the very best cities in Japan!) on the origins of Chanpon. However, I do beg (actually insist) to differ with you when you say:
“However, it never refers to mixed blood, half-white/half-Asian because Chanpon has far more than two ingredients.”
I agree the slang usage is not common now (and maybe never was in Nagasaki?) and maybe not understood by young people these days, but in the 1960’s and 1970’s it was commonly used in Tokyo and the Kansai for exactly that meaning. Honest Injun!
Incidentally, I like Nagasaki Chanpon a lot… but I wish they’d make it with 당면 and put a little 고추장 in it… but maybe that’s my ‘mixed blood’ taste.
Good onya, mate!