Korean Leek Pancake Street near Kyunghee University

Some alleys in Seoul like those running through hillside slums in the northern part of the city hardly change. They seem to be going against the current of the times. A walk into the narrow alleys meandering among tightly-packed humble houses makes some visitors feel uncomfortable and even creepy as if they had returned to the poverty of their childhood. But some wonderful food alleys are also found in just such places.
A pajeon (Korean leek pancake) street near Kyunghee University in northeastern Seoul is one such alley. Some ten pajeon restaurants are located on the street near the tracks by Hoegi station. What makes the alley a place that recalls old memories is not just the food. Scallion pancakes are common and popular enough to be found even at Korean restaurants in fancy hotels these days. You can sense the nostalgia of the customers here.

The area overflows with university students from early in the evening. Students from Kyunghee University, University of Seoul and Hankuk University of Foreign Studies are major customers. Visitors in their 30s or 40s could easily feel transported back to their school days, drinking rice wine sitting next to the youngsters. The ambience also contributes to the sense of “old days” as most of the shops are furnished like shabby old-fashioned bars with simple tables and chairs under fluorescent lamps. Aboveall, the prices are the most decisive factor reminding visitors of the days long gone by.
What is so special about the pajeon here? The shops mix paste of glutinous rice flour with an assortment of seafood such as squid, shrimp and oysters, chopped green onions, eggs and ground meat. The pajeon is about 30 centimeters in diameter and three to four centimeters in thickness. It’s the size of a pizza, only thicker

The pancake is crispy as if fried in oil, rather than in a pan. Squid, shrimp, and oysters are chewy and delicious. But a plate of pajeon big enough to feed three adult men costs a mere 6,000 won. Ten-thousand won will be enough for a plate of pajeon and two or three bottles of rice wine. Visitors often feel as if they just had a drink at one of the cheap university-area bars 20 years ago when they pay for the food at the counter.
Why are the prices so fantastic? Gong Kyung-ja (71) who opened “Travelers’ Pajeon” in the neighborhood some 37 years ago says, “I’m really thankful for customers who studied at universities in the area during the 1970s and 80s and still frequent my place with their children. I lowered prices to what they were in the old days for student customers who can’t afford expensive food.” A Kyunghee University student and “Travelers’ Pajeon” regular says, “The pajeon restaurants here are the right place for having a drink with friends. The food is enough to be a real meal as well as a side dish for drinks because they offer generous portions of tasty food at inexpensive prices.” All the shops here also serve various kinds of pajeon using seafood, pepper and kimchi along with other dishes like fried pepper, meat patties, golbang-ee (conch-like shells), and tofu and kimchi. Each dish sells for 6,000 won a plate.
Last but not least, there is another beautiful feature of the district – the trains that pass every five minutes on the railroad nearby. Even the noise of chugging trains comes as music to the ears of customers who have had a drink or two.

source : KBS World
My FB 17 Juni 2009