Korea Life Blog - Miyuk Guk



Here's another dish that would have made me cringe a few years ago. It's dark and murky and full of green stuff. It looks like swamp stew, I admit. No, it's miyuk guk, seaweed soup. I often eat it with rice and kimchi for breakfast, or late at night - a non fattening meal before bed. After all, you don't want to eat noodles before sleep as that will make your face get bigger. The best part is the miyuk guk is very easy to cook, especially the instant kind. A box costs only about 1,000 won and it tastes pretty decent. However, as with any food, the homemade kind tastes much better. It's not common to find it in restaurants, although I have. I should learn how to cook it. It can't be that hard. Feel free to tell me how to make it. I can see the recipe now: First, boil water. Second, add seaweed. Finally serve and enjoy. I think there's some kind of meat in it as well. I'm not sure what it is. Anyway, there's a superstition in Korea about this soup. You're not supposed to eat it the day before taking an exam. I really don't understand the reasoning. Something about the soup being slippery. Slippery things make you fall down. I guess that means to fail. If anyone can explain this better, please do so.