One of the well-known foods in Mokpo is something called “Jungkkan.” According to what you can find through a quick search, the name comes from shortening “ganjjajang from Junghwaru” into “Jungkkan.”It seems that the original place is Junghwaru, located in the old downtown shopping area. However, since the day I planned to visit happened to be their regular day off,I ended up going to a nearby place called Daemyeongchun instead. I sat down at a table, ordered a bowl of Jungkkan, and waited.A group that came in after me also ordered Jungkkan.They asked the owner what “Jungkkan” meant.I listened carefully,…

How do you usually spend your nights after dinner when you travel? I tend to go back to my hotel and sort through photos.That’s why I always carry my iPad with me.Especially on longer trips, I try to organize photos every single day.Unless you want to be hit by an overwhelming flood of photos after the trip is over. Sometimes I watch YouTube or Netflix as well.That’s less about traveling, and more about my everyday nightly routine. Still, what I enjoy more than that is stopping by a bar near my accommodation,having a quiet drink, and chatting lightly with the…

When I chose Mokpo as the destination for this trip,one of the very first things I didwas search whether there were any sushi restaurants in the city. I am not someone who loves sushi that much,but for some reason, this time I was curious. What would sushi feel likein a coastal city in Korea? I remember having very good sushi in Jeju before. The technique was solid,the flavors were clean,and I liked that they used local fishsuch as hairtail, tilefish, and mackerel. So naturally, I began to wonder.What about Mokpo? Before thinking about the taste,another thought came to mind first.…

I have a friend who is originally from Mokpo. He moved to Seoul during college, and now that he’s middle-aged, you could probably say he’s more of a Seoul person than a Mokpo person. Still, both he and his wife are from Mokpo, and all of their parents and siblings live there. They visit Mokpo several times a year. So I think it’s fair to say he’s someone who lives in Seoul, but is still very much a Mokpo person. I’ve met this friend in Mokpo two or three times. We went to restaurants his parents recommended, and we also met up with his local friends to…