Family Lunch Gathering with Hwe~ Jagalchi Sijang, Busan 부산 자갈치 시장 가족모임

Last day of Seollal holiday, we have a family lunch gathering at Jagalchi Sijang for 회 (Hwe - Korean Sashimi). Jagalchi Sijang is well known with fresh fish and seafood which can be purchase and eaten on the spot at the store. It's my first time eating Korean raw fish and I am overjoy! We had Ojingeo-hwe (raw squid), Bangeo-hwe (raw amberjack), Gul-hwe (raw oysters) and Gaebul-hoe (raw fat innkeeper worm). The taste is fresh? and sweet, doesn't taste fishy as I though it will be. It can be taste differently with dipping sauce. Commonly 3 dipping sauce will be serve along which is cho-gochujang, ssamjang, wasabi and soy sauce. As usual, Korean eat their sashimi with veggie wrap too just like how they eat samgyeosal.

First Seollal in Busan 부산 첫설날

First Seollal (Korean New Year) in Busan. On the eve, spent almost whole day deep frying all sorts of jeon together with mom-in-law for Jesa (memorial ceremony to ancestors). Traditionally women prepared the Jesa food, while men will be doing the Jesa including set up the food on the table and carry out the rituals. The Jesa held early morning on the day of Seollal. We dress formally - I wear hanbok 한복 while he wears suits. 

On Jesa table, first row are fruits and desserts, second row are meats and vegetables, third row will be soup and rice. It can be up to 3 rows or more depending on the family's preference. After Jesa, we then perform Se-bae (deep bow) to his parents, and receive good words also sebae-don (pocket money) from them as blessing for return. Then we all eat tteokguk (rice cake soup) and food from Jesa together. Eat a bowl of tteokguk on Seollal morning is a tradition as it represent we gain one year older. No need to mention how tiring am I after all these done, but it's kind of interesting for me though.