My Unspoken Soul Food: Naengmyeon Never Made the Cut
When I was little, I was a picky eater. If something smelled too strong or looked weird—nope, I wouldn’t touch it.
Special occasions always had a predictable menu: Chinese food, pizza, Korean BBQ, or a buffet. The birthday person just picked one from that “holy list.”
Whenever I think of those foods, the whole atmosphere of that time comes back to me—even though, honestly, none of them were really my favorites.
As a kid, I once said I’d marry the owner of a cold noodle shop. That’s how much I loved naengmyeon (Korean cold noodles). But it never made the cut for family celebrations.
Shattering the Rules: The Corporate Lunch That Redefined Special Occasion Food
Since Korean graduations are in December, school starts in March, and my birthday is in winter, even if I’d chosen it, my family probably would have vetoed the idea. It wasn’t that my parents ignored my preferences—it was just that naengmyeon was strictly considered a “summer food.”
It’s like how people eat galbitang (beef soup) at weddings or yukgaejang (spicy beef soup) at funerals—we had our own family “rules” about food and timing.
Then, something funny happened. After decades of following those rules, I completely broke them.
It was during my corporate life. After a long meeting with software engineers, we all went to a restaurant famous for sundaeguk (Korean blood sausage soup). I had never tried it before—honestly, I had always found it kind of… intimidating. But I told myself, “This is what grown-ups do,” and just went along.
Wow. That first spoonful changed everything. The broth was rich and deep, the chewy sundae and garlic chives mixed perfectly, and the combo with rice and kimchi? Unreal. I was shocked—and a little upset that I’d wasted thirty years of my life not knowing this taste.
Maybe my taste buds had matured—or maybe I’d just officially become an “ajeossihttps://www.90daykorean.com/korean-honorifics/“ (a middle-aged Korean guy who loves hearty soups). After all, sundaeguk and other hearty soups are stereotypically known as “hangover food for older men.”
But now, I eat it on my birthday and even on Christmas. The funny thing is, I don’t eat it that often otherwise—it’s a bit too rich for everyday meals.
Korean Office Worker Lunch Menu
So, what do other office workers in Korea eat for lunch?
Top 5 Lunch Menus for Korean Office Workers:
- Korean set meals (baekban) — rice with several side dishes
- Kimchi stew or soybean paste stew
- Spicy stir-fried pork (jeyuk bokkeum)
- Pork cutlet (donkatsu)
- Noodle dishes (cold noodles, udon, pho, etc.)
Other popular choices include gimbap, bibimbap, simple snacks, fast food, or Japanese and Chinese dishes.
Sadly, sundaeguk didn’t make the list. It was a bit disappointing, sure—but I guess most people opt for lighter, more “office-friendly” meals.
Still, I’ll keep saving sundaeguk for special days. Because for me, it’s more than just a dish—it’s the taste of breaking my own rules.