2.263

25 (Sun) September 2011

Imyeonsu

2.5

by me

at home

-Oksu, Seongdong, Seoul, Republic of Korea-

solo

Imyeonsu (임연수) is a fish, as its known in Korean.  Various internet sources alternatively suggest that the fish is the same as either the arabesque greenling (Pleurogrammus azonus) or atka mackerel (Pleurogrammus monopterygius), two closely related species and the only two within that genus. .

With the general lack of consensus on translations between English and Korean for the names of certain animals and plants, I’m wondering if the confusion may be due to the simple fact that an expert has never actually sat down with physical specimens and tested them and concluded that, indeed, the fish known as “A” in English is the same fish known as “ㄱ” in Korean.  In some cases, say, where classification may be essential for legal purposes, say, to assess tariffs on a shipment of imported fish, expert analyses have probably been conducted, the results of which eventually get out to the public.  But in other cases, the translations probably arise from lay observations concerning appearance, taste, or whatever.

Names aside, this fish is distinctive in appearance for the black bands on it skin, has the firm texture of a standard mackerel but less fatty and lighter tasting, and comes cheap – around 3,000 won for a medium-sized fish.  Although a good fish all around for value, it’s not one of the more common fishes available at the market not one of the more popular fishes served at restaurants or at home. I don’t know why.

At the flagship E-Mart in Seongsu-Dong, at 10PM every night, all the fresh seafood and chicken gets marked down to 50%, which I can’t resist snapping up like last-minute tchotchke gifts at the airport duty free store just prior to departure.

(See also FOODS.)

(See also PLACES.)