Cycle 4 – Item 161

15 (Sat) June 2013

Janchi Guksu

2.0

at Korea National Diplomatic Academy

-Yangjae, Seocho, Seoul, Republic of Korea-

with the Family, CYM, CC, HSK and family, KJO, LSW, SMS

At long last, JHJ got married.  Following the quasi-bachelor party a few weeks ago, I wrote about the suspiciously rushed circumstances of the wedding, shotgunned perhaps (see 4.137 Ziti Rigate with Shrimp in Cream Sauce).  Either way, we’ll know in a few months.  Either way, congratulations!

The venue was the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, the training center for civil servants on their way to becoming diplomats.  HJ’s father was quite the hotshot, ending his career as the country’s Ambassador to France, one of the top ten positions in the diplomatic corps.  I’ve never seen so many guests waiting in line to offer their congratulations, like some kind of receiving queue at a royal ball.

The joyous occasion notwithstanding, and we did have a good time, the meal itself was a rather unpleasant experience.  For starters, it was a buffet, which I detest on general principle.  Even worse, I’d just eaten at a buffet the evening before.  Second, it became a standing buffet because of guest overload.  I got evil glares from desperate guests vying for a coveted seat as I took photos of my food rather than eating it right away and getting out.  And due to energy conservation measures mandating air conditioners in public facilities to be set no lower than 24C, which actually ends up being closer to like 28C with actual human beings moving about the room, it was hot and humid.  Kinda like camping in a snowstorm, it was fun and miserable at the same time.

(See also GLOBAL FOOD GLOSSARY)

(See also RESTAURANTS IN KOREA)