Cycle 17 – Item 39

Post 5,883

13 (Fri) February 2026

Pepperoni Pizza

2.0

at Sam Ryan’s

-Itaewon, Yongsan, Seoul, Republic of Korea-

with HYM, JW, JC, JH, DJC

SIS graduate DJC (Class of 1992) is in town.  Although we weren’t friends in high school, I do recall that he was a really nice guy (I was closer with his older sister, SC (Class of 1989)) – no surprise that he became a pastor.

A small get-together was arranged, mostly Class of 1992; I agreed to join, primarily just to hang out with JW (see most recently 16.264 Aged Sirloin Set).

Arrived a bit late – random bits of food on the table were already cold.

Sam Ryan’s was featured in Cycle 1 (see most recently 1.231 BBQ Pork Ribs).

Even though I’d never spoken more than a few words to some of these people back in the day, and I hadn’t seen them in 25 years, I felt an instant sense of familiarity and comfort.   From similar socio-economic-ethnic backgrounds, we share memories of the same high school, same classmates and teachers, remember growing up in Seoul during the late 1980s.   And now we have kids the same age, going to international schools (not DJC).  Nothing to explain, no context needed, the conversations pick up naturally, as if we see each other regularly.   I should do this more regularly.

(See RESTAURANTS IN KOREA)

(See GLOBAL FOOD GLOSSARY)

(See HANSIK)

(See BOOZE)