"ISN'T THERE something different? I am disgusted with lunch menu of Student Union!!" A male student grumbled to his friend. At that moment, a motorcycle that delivers some Chinese food passed by at a high speed. "That? it! Today's menu is Chinese food!" You must have experienced this at least once, right? Jajangmyeon, Jjamppong, Tangsuyuk... I already have an appetite for them. As Chinese food is so familiar and convenient for us to eat, The Yonsei Annals asked 100 Yonseians about their experience with Chinese food.

As a basic question, the Annals asked How often do you eat Chinese food? As expected, the frequency was quite high. 39 people answered "twice or three times a month" and 22 students chose "once a week". 16 Yonseians were found to eat them three or four times a week! Oh~ Is it your staple food? Then you might call a Chinese restaurant at least 100 times. As he or she is so familiar with your voice, before you finish your order, the host or hostess will interrupt you saying this. "Jajangmyeon goppaegi(more amount of a just one Jajangmyeon ), right?" There were 5 people who rarely ate them. Why don't you eat those delicious foods? Have you ever discovered any cockroaches in your Chinese food by any chance? Isn? it because of your dirty house? If then, how about cleaning your house before complaining?

If you eat Chinese food often, there might be your favorite menu. Personally, I like Jjamppong because its spicy soup stimulates my appetite. For the question what is your favorite Chinese food? 35 students answered "Tangsuyuk", 31 picked "Jajangmyeon" and 12 chose "Jjamppong " We were able to know that these are the big three of Chinese foods from the results. Then, I have to analyze why people smack their lips over them.

First, what do you think is the attraction of Jajangmyeon, the most popular kind of Chinese food? 33 people chose "Jajang sauce which is not that sugary and hot." And 25 people picked "elastic and lustrous noodle" Boys! Are thinking of Jun Ji-hyun? silky hair? 23 selected "cheap price." Do you remember the lyrics of a popular Korean song which almost became an idiom, "If you do not have some money, go home and just eat a fried green-bean pancake instead jjara jajajajan~♬ " Fried green-bean pancake is good enough, but you have to make it yourself. Since making it is somewhat annoying, you had better order cheap Chinese food, which is delivered to right in front of your nose. While you are waiting for your food, you can just read comic books in a leisurely way.

   
As the rival of Jajangmyeon in price and taste, Jjamppong also has been loved by Korean people for a long time. So the Annals asked What do you think is attractive about Jjamppong? As many as 83 chose "its hot-tasting soup." Once you swallow it, you will never forget that "cool" taste fully spreading out in your mouth. 11 Yonseians selected "chewy squid" It should be chewed at least three times to take in through our throats! One person picked "its name, Jjamppong ". Its pronunciation is pretty unique. We have to make strong sounds twice, 'jjam' and 'ppong'! Isn? it funny?

Compared to Jajangmyeon and Jjamppong, Tangsuyuk is luxurious because its price is about twice or three times higher than the other two. It is also one of the most popular kinds of foods in Korea. Then What do you think of the attraction of Tangsuyuk? 38 students picked "sweet and sour sauce" When making this sauce, almost four to eleven ingredients are needed: pork, carrot, mushroom, sweet potato starch, onion, cucumber, pineapple, eggs, arrowroot, ketchup, and so forth. Additionally, you can add coffee or lemonade according to your taste. How could these harmonize with each other and make a profound flavor? It is marvelous! One person answered "host or hostess's bright smile when ordering Tangsuyuk? It may be because its price is a little bit more expensive than that of others,  Jajangmyeon and Jjamppong . Sir, don't you think that you are you being too fond of money?

Till now, we found out the attraction of each Chinese food. Then When do you give an order for Chinese food? 27 students picked "when pressed for time" They are usually delivered in 30 minutes. However, sometimes Yonseians skip their lectures to eat Chinese food. Isn't it contradictory to the fact that they ordered them for its speed? In many cases, carriers do not show up for a while, and then students call the Chinese restaurant. They always say, "A carrier already departed!" Inevitably, the student cannot make it to class on time unless he or she cancels the order. One person answered he eats Chinese food "when the partner is not in your favor on a blind date" If you smack your lips while eating it, it would be more effective for you to make her dislike you.

There are many Chinese restaurants and they compete with each other in taste and price. Among them, How do you select one restaurant? "Taste" was chosen by 37 people. Since it is a kind of food, you have to consider that first. And a surprising number of 21 students picked "a phone number which meets the eye first." When you go to your ban room, you can find numerous Chinese restaurant advertisements on the walls and desks. You can choose one among them. But, if you are unlucky, service, price and taste can be blank! 11 people answered "service". It became a habitual in Chinese restaurant to give an extra service when ordering something more than a certain level. If there is no service though you ordered more than three plates of Jajangmyeon , do not select that restaurant.

   
Now you have to call a Chinese restaurant. Where are you going to have Chinese food delivered? To this question, 49 people answered "dongahree or ban room". As many people eat them in dongahree or ban room, some often go there to beg a plate of Jajangmyeon. I clap my hands to their ingenuity! And 25 picked "I do not care at all." Then, have you ever eaten Chinese food in the Central Library? It would be possible if you hide it with some heavy and thick books. Were you the person who put Jajang on his book? 14 students picked "on the grass of Yonsei Univ." When you eat them with your friend, be cautious not to show your dirty mouth covered with black Jajang to someone you are in love with. And you know what?

In China, there are lots of extremely esoteric food ranging from rotten bean-curd to duck's lingua. If you can pick anything, what do you want to have? 39 answered "shark's fin". It feels as if the sharks are crying sorrowfully for their fins. They might be searching for their fins this very moment. 18 students selected "the sole of a bear's foot." Look at the sole of your foot. Yours has such a bad smell. Then, how dirty would the sole of a bear's foot be? Do you really want to eat it? Another 15 people chose "swallow's house" How could you think of eating straw which swallows nipped off to make their house with their small beak? Getting blood from a turnip!

For the last question, we asked, what title are you going to make up for your own Chinese restaurant. There were many interesting answers. One person wrote "The place I gain weight in". Then only skinny people will be steady customers. There was also the answer, "Jjap-hwa-getti" Isn't it an imitation of Jjapagetti(an instant Jajang-favor ramyeon)?? "Bokseonggak2" was mentioned. If you do not know about Bokseonggak though you are a Yonseian, you must be a spy! However, if you want to make a good profit, you might have to make the price lower than Bokseonggak .  

   
Some people say Chinese food is too greasy. However, it is the very attraction of it! When you feel like eating something oily, think about Chinese food. It is cheap, delicious, and large in quantity. Although their name is Chinese food, there are no dishes like Jajangmyeon, Jjamppong and Tangsuyuk in China. It is because we changed their food to suit Korean taste. So we need to be more proud of it, since we critically accepted another country's culture and created a brand new culture of our own.

저작권자 © The Yonsei Annals 무단전재 및 재배포 금지