Dried Seafood with Delicious Texture
Grilled Dried Pollack and Beer

Grilled Dried Pollack Dipped in a Sauce

Dried Pollack Goes Well with Soy Sauce Mixed with Mayonnaise and Cheongyang Chili Pepper

Soft Fried Egg and Grilled Spam to Go with the Drink

A Table Full of Beer and Side Dishes at a ‘Gamaekjip’, a Convenience Store Turned into a Bar

A Table Full of Beer and Side Dishes at a ‘Gamaekjip’, a Convenience Store Turned into a Bar

A Gamaekjip Selling Various Types of Drinks and Snacks

A Gamaekjip, a Self-serve Bar Where You Choose and Bring the Drinks and Snacks of Your Choice

Many Koreans choose dried seafood as their favorite side dish to go with beer because it’s not too heavy on their stomach. Dried seafood is just that, fish or seafood that’s naturally dried under the sun or artificially dried with heat. Many Koreans love to have some grilled dried pollack with their beer because of its unique rich flavor. Dried pollack is characterized by the dark color of the skin, which darkens while being naturally dried. A naturally dried pollack is moister and more tender than the ones that are artificially dried, making it a perfect side dish to go with beer. If you want to follow the way Koreans prepare and eat their grilled dried pollack, then first, slightly grill a dried pollack over the fire, tear it into thin strips, and dip the thin strip of grilled dried pollack in soy sauce mixed with mayonnaise and Cheongyang chili pepper. This is one of the best ways to enjoy the savory taste of the fish and the spice of the sauce at the same time. Have a sip of the beer with this unique umami flavor in your mouth, and you will instantly get a taste of this all-time favorite side dish for beer among Koreans. Grilled dried pollack became even more popular with the rise of “Gamaekjip,” a unique type of self-serve bar that originated in Jeonju, Jeonbuk State. A number of convenience stores in this city started selling grilled dried pollack along with beer, hence the name “ga-maek,” which literally means “store-beer” in Korean. This unique culture of drinking at a convenience store soon became very popular in Jeonbuk State because of the cheap prices of beer and snacks including squid and dried pollack that are relatively cheaper than most other foods for drinks. Gamaekjip also served simple side dishes such as eggs and spam. In addition to these, some of the unique advantages of drinking in a gamaekjip included that you can choose any of the alcoholic beverages and snacks that the convenience store carries to eat and drink.

A Combination of Fresh Vegetables and Sundae
Stir-fried Sundae and Somaek

Stir-fried Sundae without the Red Chili Paste for a Plain Flavor

Stir-fried Sundae Dipped in Red Chili Paste Sauce

Sundae Dipped in Red Chili Paste and Wrapped in a Vegetable Leaf

Making a Glass of Somaek with Soju and Beer

A Technique for Mixing Soju with Beer Using Chopsticks

Somaek is a mixture of beer and soju known for its fizzy tang and the spice of alcohol. The taste of somaek can change according to the ratio of beer and soju, and also the person who made it. In addition to the varying ratios of beer and soju, there are also various ways of making a glass of somaek. The most popular method is to put a chopstick in the glass of somaek and hit the chopstick with another chopstick to create a vibration to mix the two different alcoholic beverages. A simpler way to make a glass of somaek is just stirring it with a spoon.

Stir-fried sundae is a recommended side dish for somaek. This dish is made by stir-frying sundae with various types of vegetables such as perilla leaves, cabbage, and chives, sauce, perilla seed powder, and chewy noodles on a hot iron plate. Stir-fried sundae is often spicy because it usually includes chili pepper powder and/or red chili paste, but there are variety of stir-fried sundae that doesn’t include any chili pepper powder or red chili paste. Plain but savory thanks to the perilla seed powder, many Koreans love to order this dish when they are about to have some somaek. While it can be served as it is, you can also dip it in the spicy red chili paste sauce or wrap it in a vegetable leaf. The perilla seed powder can become a little sticky in the mouth, so it’s when Koreans have a sip of somaek to wash it away so they can have some more of the delicacy. The chewy noodles will also make you want to drink more somaek because it’s coated with perilla seed powder.