Foraging for Food in Itaewon

What do you do when you have been in Korea for 24 days and you just need some REAL AMERICAN FOOD? Like the kind that isn't make-your-eyes-water spicy and doesn't taste like fish or seaweed or fermented radish....I'm talking quality, American products like Hamburger Helper, Granola Bars, Fruit Loops, and Instant Potatoes...

When you just can't TAKE kimchi and rice anymore and your mouth is raw from being stung with red pepper spices every day, sometimes you just need some good, American, processed, yes-preservatives-added FOOD!

That's when you go to Itaewon.

Itaewon is a foreigner-friendly district of Seoul that is known for its counterfeit goods and foreign import stores. You can find restaurants in Itaewon that serve international dishes which are not easily found in Korea like cuisine from the US, England, India, Thailand, and Mexico. The crowded streets of Itaewon are lined with vendors peddling all kinds of good, from socks and scarves to bootleg DVDs and knock-off designer handbags. Itaewon is also known for its numerous tailors who custom-make men's suits at very reasonable prices.

Itaewon is sometimes referred to as the "American Ghetto" of Seoul due to the large number of Americans who work, shop and relax in the area. Many of the bars and restaurants in Itaewon are frequented by and cater to the foreigner population. It's a popular hang out for military personnel in particular although some restaurants and bars are "off-limits" to American soldiers because of their association with incidents of violence and prostitution.

So this Saturday Amy, James and I made the hour-long subway trip to Itaewon to go import food shopping. We walked down a shady-looking alley to a tiny, hole-in-the-wall, slightly-larger-than-my-bathroom "store". It was essentially like being in someone's pantry. There was no rhyme or reason to the products haphazardly placed on the 3 sets of shelves along the wall except that I recognized all of them! I have not seen so many familiar brand names and products since I got here. There were about 1 or 2 of each product. The inventory changes all the time at these stores so you never know what you'll find. They carry things like Jell-o, some boxes of cereal, instant potatoes, a few packages of hamburger helper, some Campbell's "Cream of.." soups, salsa, taco seasoning, Chips-Ahoy....

The prices are scribbled in pen somewhere on each item. Here's where the fun starts. How much would you be willing to pay for a taste of home?.....

A box of Jell-O - $5
A small can of breadcrumbs - $7
A box of Hamburger Helper - $7
A regular size container of Parmesan cheese - $15
A tiny container of Parmesan cheese - $7
A can of cream of mushroom soup - $6
A box of Chips-Ahoy - $9
A regular size bottle of Herbal Essence Shampoo - $12
A bottle of Clean & Clear face wash - $16
A jar of salsa - $7
A pack of taco seasoning - $5
A box of Swiss Miss hot chocolate with 8 packets inside - $10

Buying some over-priced comfort foods to take the edge off culture-shock?

PRICELESS :)

An import store...