They don’t really eat a lot of Korean barbecue in Korea. Since beef is at a premium over there, the stuff is so damned expensive (they’re pretty snobby about letting in imports from other countries, including the US.) It’s saved for special occasions.

So kids: no bbq, most likely. But for ten days – Uncle Theo’s gonna eat whatever else he can get his hands on. And for better or worse, you’re gonna hafta hear about it.

My parents, my brother and I are headed to Seoul for a long stretch to see relatives, drink soju, visit my folks’ old haunts – and sing lots and lots of really bad karaoke. And all the while, we’ll be talking about the place I was born – the frenetic, beseiged, mysterious Land of the Morning Calm – and, of course, we’ll be chatting about the food.

The83k returns to you later this week with dispatches from the trip, starting this Saturday.

Missed you guys. Talk to you soon.

–Theo