On my way back to China, I chose to buy Asiana Airline’s flight ticker due to multiple reasons. Asiana Airlines Inc. (아시아나항공) is a South Korean airline. The airline's global headquarters is located in the capital city, Seoul. In 2019, it accounted for a 25% share of the international market and a 20% share of the domestic market. The airline has its international hub.
As a member of Start Alliance, it operates 90 international passenger routes, 14 domestic and 27 cargo routes throughout Asia, Europe, North America, and Oceania. As of December 2014, the company employs 10,183 people. The majority of Asiana's pilots, ground staff, and flight attendants are based in Seoul. Asiana Airlines is the largest shareholder in Air Busan, a low-cost regional carrier joint venture with Busan Metropolitan City. The airline also holds a 100% share of Air Seoul, a subsidiary and its own low-cost carrier.
But Asiana Airlines is most famous for its in-flight meals. Even though they also offer choices including American style food, I decided to try Korean food. Because I believe in-flight meals are definitely the food that Korean people love to eat in their daily lives.
- 쌈밥
Korean people put rice and “ssamjang” on various vegetables and eat with their hands. If you have ever eaten famous Korean foods like bulgogi, galbi, and pork belly, you would experience Korean “ssam culture”. Even though it is inconvenient, it has been the special food culture of Korea for a long time. Ssambap originated from “deulbap”, as farmers ate rice wrapped in vegetables after working in a field. Nowadays, 쌈밥 has become one of the food menus. It consists of rice, vegetables and ssamjang. And jjigae and meat are added. Lettuce and perilla leaf is the most common ingredients of 쌈밥. The kinds of 쌈밥 are classified by ingredients. It varies from raw vegetables like lettuce, sesame leaf, Chinese cabbage, poached vegetables like cabbage and pumpkin, seaweeds like sea mustard and sea tangle to wild greens like ligularia fischeri and liquorice.
2. 라면
In Korea, ramen is called ramyeon (라면 / 拉麵).There are different varieties, such as kimchi-flavored ramyeon. While usually served with vegetables such as carrots and green onions, or eggs, some restaurants serve variations of ramyeon containing additional ingredients such as dumplings, tteok, or cheese as a topping. The one I had was Shin-ramyeon which is a brand of instant noodles that has been produced by the South Korean food company Nongshim since 1 October 1986. It is now exported to over 100 countries and is the highest-selling instant noodle brand in South Korea. Shin Ramyun, well known for its spicy flavor, is produced in two varieties: the original Shin Ramyun and Shin Ramyun Black, which was introduced in 2011. A standard package of Shin Ramyun consists of noodles, a packet of flavoring powder (soup base), and a packet of vegetable flakes. Shin Ramyun Black contains an extra packet of beef stock soup, which gives the soup a more intensely savory flavor.
3. 비빔밥
Bibimbap is a Korean rice dish. The term "bibim" means mixing various ingredients, while the "bap" noun refers to rice. Bibimbap is served as a bowl of warm white rice topped with namul(sautéed and seasoned vegetables) or kimchi (traditional fermented vegetables) and gochujang (chili pepper paste), soy sauce, or doenjang (a fermented soybean paste). A raw or fried egg and sliced meat (usually beef) are common additions. The hot dish is stirred together thoroughly just before eating. In South Korea, Jeanju, Jinju, and Tongyeong are especially famous for their versions of bibimbap. In 2011, the dish was listed at number 40 on the World's 50 most delicious foods readers' poll compiled by CNN Travel.
I am glad that I have such a chance to try real Korean food during this flight. Unfortunately, there were that many restaurants was opening when I arrived at Incheon airport. So I did not have a chance to try other Korean dishes at that moment. I will definitely visit Korea next time and enjoy Korean food there!
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