En una conversación amena, un argentino de origen coreano comparte su experiencia de vida en Buenos Aires, su dominio del idioma coreano y español, y el intercambio cultural que ha vivido. Habla sobre la llegada de sus ancestros a Argentina, el desafío del idioma y cómo han crecido como comunidad. Además, comparte detalles sobre la gastronomía coreana y su amor por los platos típicos argentinos como el asado y las milanesas.
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00:00I would like to say good morning to you in Korean, how do you say it?
00:06Good morning.
00:08Good morning.
00:09Good morning.
00:10Good morning.
00:11But you speak like someone who was born...
00:12Good morning.
00:13Good morning.
00:14Good morning.
00:15Exactly.
00:16Good, but you speak like an Argentinian.
00:19Because he is Argentinian.
00:21And I am quite an Argentinian, so...
00:23Yes.
00:24How about generational?
00:26Who were the first ones to come here?
00:30My grandmother and my father came here.
00:32My father was 13 years old, so he was also quite Portean.
00:35And I was born here directly.
00:37I say this because, as we are probably not talking about a language with Latin roots,
00:43speaking Korean for us is not so easy.
00:46I guess it must not have been for you or for your ancestors, right?
00:50But nevertheless, you managed to do it, you grew up as a community,
00:54and today you are a pride for all of us.
00:57Yes, it is incredible, because my grandmother has lived here for 40 years
01:00and still does not know Spanish very well, so she survived with Korean only.
01:03Of course.
01:04Of course.
01:05Can I ask you a question?
01:07Yes, of course.
01:08The truth is that the Korean community has given a lot of work
01:12and has expanded textually an infinity of places, in Flores and in Bajo Flores.
01:17But you have managed, in some way, to unite our culture,
01:23and there are even Korean professionals, right?
01:26Exactly, many professionals.
01:29Lawyers, doctors, do you have a community where…
01:33Yes, there is a culture that sweats blood for what they want, for what they want.
01:42So, no matter how much it is textile, no matter how much it is a profession,
01:46they really put everything.
01:49Now, sorry, there are two Koreas, North Korea and South Korea.
01:53Where did they come from?
01:55Yes.
01:57And they would be from South Korea, because they cannot leave North Korea.
02:00Of course, not even at the time…
02:02They keep it secret.
02:03Of course, not even in the previous dynasty,
02:05because the first Koreans who came were in the late 70s.
02:10Already at that time it was difficult to leave.
02:12And all those who have come are from South Korea.
02:17Exactly, it would be post-war.
02:19They came to look for a better future here.
02:21This was the time when Menem gave the people of Korea a chance
02:25to come with a certain amount of money to settle in Argentina.
02:29Could that be what happened to your family or other families?
02:33And before that too.
02:34And before that too, right?
02:37And the truth is that I would have no idea, don't worry about the political issue.
02:42But do you follow what happens there, in South Korea?
02:46More or less, only the series that come out, or the songs that come out.
02:51They are very good.
02:52But nothing of news.
02:53Korean series are in fashion.
02:54Yes, yes.
02:55And the musical artists are…
02:56Yes, also, they are very good.
02:58As well as kimchi.
03:01And that's why we are here, to talk about this very traditional food.
03:04Tell people what it is about.
03:06Why are we celebrating Kimchi Day?
03:10Well, Kimchi Day is celebrated more than anything
03:13as an acceptance of Korean immigration.
03:15Because Kimchi is the most representative dish of Korean gastronomy,
03:19which focuses everything on this garnish.
03:22This garnish is some fermented vegetables in some fish sauce,
03:27chili, sometimes garlic, sometimes ginger.
03:30And it is a way of maintaining,
03:32it was a way of maintaining the vegetables in the long winter that Korea had.
03:37And that coincidentally, now they discovered,
03:40or a long time ago they discovered,
03:42that it is even probiotic.
03:44Of course.
03:45So, on top of that, it has properties and it does you very well.
03:48Let's see, you made this known to the public,
03:53the public had a quick acceptance,
03:55because you saw that Argentines,
03:56by our roots, we are used to eating absolutely everything.
04:03Yes, in itself, the biggest difficulty was the fact that it was spicy.
04:08But in recent years, the Argentine or the Portuguese, more than anything,
04:12were increasingly accepting different dishes, even spicy.
04:15Yes.
04:16The tolerance went up.
04:17And now, once they can try it, they love it.
04:19Of course, let's say, through Mexican food,
04:22through sushi too.
04:23Yes.
04:24The fusion, the fusion.
04:25Right?
04:26It helped.
04:27This is a dish that ...
04:28How many people can eat this kimchi that we are seeing?
04:32Well, the thing is that this is a garnish.
04:34So, any dish you eat,
04:36this is cut into pieces
04:38and it is accompanied, to give it a little bit of freshness,
04:41a little bit of spiciness, acidity, sweetness,
04:44to any dish you eat.
04:45For example, with the barbecue, this goes very well.
04:47With the barbecue.
04:48Of course.
04:49Look, look.
04:50With the barbecue.
04:51Tell me, my daughter has worked in a Korean restaurant for many years,
04:54and she tells me,
04:55it's the main thing you eat with kimchi.
04:58What is it?
04:59That's how I'm going to finish the show now.
05:03And the truth is that I think I can't understand with ...
05:06Sorry for the approach,
05:09but the pronunciation doesn't let me understand what it would be.
05:12No, but you don't know Korean.
05:13I don't know Korean.
05:14Listen to me.
05:15They are like little empanadas.
05:16Yes, I'm sorry.
05:17They are like little Korean empanadas,
05:20which are quite rich,
05:21as if they were a kind of empanada,
05:24like a bao.
05:26That is combined with kimchi, okay?
05:28What is the main dish that is combined with kimchi?
05:31Maridaje.
05:32And everything.
05:33The rice itself.
05:34With the fact of having glutinous white rice that we make,
05:38kimchi is enough to have a delicious dinner.
05:40And Esteban, just talking about ...
05:41Anything that accompanies kimchi.
05:43Just talking about the spice.
05:44If someone is of Korean origin,
05:46the spice is doubled,
05:47and if an Argentine goes down a little,
05:49do they take that into account or not?
05:51The same dish always comes out.
05:52Let's see.
05:54No, no, luckily we have dishes
05:57that we don't change the recipes,
05:59but we did see what would be closer to the Argentine palate.
06:03And not only that,
06:04but we have customers from about seven years ago
06:06who at first did not eat any spice,
06:08not even pepper,
06:09and they got used to it and improved their tolerance,
06:12and now they can't live without spice.
06:15And they remember Esteban at night.
06:16Listen to me, Esteban.
06:18And what drink do we accompany it with?
06:21It can be Korean or Argentine.
06:23Well, we have an infusion that is toasted cebada.
06:30It's kind of bitter,
06:32and it goes very well with food.
06:34I don't know if you've ever seen it in Korean series,
06:36there's a green bottle.
06:37Yes, I tried it.
06:39It's delicious.
06:40And because I worked for Koreans.
06:42It's delicious, it's soft.
06:44Yes, they gave it to me.
06:45But it's alcoholic.
06:46It has about 10% alcohol.
06:48Very little.
06:49Yes, 10% alcohol.
06:50It's like an energizer.
06:51It's like an energizer.
06:52Yes.
06:53And it has a very rich fruit flavor.
06:55It's green.
06:57It comes in little cans like this, right?
07:01It comes in a green bottle.
07:03With alcohol.
07:04And the fruit flavors are very rich.
07:06And Esteban, tell me one thing.
07:07In this delicious cultural exchange
07:10that Argentina has had for two centuries,
07:14did you learn to make asadito?
07:16Do you put chorizo in it too?
07:18What do you like to eat here?
07:23And here, to begin with,
07:25I've been traveling to Korea for two weeks
07:27and I've been missing asado for two days.
07:30Of course I learned it, because here...
07:33Before, they said that you weren't a man
07:35if you didn't make asado.
07:37So, well, we had to respect the popular laws.
07:41The milanesas too, right?
07:43A milanga?
07:44Milanga with mashed potatoes.
07:45Yes, a milanga, of course.
07:47Did your mother learn to make our food too?
07:52Yes, my mother makes the best milanesa in all of Argentina.
07:57You're throwing a challenge.
07:59The best milanesa is made by...
08:01Challenge.
08:02What's your mother's name?
08:03Yes, yes, anyone can come in.
08:05My mother's name is An Ra-Chung.
08:06She's a Korean soprano in Argentina.
08:09So pretty.
08:10She's a soprano and Dona An Ra-Chung makes the best milanesas.
08:13Why do you say they're the best?
08:15What do they have?
08:16What's the secret, Esteban?
08:19I think the amount of garlic and parsley
08:23makes a very balanced milanesa.
08:26And it's very well fried.
08:27What kind of meat does she use?
08:29Peseto, loin...
08:31And does she...
08:32Square?
08:33No, with entrails or beef and chorizo, so...
08:36Look at that!
08:37Chorizo!
08:38I like beef.
08:40It's delicious.
08:41Wait, if I go there...
08:42We're in the restaurant, right?
08:44Yes.
08:45What's the password?
08:46You won't get milanesa.
08:47A Korean song.
08:48I'll ask you for a milanesa with kimchi.
08:51Does it work?
08:52Yes.
08:53No.
08:54It doesn't work.
08:55But the table was hidden.
08:57Esteban, stop!
08:58You have to open your head.
09:00If you tell me that your mother makes the best milanesas in the neighborhood,
09:03you sell your food, Korean food, and ours...
09:07Listen to me, you double the profits.
09:11And the truth is that it's not a bad idea.
09:12Maybe we can have a one-week event
09:14where we can have milanesas with kimchi.
09:17Sure.
09:18We'll have a Korean milanesa week.
09:20Sure, and let us know that we're going, right?
09:23Because I want the milanesa of the lady.
09:25Listen to me, is your mother there?
09:27Whenever they want.
09:28Is your mother there to sing us something?
09:30No.
09:31No.
09:32No, she just went to...
09:34Lessons, right?
09:35Ah.
09:36Lessons of singing.
09:37Okay.
09:38And you?
09:39Do you sing too?
09:40No.
09:42No, I don't recommend it, yes.
09:45Poor people who watch it.
09:47You don't recommend it.
09:48Tell me something.
09:49I don't recommend it.
09:51And you, Esteban, you're also a host of the show.
09:57Ah, yes, I'm the host of...
09:58Yes.
09:59Yes, yes.
10:00Here?
10:01Uncle and nephew in A24.
10:02Of course, of course.
10:03It's a great show.
10:04Very good.
10:05Yes, the media...
10:06Ah, thank you very much.
10:07Yes, of course, of course, great.
10:08I mean, the media also...
10:09Today, let's say, not only the Korean community, right?
10:10But I mean, they have also entered as a community.
10:11And what reception do you see they have?
10:12And the truth is that we are very grateful that they accept us very much.
10:13Not only that, there are many people who already watch Korean series or listen to Korean music
10:14and they don't call us Chinese directly, but they know how to compare us.
10:15And they really like our culture.
10:16And we are very grateful.