Heart and Seoul Travel Log: Food for the Soul Series 1 Entry #5 A Visit to Otsu Seiromushi: Black Pork, Floating Rocks, and Quiet Joys

On the evening of our second day in Seoul, we made our way to Otsu Seiromushi, the restaurant owned by Jin’s brother. Tucked inside a building in a business district in Seoul, the place was ready for our group to be accommodated. There was quiet excitement in the air.

When we were seated, we began with small servings of starters: a cold plate of sashimi and seasoned appetizers. The grilled Jeju black pig arrived soon after, and it was impeccable: greaseless, tender, and not charred at all. For a grilled meat dish, it looked and tasted healthy. I couldn’t help but compare it to the lechon black pig (a.k.a baboy ramo) I tasted during the PASLI Conference last April at the IRRI in Silang, Cavite. That version had subtle flavors of salt and tanlad. This one, however, was more refined. Thinly sliced, just one strip flavored the palate entirely.

The plate of sashimi was another star on the menu. Just like the grilled pork, it tasted fresh and clean. The tuna melted in the mouth, and there was a kind of discipline in the dish that made you want to eat with reverence. It made me want to take only what I could muster and consume; nothing wasted.

My favorite, though, was the oden-style soup with fish cakes and tofu. It was warm, comforting, and nourishing. I’ve been craving soup lately, perhaps due to my changing hormones as I enter menopause, and this bowl hit the spot. The warmth was bracing, the tofu made it even more comforting, and the elegantly wrapped fish cake pouches added depth and texture. This wasn’t just soup. It was a hug in a bowl.

Some of my companions ordered IGIN, the alcoholic drink that Jin himself helped develop. Even Zoe got a glass. I didn’t. Like Hoseok, I have low alcohol tolerance, but I appreciated the joy of everyone toasting and sharing this experience together.

What stood out just as much as the food was the installation art in the middle of the restaurant. It featured large rocks that seemed to float in mid-air, reflected in still water below. I remembered what Yoongi once said in an interview: “I wouldn’t mind being resurrected as a rock” (not in full quotation). It was a funny comment, but in that moment, looking at the quiet stones, it felt profound.

Rocks are silent. Steady. Enduring. They don’t need to prove anything to exist. They simply are. And maybe that’s what makes them strong.

That meal and that moment gave me pause. I was grateful to be there, with my daughter, with fellow ARMYs eating thoughtfully, sharing stories and getting to know each other a little more beyond our online personas. It was about tasting new flavors and appreciating the stillness, the artistry of the food and the community being built personally; relationally in a fandom space where we are often judged as nothing but screaming teenagers.

Let them. This is our joy. We earned it. It is sacred.

Truly Teena Ordoño, thank you for this well curated ARMY Tour package!