Minsok Chun (민속촌) is a Korean folk village in Youngin (용인) province. It’s a living museum of how Korean people lived; way before any contact with foreign nations. If you go to Minsok Chun (민속촌), you’ll get to see what Korean people did and how they spent their time. This is the age before television, so imagine a time before central plumbing and electric heating and you get Minsok Chun (민속촌). If you go to Minsok Chun (민속촌) for the Deborum (대보름) festival, you’ll see a wonderful parade with all sorts of traditional entertainment.
Minsok Chun (민속촌) is a museum with a wealth of knowledge. They have various workshops where you can see how everything was made by hand. For example, I’d recommend the pottery workshop. You’ll see the actual ovens potters used to make porcelain bowls and cups. The pots have a green-blue color to them when they are done baking in the kilns. These pots are called bunchong sagi (분청사기).
There’s also a worksop demonstrating the way paper was made a long time ago. You get to see each and every step including the part where the paper maker boils some water and adds some tree bark and dakpul (닥풀). Dakpul (닥풀) is a type of grass where it is mixed with water to form a pulp, which is then dried to make paper.
Lastly, there’s also a candy workshop where yot (엿) is made. Yot (엿) is a brown taffy colored candy made from rice and other grains. You can see how it’s made and buy some to taste as well.
Admission to minsok chun (민속촌) is around 10 U.S. dollars for adults, $7 for seniors and and $6 for children. I suggest going on special holidays and festivals because they usually have some kind of extravagent show prepared for special occasions.
Minsok chun (민속촌) is an educational, but a fun experience. Just go there, and you’ll see what I mean! That’s it for today guys! See you next time!
A typical snack enjoyed on Deborum (대보름), or the full moon festival, is yakshik (약식). Yakshik (약식) is brown in color and sweet in taste. Today, we are going to learn how to make yakshik (약식).
First, soak about two cups of chapssal (찹쌀) or glutinous rice in cold water for a day. If you don’t soak the chapssal (찹쌀), it won’t turn out soft and sticky, so make sure to soak, soak, soak. Then, take a cup of brown sugar and a cup of cinnamon and mix it together. Add two cups of water and a tablespoon of soy sauce. Next, mix in a half cup of raisins.
Then, open a can of bam (밤). Let me give you a hint as to what bam (밤) is. “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…” If you haven’t guessed alreay, bam is the Korean word for chestnut. Drain the water out of the can of bam (밤). If you don’t want the canned variety, you can buy some raw chestnuts. However, it takes more work with raw chestnuts because you have to peel off the hard skin. 
Then get about a fourth of a cup of song kwa (송과). Song kwas (송과) are pine nuts. They are yellowish in color and used in American recipes as well. For example, pine nut oil is used in making brownies. Pine nuts come from pine cones. I guess you could look for some pine cones and try to shake out some pine nuts, but a better use of your time might be to buy it at the store.
Next, grab a handful of dechu (대추). Dechu (대추) is a type of date or jujube. (Jujube as in the type that grows on trees, not the candy.) Dechus (대추) are red and look like dried raisins. Dechus (대추) give the yakshik (약식) a natural sweetness. Dechu (대추) is used not just in yakshik (약식) but in Korean teas and medicine as well.
Ogok-bap (오곡밥) is a common dish consumed on Deborum (대보람) or the full moon festival. What is ogok-bap (오곡밥)? It’s a dish of five different types of grain.
The most prominent ingredient in ogok-bap (오곡밥) is chapssal (찹쌀). Chapssal (찹쌀) is glutinous rice. When glutinous rice is cooked, it becomes sticky. Despite it’s name, glutinous rice does not contain gluten. So for all of you who are on a gluten-free diet, ogok-bap (오곡밥) is perfect for you.
Pat (팥) is a type of red soybean. Red soybeans are often sweetened and consumed as a type of paste in Korean desserts. In ogok-bap (오곡밥) red soybeans are not sweetened and consumed as a bean, not as paste.
There are also black soybeans called komjung kong (검정콩). Komjung kong (검정콩) contains a lot of protein. Komjung kong (검정콩) is the most recognizable ingredient in ogok-bap (오곡밥). They are huge and scattered all throughout the ogok-bap (오곡밥).
Bori (보리), which is barley grain in English, is used to make Korean tea. Bori (보리) is also used in U.S. goods like bread and oatmeal. Bori (보리) is really healthy and known to regulate blood sugar levels.
Lastly, ogok-bap (오곡밥) contains chasusu (차수수). Chasusu (차수수) is sorghum. Sorghum is used in the US as fodder for livestock and sometimes to produce molasses in alcoholic beverages.
