Modern Korea is a society of unprecedented growth, rapid
modernisation, and upward mobility. However, in all this
excitement, sometimes it’s easy to lose sight of one’s roots.
Korea, like any society, was built on the backs of the lower
classes. These people, known as the seomin, are the people who
farmed the crops, who laboured for the state, who served in the
military, and who paid the majority of the taxes. Lately I’ve
encountered several modern-day examples of Korea’s lower class,
mainly while working on food tourism articles. In exploring
Pimatgol, I traced the footsteps of Joseon-era commoners
escaping the social pressures of encountering aristocrats. In
more contemporary examples, I visited the cities famous for
budae jjigae (created in the ashes of war) and dakgalbi (once
called “seomin galbi”), both foods with humble origins, now
considered fine examples of Korean cuisine. In cases like these,
I’ve sometimes noticed a bit of apprehension on the part of many
Koreans who may feel defensive of their cou