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Michelle Zauner's "Crying in H Mart" and all the Korean foods listed with recipes [Something Interesting #56]

  • Writer: Alex Bemish
    Alex Bemish
  • May 18
  • 3 min read

Updated: May 19

After spending most of May trying to find time to read it, Michelle Zauner's Crying in H Mart is a book I highly recommend reading/listening to. Initially I started with the audiobook but because of all of the Korean used to describe the food that's central to the story of Zauner and her mother, I found it easier to see the dishes named in writing. As for the memoir itself, Zauner focused mostly on the final months of her mother's cancer and their complicated relationship within the context of the relationships she had with her father, her boyfriend/husband, and her mother's family in Seoul. From a writing perspective, it hits similar memoir-beats I've seen before (it reminded me a lot of Trevor Noah's Born A Crime, actually) but also gave a great run-through on Korean cuisine I would've never known about it. If a book is teaching you something new and useful, I'd say that's the mark of excellent writing.


Photo of a Seoul food market by Mike Swigunski (Unsplash)


So this Something Interesting is less a book review and more a record with all of the terms I've learned while reading. Along with the glossary below, I'll also provide the audiobook, some related videos to what's mentioned later in the book, and the albums I posted in a previous journal entry from Zauner's band Japanese Breakfast.


(Also, if you've never been to an H Mart with a food court and get the opportunity to visit one, take it - they're a fucking delight.)


A Quick Glossary Regarding Korean Food from the Book

The below is a list of the foods and cooking items found throughout the book, linked to Wikipedia articles to give more context. I've also gone through Maangchi's website to find recipes if you'd like to try them yourself. Zauner mentions referencing these recipes in her learning how to cook many of these items to better connect with her mother.


Anju (안주): General term for any food served during drinking [Collection of recipes]

Banchan (반찬): Small side dishes usually served alongside rice [Collection of recipes]

Bibimbap (비빔밥): Cooked rice dish usually topped with meat and egg [Recipe]

Bindae-tteok (빈대떡): Mung-bean pancake [Recipe]

Bingsu (빙수): Shaved ice with sweet toppings [Recipe]

Chamoe (참외): Also known as Oriental melon, a type of melon often compared to a mix of cucumbers and honeydews

Danmuji (단무지): Pickled daikon radish

Dolsot (돌솥): Stoneware pot used for cooking and serving rice dishes

Galbi (갈비): Beef short ribs [Recipe]

Gimbap (김밥): Rice dish similar to sushi rolls [Recipe]

Gochujang (고추장): Red chili paste

Gopchang (곱창): Grilled intestines

Gyeran-jjim (계란찜): Steamed egg custard [Recipe]

Jajangmyeon (자장면): Chinese-inspired noodle dish topped with gochujang and pork [Recipe]

Jatjuk (잣죽): Pine nut porridge [Recipe]

Jeon (전): Fritter with meat and vegetables [Recipe]

Jeongol (전골): Korean-style hot pot [Recipe]

Jeot (젓): Salted seafood [Recipe]

Jjamppong (짬뽕): Spicy noodle soup [Recipe]

Jjigae (찌개): Family of Korean stews

Jorim (조림): Family of dishes simmered for cooking

Kal-guksu (칼국수): Wheat flour noodles in broth [Recipe]

Kong-guksu (콩국수): Cold soybean noodle soup [Recipe]

Maekju (맥주): Korean beer

Maeun-tang (매운탕): Spicy fish stew [Recipe]

Mandu (만두): Filled dumplings similar to gyoza [Recipe]

Misu (미수): Drink made from a barley powder

Miyeok (미역): Also known as wakame, a type of edible seaweed

Miyeok-guk (미역국): Seaweed soup [Recipe]

Myeongnan (명란): Pollack roe [Recipe]

Nakji-bokkeum (낙지볶음): Stir-fried octopus [Recipe]

Namul (나물): Family of edible greens

Naegmyeon (냉면): Buckwheat or other starch noodle dish [Recipe]

Onggi (옹기): Earthenware tableware

Pajeon (파전): Scallion fritter [Recipe]

Samgyeopsal (삼겹살): Multi-layered grilled pork dish [Recipe]

Samgye-tang (삼계탕): Ginseng chicken soup [Recipe]

Seolleongtang (설렁탕): Ox bone soup [Recipe]

Soboro-ppang (소보로빵): Peanut butter streusel bread [Recipe from Reddit]

Soju (소주): Clear rice-based spirit, similar to vodka

Somaek (소맥): Beer cocktail with soju and beer

Ssam (): Leafy green wrap [Recipe]

Ssamjang (쌈장): Thick spicy paste

Tteokbokki (떡볶이): Simmered rice cake [Recipe]

Tteokguk (떡국): Sliced rice cake soup [Recipe]

Ttukbaegi (뚝배기): Type of black-brown earthenware

Yaksik (약식): Sweet glutinous rice dish with nuts and berries [Recipe]


Some Supplemental Things

The audiobook


Some videos


“Coffee Hanjan” by Pearl Sisters, which is important to the last chapter of the book (plus Zauner's cover of the song)


Albums from Japanese Breakfast

Psychopomp (2016)



Jubilee (2021)



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