The Drama: My Mister and the Pojangmacha Confessional
It’s late. Past midnight in Seoul.
The orange tarp of a pojangmacha glows against the dark street. Inside, steam rises from a pot of fish cakes on skewers, and two strangers who shouldn’t be friends sit across from each other, paper cups of soju in hand.
This is My Mister (나의 아저씨), and this is where broken people come to be understood.
In Kim Won-suk’s masterpiece of quiet devastation, food isn’t about taste—it’s about presence. When Park Dong-hoon (Lee Sun-kyun) and Lee Ji-an (IU) share eomuk-tang at a pojangmacha, they’re not just eating. They’re existing together in a space where words aren’t necessary, where the warmth of broth says what neither of them can.
The fish cake soup sits between them, steam curling upward. She ladles broth into his cup. He doesn’t ask why she’s there. The city rushes by outside, but inside the tent, time slows down.
This is what Korean street food does best: it creates shelter. A plastic stool, a paper cup, a stranger who becomes something more—eomuk-tang is the backdrop to a thousand late-night conversations that changed everything.
The History of Eomuk-tang
What Is Eomuk-tang?
Eomuk-tang (어묵탕) is Korean fish cake soup—thin slabs of processed fish cake threaded onto bamboo skewers and simmered in a clear, anchovy-based broth. The soup is typically served bubbling hot from a large communal pot at street food stalls, with customers helping themselves to skewers and ladling broth into small cups.
The dish goes by several names: eomuk-tang (fish cake soup), odeng (오뎅, from the Japanese oden), or simply eomuk-guk (fish cake broth).
From Japan to Korean Streets
Korean fish cakes arrived through Japanese colonial influence in the early 20th century. Oden, the Japanese hot pot with various fish cakes and vegetables, was adapted and simplified for Korean tastes.
But somewhere along the way, something shifted.
Korean eomuk became its own thing. The fish cakes grew thinner, more delicate. The broth simplified to a clean anchovy-and-kelp base. And most importantly, it moved from restaurants to the streets—becoming the quintessential pojangmacha food.
| Feature | Japanese Oden | Korean Eomuk-tang |
|---|---|---|
| Fish cake style | Thick, varied shapes | Thin, flat, skewered |
| Broth | Dashi with soy sauce | Clean anchovy-kelp |
| Serving style | Individual hot pot | Communal street pot |
| Accompaniments | Karashi mustard | Soju, tteokbokki |
| Setting | Izakaya, home | Pojangmacha, bunsik |
The Pojangmacha Culture
Pojangmacha (포장마차) literally means “covered wagon”—those iconic orange-tarped street tents where office workers decompress after brutal days, couples have first dates, and strangers become drinking buddies.
At every pojangmacha, eomuk-tang occupies the center of the table. The pot bubbles constantly. You grab a skewer, eat, then drop the empty stick into a cup—that’s how the vendor counts your bill. Between bites, you ladle broth into your cup, the warmth cutting through soju’s chill.
It’s democracy in soup form. Everyone reaches into the same pot. Everyone shares the same warmth.
The Recipe: Classic Pojangmacha Eomuk-tang
Ingredients
For the Broth
- 8 cups water
- Dried anchovies (10-12, heads and guts removed) Amazon →
- Dried kelp (다시마, 5x5 cm piece) Amazon →
- 1 medium Korean radish, sliced
- 1 large green onion, halved
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
For the Soup
- Korean fish cakes (어묵, 300g, various types) Amazon →
- 10-12 bamboo skewers
- 2 green onions, sliced (for garnish)
- 1 fresh chili, sliced (optional)
Optional Additions
- Korean rice cakes (떡) Amazon →
- Boiled eggs
- Tofu
- Kongnamul (bean sprouts)
Equipment
- Large pot
- Fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth
- Bamboo skewers
- Ladle
Video Tutorial
Video by 엄마의손맛
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Broth Base
Add water, dried anchovies, kelp, radish slices, and green onion to a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium and simmer for 20 minutes.
The broth should become slightly cloudy with a deep seafood aroma.
Step 2: Strain and Season
Remove the kelp after 10 minutes (it can become slimy if overcooked). After 20 minutes, strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer, discarding the solids.
Return the clear broth to the pot. Season with soy sauce and salt. The broth should taste clean and savory—not too salty, as it will reduce slightly.
Step 3: Prepare the Fish Cakes
Cut fish cakes into long strips if needed. Thread each piece onto a bamboo skewer in a wave pattern—this is the classic pojangmacha style.
Ji-an’s Tip: Don’t overcrowd the skewers. Each piece should have room to absorb the broth.
Step 4: Simmer
Bring the broth back to a gentle simmer. Add the fish cake skewers, standing them upright if possible. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the fish cakes are heated through and have absorbed some broth flavor.
Step 5: Serve Pojangmacha Style
Keep the pot simmering on low heat. Serve the skewers directly from the pot. Provide small cups for guests to ladle broth.
Garnish the broth with sliced green onions and fresh chili if desired.
FAQ
What’s the difference between eomuk and odeng?
Technically, odeng (오뎅) is the older term borrowed from Japanese, while eomuk (어묵) is the native Korean word. Many Koreans use them interchangeably, though eomuk has become more common in recent years as part of language purification efforts. The food itself is identical.
Where can I buy Korean fish cakes?
Korean fish cakes are available at any Korean grocery store, usually in the refrigerated or frozen section. Look for flat, rectangular sheets or pre-cut varieties. Popular brands include Samjin and Saeromi. In a pinch, Japanese fish cakes work too, though they’re typically thicker.
Can I make the broth ahead of time?
Yes, the anchovy-kelp broth keeps refrigerated for up to 5 days. In fact, it often tastes better the next day as the flavors meld. Just reheat and add fresh fish cakes before serving.
Why is eomuk-tang served at pojangmacha?
Practical reasons: it’s easy to keep a pot simmering all night, the broth stays hot for hours, and customers can serve themselves. But there’s a deeper reason—the warm broth cuts through soju’s bite, making it the perfect drinking companion. The communal pot also creates intimacy among strangers.
Is eomuk-tang healthy?
Relatively! The broth is low in fat and calories, and fish cakes provide protein. However, commercial fish cakes can be high in sodium. Making your broth from scratch and choosing quality fish cakes makes this a reasonably healthy comfort food.
What do I do with the empty skewers?
In Korea, you drop empty skewers into a designated cup or container. The vendor counts them to calculate your bill—typically 500-1000 won per skewer. It’s an honor system that somehow still works.
Can I add tteokbokki to the same pot?
Many pojangmachas serve tteok (rice cakes) alongside eomuk-tang. You can add plain rice cakes to the broth, or serve spicy tteokbokki separately and use the eomuk broth to cool your mouth between bites. The combination is classic Korean street food.
Make It Tonight
There’s a scene in My Mister where Dong-hoon says nothing. Ji-an says nothing. They just sit under the orange tarp, steam rising between them, and somehow that silence says everything.
That’s what eomuk-tang is for.
It’s not fancy food. It’s not Instagram food. It’s the kind of food you eat when you need to exist quietly next to another person. When words would be too much but leaving would be worse.
You probably don’t have a pojangmacha on your corner. Most of us don’t. But you can recreate that warmth—the bubbling pot, the steam, the simple act of ladling broth for someone who needs it.
Make eomuk-tang tonight. Find someone who needs to sit in comfortable silence. Share the warmth.
오늘 밤, 나의 아저씨 정주행하면서 직접 만든 어묵탕과 함께하는 건 어떨까요?
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Hero image: “Korea fish cake soup-Eomuk-Tang” by Chloe Lim, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Part of our K-Drama Kitchen series—cooking the dishes that made us hungry while watching.
