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KWOW - Season 3

Meet Caricature Artist Marcus Sakoda

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Meet Caricature Artist Marcus Sakoda

In KWOW episode 133, I visit my friend Marcus Sakoda who draws for the various Fun Caricature locations around Seoul. We have a meetup at the entrance of Trick Eye Museum and he gives us a tour of his workplace. He's the one in the middle wearing the red hat.

You'll see Marcus' work showcased around the shop. Recognize the famous Korean actor in the caricature below? There's also a handsome version of Kim Soo-hyun, which appears in KWOW episode 133.

Here's the caricature Marcus made of Professor Oh. He drew it from scratch on the computer under two hours! Watch his speedpainting video below to see his process.

Interested in getting your own caricature done? The Fun Caricature shops are located at the following locations: Ssamziegil in Insadong, Lotte World, Trick Eye Museum and a shop in Hongdae. Go to the right location and the right day, you just might get to meet Marcus!



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Broccoli Latte at Homestead Coffee and more

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Broccoli Latte at Homestead Coffee and more

My friends and I came across a Homestead Coffee in Daehangno after watching a play. Homestead Coffee is a chain restaurant and cafe with locations scattered throughout Korea. Some people love their coffee. My friend thought their Americano was average. I don't drink coffee, but I do eat food. Thus I will give an honest review of our brunch, dessert and broccoli latte. Yes, you heard right. Broccoli!

The interior is your average clean Korean cafe interior. Cozy yet nothing too unique. Brick walls with framed images. Chairs and light fixtures made of straw. Strings of purple lights hung on windows and trees. Decorations to create that likeable cafe vibe.

homestead coffee interior
homestead coffee decoration
homestead coffee interior seating

The Homestead Coffee menu contains interesting items. Two words popped out into our eyes: Broccoli Latte. Curious of its taste we challenged ourselves and ordered a cup. We predicted the drink would be a hit or miss.

homestead order counter

The three of us took a sip each. The Broccoli Latte tasted more like a soup than a drink. We agreed it is not something we'd order again, but is something to experience once. It may be an acquired taste. The Broccoli Latte is comparable to juiced Unicorn Grass. The flavor is magical in a strange and memorable way.

broccoli latte

Their Mushroom Omelette was oh-so-juicy and will wake your taste buds up! My friend said it tasted like a sunrise. To me it tasted like an alarm clock. Sunrise and alarm clock are siblings. We highly recommend this omelette, especially if you didn't get enough sleep from the night before. Your eyes will pop out from the deliciousness.

mushroom omelette

The Cajun Salad was not as eye-poppingly yummy. The chicken was dry and it didn't contain much nutritious vegetables. It's rare to come by a legitimate salad in Korea. As of winter 2014, the locals here are passionately in love with refined carbs (i.e. rice cakes, white bread, thick waffles, etc).

cajun salad

The Dojima Roll is soft and creamy as it looks. It is slightly sweet. For a stronger dose of sugar, dip your piece of the roll onto the caramel drizzled on the plate.

dojima roll

Would I go back to Homestead Coffee? Quite possibly at another location. Though for the rest of my stay in Korea, I'll be searching for the mom and pop shops.

homestead coffee storefront

Homestead Coffee
Phone number: +82 2-744-3359
Website: http://www.homestead.co.kr/
Address (in Korean): 종로구 동숭동 1-93 (대학로점), Seoul
Direction: Exit 2 at Hyehwa Station. Walk east on Daehak-ro 10 gil until street ends. Make right turn on Daehak-ro 12-gil. Homestead Coffee will be on your right.



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GALBI JJIM: Steamed Beef in Gangnam, Korea

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GALBI JJIM: Steamed Beef in Gangnam, Korea

In KWOW episode 123, my best buddy Yoonah and I had quite a laugh at Masizzim. In the world of our sense of humor we found the name to be hilarious. When our other bestie Judy visited us in Seoul, we decided it was time to fulfill our destiny: dining at Masizzim.

masizzim

What's with the name? "Masizzim" is a combination of two Korean words: delicious & steamed. The restaurant is known for their beef and pork short ribs. Both dishes are steamed and can be ordered in four levels of spiciness. My friends and I ordered a bowl of level 1 spicy of beef short ribs. Boy, was it was fiery enough (below)! The meat comes with glass noodles, pumpkin and rice cakes.

Beef short ribs

The tropical-looking water kimchi was a refreshing contrast to the spicy steamed beef. The shaved ice in it was reminiscent of patbingsu.

dongchimi

We ordered a round of Jumokbap (rice balls/주먹밥). The literal translation of "jumokbap" is "fist rice."

rice balls

Put on the plastic gloves. Blend the rice, seaweed, tuna/anchovy, scallions and rice until even consistency. Take a jumok (fist/주먹) of the mixed rice. Mold them into balls and place the balls on an empty plate. Enjoy!

rice balls seaweed

Restaurants in Korea have a tendency to serve romaine salad. At Masizzim they sprinkle on sprouts.

romaine salad

Your standard acorn jelly. Another side dish commonly served at Korean eateries. The jelly itself has no particular taste. The flavor comes from the sauce on top.

acorn jelly

The interior is mostly comprised of wood and concrete, a combination of warm and cold textures.

masizzim

The walls of gridded wire filled with rocks was a unique method in partitioning the space.

masizzim interior 2

It was packed and bustling when we first arrived at the restaurant. By the time we left it was quiet. A couple had the whole place to themselves. VIP status.

masizzim interior

Masizzim
Address: 813, Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
In Korean: 강남구 역삼동 813 1층 (강남점), Seoul
Website : http://www.masizzim.co.kr


P.S.: MASIZZIM.



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