Let me introduce a truly delicious ramen recipe. Go into a convenience store, buy a large cup of ‘Jin Ramen Spicy’, tear off the lid, add the soup base, fill the water up to the appropriate line, and microwave it for 3 minutes, making sure not to place it right in the center. Of all the ramen I have eaten so far, this is the one that has never failed. However, you must eat it when you are still a bit tipsy.
There is a jazz bar that is just as foolproof. ‘연남 5701.’
Why? After much thought, I found the following reasons. First, there is the Quality, which guarantees consistently successful flavors and clean live performances. Depending on your standards, there is the Cost, which accommodates the escape of a young professional at a reasonable price. And its accessibility—being located near Hongdae, a place I frequent whenever I visit Seoul—makes it excellent for delivery.
To add one more thing, it feels like a hidden gem. When looking for Jin Ramen at a convenience store, it is usually placed quietly in a spot that is hard to see. Similarly, when looking for Yeonnam 5701 on the streets of Hongdae, you have to walk quite a distance down a dark roadside to find it. I like that kind of thing.
The inner intensity held by a faint presence.