Korean Expat Community for National Disasters

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I went to Jeju Island to give a presentation at an academic conference. I wasn’t particularly looking forward to the presentation itself. Presentations always make me nervous, and this one was no exception. I was so nervous before the presentation that I didn’t eat a thing. 

After the presentation went smoothly, I went out for mackerel sashimi for dinner. It’s a common dish in Jeju, but it’s hard to find in the Seoul metropolitan area. The reason is freshness. Mackerel is a fish that spoils easily, so it should be eaten right after being caught, close to where it was caught. 

Since it was my first time trying it, I had no idea what to expect. I’ve eaten plenty of other types of sashimi, like salmon, flounder, and tuna, but I’d heard that mackerel has a strong flavor and tends to be a matter of personal preference. It turned out to be a good thing that I ate it without high expectations.

The taste was definitely different from other types of sashimi. It was clean yet had just the right amount of oil, which paired perfectly with the side dishes served alongside it. I was worried about the fishy smell typical of raw fish, but there was none. Mackerel can sometimes have a strong odor when grilled or braised, but eating it as fresh sashimi was much cleaner than I expected. It was one of the best sashimi dishes I’ve ever had. 

If you ever visit Jeju Island, I highly recommend trying mackerel sashimi. You can’t get it this fresh in Seoul. There’s no need to worry about it being fishy. Fresh mackerel sashimi tastes completely different from the mackerel you’re used to.