These pictures come from a recent food festival in South Korea which featured this magniloquent delicacy: live octopus. The larger ones are cut up and eaten whilst the tentacles are still wriggling and the smaller ones are just banged down wholesale. It’s called sannakji and it looks bonkers. (Video at the bottom)
I understand that cultural differences are huge between us and Asia, I understand that one man’s octopus is another mans burger. I understand that you shouldn’t judge people because they do something that you don’t quite get. But jeeeeez. Live octopus for lunch? OMG. I just couldn’t. I’m not a squeamish kind of guy with food particularly, but I just couldn’t eat something that wriggled in my mouth whilst I bit down on it.
The other unsettling facet of this practice is that it’s quite easy to choke on the little chaps as they scrawl about sticking their suction cups to your cheeks and throat. You have to be particularly careful after a few drinks apparently.
But I’m not judging them, I guess they are just more hardcore than me, and that ain’t hard.
VIDEO OF JAPANESE MAN EATING WHAT LOOKS LIKE A LIVE CUTTLEFISH
Here’s a video of a Western girl giving it a try. She’s not a pro. In her defence she does get the bugger in and down which is more than I could have achieved.
Highlights for the lazy/busy – 1:24 when it sticks to the table, 1:37 when she throws it across the table and her face at 2:22 when it finally gets in her mouth. Classic.
