How I met my 'bestie ajumma': Singaporean strikes up unlikely friendship with Seoul restaurant owner

Travelling overseas will almost always bring new experiences.

The exciting bit is simply not knowing what they are or when they'll be coming.

Without getting too sentimental, being able to experience a human connection with someone from a different culture can be rather special.

On Thursday (Dec 22), food and lifestyle account AllThingsHalalSG shared an 86-second long TikTok clip of a Singaporean traveller who had such a moment when she met her 'bestie ajumma' in Seoul.

Ajumma loosely translates to auntie or middle-aged woman.

[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@allthingshalalsg/video/7179911034482871554[/embed]

"Okay guys, so today I'm gonna tell you a story of how I met my Korean bestie ajumma," she shared.

Sounds like a spin-off to a rather popular American sitcom back in the day, doesn't it?

After exploring Islam Street in Seoul, the Singaporean woman stumbled upon Hajj Korean restaurant — a popular halal eatery near the Seoul Central Mosque.

"Apparently, I came on a really good day 'cause there was nobody in and usually this place is packed."

Little did she know that this would be to her benefit as the traveller managed to spend some time with the restaurant owner, Mariam.

This was not just a simple customer-service provider transaction.

Despite the language barrier, the duo managed to somehow form a bond.

"With my broken Korean and her broken English, we could just talk for a whole hour," the younger woman said.

The Korean woman shared about her journey to finding a new faith in Islam some 17 years ago. She also spoke about how she opened up Hajj Korean restaurant in 2015.

Having the opportunity to just sit down and have a chat with someone local was something special, the traveller noted.

Throughout their chat, the Singaporean traveller was enjoying her meal — a plate of "spicy octopus leg" which she described as "so delicious".

Besides the fresh ingredients, she also commended the distinct "homey feel" to the spicy octopus dish.

With good food and company, it's no wonder she considered it as "one of the best meals" she had in South Korea.

Who wouldn't want such an experience when travelling overseas?

But before rushing off to book a flight to Seoul, it might just be better to do some research first.

In September, some Singaporean travellers booked Airbnb apartments instead of hotels for their Seoul trip.

No issues here, except that the apartments turned out to be banjihas (semi-basement unit) — similar to the one featured in the movie Parasite. 

Apparently, the travellers experienced accommodations with little ventilation, swarms of drain flies and a dank smelly pit.

To avoid a similar nightmare in Seoul, always be in contact with the Airbnb host and read up on which areas are best to avoid.

ALSO READ: Seoul good: Singapore blogger shares $350 round-trip plane experience, gets blown away by legroom and hot meals

amierul@asiaone.com

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