Yes, I knew someone who thought she had lived fairly successfully as a vegan, only to find out in the 11th month of her contract
that kimchi is made with anchovy paste. Oops!
My favourite food here, or meal I should say, is
Dol Sot Bab at Kwibin. There are 2 or 3 Kwibin restaurants in Daejeon, but I'm not sure if the chain exists outside of this city. At this place, within 60 seconds of ordering (yes, I counted once)
a bowl of pumpkin soup is placed in front of you. Shortly thereafter, the
20odd vegetable side dishes, and for the Ted Nugents of the crowd (I do not know who he is, by the way), also a hot stone with steaming bulgogi (thinly sliced marinated beef, I believe). Of course also
a stone bowl full of rice with gingko nuts, jujubes, and a few other grains in which to mix the veggies. And if you're lucky the rice gets crunchy and sticks to the bowl for a special challenge at the end of the meal.
Actually, I love the warm "rice water" drink they make by pouring boiling water into the bowl from which the rice has been scooped out of. I adore this "dessert" in winter. It's ingenious! But I don't know what it's called.