[Korean Culture & Language] The perilla leaf debate


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Perilla leaves have long been used in Asian cooking as a garnish and as a potential remedy for food poisoning. The leaf extracts have been found to have antioxidant, antiallergic, anti-inflammatory, tumor-preventing, and even antidepressant effects.

Marinated perilla leaves (or Korean pickled perilla leaves), called 깻잎 장아찌(kkaennip jangajji) is one of the most popular side dishes in Korea. Almost all 한식집 (Korean Restaurants) serve them. It is also infamous for being a challenging side dish to eat. Because its sauce keeps all the leaves stuck together, it is difficult to peel each leaf before eating it. Thus, ‘깻잎논쟁(The perilla debate)’ has appeared.

Below videos are some of the most popular YouTube videos about 깻잎논쟁.

출처 : YouTube

In the first video, the girl gives her boyfriend an example of a 깻잎논쟁. She starts the conversation by saying “자기랑 나랑 내 친구랑 식당에 가서 밥을 먹고 있어~(Let’s say you, my friend, and I are enjoying a meal at a restaurant.” Then she asks, “근데 내 친구가 깻잎 절임이 무지 먹고 싶은데 못 떼서 애를 먹고 있는 거야. 그럼 자긴 어떻게 할거야? (She really wants to eat a 깻잎, but she is having a hard time peeling one from the other leaves. What would you do?)”

The guy replies “떼 줘야지! (I should help her!)” and she gets upset. The boyfriend claims that he is just trying to help, and the girl responds by saying “걔가 어려운데 니가 왜 도와? 자선사업가야? (Why would you help her? Are you a philanthropist or what?)”

The perilla leaf debate is about the propriety of helping a friend who is of the opposite sex. Some claim that it’s okay to provide a hand with the peeling, but not to the point where they peel it and put it on the plate of the opposite sex.

What do you think? Would you be upset if your partner helped with an opposite-sex friend’s perilla leaf?


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