MayTree Rises at 7 a.m. for Cauldron Sundae Soup on Second Trip to Mungyeong

At 7 a.m. the morning after their first day, some members of the vocal group MayTree visited Old-Fashioned Cauldron Sundae, a local restaurant in Mungyeong, North Gyeongsang Province. They ordered cheonggukjang, sundae soup and hand-cut noodle soup. The meal capped the group's second trip to the area, which they set out on right after a performance.

Pork, a venue check and a modest breakfast

After scouting the venue, the members sat down to the stone-fed pork they had been waiting for. They tasted the juiciness typical of pigs raised on the stones, and they remarked on how well the pork went with the other dishes served alongside it. The venue was Mojeon Park's outdoor stage, where they will busk the next day. They looked over a wide site with tiered seating and discussed how to run the stage with the audience's distance in mind. They checked the power supply and the acoustics, and sketched out ideas such as laying out mats or letting people sit on the floor so the audience could watch comfortably.

The atmosphere at the breakfast restaurant was simple and homely. As the food was prepared the moment it was ordered, the members waited and then concentrated on eating, determined to take in the flavors of Mungyeong.

What the name means, and what the pigs eat

On the road to Mungyeong, the members shared information about the region. The name Mungyeong (文慶) carries the meaning "joyful news." One story holds that it comes from the idea that those who passed the old civil service examinations heard happy news as they crossed the pass. The members also passed around a theory that the Mungyeong Seje (文慶 稅梯) route was shorter than Chupungnyeong or Jungnyeong, so examinees preferred it to draw good fortune.

Conversation turned to local products. The members played a quiz on the five flavors of omija, Mungyeong's signature specialty: sweet, sour, bitter, salty and spicy. They also showed strong interest in "yakdol pork," a well-known local food. The pigs are fed with feed mixed with finely ground stone made from pegmatite, a rock formed as granite cools slowly. By swapping this geological background and the origins of local names, the members learned about the character of Mungyeong.

A night at the resort

After the first day's schedule, MayTree stayed overnight at Mungyeong Seje Resort to rest before heading out for breakfast the next morning.

Source: MayTree (YouTube)