The Election Fraud Scandal That Is Rocking South Korea

Democracy already died in darkness

안녕! It’s Ari, your chatty Korean friend and weekend reminder. 🎉 Today’s newsletter covers a tofu recipe, the biggest political scandal in South Korean history, and a beautiful handwriting from Egypt. Let’s dive in!

Tofu Jjigae

This week’s K-food recommendation is inspired by Culinary Class War, a popular cooking competition show that recently ended in South Korea. The show featured 100 chefs competing to become the best in the country, and it quickly became a national hit, with many of the chefs gaining popularity. Among them was Kim Mi-ryung, a 49-year-old chef specializing in Korean cuisine, who charmed viewers with her delicious renditions of common home-cooked meals.

One of the dishes Kim introduced on the show was 두부찌개, or Tofu Jjigae, 👆 a spicy tofu stew that is a staple in many households. I personally eat this at least once a week. Although the soup is red and spicy due to the addition of gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), the soft tofu helps balance the heat. It’s a perfect meal with rice and also a great side dish for soju. While I couldn’t find Kim’s exact recipe, I’ve included a similar one below for you to try. Enjoy this spicy, comforting dish to enhance your next soju night! (The recipe is from 밥녹.)

For 1 serving,

Ingredients:

• Tofu (1 piece)

• Cooking oil (for light frying)

• Minced garlic - 1 clove

• Half a green onion (chopped)

• Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) - 1.5 tbsp

• Gochujang (Korean chili paste) - 1 tbsp

• Water - 300 ml

• Soy sauce for soup - 1 tbsp

• Anchovy or fish sauce - 1 tbsp

Directions:

1. Lightly fry the tofu chunks in a bit of cooking oil until slightly browned on the outside. Remove the tofu from the pot and set aside.

2. In the same pot, add minced garlic, green onion, gochugaru, and gochujang. Stir-fry briefly until fragrant.

3. Add 300 ml of water and bring to a strong boil, stirring well to dissolve the seasonings.

4. Season the stew with soy sauce for soup and anchovy or fish sauce.

5. Return the tofu to the pot and let the stew boil for 1 min. Sprinkle chopped green onion on top to finish.

Tip: For a milder flavor, you can skip frying the tofu and add it raw. If doing so, add the tofu earlier, when you add the water.

The Election Fraud Scandal That Is Rocking South Korea

While the U.S. presidential election results are capturing global attention, South Korea is grappling with its democracy-shattering election scandal involving President Yoon Seok-yeol. Recently, a series of recorded phone conversations between Yoon’s unofficial aide and the aide’s secretary have surfaced, revealing shocking details. The latest revelation—and possibly the biggest political scandal in South Korea’s recent history—is the allegation of poll manipulation during the ruling party’s primary, which helped secure Yoon’s nomination.

According to the president’s unofficial aide’s secretary and an anonymous source within the party, in 2021, Yoon Seok-yeol’s unofficial aide—working on his behalf during the People Power Party primary—obtained a list of party members with the help of high-ranking officials. The aide allegedly conducted multiple polls to determine which candidates party members supported, using this data to influence the primary poll that ultimately determined the party’s nominee.

The primary results seem to lend credibility to these allegations. While Yoon Seok-yeol trailed his rival by 10.3% in the public poll, he achieved a landslide victory in the party member poll with a 22.9% lead. Later, he was elected as the 20th president, narrowly beating the Democratic Party’s candidate by a margin of 0.73%.

If these allegations are proven true, it would not only nullify the presidential election results but also lead to the immediate removal of the president from office. Despite this looming threat, at an urgent address to the nation and press conference on Thursday, Yoon expressed striking confidence in his position. He firmly stated that he would complete his term, which ends on May 9, 2027. 😱 As his approval rating dips to a low of 18.2%, he compared himself to a baseball player focused solely on the ball, not the scoreboard. 😱😱 He also remarked that he “won’t play tricks” to boost his ratings, saying it “isn’t in his nature.” 🫠

Mini Korean Handwriting: My Fellow Koreans (and Palestinians)

@planetstroller

At the 10th Kyobo Handwriting Award, 19-year-old Mohamed Hozayfa Ahmed Ibrahim from Egypt won first place in the Foreigners category. His neat handwriting 👆 recently went viral in South Korea, not only for its beauty but for what he chose to write about. He wrote a famous last statement from Ahn Jung-geun, an activist who fought for Korea’s independence from Japan. After assassinating a Japanese prime minister responsible for the invasion and colonization of the Korean peninsula, Ahn was sentenced to death. Before his execution at the age of 30 in 1910, he left his final words for his fellow Koreans.

Here are Ahn Jung-geun’s final words to his compatriots:

내가 한국 독립을 회복하고 동양 평화를 유지하기 위하여 3년 동안 풍찬 노숙 하다가 마침내 그 목적을 이루지 못하고 이곳에서 죽나니 우리 2천만 형제자매는 각각 스스로 분발하여 학문에 힘쓰고 산업을 진흥하여 나의 끼친 뜻을 이어 자유 독립을 회복하면 죽는 자 여한이 없겠노라.

Here’s the English translation:

“I have endured hardship for three years, sleeping in the open and eating rough food, in my efforts to restore Korea’s independence and to maintain peace in the East. Yet, I die here without having achieved my purpose. I urge my 20 million fellow Koreans to rise up, pursue knowledge, and develop industry, to carry on my mission. If our country regains its freedom and independence, I shall have no regrets in death.”

After receiving the award, Mohamed Hozayfa Ahmed Ibrahim shared his motivation behind choosing these words. He said, “I wrote his message in my handwriting with the hope that, just as Ahn Jung-geun longed for his death to contribute to his country’s independence and pursued peace in the East, the people of Palestine, who have faced 76 years of occupation and oppression, may also find freedom and liberation.”

Thanks for reading! 🥰 If you’d like to help make future issues even better, consider buying me a coffee! 🥹 I’ll be back next week with more. 안녕!