Title: Ugly Dumplings

General Information about Item:

Informant Data:

Jamie Park was born in New York City, New York on October 22, 1997. Jamie lived in New York for a short time with her parents and sister, until they moved to Seoul, South Korea, where her parents initially immigrated from. The Park’s time in Seoul was brief and eventually they moved back to the United States, settling down in Rancho Palos Verdes, where Jamie grew up until she graduated from Palos Verdes Peninsula High School. Currently, Jamie is a Junior undergraduate student at Dartmouth college, majoring in Studio art, with the hopes of going to medical school upon graduating. In addition, Jamie makes frequent visits to South Korea, as her parents moved back to Seoul in August 2018.

Contextual Data:

Social Context:
Whenever Jamie get together with her entire family, whether it be for the holidays or social gatherings, they always make mandu, which are Korean dumplings. This traditional Korean dish is made with a beef or pork filling, with the outer dumpling pressed together by hand. Whenever Jamie would make this with her grandmother or mother, they would always remind her to make sure that she paid special attention to the ways in which she was making the dumplings. Both Jamie’s mother and grandmother informed her that the dumplings needed to look nice, as the appearance of the dumplings would have an effect on the appearance of her future children. They would tell her that if her dumplings looked good, her kids would be pretty, but if the dumplings were poorly made, her children would be ugly. Jamie took heed of this warning, and to this day, although she does completely believe in the superstition, still jokingly practices the idea of making pretty dumplings for the sake of her future children.
Cultural Context:
This superstition is one that is not only common amongst Koreans, but many Asian cultures around the world. Like many Korean superstitions, the superstition surrounding the making of mandu is one that is handed down to children from elders. This superstition is also used as a means of disciplining children, as to not rush the process of making dumplings, but rather to take their time and pay attention to details.

Item:

If someone does not properly prepare their dumplings when making mandu, the product of their dumplings will have an effect on the development of their children. So, if one makes an good-looking dumpling, their children will be good looking, but if they make an ugly dumpling, their children will be ugly.

Associated file (a video, audio, or image file):

Informants Comments:

“I don’t really believe in this superstition now like I did when I was a child, but I still remember it whenever I make mandu.”

Collector’s Comments:

The superstition of the making of dumplings is still active amongst many Asian cultures today. It is passed down from elders to children and is an example of magic superstitions.

Collector’s Name: Clay Han

Tags/Keywords:

Dartmouth Folklore Archive