Men are in kitchen, women are on mound

For a long time, Koreans were obsessed with stereotyped gender roles — men were aggressive working outdoors and women were passive staying indoors. Men who try something “homey” were called “sissies” and outgoing women were labeled tomboys. However, society is changing. More women are expressing their dynamic nature through sports and men are developing their inner-self through cooking. “As more men are married to working women, they are willing to contribute to house chores, especially cooking,” said Kang Hak-jung, head of the Korean Family Business Research Institute. “Also, women are now more interested in outdoor activities and are not shy to show it off. Both men and women admit the differences between the sexes but they refuse to define gender roles,” he said. ‘King in the kitchen’ Dr. Hwang In-chul may seem to be an ordinary obstetrician at first glance — he listens to women’s problems during pregnancy, gives treatments and writes prescriptions at Soon Chung Hyang University Hospital. However, when he takes off his white coat, he transforms into a whole different person. He wears an apron, buys vegetables and meat at the grocery and begins creating delights in the kitchen. The kitchen is his kingdom. He boils, fries, steams, freezes and mixes all kinds of ingredients. In his hands are created steaks with mushroom or wine sauce, LA ribs, deonjang jjigae (soy bean soup) and fried rice with XO sauce among many others. It is not something you can grab at a nearby diner. The wedge potato is baked with rosemary that adds a fresh flavor, while anchovy sauce adds a drop of familiarity in his cold pasta. Italian Jjamppong is a mix from the three very different cultures of Italy, Korea and China. His creations are exhibited on http://blog.daum.net/drcook, under the ID of “man who delivers babies.” His posts are read by thousands of readers a week and Hwang himself as well as his son and wife, who have appeared on the blog as taster, critic and assistant have become stars too. “I have collected recipes for a while and I wanted to share the moments of delight in the kitchen with people online. I never expected such a welcome but I feel that my life has changed a lot,” Hwang said. More men are starting to cook for fun. You don’t have to watch Hell’s Kitchen or Jamie Oliver’s TV shows or visit hotels to see men with frying pans and talking about rosemary or thyme. They cook for their friends and families, something that was conventionally considered a “woman’s job.” While their father’s generation was ordered to stay out of the kitchen or they would become “whiny sissies,” the younger generation of males aren’t afraid to grab knifes to dice turnips. The market has quickly responded to the growing number of the so-called At Home Daddies, who share responsibilities with their wives in homemaking and childrearing. According to (www.auction.co.kr), males account for over 60 percent of sales in kitchen appliances. From pots to pans and jugs to mugs, men show an equal passion in cooking as does the opposite sex. However, it took a while for men to “come out of the closet” to confess they enjoy cooking. It took even longer for them to share the fact with the world. Hwang and many other amateur male cooks’ predecessor is probably Kim Yong-hwan, more famously known as Namool (marinated vegetable). Kim’s website (www.namool.com) is now more than a young man’s journal about what he ate for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It contains large amount of information about what fellow males, mostly living on their own or cooking for small number of companions, can serve on a tight budget. Kim has also published numerous books such as “How to Serve a Meal for 2,000 won” and “The Best Restaurants Ever” among others. His name has become larger than life in a way with many single men depending on his comments on recipes and instructions. But his start was quite simple. “I started the website in 2002, as a hobby keeping a record of what I ate and cooked. I still consider what I do as the most exciting hobby I have,” Kim said. Having lived by himself since he entered college this motivated him to sit in front of the stove and cook. “I started talking about my own recipes because all the cook books were too complicated for me. Cooking is supposed to be fun and I have decided to do it my way,” he said. Confusing recipes for instant noodle smothered in gochujang (red chili pepper paste) and rice cake; steamed pork belly with bean spout; as well as beef stew with various vegetables have all been reorganized into simple but comforting meals. So, do the men in the 21st century still hesitate to hold pots and pans? “Nope,” Kim said. “Chefs cook food for other people. I cook for myself and my family. That’s something that I wouldn’t miss for the world. It is part of my life. There’s nothing to be ashamed of.” Hwang agreed. A long time ago, his mother may have ordered him out, but now she smiles on her son’s creations. His family is near to becoming epicurean in a good way, thanks to the father. “My children do not like to dine out. They prefer their dad’s food. That makes me proud. It is also hygienically safe to eat inside,” he said. Hwang said he wants his son to learn cooking, too. “He doesn’t have to be professional but I want him to learn that cooking is about sharing love and laughter. I want him to know that,” he said. “I feel men’s cooking has become a trend. I don’t think people will mind spotting them in the kitchen,” he added. Women move outside  Twenty-nine-year-old Cho Bo-young is a fulltime environmentalist from Monday to Friday. But on the weekends, she puts on her uniform and becomes a whole different person — she is the player-coach for a women’s baseball team. Her team, WB Friends, unfortunately won just one game in the Yeongdeungpo Women’s Baseball League this year and last year. “We set the goal to six-wins, but just achieved one. Alas!” she said in an interview with The Korea Times. The team of women interested in baseball, goes to small parks to train and practice. They run, jump, throw and catch, steal bases and roar just like their male peers. After a good match, they take a shower and go to a nearby restaurant to dine-out and share beer to laugh over mistakes. “To be honest, I spend my five other days thinking about baseball and training for the weekend. I search for good video clips online and watch good games on TV. I read books about the game,” she said. The team has participated in the local Yeongdeungpo League and some nationwide games such as “Gyeryong,” “Sokcho,” and “Presidential” games. They undergo special training before the leagues — the members have just kicked off its winter training season aiming at two wins next year. A growing number of women like Cho are enjoying sports, which was once fully occupied by men. They don’t aim to be Pak Se-ri or Michelle Wie with lucrative endorsements and news coverage. Yes, they do have a league of their own and compete against each other, but what they really seek is fun, friendship and health. According to the Korea Event Marketing Association, the number of women enjoying sports has been rising annually by two digits for the past several years. “Some say it is the third wave in gender activity. Women with jobs or economic power are now indulging in sports as a good way to spend their time. They have clear objects most of the time — to lose weight, maintain their health and make friends. These new breed of sportswomen are changing the whole sports market dominated by aggressive males,” the association said. Cho agreed. She started playing softball first because she thought it was the only option she could take to play with balls on the mound. It was months after she found out that there were women’s league and teams, which she gladly joined. She said the beauty of the baseball is not the winning itself. “I have been in a team which focused too much about winning. It was stressful in a way because I wasn’t able to commit myself to it. In my new team, friendship and sportsmanship come with the games. Learning to run and play, laugh and shout through the games is something we are seeking for,” she said. “In our team, we do not need a clean-up man. It’s not Major League Baseball anyway — though it’s not that we don’t value the victory or competition,” Cho said. During the season, a member gave birth to a boy and the members named him “Ilseung,” meaning one victory. “That’s the beauty of playing baseball with women. You can share stories about anything and then return to the reality and reflect on your fantasy!” Cho said.