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https://v.daum.net/v/20250110171907318
A food truck distributing ‘water rice’ appeared at a rally opposing the impeachment of President Yoon Seok-yeol. /Photo = YouTube capture
A food truck distributing ‘water rice’ appeared at a rally opposing the impeachment of President Yoon Seok-yeol.
On the 10th, a video of a volunteer handing out water and rice to protesters at Bukhanam Intersection in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, where President Yoon’s official residence is located, was captured and spread on YouTube and online communities.
According to this, on the 7th, a free food truck was operated on the side of Bukhanam Intersection, where a rally for and against the impeachment of President Yoon was in full swing. The food truck’s sign said it was selling ‘waffles’ and ‘takoyaki’, but in reality, it was distributing ‘water rice’ to the protesters. It was like putting some rice and water in a paper cup and inserting a toothpick into it.
Food truck operator A said to the customer in the video, “I’m not selling anything today (for money). You need to eat to feel comfortable.” When the customer asked, “How much is the rice?”, Mr. A said, “It’s just what I give you,” and “I have to eat this so I don’t feel sick.”
/Photo = YouTube capture
Public opinion was mixed regarding the ‘water rice’ provided by Mr. A. In folk beliefs, ‘mulbab’ has the meaning of rice that appeases miscellaneous spirits that cannot go to the underworld but wander around this world and cause harm to humans.
According to the Daegu History and Culture Exhibition and the Encyclopedia of Korean Folklore, water rice was used for biting off ghosts and ancestral rites. In Daegu, it was thought that if you suddenly got sick, you were possessed by a ghost, and the cure ritual to drive out such a ghost was called ‘biting the ghost.’ This was usually done by dissolving rice in water and scattering it in front of the house.
Some also expressed doubts about sticking a toothpick vertically into the water rice. It was pointed out that the toothpick was reminiscent of ‘sapsi (揷匙)’, which involves sticking a spoon into ceremonial rice.
Netizens showed various reactions, such as “Even dogs eat better than this,” “If this is true, it’s really scary,” and “I think they distributed water rice because it is easy to digest, but it doesn’t look good.”
Reporter Jeon Hyeong-ju
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