The Old School
13771 Newport Ave Ste 4, Tustin, CA 92780
13771 Newport Ave Ste 4, Tustin, CA 92780
About The Old School
The Old School is a single-location establishment established within the last five years in Tustin, and emphasizes 분식 / bunshik, which are Korean comfort foods that are staples of after-school memories and late-night conversations.
Parallels the 풍경 (traditional Korean fish-shaped wind chime) at Honey Pig
The traditional Korean elements feature framed bojagi-style patterns (traditional Korean patchwork), 매듭 / maedeup (traditional hand-woven intricate Korean ornamental knot), and red hanging ornaments.
This depiction of the tiger reminded me of 민화 / minhwa (traditional Korean folklore art). Specifically, a tiger is meant to protect against evil spirits. According to the article "Korean Folk Painting: Minhwa" by the The Tidings of Magpies, "Minhwa is characteristically optimistic. It aims to convey a world without sorrow and pain." What made it even more distinguished and authentic to Korean culture and history is that it was drawn and appreciated by both the lower and upper classes. Therefore, there was no class distinction in the art of minhwa, almost as if it were a unifying force that was rooted in Korean identity regardless of other factors like socioeocnomic class.
김밥 / gimbap (Korean seaweed rice rolls), 떡볶이 / tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), 오뎅탕 / odeng-tang (fish cake soup)
Reflection + Connection to Project
The Old School felt like the perfect textbook example of an authentic Korean restaurant, with its core menu revolving around bunshik, which are essentially flour-based comfort foods (as seen above). When choosing restaurants for my project, I knew that a bunshik restaurant was a must because they are a staple of after-school conversations and night-life memories, especially since so many students resort to these foods. Although the foods were delicious, they differed from a bunshik restaurant in Korea. Some ways it differed were the order of the foods that came out. In Korea, typically, the odeng-tang comes out last to ensure it does not cool too much beforehand. At The Old School, the odeng-tang came out first, followed by the tteok-bokki and kimbap. I feel like minor details such as this took away from the fully authentic Korean dining experience. In my mind, bunshik restaurants especially need to not be afraid to be a messy and imperfect. The key part of authenticity is to feel lived-in, and I did not feel that at The Old School, despite its 5-star food.