“JjaJangMyeon SiKiShin Boon! (Who ordered black noodles?)”
In 1997, a video advertisement was released by a telecommunications company, emphasizing their strong frequency. They showcased the most challenging situations for receiving radio waves, such as on an airplane or subway. It was particularly effective in a series where the main character could use his mobile phone in the middle of the ocean, on the way to sailing to Mara-Do, the southernmost island. He screamed the above sentence because he couldn’t find his client who ordered black noodles. Since then, Jjajangmyeon has become synonymous with Mara-Do, even appearing on shows like ‘Infinite Challenge’.
How to get Mara-Do?
The only way to reach Mara-Do is by riding a ferry from Jeju Island. There’s a special port near Woonjin Port in Seoguipo-Shi that sails to Gapa-Do and Mara-Do. Luckily, I was able to buy a ticket for departure in just a few minutes. I was in a bit of a hurry, as it’s necessary to fill out personal information before boarding the ferry for security reasons.
It’s possible to buy a one-way ticket, but it’s mostly recommended to purchase a round-trip ticket. Additionally, you need to take the same ferry back from Mara-Do. I was concerned that I wouldn’t have enough time to enjoy Mara-Do, but the ticket seller assured me it would be sufficient due to its small size. She also advised me to call her if I felt pressed for time. If there were available seats, I could catch the next ferry. The ferry was larger than I expected, and they had even placed a statue of a prisoner onboard. That’s a symbolic statue because Mara-Do has a cliff that resembles the one featured in the movie “Papillon. As we sailed for 30 minutes, I could feel the breeze.
Arrived at Mara-Do
As she mentioned, Mara-Do was small. It would take about 10 minutes to circle around Mara-Do without stopping. There weren’t many buildings there; most of them were restaurants. Mara-Do was famous for its Jjajangmyeon; all the restaurants sold it, even those specializing in Hoi (Sashimi). However, I decided not to try the Jjajangmyeon and settled for a chocolate-coated banana instead.
Things to do
I discovered some interesting things; despite its population being only 139 people, Mara-Do has three religious buildings: a GuanEum from Buddhism overlooking the sea, a Christian church, and a Catholic cathedral. All of them are small in size, and the Catholic cathedral was almost closed. When I visited in winter, the silver grass covered the entire island, waving along with the wind. It felt as if it was greeting me, or perhaps greeting the arrival of spring.
Even though I didn’t have JjajangMyeon, I’ll always remember the moments of the waving silver grass and the blue sky.
EZ K-PEDIA 
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