By Some Korean restaurants in New York are being harassed by the PETA loons:
For many Koreans, “sannakji” is a special delicacy. There’s nothing like devouring a stamina-boosting baby octopus that’s perfectly seasoned with sesame oil.
But apparently, there’s something about this traditional dish that got the world’s largest animal rights group squirming ― the fact that the ocean animal is alive, or at least looks to be.
“The arms of octopuses are sheared off bit by bit, and the animals are served and consumed while they’re still alive and writhing in agony … They try desperately to crawl away, only to be dropped back onto the burning surface again and again.”
This is how People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) describes the way sannakji is served at two Korean restaurants ― Sik Gaek and East Seafood ― in New York. And many other New Yorkers seem to view it the same way as PETA says it has been “flooded with complaints, e-mails and phone calls” from people concerned about the restaurants’ practice of animal cruelty.
Taking matter into their own hands, two dozen PETA members staged a protest in front of the Korean eateries late last month, waving pickets that said “Octopus: Dismembered ALIVE.”
The group even called on Queens District Attorney Richard Brown’s office to file charges against restaurants that prepare and serve live animals. [Korea Times]
There is only one problem, the octopuses are already dead when served:
“Sannakji is part of Korean culture,” said a representative of Sik Gaek. “All this attention and criticism seems over the top. Besides, the octopus isn’t technically alive.”
He’s right. Sannakji is killed before being served but the animal’s nerve activity is what keeps the tentacles writhing on the plate.
“There’s nothing barbaric about eating what’s already dead,” the official said.
You can read more at the link, but this whole thing does have some similarities to the whole whaling issue in Japan. Anyway the PETA protesters are a whole lot less annoying when Christina Cho shows up, or better yet, when they bring in the Mongolians.
10:37 am on May 15th, 2010 1
Yes, Americans and their need to preach to others what to eat and not to eat. We mustn't offend the senses of Americans and their superior tastes you know.
10:57 am on May 15th, 2010 2
Don't worry Tom, as far as Americans are concerned PETA is a small finge nutjob faction. Kinda of like you.
11:40 am on May 15th, 2010 3
Clear example of why PETA is a total joke. People eat cows, pigs, and plus tons of other bigger, more intelligent animals and yet somehow they can't stand these people eating octopus? Ya right. Seems to me they just wanna pick on the little guys.
12:17 pm on May 15th, 2010 4
What? No hat tip? [see here]
12:55 pm on May 15th, 2010 5
Bull shit. How many times Americans critique, and get involved in other country's business telling them how to live, what to eat, how to think? This groups exemplifies Americans to a tee!
1:03 pm on May 15th, 2010 6
And you exemplify nutty fringe faction commie loving Koreans to a tee.
1:27 pm on May 15th, 2010 7
As much as I dislike what PETA is doing, I think these people they are protesting are American citizens or US residents in America. Say what you will about PETA, but they don't really discriminate by nationality when it comes to what they perceive as animal cruelty.
1:40 pm on May 15th, 2010 8
Most White Americans may not go overboard like these guys, but their superiority complex mentality is basically the same – how many times have you heard, "Korean food.. ew.. dirty.. they eat dogs, I don't eat dogs..".
3:07 pm on May 15th, 2010 9
I don't want octopi selling Korean restaurants either. How do they get the rights to the restaurants in the first place? I suspect there's a corrupt chaebol involved somewhere.
3:28 pm on May 15th, 2010 10
PETA is concerned about animals but completely indifferent to innocent plants. And don't get me started on the merciless exploitation of inanimate matter. Beyond that, even the most dedicated PETA activists move through space and time, never asking permission.
3:34 pm on May 15th, 2010 11
Tom, it is your ignorance and the inanity of your post that personify you so lovingly in our hearts. But you may not know that Korean's do in fact eat dogs. (I know all of this because of my White American Superior Mentality (WASM).)
3:48 pm on May 15th, 2010 12
TOM, I loves me some dog meat—with tabasco
Can I still be "white"? Or must I turn—ugh "yellow"
3:58 pm on May 15th, 2010 13
Tom wrote:
how many times have you heard, “Korean food.. ew.. dirty.. they eat dogs, I don’t eat dogs..”.
Truthfully, not that often. I know some people say it, but since I prefer to look at individuals than the entire group, I'm a bit loath to say "most White Americans."
I get chided for chastising, say, the NSET crowd or the Korea bashers of the K-blogs for looking at individual cases and indicting the whole people, but it works both ways.
If you're thinking "White Americans this…" or "most White people that…" then you're probably wrong right out of the gate.
4:00 pm on May 15th, 2010 14
This is not about any sort of American exceptionalism or anything like that, because most Americans find PETA to be a really retarded organizaiton full of a bunch Squnk hugging lefty morons. Although, I would say they do "some" good work, but most of their tactics and ways are idiotic at best and dont represent mainstream Americans in any productive way.
5:45 pm on May 15th, 2010 15
I'd turn to Peter Singer for a better discussion of bio-ethics, for starters, orientate my moral compass by PETA. Still, the spectacle of lawyers responding to animal cruelty complaints makes me cringe. I prefer to think about sustainability – even if humans and all other earthly life consumes what we all will, how can we all survive?
6:12 pm on May 15th, 2010 16
PETA=People Eating Tasty Animals. Some Koreans DO eat dog, I tried it when I was in Korea, it's called kaygogi. I had it in a soup, it was a little greasy and I was a lot drunk. When I was in Korea in '79-'80 the younger people for the most part wouldn't eat dog but a lot of older people did, they thought it was an aphrodisiac.
9:41 pm on May 15th, 2010 17
http://www.peta.org/
8:20 am on May 16th, 2010 18
Bullshit? But you are a…Nah, too easy.
8:39 am on May 16th, 2010 19
All species will eventually become extinct and there are eras that will be more bio-diverse than others, it's the nature of things. All habitats change eventually, and a species has 3 options when a change is introduced to its environment (disease, new competition for food, etc): adapt, find a new home, or die.
And, yes, we will mostly likely survive since we're on top of several food chains (one of the advantage of being omnivores).
8:39 am on May 16th, 2010 20
…Well, we'll survive for the foreseeable future, that is.
9:00 am on May 16th, 2010 21
I'm not so sure about human adaptability. Our brains consume a lot of energy, which might become a liability if food supplies dwindle.
Also, the ecosystem is complex, so the loss of just one species can have unforeseen consequences that could cause a cascade. That's why I think maintaining a certain stock of all plant and animal life forms in their correct habitat is important.
9:02 am on May 16th, 2010 22
This is a K-Sphere golden oldie. The cultural aspects of dog-eating are irrelevant. It's the regulation of the production and sale that is the problem.
2:33 pm on May 16th, 2010 23
"Our brains consume a lot of energy, which might become a liability if food supplies dwindle."
Basically you are saying the future belongs to Tom. He doesn't have that liability.
12:51 pm on May 17th, 2010 24
AMEN!!!
2:49 pm on June 17th, 2010 25
"I always support the cause of PETA.;:~"
Me, too!
Well… if not the function, certainly the form!
Borderline NSFW:
http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/asse…
3:09 am on June 18th, 2010 26
Raw octopus is great…
…but sometimes, I prefer the plate.
Probably just over the NSFW border.
http://s-ak.buzzfed.com/static/imagebuzz/web03/20…
2:23 pm on September 13th, 2010 27
my friends and i are all members of PETA, we love to protect animals`;`
3:17 pm on September 13th, 2010 28
Madison Brown #27 I love animals too, they are delicious! PETA=People Eating Tasty Animals.
6:18 am on October 24th, 2010 29
i would love to be a member of PETA, i love to protect animals rights`:'
4:24 am on December 21st, 2010 30
i always admire PETA, they really protect some of the helpless animals on this planet '..
4:50 am on December 21st, 2010 31
There once was a PETA girl from Nantucket,
who babbled 'bout animal rights by the bucket.
So it sure was neat,
when I gave her my meat,
she didn't want to eat, but she sucked it!
…then she bent over the seat and I funked it.
…and when she was beat, I picked her pocket.
…and then I went out and bought a nice veal dinner and ate it in her memory and wondered how I would ever make that rhyme with anything.
5:46 am on December 21st, 2010 32
I don't admire much about PETA. They are way overboard on 99.999% or more of their stands. But the idea of cooking and consuming any animal while it's still alive is abhorrent to me. It dishonors the animal. If it's fun enough, exciting enough, dangerous enough, or especially tasty enough to hunt, catch, or order in a restaurant, kill it humanely. Clean, prepare, and eat it with gusto. And possibly some cold beer, too. I think I either read or heard a story about a guy who suffocated eating that same dish. Served him right, if it's true. Wouldn't have happened if the octopus was dead.
7:01 am on December 21st, 2010 33
We need what's his name: "Captain" Paul fat-ass Watson to deal with this issue. It could be a whole new way to
cash inprotect animals. New on Discovery Channel: "Squid Wars!"7:52 am on December 21st, 2010 34
How about a show where they go into a restaurant where someone is eating a live octopus. The curtain opens revealing a 30,000 gallon tank containing 2 or 3 GIANT deep sea octopi. Grab him up, toss him in the tank and watch them play tug of war to the horror and amusement of the clientele of the restaurant. THAT'S a reality show I would plan my week around.
12:14 pm on March 5th, 2011 35
this octopus restaurant in Japan looks nice from the outside!
http://www.japansugoi.com/wordpress/tako-restaura…