Ninja-Flavoured Funerary Rite

This is how I decided Ninjalicious should be spelled in Hanja -- literally 'Ninja-flavoured.'

I pulled this out of my fridge, but I wouldn't even feed something two-years-since expired to a spirit.

Gathering up all the other things. I found a slightly younger fish worth cooking.

Setup begins in the room we chose the day before.

Our sinwi was Ninjalicious' name in Hanja taped to a copy of Access All Areas.

Skis!

We began setting up the food. Basically it goes fruits and desserts front row, vegetables and fermented things second row, fish and rice third row, and everything must be arranged from left to right based on how red they are.

While we prepared, an old man (definitely not pictured here) walked in through the front door and asked what we were doing.

The gang's all here.

Jen took on the duties of my wife for this ceremony. What, she was the only girl there, and this is the most traditional role for a woman in jesa.

The bowing began.

They were better at bowing but more sheepish about it.

Jen was a little fast.

More alcohol.

The ceremony ends with the burning of the sinwi. Not the book.

Not a great picture, but here's how the apple looks after sacrifice.

And the nectarines.

After performing the ceremony, we sat down to eat. Many people were comfortable enough with the room to just sit.

And read.

Ha-kyung helped himself to some of the liquor.

It was brown and syrupy, and tasted light highly alcoholic medicine, maybe made with jujube or licorice.

None of us have any idea.

After, we went up to the roof.

What's in the kimchi pots? Another kimchi pot.

Another dramatic picture of Kanghee on the roof.

And Ha-kyung.

And back to Kanghee.

Now both.

No clue what this is really.

Hell yeah, restaurant toilet paper!

George gave us all toilet paper.

Even after the jesa food, we still ate quite a lot.

Pictures of people eating naengmyeon are always classic.

Even bibim naengmyeon.

More meat.

We were all wondering what these flashing metal studs in the road are.

No clue.

Home sweet home.

The first of a long convoy of riot police buses.