To Koreans, “PojangMacha” or a covered cart bar is a familiar place. The movable bar is usually covered with rich orange vinyl tent and can be found on street corners. They sell spicy rice cakes, fish cakes, fried foods or Soju, and simple side dishes. It is common for people to drink Soju by twos and threes in PojangMacha after work. PojangMacha is a small resting place for ordinary people.
From 1970s to the 1980s, PojangMacha appeared in Korean films many times. Byung-tae(YUN Tae-sup) enters PojangMacha by himself on a rainy day in
The March Of Fools(1975) directed by
HA Gil-jong. He is waiting for his girlfriend while having a few drinks without saying a word, sitting by himself. This poetic scene depicts a sense of loss of youths who lived in Korean society at that time.
Good Windy Day(1980) directed by
LEE Jang-ho shows a misadventure of three countrymen in Seoul. The three strengthen their friendship despite tough times and hold a small gathering in a PojangMacha.
PojangMacha is sometimes used as a space where characters have a frank talk in Korean films. Seung-min(
LEE Jae-hoon) talks about his girl problems to Napdeuki(
JO Jung-suk) in a PojangMacha set against a wall in
Architecture 101. A drunken Seung-min loses control of himself while calling her name and Napdeuki kindly consoles him. In
My Boss, My Hero(2001), it is in a PojangMacha that GYE Doo-shik(
JUNG Joon-ho), a gangster who became a high school student, and his classmate Yun-ju(OH Seung-eun), open their hearts to each other for the first time. In
Sunny(2011), the place appears as a place for friendship. Teenagers Na-mi(
SHIM Eun-kyoung) and Su-ji(
MIN Hyo-rin) drink Soju for the first time and confirm that they are now friends. In
My Brother(2004), Sung-hyun(
SHIN Ha-kyun) and Jong-hyun(
WON Bin) narrow a distance between them as brothers in a PojangMacha.
Tough guys have a serious talk in PojangMachas in Korean noirs such as
Friend 2(2013) or
A Better Tomorrow(2010). Three brothers band together in the makeshift bar in
Return of The Mafia(2012). The movable bar becomes a place with arcane power that unites people into one. But the crown jewel of PojangMacha scenes in Korean films is moments of romance or love. First of all, in comedies, the unique bar is where romance blossoms. In
Meet the In-Laws(2011), a couple see eye to eye over glasses of drinks in PojangMacha that overlooks at the sea at night. In
Romantic Debtors(2010), a squabbling couple gets drunk and bet on marrying. PojangMacha is a place befitting melodramas. In
Grand Prix(2010), Ju-he(
KIM Tae-hee) and Woo-seuk(
YANG Dong-keun) break the awkward silence and share a light kiss in a PojangMacha.
“If we drink this, let’s date, okay?” Chul-soo says.
“What if I don’t?” Soo-jin asks.
“Then, we won’t need to see each other for the rest of our lives,” Chul-soo answered.
Soo-jin and Chul-soo empty their glasses of soju. Chul-soo pops the question with one cup of Soju and finally they get married. They begin a beautiful but a sad love. On the other hand, PojangMacha is often used in marketing Korean films. Sometimes, actors and directors open a day of PojangMacha event, and drink and talk with fans.
