As each nation has its peculiar cut of dress, so each has its national
odors apart from race odor. Esson Third says:
The Korean gentleman carries about with him two odors that are
specially noticeable to a newcomer. I once made a journey with a
Western friend who had a somewhat highly keyed sense of smell,
and I remember his stopping short on the road as we walked
along, tapping me on the arm and with a long sniff saying:
“There it is again.” “What is it?” I asked. “That peculiar
smell,” said he. I sniffed long and hard, but there was nothing
but the fresh morning breeze and the delightful odors of hill
and field. “I’ve smelt it before,” said he, “and I’ll tell you
later when I smell it again.”
We tracked that odor for two days, and then we discovered that
it came from the black lacquer hat. The odor of lacquer is one
of Korea’s national smells. The second smell is due to a mixture
of garlic, onions, cabbage, salt, fish, and other ingredients,
that make up the Korean pickle so greatly enjoyed with their
rice. This odor clings like that of Limburger cheese, and
follows the native to church and into all the other walks of
life.--JAMES S. GALE, “Korea in Transition.”
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