Kansas City (1996)Movies

Near my guesthouse in Busan, there’s a Mongolian restaurant, Chinggis Khaan. On its sign, there’s a portrait of the conqueror, looking stern, with a lineup of archers on horseback, behind him.

Though I had walked by Chinggis Khaan many times, I never entered because I thought it was probably some jive joint, run by Koreans. Located in a basement, it offers no clues to what’s inside.

Seeking a respite from kim chi, I finally entered Chinggis Khaan yesterday, to discover that it’s practically a shrine to Mongolian nationalism.

Soon as I opened the door, I saw the baddest man ever staring back at me, and flanking Genghis were eight other khans. On a side wall was the Mongolian flag, and a television playing Mongolian...