Is there a difference between mirin (미림) and mijak (미작)? I was shopping online for a few cooking ingredients and among other items, I bought what was advertised as Korean mirin. However, once I've got the bottle in my hands I noticed it's labelled as "Marinade with Ginger (Cooking Sauce)" in English rather than a cooking wine. Some googling and handwritten translation told me that the bottle's contents are actually mijak. Are mirin and mijak the same thing? Can they be used interchangeably?
No. Mirin is a sweet saki for cooking, with a very neutral flavour. Mijak is a ginger flavored wine. If you are cooking a dish that calls for mirin and ginger, you can skate by using mijak. Otherwise, no.