Korean Job Discussion Forums

starbrightgirl · Joined: 14 Mar 2006 Location: roar

I'm vegetarian and 've been trying to go vegan, and finding it impossible. Looking for some friends for moral support, and a possible special interests eating club.

kangnam mafioso · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Location: Teheranno

korea doesn't have veganism or vegetarianism (or homosexuality, among other things). haven't you been paying attention?

i would suggest rice for breakfast, bean sprouts for lunch, and fermented soy bean paste (dwen jong) smeared on dok (rice cake) for dinner every day. capishe?

ummm-hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!

oh, and let's toss those leather jackets and shoes out into the dumpster.

peppermint · Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 6:38 pm Post subject:

I'm vegetarian, have been for years, but you might try contacting pet lover about going vegan. I believe she did it last year.

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

It's a great diet plan if you want to lose a lot of healthy weight.

Why are there so many foreigners here who are vegetarians?

Troll_Bait · Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 6:54 pm Post subject:

Look at the sticky above about restaurants, etc...

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=52647&sid=173b4258ba740966957773cfec72c88a

There's a whole slew of threads about being vegetarian there

(which, by the way, I painstakingly assembled together Mad

).

yellowroseoftexas · Joined: 14 Mar 2005

I was vegan for 8 years--three of them in Korea. It's not hard as long as you're commited. The best thing to do is learn how to cook Korean food.

There are ingredients such as dashida (msg-based flavor enhancer with a beef base), jut-gal (fish parts) and shellfish that are easily ommited. It depends how strict of a vegan you are...let's face it, there are very few "real" vegans.

Start with ommiting the obvious such as milk, cheese and eggs. You'll end up eating lots of tofu, rice and soups. For variety, visit some of the Indian grocery stores that have a variety of dried beans and lentils, as well as spices.

If you go out and your friends end up going to a galbi place, just stick with rice, jigae (ask for no jogye) and lettuce. Once you get into the habit, it'll be a lot easier. I highly recommend getting a good share of green leafy vegetables for vitamins and calcium.

Although I'm no longer a veg (I turned to the dark side when i went back), I still mainly eat vegetarian.

Good luck!

seoulsucker · Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 9:37 pm Post subject:

If you're one of the lucky few people on this earth who can actually get a steak in front of them, you'd better bite the $hit out of it.

paperbag princess · Joined: 07 Mar 2004 Location: veggie hell

www.happycow.net

Maugrim · Joined: 10 Nov 2003

The difference between vegetarians and vegans?

Vegetarians get invited for supper.

red dog · Joined: 31 Oct 2004

Hey, don't listen to the idiots and just keep doing your best. Yellowroseoftexas gave some great advice, and there are some nice veg and veg-friendly restaurants in Seoul such as Sanchon and SM Buffet where you can have a good meal. Soy Delicious brand nondairy ice cream is available in a few places, such as Shinsegae Department Store downtown and E-Mart in Umyeon-dong (sp?), southern Seoul. I also heard that a new vegan bakery was opening up in southern Seoul -- there was a recent thread on it here and I'm sure you can find it through a search. Best of luck.

(BTW, I always asked about "yuksu" but I didn't even know about "dashida." What dishes have it? I certainly hope I didn't eat any by accident. As far as I know, bibimbap and kimbap are easily veganized and widely available in regular restaurants. I hope this helps.)

paperbag princess · Joined: 07 Mar 2004 Location: veggie hell

happycow.net is the best freakin' site for veggies. it helped me tons when i came here.

as for being veggie/vegan being hard: that's true. just be specific when you eat with koreans, make sure you say i don't eat: chicken, beef, porc, fish, ham, spam, mussles, clams, crab or seafood. otherwise you'll find something in your soup you didn't want. even kimchi has fish in it.

it's easiest to say:
chonin man ya-chae mo-guy-o
i only eat veggies.

bellum99 · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Location: don't need to know

I have to ask....why? A nice regulated mixed diet with healthy amounts of exercise is the best thing for every single person. Radical diets and fads are useless for long term health benefits.

cranura · Joined: 07 Mar 2006

deleted

Rteacher · Joined: 23 May 2005 Location: Western MA, USA

I think this site created by forum member skinsk05 is the best one specifically for being vegetarian in Korea: http://www.freewebs.com/vegetariankorea/index.htm

I've also thought about starting a vegetarian's club that meets around Seoul, but it might be sabotaged by carnivorous crazies on this forum who would show up at designated vegetarian eateries with buckets of cows blood to pour on our veggies...

Hater Depot · Joined: 29 Mar 2005

I'm a vegetarian and I live in Anyang, if any of y'all want to eat with me.