Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Gatsby]

They say that Korean children are smarter than Western children because learning to use chopsticks helps promote brain development. That could explain a lot. I wonder if it is too late to learn?

How are you coming with those chopsticks?

Do they still laugh when you try to eat?

Or are you a natural?

[jindodog]

i dunno, i did ruin many a shirt using chopsticks, but i love them. i like to use them even if im eating western food these days....i find that i eat slower and enjoy my food more if i use them than if i just scoop my food in with a fork.

when i was younger i used to wonder how asians never came up with the simple design of the fork....but then i read a historical account from a chinese perspective. to them, it seemed so uncivilized to not have the refined ability of using chopsticks, and that the blunt instruments westerners used to stab and scoop their food was down right barbaric. when you put it that way, makes sense.

[Vancouver]

technically, chopsticks were around since before sliced bread

[pest2]

I like the Japanese ones the best because they're short and made of wood. Wider and easy to use.

[indytrucks]

[jindodog]

yeah, japanese and chinese ones are easier to use, but the korean ones are good for 'slicing' and/or pulling apart kimchi, or poking out the yucky ham in kimbap.

[jlb]

I love chopsticks. Cutting up everything with a knife and fork and all this etiquette involved in that. Who needs it? Chopsticks, once you get the hang of them are so much simpler and convenient. When I go back to Canada I'm going to use them at home all the time.

[Zulu]

[ChinaBoy]

you've all gone native

chopsticks are stupid and annoying

and the poll answers make it seem like you have to be a clutz not to like chopsticks

[shaunew]

I use them everyday, wood ones and metal. No biggie. I also use spoons for my oatmeal in the morning. I think chopsticks for that would be very bad.

[pest2]

[Ilsanman]

That's a post I would expect out of someone like Hawaii 5-0 idiot. Lame ass.

I guess if you like sushi, you support Pearl Harbour and you are dissing the comfort women.

[indytrucks]

[pest2]

[Privateer]

I use chopsticks with Asian food and a knife and fork with western food, just like everyone else.

Chopsticks do seem refined and elegant compared to clunky old cutlery, but I still find it a bit awkward eating noodles with them. And it just wouldn't seem right to eat a steak and kidney pie with chopsticks, or a steak unless its cut up beforehand for you like you're a little baby.

I used to avoid eating Korean ramyeon and udong because a) I find it a bit awkward using chopsticks to eat them with and b) I couldn't seem to figure out how to eat them without splashing droplets of the thin watery soup around, unless you go really slow. I recently figured out b), however: if you slurp the noodles loudly and noisily you don't splash!

It's kind of ingrained in us westerners not to slurp so it takes conscious effort, but it does seem to work.