Korean Job Discussion Forums

[daemyann]

So, as I sat down to troll in a local coffee shop, I perused my surroundings and realized that I was sitting next to a birthday group (presumably a family) celebrating their youngest members birthday. One of the members of said family looked surprised as I sat beside them, but not upset. I hadn't sat particularly close to them, but comparatively speaking I was closer to them than any other party.

Anyway, before long I was well into my trolling when all of a sudden the adorable little birthday girl walked over with a giant smile on her face, holding a piece of her (clearly expensive) birthday cake out for me. Her parents were encouraging her quietly.

Of course I accepted and smiles were exchanged all around, along with a multitude of 'ca-saham-lida's. (<---spelling corrections are welcome)

Afterward I considered my actions and began to wonder whether or not the family's choice to share with me in particular was because I'm a foreigner, because I had sat so near to them, neither, or both...

I know that some customs are almost obligatory in certain situations, and I'd hate to think that I'd forced their hands, so to speak, to share what was a relatively small cake...

They didn't seem the least bit uneasy or resentful, in fact quite the opposite, so I'm assuming it wasn't a case of pure obligation. I'm just curious as to whether or not I should be more aware of hospitality customs and whether or not proximity for celebrations is one of them...

Any idea?...

[nicholas_chiasson]

-I'm thinking they thought it was a cute photo-op. I take it you are not a CPN look alike either.

[nomad-ish]

probably because you were a foreigner but still, it sounds really cute and it gives the little girl and her family a nice story to tell

plus, cake. need i say more?

[Ya-ta Boy]

They were just being nice. Likely the fact you stand out in a crowd was part of it, but not all. Proximity had nothing to do with it.

[crsandus]

Curse you cakemongers! A few birthdays ago I celebrated at my sister's and I had the most delicious cake. It was very light and had a whipped cream frosting and various fruits on top. I think it's ubiqutous in Korea but not so much in the states. I loved it. I ate a huge piece and savored the thought of eating more in the next day or two... what happens? My Mom decides that we should share half the freakin' cake with the ajumma downstairs because she's single (lonely) and is my sister's landlady... half of my tasty cake gone to a woman who probably didn't finish it. *sniff sniff* I didn't say anything because I was busy getting presents and didn't want to seem like an ass for not wanting to share my cake.

Anyway, I hope your situation was from kindness and not obligation like mine.

After some thought, I think I got W30,000 from the ajumma after the cake was delivered to her... I guess I made out in the end but I still would rather have had the cake. </whining>