Korean Job Discussion Forums

caro188 · Joined: 27 Feb 2010

Hi all,
I'm moving to Korea in a few months to teach and would love to have some advice from gluten free people who have lived in Korea before. I was feeling pretty confident about it until I had a horrible conversation with a recruiter today who basically told me that a) because of my allergies I would probably not be able to get a job and b) that I would become malnourished stressed and have to come home! What optimistic advice... not!

I'm probably going to end up living in Daegu and Busan and would love some advice on what brands/ where I should shop/ how you survived. Some help would be very much appreciated. I refuse to let a few allergies (gluten, eggs, and dairy) hold me back as it has always been my dream to travel!
Thanks in advance for your help! Very Happy

Dixon · Joined: 30 Dec 2009

You're going to have to avoid gochujang and even some kimchi sometimes. Once in a while flour is used as a thickener in kimchi. On the whole you'll encounter less wheat than in western food though. Foods like soondae use sweet potato noodles not wheat flour. Cheap ddok will actually have wheat flour in it but the more expensive ddok is all rice flour.

I eat the paleo diet which is much more restrictive than your diet and I do fine.

Captain Marlow · Joined: 23 Apr 2008 Location: darkness

if you end up in daegu, there are several health food shops that offer these types of groceries... also, there is a new restaurant that offers the same type of food... pm me if you come to daegu and i'll give you all of the info about these two places...

forgot to mention, the prices of the groceries are 3 times what they are in the states:(

Dazed and Confused · Joined: 10 Jan 2003

My niece is Celiac as well and she stayed with me for 3 months. Most of the time she did OK. Granted we cooked alot at home and took picnic lunches or snacks when we went out. If we did have to eat outside it was usually Sangaytang (chicken soup) or we would have to explain to the cook about her allergies and just get a simple, tasteless, stir fry. She's 9 so she didn't complian though.
There is a brand of cookies called Mother's fingers. They are gluten free and cheap! Rice flour is much cheaper than the US and I have a breadmaker which helped alot. Ceal is outrageously priced. I do suggest you bring xantham gum and GF baking powder as you cannot find it here.
Having a Korean friend who can help you read ingrediants will save you alot of trouble. As for going GF and eating Korean foods, it can be done with alot of things. Finding someone who makes their own bean paste and hot sauce will be the only way you can do it. Most store bought bean paste and hot sauce will have wheat products added.

ChilgokBlackHole · Joined: 21 Nov 2009

Dixon · Joined: 30 Dec 2009

ChilgokBlackHole · Joined: 21 Nov 2009

caro188 · Joined: 27 Feb 2010

Are there any stores in the whole of Korea that sell western healthfood that I could have for a treat? Also I've heard there is a "gluten-free label" in Korean have any of you seen them?
Thanks for all your input! Very Happy

Son Deureo! · Joined: 30 Apr 2003

I am celiac and have been living in Korea since 2001. Many people, mostly non-celiacs, get stressed out and leave Korea, but I'm not one of them.

There is absolutely no way for your celiac sprue to disqualify you for employment in Korea as they do not test for it in any way when you get your health check. Immigration only needs to see an HIV test and a drug test, and when you get your health check done here insist on only receiving those tests.

I have never found any health food stores that carry specifically gluten free products, but with a little Korean knowledge I haven't had that much difficulty eating at Korean restaurants and from regular markets stores here.

The availability of gluten-free products and Korean gluten-free foods has been discussed here before in the following threads:

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=44288&highlight=gluten

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=35757&highlight=gluten

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=42284&highlight=gluten

These threads are a few years old, but most of the info should still be current. If you have any more questions after reading those threads please feel free to post them.

You mentioned that you will be living in Daegu or Busan. I currently live in Busan so feel free to contact me if you ever have questions or want to go out for a gluten free meal.