Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ZeroGravitas]

Any non-Korean speaking nut allergy sufferers around these parts? How difficult is it to avoid food with nut ingredients in South Korea? I'm guessing I might have to learn a few key phrases before I move out there in order to avoid any unpleasantness, I suppose a suitcase full of epipens wouldn't hurt either!

[lonni318]

I am coming to Korea in 2 weeks and am also allergic to nuts. I was just planning on getting a dictionary and asking a Korean co-worker to write it down for me.

I am also allergic to sesame seeds which I think will be harder in Korea because they sprinkle them on lots of Korean dishes.

[Bollocks]

Bring epis. Korea doesn't have them. Doctors don't recognize them, and are unable to prescribe them.

I'm told they have epinephrine available in hospitals, but that's no help if you're one of those guys who would die before the ambulance arrives.




The purple lonely planet book has a few phrases pertaining to allergies, but the reaction I've got from most Koreans is that you either get hives or a rash or something. Korea doesn't have a word for "anaphylaxis" (comes out as "알레르기" lit: all-leh-ruh-gi or "allergy").

You might print this out:

과민성 쇼크(anaphylaxis)는 급성 앨러지 반응의 하나로 항원과 항체 Ig E가 매개하는 항체간의 급격한 항원-항체 반응으로 일어난다. 매우 위급한 상황을 초래하여 즉각 치료 하지 않으면 생명이 위독할 수도 있다. 과민 반응(anaphylactoid reaction)은 이와 비슷하나 Ig E가 매개하지 않는 것이 차이이다.

(from http://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EA%B3%BC%EB%AF%BC%EC%84%B1_%EC%87%BC%ED%81%AC)

and carry it around with you. That might help.


Fun story: I had an incident that required me to visit a hospital. Fortunately the lady I talked to spoke English fairly well, but the hospital (ie, everyone working there that I talked to, collectively), didn't have the slightest idea what was going on. They sent me to epidermiology. As I said, they thought it was a skin condition. Not regular street people, these. But doctors. Doctors.

Anyway, they sent me out with a prescription for loratadine in case it happens again. So rest assured, if you're in trouble, CLARATIN is the answer.




Obviously my allergies have lessened over the years. If this had been a decade ago, I would have quite likely died on the floor and they may very well have stood there slackjawed, wondering when the waygookin was going to get off the carpet.

Seriously, I love Korea, but if you've got serious life threatening allergies: DO NOT COME. They don't carry the treatment you need. They haven't heard of the issue. They don't take action when you explain that the issue is life threatening.

They will stand by flabbergasted and watch you die.

[Jane]

Here is another thread on peanuts:

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=183367&highlight=peanuts

[Bibbitybop]

I will refrain from making lewd comments.

[Underwaterbob]

[djsmnc]

People with food allergies should be taken care of the same way that people with genetic deformities were treated by Nazi Germany. That way I wouldn't have to see anymore of this BS:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127773780&ft=1&f=1003

1.8mil Americans have peanut allergies, so let's ban peanuts on planes. 1.8. I think the mysterious disappearance of 1.8 million people would go mostly unniticed in the grand scheme of things!

[hwarangi]

If your allergic reaction can be life-threatening use extreme caution. Just because your coworker writes something on a note, doesn't mean people will follow the instruction, or be aware if something came into contact with your food down the chain. Food allergies arent such a big deal here.

[pkang0202]

Maybe you allergy sufferers might find this amusing:

http://topnews.us/content/219890-americans-food-allergies-their-head-study

[djsmnc]

[atwood]

Sesame seed oil is used in lots of dishes. Korea is a tough place for people with restricted diets unless you do all your own cooking.

[Senior]

[tehdee]

to get back to the op's question... alot of people will try and scare you into thinking life will be difficult over here with a peanut allergy-- they're wrong.

im anaphylactic to peanuts, AND am allergic to all seafood including shellfish. the fish are a doozy, but the peanuts--- not so much. the only things i look out for are strange salad dressings, nuts sprinkled on top of fried chicken and breads...

ive been living here for two years, eat out regularly (7-10 times a week) and have had but one scare at my middle school with a piece of garlic bread from paris baguette.

i carried a little translation card around for the first little while until i was confident enough to explain myself in korean.

having travelled through the philippines, singapore, indonesia, laos, cambodia, nepal, tibet, china, japan and hong kong i can tell you ive had the EASIEST time in korea. by far.

an allergy should not prevent you from seeing the world. fasr too many people are lulled into thinking they need to stay in their 'safety zones'... sure there have been some hungry days... a couple of rice and egg dinners... but i wouldnt trade the travels and experiences for anything.

i even tried to start up an allergy conscious traveller webpage a couple of months back... but it didnt take. maybe ill try to fire it up again.

[tehdee]

[nzbradly78]

Doctors here are funny. My children have nut allergies and horrific eczema. The nut thing is pretty easy to deal with since we cook at home and my daughter goes to a kindergarten run by a woman who'd spent quite a long time in America. With the eczema, we can't get a large bottle of medical lotion like we can in New Zealand, since as our doctor said "Korea children don't get eczema." Serious.

When I was in hospital with severe stomach pains and all the fun side affects of that, the doctor was convinced it was food poisoning. Nevermind my wife and children and I all ate the same food at the same time and they were fine.

Finally, when my wife was pregnent with our daughter (the first time we lived here), the told not to gain more than 7 kg. Oooh boy. I'm not bagging on Korean doctors much, since these are isolated things, but they do have some funny ideas sometimes. I live in Daegu, so these aren't countryside doctors.