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Steelrails
Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Location: Earth, Solar System
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 Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 9:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Mr. BlackCat wrote: |
| Steelrails wrote: |
For those of us out in the sticks when walking by a newly fertilized field and getting a god ol whiff that you can taste, spitting is mandatory to avoid gagging and hurling.
Remember, smell is based off of microscopic particles hitting your nose. That means if you can smell and taste cow patties, you've got cow patty in your mouth.
Slurping noodles is fine, noodles are hot so slurping cools them. If you wait to long, the noodles lose their texture. I don't like it though. I just don't mind it. Kinda like the spitting, an unfortunate necessity.
The biggest one I like is group conversations and discussions. While they can stray into old ajosshi droning on and on to the youngsters, with a heavy dose of group think, territory, amongst peers its quite nice that typical conversations over issues don't dissolve into shouting matches between two attention-seeking people with competing viewpoints as everyone else just kinda zones off or talks about something else. People actually listen instead of just waiting for their turn to speak. |
Two things.
1) Spitting. Yes, that's why in most cultures it's acceptable to spit in the country side. In the city it's considered rude not because of the act itself but because people then have to walk through it. I have a 7 minute walk to work and have to dodge about a dozen huge gobs in the middle of the sidewalk each morning/evening. When I feel the need to spit I do so over a sewer or into a napkin. I think that's what most people have a problem with.
2) I disagree with your comments about Korean group conversations. But I think language differences might skew what I want to say. All I can say is very rarely do one or two people shout at each other and try to dominate the conversation when I'm out with other foreigners, here or at home. It's an extreme example to prove your point. Just like your description of a Western drinking night compared to a Korean drinking night. I think the Koreans drinking outside my building until 3am almost every night would disagree with that generalization as well. |
Point 1) I agree, but since a fair number of people moved I can understand them bringing the habit, though they should have clued in by now to the new standards and there is no excuse for the young people.
Point 2)Yes it is a generalization. I have seen some ajummas scream at each other over the table that would put Frank and Estelle Costanza to shame. And there are plenty of Korean booze nights that go wrong, especially when its only men or young people.
But man there's aways the 30 minute stand around because someone who was macrobiotic last month has decided to go gluten-free this month.
Plus you'd never hear a Korean teacher say "10,000 won for dinner? That's so expensive. Let's just go to KimBapCheonGuk" That would be embarrassing for them.
And you'd never eat dinner later than 7 unless there was some special reason.
As for the time things take its actually its probably more related to age and marital status than culture. older people of all cultures value their time and punctuality more and tend not to be drifting around. I bet you get a bunch of 25 year old Koreans together and they do the whole stand-around and be late and party late as well..... |
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littlelisa
Joined: 12 Jun 2007
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 10:16 pm Post subject: |
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| Steelrails wrote: |
And you'd never eat dinner later than 7 unless there was some special reason.
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Highly dependent on where you are from. This is definitely not true in Montreal. That said, I'm pretty flexible with when I eat, especially here I end up eating earlier. But sure, sometimes I still have dinner at 8. Often it's because a Korean friend who is just getting off work at that time suggests having dinner and that's when she can join me. I guess there are always exceptions.
I remember a couple of friends I met while travelling (who had met through travel too, I think). One was a Spanish guy who would eat dinner regularly at 9 or 10pm, and the other was a Chinese girl who ate dinner at 5pm. Hahaha it was pretty funny. |
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18thchildofmymother
Joined: 19 Dec 2011
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| Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 11:01 pm Post subject: |
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steelrails I'm the perfect party spoiler for your Korean night out, which is why I don't do Korean nights out.
5, 5:30 pm dinner is too early for me. I won't eat till 6:30 at the earliest and here in Korea usually around 7:30-8 because after school I don't want to eat dinner, that's when I want to go the gym. I like working out on an empty stomach and find it's far more difficult to drag my butt in there later if I have an "early" dinner.
I don't eat at Korean restaurants like kimbap whatever, because one good reason is I hate kimbap. I avoid white rice because I want to control my white carbs and rice is easily my least favorite behind bread, pasta an potatoes. The seaweed they like so much that's wrapped around the rice, makes me want to puke. My list of edible Korean meals, much less ones I actually enjoy eating is miniscule. I'll grant you that I am much finickier than the average person when it comes to food, but I can't change that about myself and why should I?
(btw, I rarely eat at restaurants back in the US too)
noreabangs were kind of fun the first 3 times I went with my new coworkers, etc, there was a novelty to it all, but now they fail to arouse any real interest.
Getting hammered doesn't interest me. I find it tricky to find the right trajectory to achieve that "happy buzz" place, because once the soju starts flowing it's very difficult to pace oneself carefully in a group that will force soju shot upon soju shot on you. |
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18thchildofmymother
Joined: 19 Dec 2011
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| Posted: Sun Dec 25, 2011 10:17 am Post subject: |
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btw.. there's something seriously wrong and stupid about wanting to get hammered early.
Not that I'm recommending getting hammered, in fact I stringently avoid it.
but if you're going to do something as stupid as getting hammered in the first place, then doing it late, along with the stupid choices at the later time that entails is kind of the way it "should" be done.
imo anyways 
and Latin Europeans, such as Spaniards and Italians are notorious for late dinners. Their nightclubs don't even open till midnight and they keep going till the morning. How do they do it? I have no idea.. but the late afternoon siesta definitely helps. |
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Malislamusrex
Joined: 01 Feb 2010
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| Posted: Sun Dec 25, 2011 4:08 pm Post subject: |
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| coming into work with a hangover and everyone saying 'you are a good drinker' / 'you are very strong' / 'congratulations' / 'you are like a Korean' it makes Christmas a little more special when no one cares what you get up to as long as you have had a shower shave and at work on time. |
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fermentation
Joined: 22 Jun 2009
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| Posted: Sun Dec 25, 2011 4:53 pm Post subject: |
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| 18thchildofmymother wrote: |
Let's face it, the western approach of going to a restaurant and letting everyone eat what makes them happy is vastly superior on every level. You can always share dishes with others if you like but you have the option of getting something you actually want to eat.
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I agree with this. If you get your own dish you have the option of sharing but Koreans and Japanese people like to order things as a group which could mean some people aren't going to be happy with the choices but has to suck it up for the group. But at the same time you to remember that it's generally cheaper to order as a group.
| Quote: |
| I SOMETIMES don't mind that picking your nose in public isn't frowned upon. |
I'm pretty sure most Koreans between 6 and 30 think you're disgusting if you pick your nose in public. |
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cfile2
Joined: 28 Jun 2010
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| Posted: Sun Dec 25, 2011 4:55 pm Post subject: |
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| 18thchildofmymother wrote: |
| cfile2 wrote: |
| Wildbore wrote: |
| ssuprnova wrote: |
| Also, sharing food. I actually like this custom a lot. |
Sharing food/cups is one of the dumbest customs I can think of in modern times.
It is horrible hygeine. No surprise Koreans always have cold sores around their mouths. Mouth herpres = AMAZING. |
Ummmm first of all no. I don't see the majority of Koreans walking around with throbbing cold sores.
Secondly, you probably have herpes yourself. Fact: most people do. And you probably got it from your mom or something (and that isn't me making a mom joke).
Herpes aside, I also love the sharing food custom. I think its cute when my girlfriend makes a 쌈 for me over BBQ. I like the table manners in general here. |
I hate the sharing food custom for a very simple reason. My taste buds aren't aligned with the taste buds of most Koreans and I hate seafood. When the food served is one of the few things that I like, then I don't mind it one bit, but generally speaking I don't like being asked out to dinner because it means I'll probably be miserable.
Let's face it, the western approach of going to a restaurant and letting everyone eat what makes them happy is vastly superior on every level. You can always share dishes with others if you like but you have the option of getting something you actually want to eat.
The spitting is disgusting and I'll never get used to it. It would bother me less if people did it discretely, but it's never done that way.
I don't mind bowing, sometimes even prefer it, and I like not having to say bless you for every sneeze. However, if someone lets out a really powerful ah- choo, then I like saying bless you. |
Your first point is a valid reason not to enjoy the sharing of food. Korean food isn't for everybody and if it's not your cup of kimchi then I get it.
Suggesting that the Western way of dining is vastly superior in every way is ethno/ego-centric. It's just your tastes.
Personally, it depends on the dish I'm sharing. If it's Korean food or pasta or something, I love the sharing. I think it's better to share those types of dishes (especially the Korean food, because that's how it was meant to be eaten).
Sometimes my gf wants to share a burger though and I draw the line at sharing my burgers.
Point being, neither one is particularly superior to the other. It is what it is and you just happen to dislike the communal Korean dishes (though how anyone could dislike sharing a pot of Gamjatang or Dalk-galbi seems borderline insane to me  ). |
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Zyzyfer
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: who, what, where, when, why, how?
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| Posted: Sun Dec 25, 2011 5:00 pm Post subject: |
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| 18thchildofmymother wrote: |
| Getting hammered doesn't interest me. I find it tricky to find the right trajectory to achieve that "happy buzz" place, because once the soju starts flowing it's very difficult to pace oneself carefully in a group that will force soju shot upon soju shot on you. |
The half-shot soju movement needs to take off already. It is far and away better than the one-shot tradition. You still get toasted but at least you're not hovering over the toilet an hour later after the endless chain of clinked glasses.
| 18thchildofmymother wrote: |
| steelrails I'm the perfect party spoiler... |
Yeah, you got that right. No carbs, no sharing, got to have the meal at this time, only want to work out on an empty stomach...lol
Pretty sure that's exactly what Steelrails was poking fun at in his "Western night out" post. |
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FloridaGator314
Joined: 04 Apr 2011
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| Posted: Sun Dec 25, 2011 10:01 pm Post subject: |
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| Mr. BlackCat wrote: |
I went to buy shaving cream from Emart and there were 6 different young ladies screaming at me while I looked at their one shelf display. It's a good idea taken to an absurd extreme. |
These girls always make me feel pressured to make a quick decision when buying soap/shampoo/shaving cream etc. since they have the need to watch me look over the selection and if I take move than 1.7 seconds to pick out a product, they will point to a particular product, I assume to inform me that the store indeed does sell the product that is in their store. |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2011 6:04 am Post subject: |
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| cfile2 wrote: |
| 18thchildofmymother wrote: |
| cfile2 wrote: |
| Wildbore wrote: |
| ssuprnova wrote: |
| Also, sharing food. I actually like this custom a lot. |
Sharing food/cups is one of the dumbest customs I can think of in modern times.
It is horrible hygeine. No surprise Koreans always have cold sores around their mouths. Mouth herpres = AMAZING. |
Ummmm first of all no. I don't see the majority of Koreans walking around with throbbing cold sores.
Secondly, you probably have herpes yourself. Fact: most people do. And you probably got it from your mom or something (and that isn't me making a mom joke).
Herpes aside, I also love the sharing food custom. I think its cute when my girlfriend makes a 쌈 for me over BBQ. I like the table manners in general here. |
I hate the sharing food custom for a very simple reason. My taste buds aren't aligned with the taste buds of most Koreans and I hate seafood. When the food served is one of the few things that I like, then I don't mind it one bit, but generally speaking I don't like being asked out to dinner because it means I'll probably be miserable.
Let's face it, the western approach of going to a restaurant and letting everyone eat what makes them happy is vastly superior on every level. You can always share dishes with others if you like but you have the option of getting something you actually want to eat.
The spitting is disgusting and I'll never get used to it. It would bother me less if people did it discretely, but it's never done that way.
I don't mind bowing, sometimes even prefer it, and I like not having to say bless you for every sneeze. However, if someone lets out a really powerful ah- choo, then I like saying bless you. |
Your first point is a valid reason not to enjoy the sharing of food. Korean food isn't for everybody and if it's not your cup of kimchi then I get it.
Suggesting that the Western way of dining is vastly superior in every way is ethno/ego-centric. It's just your tastes.
Personally, it depends on the dish I'm sharing. If it's Korean food or pasta or something, I love the sharing. I think it's better to share those types of dishes (especially the Korean food, because that's how it was meant to be eaten).
Sometimes my gf wants to share a burger though and I draw the line at sharing my burgers.
Point being, neither one is particularly superior to the other. It is what it is and you just happen to dislike the communal Korean dishes (though how anyone could dislike sharing a pot of Gamjatang or Dalk-galbi seems borderline insane to me ). |
Could not agree more, well put. |
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