Korean Job Discussion Forums

[geldedgoat]

Ever met a Korean who would drink (to get drunk) without having a full meal in front of him? Yeah, me neither. My money's on the 안주.

[Dodge7]

[JustinC]

[Steelrails]

Fast food is everywhere in Korea. All those carts selling ddukbokki and fried stuff and dumplings. That's not exactly Jenny Craig there. And there certainly doesn't seem to be much regulation.

[Jyang486]

i think it's really a culture change. parents almost always cooked for their kids, controlling how much they ate and what they ate. white rice, and a lot of it, was always in the diet so you can't blame that. now, a lot of the parents grew up not learning how to cook, studying/working all the time, or find it too much of a hassle to cook so they eat out more. single people have more of a problem with this i find. with the increased costs of grocery shopping, it's said that it's almost as cheap to eat out as it is to cook for yourself. so if you find it a hassle to cook for yourself, why not just order delivery when you don't have to tip?

also, before, kids and parents walked around a lot more as well, several kilometers everyday. now, most people have cars, unlike before. if you don't, then you are probably poor, and people who are poor will probably buy cars as to not appear poor. another issue i find is how people will sign up for long term contracts at the gym to save money, but go only a few times. this happens back in the States as well, but when people do go to the gym to exercise it's usually to do exercises that are boring as hell and goes on seemingly forever. So they are less apt to go again unless they are extremely dedicated/disciplined.

so to sum up my rambles that went all over the place, combine poor diets and lack of exercise, add in the drinking/eating very late culture, and you get the increased number of fat people you see today, imo.

[fermentation]

[KimchiNinja]

[No_hite_pls]

If Koreans get richer they will get fatter.

[Newbie]

[SonomaJoe]

I've gained weight, about ten pounds, since getting here a few months ago. Most of that is due to the fact that there is no gym where I am (or if there is I can't find it on Google and my co-teachers don't know either) and I've been sick almost continuously with tonsilitis or norovirus. I hope I get to the point where Korea stops trying to kill me with various diseases. It's bad for my figure!

This is especially true when I have no idea what I'm eating half the time. I eat a lot of mandu and I have no idea if that is or isn't good for me. I am guessing the fresh kind they sell down the street out of steamers is better than the frozen. Sometimes at school I think I eat too much rice...but part of that is me being polite.

That having been said, I was shocked by the amount of donuts and fast food here...I had heard so much about Asian food being light. I try to say no to the bean pastries but it's hard. Any bread they sell is white so I'm sure that's not helping. I'm trying to cram in as many vegetables as possible.

Quite frankly I'm amazed Korea doesn't have more fat people due to the humidity. Who wants to exercise in this muck? I don't and I'm used to constant exercise.

[Otus]

From someone who has lost about 45kg over the last 16 months here - my thoughts ...

1. The white rice now has way too much sugar content and easily brings about weight gain (amongst other problems) - More in caucasians for some reason, but I think it's starting to take a toll on Koreans. Cutting it out whenever I could (not easy) made a big difference.

2. Someone mentioned about Japan. Every time I've been to Japan I would be hungry after meals. The Japanese diet seems much more controlled.

It's all in the food - in the larger amounts being eaten and the incredible increase in sugar content and fatty food. Not possible for most people to do anything like enough exercise to compensate for that - altho' I see alot of K's trying with the exercise these days - it's just not helping them.

U gotta stop eating ... !

[BobbyOrr]

My students get one hour a week of gym and only 20 minutes a day of recess (that's if they don't have to stay in to finish work). After-school is hagwon time. They are insanely under-recreated.

I've talked to parents and they feel a real guilt about all the hagwons. I think part of this guilt manifests itself in not saying no to their kids about junk food.

[Privateer]

Koreans are getting fatter but they are also getting taller, better muscled, and better looking.

[comm]