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Korean Job Discussion Forums "The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
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IPayInCash
Joined: 27 Jul 2013 Location: Away from all my board stalkers :)
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Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:07 pm Post subject: |
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KimchiNinja wrote: |
Meh, Korea is an obscure country in the mind of Westerners.
Westerners know about Japan; they think sushi, healthy eating, thin people, long life spans. Tourists might be interested in exploring that, because food is an important consideration in a vacation for many people.
Koreans are actually probably healthier than Japanese, and have very interesting food as well, but for people in the West it just ain't on the radar.
Asian tourists maybe... |
So are you a gyopo or Koreaboo, which one?
Japan is ranked #1 in life expectancy. I'd say the food has a lot to do with it as when I lived there they didn't eat crap like they do in the US. I'll give you Korea has healthy food compared to the West but in NO WAY are the Koreans healthier than the Japanese. There are more and more fat people in Korea every year (especially the kids). How do you not notice this? Even Koreans have talked to me about how Korea is getting fatter every year and becoming like America. Yet when I head back to Japan for business trips they're still the same thin people they were when they left. Nothings changed. Which parts of Japan are you visiting where they look unhealthier than Koreans? |
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transmogrifier
Joined: 02 Jan 2012 Location: Seoul, South Korea
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Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:09 pm Post subject: |
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I like living in Korea, but I wouldn't come here as a tourist, and I wouldn't recommend it much to others in that respect.
I like the food, but could easily survive without it as well. |
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Mr. BlackCat

Joined: 30 Nov 2005 Location: Insert witty remark HERE
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Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:49 pm Post subject: |
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I don't think many people travel anywhere just food food these days. However, food can be a factor in your travel plans. I know lots of people who have looked forward to visiting Italy, Greece, France, Germany, etc., because of the authentic food experiences they would have. I myself, when I think of going to Thailand for example, get partly excited about the dishes I'll be able to have (for a great price). Do people have that same feeling about Korea? I honestly don't know. I don't think many people in the West know enough about Korean cuisine to think that way, but most tourists to Korea are from China and Japan. I really don't know what their motivations are. |
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edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
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Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2013 9:02 pm Post subject: |
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I really don't know what their motivations are. |
Well, according to that thread on Gagnam tourist police many of them come here to see where the world's most famous rap star filmed his epic youtube video. In kind of the same way tourists in London take pictures of themselves crossing Abbey Road.
Personally food would be one of the strongest factors in choosing a vacation location for me. That's why I'd never have a holiday here |
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Steelrails

Joined: 12 Mar 2009 Location: Earth, Solar System
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Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2013 9:16 pm Post subject: |
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IPayInCash wrote: |
Ah, there's my pet right on time. I gotta say Steelrails I'm here in my office right now (adorned with my accolades and achievements |
Oh, so that's what the inside of your fantasy mind looks like? Kinda like that psycho guy in "The Cell". Maybe the long-lost cast of "Herman's Head" is outside the office.
Anyways, coming to Korea for the food is stupid, and I can't imagine anyone doing it. Outside of France, Japan, and Italy, MAYBE China, I can't picture any country out there being visited by anyone but HARDCORE gastronomes for food. |
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Jodami
Joined: 08 Feb 2013
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Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2013 9:19 pm Post subject: Re: Would you come to Korea for the food? |
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Captain Corea wrote: |
I've wondered if I'd miss Korean food if/when I left. |
Forget it CC.
You ain't leaving, NEVER. You and the rest of Dave's contingent are LIFERS. You hear that? LIFERS.
Jodami is the only one around who go out.......AND got out at the top!
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young_clinton
Joined: 09 Sep 2009
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Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2013 9:37 pm Post subject: |
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optik404 wrote: |
No, mainly because you can get every single Korean dish back where I'm from. The land of the free. |
You can get Thai dishes back in the "land of the free" too, but they're not real. I wonder if that is the same with Korean food in the "land of the free". Interestingly enough the Korean food I got in Bangkok, Thailand was almost better than what I would get in Korea. |
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Who's Your Daddy?
Joined: 30 May 2010 Location: Victoria, Canada.
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Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2013 10:17 pm Post subject: |
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Steelrails wrote: |
IPayInCash wrote: |
Korean food sucks.
Probably tied with Philippines for worst food in Asia.
Remember that time Steelrails argued with me that kimchi isn't representative of Korean food? That was a classic Steelrails FAIL.  |
It's no more representative than Cole Slaw is of American food or Sauerkraut of German. It's a representative dish, but it isn't representative of the food. Saying all Korean food tastes like Kimchi and Bibimbap and that eating those dishes would give you a good idea of Korean food is silly. |
In the public school text, Grade 3, Unit 9 "Around the World" it is about representative dishes around the world. It explains Korea's representative dishes are bibimbap, and bulgogi. [Italy is pizza, India is curry.]
young_clinton wrote: |
You can get Thai dishes back in the "land of the free" too, but they're not real... |
I don't care if things are real actually, I care if they taste good. I prefer western "chinese" food over Korean "chinese" food any day - although I doubt if either are the real thing. |
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b-class rambler
Joined: 25 Mar 2009
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Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2013 10:35 pm Post subject: |
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Mr. BlackCat wrote: |
I don't think many people in the West know enough about Korean cuisine to think that way, but most tourists to Korea are from China and Japan. |
Yes, exactly.
I sense a few on this thread are finding it hard to imagine people like themselves or other westerners being attracted to Korea by its food. And quite reasonably so and I agree...... BUT that completely misses the point that I'm glad someone has now pointed out - the overwhelming majority of foreign tourists that Korea attracts, and has realistic chances of continually attracting, are not westerners but other East Asians.
Having lived in Japan for many years, I can confirm that for most Japanese who are attracted to visiting Korea, it's definitely the food that's the no. 1 draw. Plenty of times I had Japanese people comment to me that they didn't think there was much to see in Korea but they loved Korean food and that's why they were going. Pick up any Korean travel guide mag in a Japanese book store and you'll find it's mostly food related stuff. Recently, even makkoli has stirred up enormous interest in Japan!!
Can't speak for the mainland Chinese, Taiwanese or others from further south but I suspect similar stuff applies. |
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Steelrails

Joined: 12 Mar 2009 Location: Earth, Solar System
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Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2013 11:14 pm Post subject: |
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Who's Your Daddy? wrote: |
In the public school text, Grade 3, Unit 9 "Around the World" it is about representative dishes around the world. It explains Korea's representative dishes are bibimbap, and bulgogi. [Italy is pizza, India is curry.]
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And America is probably hamburgers. I don't consider hamburgers, pizza, and kimchi to represent those country's foods either. They might be their most famous dishes, but they don't paint a good picture. |
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optik404

Joined: 24 Jun 2008
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Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2013 11:29 pm Post subject: |
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young_clinton wrote: |
optik404 wrote: |
No, mainly because you can get every single Korean dish back where I'm from. The land of the free. |
You can get Thai dishes back in the "land of the free" too, but they're not real. I wonder if that is the same with Korean food in the "land of the free". Interestingly enough the Korean food I got in Bangkok, Thailand was almost better than what I would get in Korea. |
You really think you can't find authentic thai food in all of the US? The US has authentic dishes from pretty much every culture. You just have to not live in some crappy flyover state. |
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edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
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Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2013 11:39 pm Post subject: |
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Anyone who's at all interested in food would know that travelling to countries where certain cuisine originates is a different experience than eating it in your own country. Thai food in the US will have adapted slightly to suit the local taste. That's why Americans often claim they have better pizza than Italy, as it's changed over the years to suit the local palate. There'll always be some local things on the menu that don't travel well or are just not liked in other countries. Plus you'll have different wines to complement it and a generally different atmosphere in the restaurants. |
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Who's Your Daddy?
Joined: 30 May 2010 Location: Victoria, Canada.
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Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2013 11:40 pm Post subject: |
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Steelrails wrote: |
Who's Your Daddy? wrote: |
In the public school text, Grade 3, Unit 9 "Around the World" it is about representative dishes around the world. It explains Korea's representative dishes are bibimbap, and bulgogi. [Italy is pizza, India is curry.]
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And America is probably hamburgers. I don't consider hamburgers, pizza, and kimchi to represent those country's foods either. They might be their most famous dishes, but they don't paint a good picture. |
I sometimes wonder if that is the point of the "Around the world" section of the book. |
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KimchiNinja

Joined: 01 May 2012 Location: Gangnam
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Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2013 11:41 pm Post subject: |
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IPayInCash wrote: |
So are you a gyopo or Koreaboo, which one?
Japan is ranked #1 in life expectancy. I'd say the food has a lot to do with it as when I lived there they didn't eat crap like they do in the US. I'll give you Korea has healthy food compared to the West but in NO WAY are the Koreans healthier than the Japanese. There are more and more fat people in Korea every year (especially the kids). How do you not notice this? Even Koreans have talked to me about how Korea is getting fatter every year and becoming like America. Yet when I head back to Japan for business trips they're still the same thin people they were when they left. Nothings changed. Which parts of Japan are you visiting where they look unhealthier than Koreans? |
People always go crazy on Dave's, it's fun.
KR has the lowest obesity rate in the developed world, slightly lower than JP, but their overweight rate is slightly higher, so basically a tie. Life expectancy is complicated, oldies had it hard, I say the new generation lives forever.
But the point is Westerner's think about Japan, KR may have all sorts of good points but is off their radar.
Last edited by KimchiNinja on Mon Oct 21, 2013 11:52 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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KimchiNinja

Joined: 01 May 2012 Location: Gangnam
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Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2013 11:52 pm Post subject: |
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optik404 wrote: |
young_clinton wrote: |
optik404 wrote: |
No, mainly because you can get every single Korean dish back where I'm from. The land of the free. |
You can get Thai dishes back in the "land of the free" too, but they're not real. I wonder if that is the same with Korean food in the "land of the free". Interestingly enough the Korean food I got in Bangkok, Thailand was almost better than what I would get in Korea. |
You really think you can't find authentic thai food in all of the US? The US has authentic dishes from pretty much every culture. You just have to not live in some crappy flyover state. |
LOL, confirmed. I've had excellent Korean food in the "the land of the free", also in Vancouver (which is a city of diverse food awesomeness), like 90% real deal Korean. |
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