| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
|
 Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2003 8:59 pm Post subject: |
 |
|
I agree with what Dan said about Koreans and spicey food. I often go to great lengths on that one saying why isn't Mexican or Thai food popular here as its extremely popular for Americans because its so much hotter and spicier than Korean food.
My biggest pet peeve is that everyone assumes kimchee doesn't appeal to us because its too spicy. The real fact of the matter for the foreigners that don't like it is because its fermented cabbage. Granted now I like the stuff. But when I got here it unappealing because it was fermented not because it was too spicy for my assumingly 3-hamburgers a day American style eating.
Another one I hate is when Koreans insist I try some Korean food (that I've already ate 1000 times) and say 'you are in Korea, you should try Korean food'. Thats all I do all day is eat Korean food and have for a long time. Still they just assume we eat every single meal at McDonalds breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Sheesh. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Joe Thanks
Joined: 01 Oct 2003
Location: Dudleyville
|
| Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2003 9:56 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Tiger Beer wrote: |
Another one I hate is when Koreans insist I try some Korean food (that I've already ate 1000 times) and say 'you are in Korea, you should try Korean food'. Thats all I do all day is eat Korean food and have for a long time. Still they just assume we eat every single meal at McDonalds breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Sheesh. |
They go on tours around the world and eat at Korean restaurants. Talk to the kids of Korean parents working overseas and 90% of the time they ate Korean food - and at home. No real going out on the town unelss it was a Korean restaurant. Not an absolute, but I've encountered so many people who do it that it's certainly a large truism, though, again, not an all-encompassing Korean truism.
I've yet to have an opportunity to play the "Well this is America so you should eat American food" jingoism game.
When I return - and when I was last in SK - I had a balanced east/west dietary habit. My only demand was no fish.
Korean seafood is the worst on earth. I've yet ot have a seafood dish in Korea that I could stomach. I've tried.
Ironically, when I'd go out and about with Korean friends they'd ask if I wanted to g oto a Korean restaurant and I said "sure." Almsot always it was seafood-only and while they were about to park I'd say "Oh, I don't eat seafood, but I do eat Korean food." Only the guys would bother to go to local restaurants serving beef, chicken or pork. The gals would immediately decide upon a western restaurant. I also learned to always tell people 'I don't mind as long as I don't have to eat seafood." It just took a few instances to make it all clear.
As for the "hot" factor (I've rarely heard a Korean say "spicey" though they meant to, they always end up saying 'hot') - once htey saw me eat a few gochu with no "chaser," they never brought things up and began trusting my judgement on "spicey" food (a former girlfriend hated spicey food beyond the Korean "spicey" level, and if I told her "I think it's spicey," she avoided many a stomach ache.
I digress
Joe |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
J.B. Clamence
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
|
| Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2003 12:38 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| 1. That foreigners (especially in the US) are not close to their families and don't have love like Koreans have for their families. |
Is that really just a myth?  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Joe Thanks
Joined: 01 Oct 2003
Location: Dudleyville
|
| Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2003 1:48 am Post subject: |
|
|
| J.B. Clamence wrote: |
| Quote: |
| 1. That foreigners (especially in the US) are not close to their families and don't have love like Koreans have for their families. |
Is that really just a myth? |
I think myth is blood ties.
My "family" is not defined by blood. There are emotional bonds stronger than that, and as such, my "family" come from different races and walks of life. I make my family.
The traditional concept of "family" is generally a farce. I have some friends who have what I'd call picture-perfect (traditional) families, but most of them - and mosto f my aquaintances do not. It wavers.
The same goes for Korea but the filial duty is followed. It can be robotic. It does not neccessiarily make it any more sincere.
The Chinese have a term for the type of "family" I kind of refer to: xiong di/heng dai. I'm no gangster and I don't apply it in the chauvinistic, confucian sense. There are blood relatives I would not risk my life for, but I have some "family" that I would; without question and without regret.
2 cents,
Joe |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Alias
Joined: 24 Jan 2003
|
| Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2003 5:05 am Post subject: |
|
|
Telling kids that we only have four toes is funny. But some of you have been taking things too far. It seems to be done at of spite rather than innocent joking.
Their only curious so relax. So some guy on the subway kept asked how old you are. Big deal. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
lush72
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: I am Penalty Kick!
|
| Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2003 5:18 am Post subject: |
|
|
this is funny- keep it going!  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2005 8:04 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| lush72 wrote: |
| this is funny- keep it going! |
Sheesh, that comment killed this thread back in 2003! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
tzechuk
Joined: 20 Dec 2004
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2005 9:41 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| richinkorea wrote: |
| I used to tell my gf that babies were really called puppies. She is still mad about that. |
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rok_the-boat
Joined: 24 Jan 2004
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2005 9:45 pm Post subject: |
|
|
In Japan, tired of the same old questions, I replied that I had 21 children. Of course, they didn't believe me. That was, not until I said my wife was Arabian, and I had three of them. Then they all went - 'ooooooh', indicating understanding. They were snickering about it for ages - and as far as I know, they never found out the deception.
PS I said 21 as there were 21 kids in that special class. I said three wives as I was talking to three girls at the time ... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
peppermint
Joined: 13 May 2003
Location: traversing the minefields of caddishness.
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2005 10:43 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Last year I taught grades 3-6 at my school, and the younger kids would FREAK whenever they saw me, yelling "Younguk teacher! Yonguk teacher! miguk?" After a really tough day I guess I cracked and I very quietly told one of them in Korean that I wasno American but North Korean. I had no idea Korean eyes could get that big.  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
canadian_in_korea
Joined: 20 Jun 2004
Location: South Korea
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2005 11:07 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| haha...I've always wanted to do that! I actually thought of telling some of the children that I was from the planet Neptune, that is why my eyes are blue, because the planet is blue.....and Neptune is far away from the sun, that is why i don't like the summer....I only tell people I'm from canada so they don't get scared... ...but I never did say it....hahah...I wasn't sure if they would believe it and be terrified. But I would love to see the look on their face being told a white person is from North Korea... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Emu Bitter
Joined: 27 May 2004
Location: Bundang
|
| Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 10:10 am Post subject: |
|
|
I give them the old Aussie I had a pet kangaroo line. Not that this is a foreigner myth just something I tell my students, I explain my lack of hair by saying I had plenty when I came to Korea but teaching kids like you has caused me to pull it out.
If I'm in a particuarly bad mood(which is fortunately rare) & some brat has pointed to my arm or chest hair(a bit hairy in the chest dept. unless I'm wearing a tie, chest hair is visible) & given me the Korean men no comment, I tell them that men without chest/arm hair are women.
I also pretend that I'm proud of my beer gut when in reality I'd like to lose it. They always seem confused by me answering the teacher fat with a proud slap of the belly & a comment of I worked hard for this. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Zenpickle
Joined: 06 Jan 2004
Location: Anyang -- Bisan
|
| Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 2:56 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Tiger Beer wrote: |
| I agree with what Dan said about Koreans and spicey food. I often go to great lengths on that one saying why isn't Mexican or Thai food popular here as its extremely popular for Americans because its so much hotter and spicier than Korean food. |
Yeah, every now and then I bring up that corn, gochu, and all forms of potato botanically originated in the Americas. I've also been tempted to carry one of my bottles of habanero sauce in my pack so that the next time someone asks me if it's too hot (I'm Creole, for goodness sake), I could whip out the habanero sauce.
"Here. Try this." 
As an aside, my K-girlfriend has gotten addicted to my habenero sauce, and I'm running out of places to hide it. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
animalbirdfish
Joined: 04 Feb 2004
|
| Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 8:24 pm Post subject: |
|
|
One started, I imagine, by Korean men wanting to tell 'their' women how lucky they are to have such caring men:
Western men don't sleep in the same bed as their wives/girlfriends.
My girlfriend once booked a hotel room and thought I'd be happy that she'd booked twin beds. I had to explain a few things, then and there. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
|
| Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 12:36 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Zenpickle wrote: |
| Tiger Beer wrote: |
| I agree with what Dan said about Koreans and spicey food. I often go to great lengths on that one saying why isn't Mexican or Thai food popular here as its extremely popular for Americans because its so much hotter and spicier than Korean food. |
Yeah, every now and then I bring up that corn, gochu, and all forms of potato botanically originated in the Americas. I've also been tempted to carry one of my bottles of habanero sauce in my pack so that the next time someone asks me if it's too hot (I'm Creole, for goodness sake), I could whip out the habanero sauce.
"Here. Try this."
As an aside, my K-girlfriend has gotten addicted to my habenero sauce, and I'm running out of places to hide it. |
hahaha.. funny you have to hide it from her! God I wish more Koreans REALLY know the GOOD hot & spicy based foods.. I'd love to have mexican and thai foods dotted around the urban landscapes.
Hey, I never heard of habanero sauce? What ingredients go into that? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
