Korean Job Discussion Forums

Knappstar · Joined: 05 Jan 2005

I think we can all agree that, by western standards, koreans eat some of the most insane foods ever.

I had lunch this past weekend with my head teacher, and we went out for sushi. While there, we had live squid, jelly fish, sea urchin, and sea slug, among various other exotic dishes. I tried each without reservation, and truly enjoyed the experience.

On the way home, my head teacher offered to help me with some grocery shopping, since I still have trouble figuring out exactly what everything is. (I've only been in Korea a month.) One of the items I picked up was a jar of feta cheese in olive oil. When we got back to my apartment, she offered to help me bring my bags up to my apt. As soon as we got in there, I cracked open the feta I had been dying to feast on, and began to gorge. She gave me a funny look and said "WHAAAAT is that? YUK!" I said, "Oh, this is some greek cheese, give it a try, its really tasty." And she refused..so I reminded her of my culinary adventures, and she finally gave in..and loved it.

Still, I find it hard to believe someone who will gladly shovel something that can possibly kill you while alive (jelly fish) down their gullets would think twice about something as harmless as feta.

Anyone else have similar experiences?

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

The food is unique. They do eat some nasty looking stuff. I can eat maybe half the stuff in restaurants, but a lot of it still weird to me. The Taiwanese eat some nasty-looking stuff too.

peony · Joined: 30 Mar 2005

its very true, i know people who will gladly scarf down raw beef liver and live sashimi but are unwilling to try thai food

khyber · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Compunction Junction

frankly, a lot of the sea food you mentioned (except sea slugs) are eaten back home...in some cases delicacies.

i was surprised when i ordered a shabu shabu at the rest. near my house and didn't realize it was "hae mool". also got all kinds of crazy stuff. The only thing i didn't touch was the urchins....everything else i suffered down (i'm not a fan of the sea)

by western standards korean food is a bit strange. But compared to, as mentioned taiwanese food, korean food may as well be burger and fries

that is some of the funkiest stuff i've EVER seen.

PolyChronic Time Girl · Joined: 15 Dec 2004 Location: Korea Exited

Most Koreans only like Korean food. I have met many Koreans who say "I only like Korean food." It's part of their culture and don't want to part with it. I was very frustrated when I went on a Korean package tour to the Phillipines and not once did they try the cuisine there....we had to eat at only Korean restaurants...I was really p*ssed about that....last time I take a Korean package tour.
My hubbie is like that...when we went to Thailand, he took all those Ko-joo-jang tubes from Asiana airlines and poured ko-joo-jang all over the Thai food...sacrilege if you ask me and I even got angry at him because of it but realized I can't change that about him...
I think Koreans really have their taste buds programmed only for Korean food...they rarely go for anything else.

mindmetoo · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

Hollywoodaction · Joined: 02 Jul 2004

Hollywoodaction · Joined: 02 Jul 2004

thorin · Joined: 14 Apr 2003

I was at a party once where the youngest guy was forced to eat different kinds of cheese in some kind of hazing ritual. After each bite, he would quickly eat some kimchi in order to get the horrible cheese taste out of his mouth. You should have seen the look on his face. It was like he was eating maggots and roaches for one of those Survivor challenges. Meanwhile, I'm in heaven snacking on the same cheese...

canadian_in_korea · Joined: 20 Jun 2004 Location: South Korea

Hmm...maybe some of you can elaborate on the Thai food..?...I've never been there...what strange things are you talking about?

I brought a toaster oven with me from home...it bakes/broils/rotisseries..its great.. Very Happy

I've made a few casseroles, lasanga...my husband liked them all....he'll eat just about anything....he eats kimchi with almost everything...myself I can't do it....if I mix korean side dishes with my western food...it makes me a little squamish.... Razz

Perhaps it depends on your cooking style but I find that although Korean food is for the most part very healthy...there is a lot more salt and sugar added than the western food I cook.

skookum · Joined: 11 Mar 2005

Keeping in mind that older Koreans grew up in an era with not much at all in the way of non-Korean food (except maybe Japanese, if old enough). It took Westerers a long time to get used to Asian cuisines. 50 years ago Chop Suey was the big adventure. Thai restaurants were unimaginable. Now Korean society in general hasn't been "cosmopolitanizing" for very long at all.

I had been introducing folks I worked with back in America to Asian food items. Folks who got over the initial odor liked durian fruits. Some really like ka rae ddeok. But what really put some people off was chap chae noodles. "Ee-uuw, it looks like worms!" Surprised

Koreabound2004 · Joined: 19 Nov 2003

One of my friends was preparing a group of K-teachers for a trip abroad. They were going to North America to immerse themselves in English learning apparently. When he asked them what they thought the hardest part would be for them....9/10 said that they would have issues with the food overseas.

I could see that if the food here was AMAZING....but out of all the food I have eaten in the world, this food is the worst. Mad

When I was in Thailand during the winter...it was amazing to watch Korean luggage on the belt at the airport....lots of ramyon boxes...and other food things...Stunk up the plane with their fish snacks....when Thai Airways had the best meals ever.

In fact, it was quite interesting, 80% of the people on the flight were Korean, others were going to HK, and there were a few N.Americans. The meals were either fish and potatoes, or beef and rice. The Koreans were getting annoyed b/c they wanted fish and rice together, but couldn't have both. They did have packets of kimchi for them, and it was killing the lady beside us that it was the only thing we didn't eat...you could tell she wanted to take our unused packages. I suppose we could have offered, but the Koreans on the flight were so arrogant and annoying, that we didn't bother. Rolling Eyes

tzechuk · Joined: 20 Dec 2004

Moldy Rutabaga · Joined: 01 Jul 2003 Location: Ansan, Korea

It makes me think of a woman I used to work with here at the university-- she was teaching a class of adults, and a few of them had gone on a package tour to Italy together. She asked them, "what did you think of Italian food when you were there!"
They answered, "oh, we didn't have any."
"you.. didn't.. have.. any...."
"no, we brought food with us."
"you never even tried Italian food?"
"no, we like Korean food. very delicious and healthful."
She couldn't talk for a few minutes. I don't think I would have been any different.

This doesn't describe all Koreans. And some, I think, like foreign dishes but keep quiet about it. But often I am asked what Canadian food is like, and when I answer that there are very few 'Canadian' dishes and most people choose from the dishes of the 238 or so other countries in the world, they are uncomprehending.

Ken:>

uberscheisse · Joined: 02 Dec 2003 Location: japan is better than korea.

i just spent 2 weeks with some american friends in japan and korea.

while they were stoked on bibimbap, i can't count how many times two of the dudes whined "where can we get some piiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiizza?"

everyone everywhere does it. i have people in my family who refuse to eat anything but meat and potatoes.