Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Angelus]

Just sitting at my desk listening to the sound of my coworker making smacking noises as he eats. lovely.

[igotthisguitar]

[Angelus]

No, not a newbie....been here 7 years. There are certain things I can never get used to. Being pushed or bumped into without an apology, and running to avoid a car going 40mph in an alley way are some others.

[igotthisguitar]

[I-am-me]

Why do koreans have to smack when chewing gum? That really irks me when I hear it. I could just smack them. Is some pleasure derived from doing it or does the gum taste better when you smack it? I usually mock them by smacking my tongue. They get the hint!

[C.M.]

I recall a dinner I had with my boss and his wife, a co-teacher, when I arrived in Korea several months ago. The first thought I had was: "WTF is this?! Are they trying to piss me off?" Now I rarely notice it, or rather I no longer react to it.

Though I do wonder what Koreans make about my silence whilst eating. I was in a restaurant for lunch before classes today. It was after the rush and I was the only one in the place except for the ajumma. She sat down near me, watching whilst I ate my �� �� (sp.?) in absolute silence; no matter how hard I willed myself, I simply could not make myself slurp and smack those noodles....the image of my grandmothers hand across my face flashed through my mind. So....the implicit question: do Koreans think it rude if foreigners don't slurp and smack?

[Grotto]

I had it explained to me as:

Koreans smack to show their appreciation of the taste of the food. Its an older custom that seems to be on the decline.

Once when I was out with some Korean friends there was an older couple (mid 50's) at a table next to us and the racket they produced was reminiscent of a 1970's porno, smack OOHHHh UUUUHHH smack smack UUUrrhhhhh smack smack. They were loud and I thought it was the most disgusting display I had ever had the displeasure of hearing. Even my Korean friends were offended by the volume.....One of my friends is a Veternarian and he laughingly told me that they were...."how do you say it? Peasants?"

All I could say was "well they must have certainly enjoyed the food then!"

[Cheonmunka]

It's hard to get used to, eh. All I can say ..

[Ya-ta Boy]

When I hear the slurping, smacking noises I always flash back to Mom making such a big deal of making us kids stop it when we were growing up. But every once in a while, she'd let us slurp the last of the spaghetti and even get in on it with us.

I don't react to it except with a student who is planning on going abroad soon. Then I explain they HAVE to learn to eat silently, for their own good.

[thursdays child]

Yes, it repulses me. No, it doesn't offend me.... here.

During summer vacation, my K-partner and his Dad are coming with me to England to visit some of my family... I'm so worried that I'll be emabarrassed of the Dad (I've already house trained the boy!!).

My staunch belief system of 'be who you want to be' is going to come crashing down around my ears!

[seoulsucker]

The gum is pretty bad, but the soup and noodles is what gets to me the most. It's f'n repulsive. I've tried explaining that people in most other countries get slapped by their mamas if they eat like that. 2 years in and it's still nails on a chalkboard to me.

[mindmetoo]

Eating udong by slupring etc I don't have a problem with. But when you're slurping and smacking your lips eating a slice of cake you're sharing with three other male friends in Starbucks and you're all wearing plaid pants, a flowered shirt, and a polka dot tie, and your legs are in your best friend's crotch... Well that kind of makes me go "hmmm".

[igotthisguitar]

[coffeeman]

Never mind gum or noodles, a lot of Koreans make lip smacking noises without anything in their mouth. I think it's an unconscious and compulsive habit for them (like when I shake my leg). You really don't hear this in North America except when people are angry. Like the people speaking at a carefree loud volume in the halls of my apartment building, I have come to accept it - not like it, but accept it. What cha gonna do?

[dogbert]