Korean Job Discussion Forums

Dev · Joined: 18 Apr 2006

Naturally, living in another country, you're going to come across things that you don't exactly like. For me, I can ignore most things that irk me a bit. However, the one thing really upsets me is Koreans needing to turn every dinner into a sharefest.

At hamburger joints, they have to rip open all the fry containers and put the fries together to make a buffet dining experience. I once made the big mistake of taking a Korean friend to an Indian restaurant. I ordered a curry dish and he ordered a rice dish no doubt with the intention of turning our dinner into a sharefest. I think he was surprised when I carefully guarded my food.

Really! What's up wih this? Yeah, I can see foodsharing coming into play when the waitress brings one huge platter of samgyepsal or something, but it's just not right when the waitress brings individual dishes (unless they're double or tripple servings).The portions are made to satisfy one person. Man! Does this get to you? What do you do with your Korean friends?

flotsam · Joined: 28 Mar 2006

I'm glad you brought this up.

I don't think there is any more heinous custom in the entire world: sharing food.

And I can't see any way of getting around it, adapting to it or escaping it.

sadsac · Joined: 22 Dec 2003 Location: Gwangwang

The down side of all this sharing, hepatitis is a problem in Korea. Get your shots and protect yourself. Smile

blaseblasphemener · Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2006 6:49 pm Post subject:

dude,

I feel your pain, but you're going to have to get over it. Shit like that is really beyond your control, unless you don't mind looking like an ass, and really, it is a cultural thing.

tzechuk · Joined: 20 Dec 2004

My husband and I share food all the time. And we share our food with our daughter Razz

.

If I want to share food with friends, I'd ask first.. otherwise I think it's you order what you want, I order what I want!

I_Am_Wrong · Joined: 14 Sep 2004 Location: whatever

I'd never go to an Indian restaurant without ordering several dishes and sharing them among each other.

How about trying to not be so anal

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

I think it's terrible, too. I mean, they grow up all their lives having to share all those side dishes with everyone in sight and they finally get to go to a civilized restaurant like McD's where they finally get a portion served just to them and them alone and whata they do? They stinkin' share it. Rolling Eyes

It's crap like that that will keep Ban from ever getting elected Secretary-General of the UN, and rightly so.

Dev · Joined: 18 Apr 2006

I'm one of these people who thinks too much. But, anyway, the thing that always plays on my mind when we start sharing food is what people are thinking. I mean if I start pigging out, people might think that I am greedy. I worry about this so much that I almost lose my apetite.

Then there's always this stupid game at the end of the meal of who's going to eat the last piece of chicken or whatever. Most of the time, that piece of chicken never gets eaten. Meanwhile I am wishing it was in my stomach. Food sharing is awful and even worse when alcolhol is involved because the light drinkers and the non drinkers end up paying for the heavy drinker's drinks.

jinks · Joined: 27 Oct 2004 Location: Formerly: Lower North Island

flotsam · Joined: 28 Mar 2006

peony · Joined: 30 Mar 2005

to each his own i suppose but i share my food and enjoy having shared food, eating 1 thing is so boring!

with my family, my bf or co-workers, i always try to order something different and we share, family style

Natalia · Joined: 10 Mar 2006

I hate watching someone put their chopsticks in their mouth and then using them to pick up and sort through every piece of food in a dish to choose a piece they like. In most countries this would be unthinkable behaviour. There are very few people in the world I want to exchange bodily fluids with thank you very much.

And judging by the number of colds I've caught in Korea, I'd say this isn't exactly a hygienic way to eat.

There's a big difference between sharing a few dishes at a Chinese or Indian restaurant, and digging in to everybody else's dishes with no thought of sticking your used cutlery into somebody else's meal the way Koreans do.

SuperHero · Joined: 10 Dec 2003 Location: Superhero Hideout

I love the food sharing culture. Me and my foreign friends usually do this whenever we eat out. It's not a big deal and besides it gives you the opportunity to try more food than just what you ordered.

SuperHero · Joined: 10 Dec 2003 Location: Superhero Hideout

SirFink · Joined: 05 Mar 2006

Germ Theory really hasn't caught on here. I mean, fans can kill you but apparently sticking your saliva-coated chop sticks into every dish on the table is nothing to worry about.

Then there's the wet towel before the meal thing. A wet rag doesn't kill germs.

I've had Koreans tell me "well, if someone's sick we give them their own separate bowls to eat from" but people are often most contagious before the symptoms start showing up.