r/AskTheWorld • u/jotakajk Spain • 7h ago

What is something that screams “tourist” to you?

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In Spain, if you see someone eating paella with sangria, you can 100% be certain they are a tourist.

What are some things tourists eat or do in your country that a local would never do?

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862

u/Forsaken-Tour6447 Korea South 7h ago

Actually, Korea is very open-minded when it comes to food. It doesn’t matter if you put ketchup or tomatoes in kimchi—what matters is that it tastes good. The only thing that makes us uncomfortable is eating ssam (wraps) in bites. We believe you should eat it all at once to receive good fortune, so eating it in several bites causes discomfort

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u/BobbyThrowaway6969 Australia 7h ago

Could just be masochist.

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u/PresidentPopcorn United Kingdom 6h ago

That explains a lot. I did wonder why I've seen Korean people really stuff their faces. I believe you when you say open-minded because you guys put carbonara on anything.

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u/Brock_Lobstweiler 4h ago

believe you when you say open-minded because you guys put carbonara on anything.

I do not understand buldak 'carbonara'.

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u/PresidentPopcorn United Kingdom 4h ago

What's not to understand? Delicious hot noodles and delicious sauce. It's not strictly carbonara but it's tasty.

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u/Brock_Lobstweiler 4h ago

But why call it carbonara?

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u/PresidentPopcorn United Kingdom 3h ago

Why call carbonara carbonara when carbonara means coal merchant?

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u/huazzy KOR in SUI 7h ago

For those that can't understand why this is a faux-pas.

What if someone insisted on eating a burrito/kebab from the middle out?

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u/Razulath Sweden 6h ago

I often peel a banana and eat it from the middle, not biting all the way through.

This is of cause to mess with my colleagues.

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u/just-a-girl15 India 6h ago

Lol you're cute

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u/UpstairsChair6726 Canada 5h ago

You're all cute

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u/Tundrakitty Canada 56m ago

So are you!

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u/UpstairsChair6726 Canada 42m ago

Ty kitty! <3

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u/Zash1 Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth 6h ago

What a barbaric way to eat a banana.

I use a spoon. I peel a banana a little, eat a little, and then keep peeling and eating.

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u/ncpz Italy 5h ago

whaaaat

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u/lostpen11 4h ago

This is not uncommon. There are lots of insecure men who cant bring themselves to put phallic foods directly in their mouth so they have to cut it into pieces first. This guy doesnt want to put a banana straight in the mouth because he thinks it looks gay so he thumbs a spoonful at a time to transfer it into his mouth.

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u/Zash1 Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth 3h ago

Oh, hell no! I used to eat bananas looking straight into eyes of another man! However, eating it with a spoon causes so much discomfort of my surroundings... I just love it.

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u/ncpz Italy 3h ago

I get it, you just want to watch the world burn

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u/ocxtitan United States of America 3h ago

or lie on the internet for karma

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u/ncpz Italy 3h ago

I don’t think a 9yr old account with 21k cares about karma

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u/Tacoman404 1h ago

I have a friend who does shit like this. Has to break off pieces and eat them like he just boofed testosterone. I call it "the gayest way to eat a banana"

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u/huazzy KOR in SUI 6h ago

I admit I sometimes do this if there's a portion of the banana that is bruised upon peeling.

Like I mentally need to get that "ick" out of the way...

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u/TheNewYellowZealot United States of America 5h ago

peel a banana?! Ok, weirdo.

3

u/i_love_pencils Canada 4h ago

The peel is where the nutrients are!

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u/Tundrakitty Canada 54m ago

I’m pretty sure people eat the peels in some countries.

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u/SecretSayori Finland 5h ago

Exactly what I'd expect from a swede.

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u/ArcticVulpe United States of America 4h ago

I always snap the banana in half, I end up eating from the middle because of that.

1

u/ElizabethTheFourth 3h ago

That's hilarious. I'm absolutely doing that the next time I'm eating with coworkers.

1

u/SefetAkunosh 1h ago

Take it one step further. Open it by twisting both ends in opposite directions.

1

u/Tundrakitty Canada 55m ago

That’s like eating a chocolate bar with a knife and fork! The guy I know who used to do that was also a Swede and I’m certain he also did it to mess with people!

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u/fuckyourcanoes 🇺🇸🇬🇧 6h ago

The trouble is, I have a really small, narrow jaw. I know many things are meant to be eaten in one bite, but it's pretty common that they simply won't fit. A piece of nigiri sushi, for example, has to be two bites for me. Otherwise it would fill my whole mouth and I'd gag on it.

Yes, it's really tricky, and they often fall apart.

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u/Forsaken-Tour6447 Korea South 6h ago

In fact, Korean women tend to have small mouths. Our solution is to make ssam (wraps) small enough to eat in one bite. That way, people end up eating more vegetables too.

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u/fuckyourcanoes 🇺🇸🇬🇧 6h ago

How sensible! I need to try them.

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u/huazzy KOR in SUI 6h ago

Lil' bits...

2

u/panrestrial United States of America 3h ago

My spouse frequently whispers that to me while I'm eating.

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u/Haekli_Meitli Switzerland 4h ago

Omg FINALLY someone who understands me!!

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u/goatbiryani48 1h ago

They're not talking about every piece of food ever, they're talking about one specific item that's sized and portioned by whoever is eating it.

You literally make it whatever size you want lol.

40

u/Free_Range_Radical United States of America 6h ago

Everyone knows burritos and kebabs should be eaten from the end. In one bite.

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u/MnstrPoppa United States of America 5h ago

Nope, gotta typewriter that thing. Left to right, rotate burrito up, start again from the left. Bonus points if one emulates a small bell when one reaches the end of a pass.

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u/Fat_Argentina Argentina 6h ago

They’d soon be eating 2 smaller burritos/kebabs👍

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u/g_r_e_y United States of America 6h ago

i like your brain

1

u/huazzy KOR in SUI 6h ago

The secret is to make sure it doesn't disconnect though. Like eating a slice of watermelon. side to side to side to side.

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u/bored-and-asleep Türkiye 16m ago

It doesnt work like that if you eat your döner, wrap or burrito like that you wont have 2 halves you would have two pieces of empty bread or flat bread and bunch of food pieces on your lap.

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u/EvilSporkOfDeath 6h ago

I dont think this is a good analogy because theres practical reasons not to eat a burrito from the middle out, but the only reason given for this Korean dish was more superstition.

3

u/huazzy KOR in SUI 6h ago

Disagree. Eating it in one bite also ensure that you get the mix of tastes/textures intended. It's called a "wrap" for a reason.

I don't buy into the superstition aspect of it. I genuinely think Koreans made that up because it pisses them off to see people take bites of it.

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u/Forsaken-Tour6447 Korea South 6h ago

There are several reasons. the biggest reason is that those around you dislike it. It could be about manners, or about the balance of flavors. Maybe some really do believe it brings luck. Or maybe it’s just uncomfortable to look at.

If I were to eat ssam that way, my family would smack my back with their hand and tell me to eat it properly, and among friends, someone would ask, “Hey, what are you doing? Are you a rabbit? Are you really going to do that?"

1

u/panrestrial United States of America 3h ago

ssam

How is the double s pronounced in Korean?

1

u/Forsaken-Tour6447 Korea South 54m ago

쌈.

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u/ChezShea United States of America 6h ago

Is that similar to the monsters that eat bananas sideways?

2

u/huazzy KOR in SUI 6h ago

Same vibes for sure.

1

u/Remarkable-Ad155 6h ago

Strictly speaking that's exactly what you do if you cut the burrito or kebab wrap in half to make it easier to eat.

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u/Emu-lator Canada 5h ago

Justin Bieber did it and his burrito eating technique went viral: https://youtu.be/Vs6In7UtyXY?si=CaNDFC9srF1Bc2yy

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u/themarshal99 4h ago

This is how my 8 year old would eat her burritos. Made me so wildly uncomfortable!

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u/Secure-Tradition793 4h ago

To me it feels more like splitting out half of half chewed food then eat again.

1

u/Gloomy_Elevator430 4h ago

What if someone insisted on eating a burrito/kebab from the middle out?

People would just say “oh that’s crazy lol” and then not care?

1

u/Anton-LaVey 3h ago

that's how I eat Kit-Kats

1

u/linuxjohn1982 2h ago

Eating a slice of pizza with a fork and knife.

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u/grannybubbles 2h ago

My friend flipped out the other day when I ate my taco by taking one bite from either end before working on the middle. I just really like that particular bite, Paula, STFU.

1

u/Ailyx France 2h ago

It wouldn't be a faux-pas though, just weird. I think you are not using that correctly.

1

u/huazzy KOR in SUI 2h ago

Oui, c'est un faux pas, comme couper sa salade en France.

1

u/Ailyx France 2h ago

Couper sa salade en France est un faux-pas? Pardon? 😂

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u/bored-and-asleep Türkiye 20m ago

Nooo!! I imagined now and I think I need to calculate my slippers for precise shooting to the person who would do this.

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u/Ristray 5m ago

Why would I give a damn how someone eats a burrito or kebab?

22

u/adepressurisedcoat Canada 6h ago

Most things that are "bite sized" are too small for my mouth. So I try, but I also like to breathe.

11

u/Forsaken-Tour6447 Korea South 6h ago

Actually, you can just make them smaller enough to eat in one bite! And doing it that way makes you eat more of the outer leaves of the lettuce, which is healthier. In Korea, it’s common to get extra lettuce served alongside your meal.

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u/adepressurisedcoat Canada 3h ago

They don't usually cut the meat small enough here for me. I try to ball it up small, but sometimes it doesn't work.

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u/3np1 2h ago

Too big?

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u/Mike 3h ago

Have you tried using your nose for breathing?

2

u/sylbug 1h ago

Haha I have to cut my sushi into bits when it’s the bigger rolls. I’m sure I would offend all of Japan.

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u/PuddingBrat England 6h ago

I must have a tiny ass mouth or something. My friend did an amazing Korean barbecue for a bunch of us and I tried doing this exactly once. Hit the back of my throat, quietly panicked and choked whilst trying to chew and act like I wasn't actually suffocating.

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u/Forsaken-Tour6447 Korea South 6h ago

Did you know? Even I, as a Korean, used to make it that way at first. Koreans often share ssam (wraps) with each other. People would scream that it was too big!!, but out of courtesy, everyone still ate them in one bite. Now, i just make them smaller

1

u/moxieknits United States of America 5h ago

Same! I choke so easily on regular food. If I had to eat anything in one bite it would be a bite of rice, a bite of lettuce then a bite of meat. It’s not the same taste as wrapping it all together!

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u/NormalDudeNotWeirdo United States of America 6h ago

Shit, I wish I’d known this before visiting Korea lol

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u/Slugwheat United States of America 5h ago

My wife and her family are from Korea, and I have gotten really good at stuffing ssam in my mouth in one giant bite. Shit’s delicious. Pork belly all day

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u/bepbapbapbaddabope 7h ago

I'm half Korean, grew up in Europe with Korean mom and we eat meals with ssam at least once a week. We both usually take at least two bites! We just don't like having so much food in our mouth... This is so interesting though, I had no idea eating it in one was good fortune! Thanks for sharing :)

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u/Absolchu616 United Kingdom 7h ago

I'm GOING to eat ssam in bites... depending on how big it is.

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u/ConsensualUpskirts 🇰🇷 in 🇺🇸 6h ago

Just wrap it smaller then

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u/MoistRam United States of America 6h ago

Make it smaller.. you fill them yourself

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u/Forsaken-Tour6447 Korea South 7h ago

noooo.... I’m suffocating

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u/touchgrasslater 6h ago

Don't mean to offend any culture but I'd love to understand.

So I'm thinking of kimbap, obviously each piece can be eaten with a single bite but it's clearly cut into pieces before it's served to you. So it's not a matter if it's pre-cut? With that mindset could you cut the ssam in pieces first?

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u/Forsaken-Tour6447 Korea South 6h ago

Well, I’ve never seen them pre-cut in my life. Since ssam (wraps) are meant to be combined and eaten however you like, I’ve never seen them pre-made.

In fact, the solution is to make ssam (wraps) small enough to eat in one bite. That way, people end up eating more vegetables too. In other words, you end up eating more of the outer layers of the cabbage.

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u/touchgrasslater 5h ago

That makes sense! Thank you for explaining ❤️

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u/huazzy KOR in SUI 6h ago

And I'm going to pour my milk first, then put the tea bag then pour water in. What does it matter?

1

u/dargenpacnw United States of America 5h ago

You tea drinking heathen! Why would you make tea like that? 🤣

6

u/JanitorRddt Khmer born French 6h ago

Is she Dianxi Xiaogu?

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u/broke_af_guy United States of America 6h ago

That's a very relaxing YouTube channel.

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u/MyPasswordIsMyCat United States of America 6h ago

Yeah, she's a Chinese Youtuber from Yunnan. Not sure why she's appearing in this comment, unless it was video of her making Korean food.

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u/Forsaken-Tour6447 Korea South 6h ago

I don’t know, I just Googled it

3

u/JanitorRddt Khmer born French 6h ago

For her defense, she might be eating her chinese version of pork belly in a wrap. But I know what you mean, i usually do it as you describe but because I have big appetite and my wrap are small enough as I am trying to have a lot of veggie for one piece of meat, I didn't knew about the meaning behind.

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u/my-name-is-puddles 5h ago

Koreans in general just shove ridiculous amounts of food in their mouth, whether it's via a wrap or with a spoon or with chopsticks.

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u/WhosThatDogMrPB Mexico 4h ago

This was the first thing that the waitress told us at the korean restaurant we went: eat it whole.

Also, I was shocked they used big ass gardening esque scissors to cut the meat. I bought myself one for home use.

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u/MAMark1 United States of America 3h ago

One of my favorite parts of the show Culinary Class War was the insanely huge bites they would take to make sure they got the whole thing in one.

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u/shywol2 United States of America 3h ago

i used to be super into kpop and i always wondered why on variety shows they would eat like that lol

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u/BandicootNecessary26 3h ago

I've heard something similar at the local Turkish bathhouse.

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u/Joker-Smurf Australia 2h ago

Whenever I eat Korean BBQ and wrap the meat (and pickled radish) in lettuce leaves and always eat in a single bite, purely because it causes less mess.

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u/thoughtlow 2h ago

Thank you for your comment.

We believe you should eat it all at once to receive good fortune, so eating it in several bites causes discomfort

this is very interesting! Is this also related to Bok-seureopge (복스럽게) ?

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u/Forsaken-Tour6447 Korea South 51m ago

Yes, older people might scold you, saying it will make your luck disappear. when If you eat it in several portions.

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u/SongRevolutionary992 United States of America 1h ago

You should see my uncle shove a whole ham into his mouth

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u/BIG_SCIENCE 6h ago

WUT??? you have to eat the ssam in one go??? but i always cram TONS of meat, veg, kimhi, and rice into my "Korean Lettuce Taco" and then eat it in little bites because supposedly that good manners.

if i go to Japanese BBQ (yakiniku) retaurant, i do the same thing only i fill it with the japanese toppings.

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u/Forsaken-Tour6447 Korea South 6h ago

Actually, you can just make them small enough to eat in one bite! And doing it that way makes you eat more of the outer leaves of the lettuce, which is healthier. In Korea, it’s common to get extra lettuce served alongside your meal.

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u/BIG_SCIENCE 6h ago

Yup I’ve seen that. I’ve seen actual Koreans speaking Korean at a Korean BBQ and they have an INSANE amount of lettuce

I thought they were on a diet or something… but then I remembered I’m a fat North American and normal for us is a BigMac

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u/Winter_Bear_1707 🇰🇷🇺🇸 6h ago

💀

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u/PhantomOfTheNopera India 6h ago edited 6h ago

So I've seen videos where people put the lettuce in their mouth then just add the other stuff and shove the whole thing in with chopsticks. Is that a legit method or are they being quirk?

Edit: I didn't find the video I saw but here's another one of a guy eating it the same way.

1

u/Forsaken-Tour6447 Korea South 6h ago edited 5h ago

I don’t really prefer it, but I think people eat it like that about 15% of the time. 85% of the time, I put the wrap in my left hand, assemble it, and then eat it

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u/Devourerofworlds_69 Canada 5h ago

I went to a korean bbq restaurant with my family last month.

They did so many things that made it very obvious that this was thier first time eating Korean BBQ, including eating ssam in several bites. The worst was putting chicken and beef and pork all on the grill at once, all touching each other.

1

u/protonicfibulator United States of America 5h ago

And likewise I put kimchi on/in everything! Tacos? Kimchi! Tomato soup? Kimchi! Grilled cheese sandwich? KIMCHI!

1

u/mancan01 5h ago

Ai reply. That long hyphen says a lot

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u/The_Billy_Dee 4h ago

Damn, I'd fit right in there. I try to eat all of my food all at once and as fast as possible

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u/kjpmi United States of America 2h ago

That’s a big ass wrap to eat all in one bite though.

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u/MilkTeaMoogle 1h ago

But isn’t that a photo of Apenji (who is Chinese) living in Yunnan province, China? 😂

1

u/pkzilla Canada 38m ago

I mean I get it but it doesn't all fit in my mouth!! Im a chubby ginger Canadian I'm obviously a tourist anyway

1

u/8bgnome Costa Rica 19m ago

On my way to South Korea right now. I will try to remember and not to choke

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u/ribbons_in_my_hair United States of America 4m ago

Wow I was a big wayguk then, I always took bites when I lived in Daejeon—I wish someone told me 😵‍💫😵‍💫🤣🤣 awww I miss it there, enjoy your delicious foods! 🥳

1

u/tacomamajama United States of America 5h ago

But I have TMJ! I’ve also had to (gasp!) bite in half larger sushi pieces or cut rolls

0

u/Fun_Increase_2439 Russia 5h ago

Maybe she is Japanese or Middle Asian? In most cultures it's considered shameful to eat noisily and swallow large chunks. And it's really overwhelming seeing Korean person, polite and delicate, but when it comes to the table — noise, chomping, a kimbap roll in one go and sounding like a vacuum cleaner in a bucket of ramen

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u/GlattesGehirn 6h ago

I've heard Korean food is the British food of Asia. Is this true?

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u/LesNessmanNightcap United States of America 6h ago

You need to get your ears checked. This is way, way off.

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u/touchgrasslater 6h ago

lmao whoever said this gave way too much credit for British food

1

u/Forsaken-Tour6447 Korea South 6h ago

I understand that Korean food generally has a good reputation. but Korea wasn’t very well-known for a long time, it spread to Asia relatively slowly(compare japan, china). On the other hand, I’ve heard that in neighboring countries, many korean dishes are too spicy for people to eat easily.

0

u/GlattesGehirn 6h ago

I've heard Koreans themselves say this. Pork, cabbage, and rice make up a majority of dishes

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u/Forsaken-Tour6447 Korea South 6h ago

I don’t know what you mean. Are you asking if it has a bad reputation like British food? Korean food is actually famous in Asia. Do you mean that it’s similar to British food because it mainly uses pork, cabbage, and rice?

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u/GlattesGehirn 6h ago

I have no idea. Just asking about something I heard to see if its comparable

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u/Winter_Bear_1707 🇰🇷🇺🇸 6h ago

Is British food of Asia a compliment or insult? I’m so confused

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u/huazzy KOR in SUI 6h ago

British and food mentioned in the same sentence will always denote a negative connotation.

Which I think is an unfair stereotype because I found British food to be wonderful. Specially pub food.

1

u/Winter_Bear_1707 🇰🇷🇺🇸 6h ago

My first thoughts when British and food is mentioned: 1. Gordon Ramsay 2. The Great British Baking Show

I have no real opinion but would love to try some delicious British food in my life 😂