Korean Culture: adding food to someone else's rice
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- This topic has 4 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 11 months ago by Iris W.
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- March 6, 2015 at 9:21 pm #59820KeramiraParticipant
Hello everyone,
I have been wondering, what does it mean when a person adds food to someone else’s rice on their spoon or in their bowl? I am sure that it has something to do with loving / caring for that person but I wondered what is the meaning for a Korean person?
Thank you to whomever is able to help!
Keramira - March 7, 2015 at 3:21 am #59821sanneParticipant
Hi Keramira,
Yes, that person cares about you; Koreans learn to act by someone’s feelings; sometimes, it looks like telepathy.
But this caring doesn’t have to do anything with deeper feelings most times, it’s just overwhelming hospitality!You may think: “Hm, that food looks interesting; I should try…”, and a split-second later you’ve got it! ;-)
In the vicinity of Pohang (where a German friend of ours used to work a few years ago), he was literally fed by an “ajuma” (usually middle-aged women who own and work a small shop/restaurant) – she rolled the ssambap and put it into his mouth! ;-D
Bye, Sanne.
- March 7, 2015 at 4:00 pm #59833KeramiraParticipant
Hi Sanne,
Thank you for answering so quickly.
I’m amazed that someone would literally feed another person. hahah! I wonder how your friend felt by this?Keramira
- April 22, 2015 at 3:07 am #60830Iris WParticipant
Yeah it can be uncomfortable but you don’t want to called a jerk by refusing someone’s love and care for you. Very interesting tradition, by the way.
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