Eating in Korea

One of the things I was most excited for when I was preparing to travel to South Korea was the food! As a fan of Korean cuisine, I was totally prepared to try all the delicious dishes this country has to offer. But, I didn't realize until getting here just how different the dining experience here is. In this blog, I'll point out all the things your should know about eating in a Korean restaurant.

1. Self-Service: many Korean restaurants, save for barbeque, are self-service. You often stand up to get your own cups and water from a cooler, you stand up to get your own banchan (side dishes) from a self-service bar, your utensils are in a drawer under the table or in a box for you to get yourself, and sometimes there are kiosks to order your food at instead of telling the waiter or shopowner.
2. Calling Out for Service: this was a steep learning curve for me! In Korea, it's common to yell out in the restaurant for help, or there will be a call button on the table. Shopowners don't come an check on you periodically like they do in other countries. So, learning the words "yogiyo!" (hey/over here) and "sajangnim!" (shopowner) is very helpful.
3. You Choose Your Own Seat: when entering a Korean restaurant, once the shopowner knows you're there, they often tell you to sit wherever you'd like, or they'll point in the general direction of where you should sit. Don't wait for someone to come seat you like you do in other countries!

Those three tips are ny biggest pieces of advice for eating in Korean restaurants. Of course there are some restaurants that are different, like barbeque, or have adopted service styles of other countries, but when you're eating in a Korean restaurant, these rules most often apply!