How to eat rice, need clarification

[dmclean6354604]

Hello,

I learned to eat with chopsticks and out of a rice bowl a while ago, but I learned it through my wife whose Japanese. In Japan, people often raise their bowls to their mouth and "shovel" it in their mouths.

However, a Korean friend of ours mentioned that this rude in Korean culture. The rice bowl should stay on the table. Have people heard this one before? I have a bad habit of doing this in Korean restaurants (my wife and I love Korean food), so I feel kind of embarrassed.

Also, I noticed that Korean people tend to use metal chopsticks (I've never seen this used in Chinese/Japanese restaurants). Is that a coincidence or something cultural?

Input greatly appreciated!

[jaehwi]

Hi, dmclean.

This is Jaehwi from Koreanclass101.com

That's true. In Korea, it's not good to raise your bowl to have mouth like Japanese way. However, you can use your spoon to have rice or soup, so it's not difficult to make your bowl down on the table and have rice or soup.

In Korea, also they like to use the mental chopsticks. You can see wooden one in some restaurants, but people prefer using metal one because its lower cost and high quality.

Thank you for sharing your experience and asking us the good question.

Thank you. 감사합니다.

- Jaehwi / Koreanclass101.com

[trutherous]

..yep yep but I still finish the soup by drinking it from the bowl when I think nobody is looking

Also you don't want to stick your chopstix upright in the rice as a resting place for them when not in use -- there is kind of a superstition about it because this is typically only done when presenting an offering of food to the ancestors.. so you wouldn't want to call an ancestor or some spirit to your dinner table..

[dmclean6354604]

That's true. In Korea, it's not good to raise your bowl to have mouth like Japanese way. However, you can use your spoon to have rice or soup, so it's not difficult to make your bowl down on the table and have rice or soup.

Thanks Jaehwi for the advice. My wife and I are having dinner with a Korean friend this weekend (for Chuseok) so I'll be careful.