Explanation: As mentioned before, Korea was devastated after the war, and food was harder to come by. Therefore, to show your concern for someone's well being, you'd ask if they had eaten. While Korea has an abundance of food now, the phrase has still carried on as a greeting to show concern for other people you know.
If you feel confident in your Korean, you can say 'jal meokkessumnida' (잘 먹겠습니다 ) before the meal — similar to the Japanese itadakimasu, it roughly translates to 'I will eat well'. After the meal, you can say 'jal meogeosseumnida' (잘 먹었습니다) to signal that you have indeed eaten well and are happy.
Explanation: Koreans say this before eating to show appreciation to the person who prepared for the food. It's kind of like saying “thanks for preparing this, I'm going to have a good meal because of you”. This is what Koreans would say AFTER eating. Literal Translation: “I ate well.”
One of the commonly encountered phrases that may leave people befuddled is '밥 먹었어요?(Bap meogeosseoyo?) ' which directly translates to 'Have you eaten?
It is not considered rude not to finish every grain of rice, so don't feel pressured. Eat what you're comfortable eating and no more.
Touching, patting, or back slapping is to be avoided during interactions. In addition, direct eye contact between juniors and seniors should be avoided because it is seen as impolite or even a challenge. Korea is one of the most demographically homogeneous countries in the world, racially and linguistically.
Eating. It is considered inappropriate for adults to eat while walking, so street food is often eaten on the spot where it is bought. Food should not be eaten with one's fingers. Spoons are used to eat soup, but chopsticks are used for everything else.
As an informal greeting, Chinese people like to use "chī le ma?" -- which means "have you eaten yet?" Foreigners who don't understand this kind of custom might regard this as an invitation to have a meal together.
A common expression for saying goodbye in Korean is “I'll go first”. If you're leaving, you can use this expression. It's usually used with friends and you'll hear it often in K-dramas. To be more polite, you can also use 나 먼저 가요 (na meonjeo gayo) or 저 먼저 가볼게요 (jeo meonjeo kabulgeyo).
In Korea, it is customary to say "Jal meokgesseumnida" (잘 먹겠습니다) ("I will eat well'). The saying is not religious in nature, and usually only occurs when eating with someone else. Before eating grace in Korean is "주님, 은혜로이 주신 이 음식과 우리에게 강복하소서.
Did you know that Chinese people don't usually say anything before digging in? I was surprised as well. However, if you still want to be polite and express it verbally, the typical phrase spoken when serving food is qǐng màn yòng (請慢用).
This is merely a sign of modesty and politeness. On the other hand, this could give an impression to non-Koreans that Koreans are shy or don't express themselves openly. Min Byoung-chul is an endowed chair professor at Chung-Ang U... You will probably see some Korean women covering their mouths when laughing.
In Korea, however, it is customary to always pour and receive drinks with both hands or at least have both hands touching the glass as a sign of respect, especially if the person pouring your drink is an elder. Out of respect for an elder, Koreans usually turn their face away and cover their mouth while drinking.
먹다 (meokda) is the standard verb for “to eat” in Korean. It is used when referring to yourself (I want to eat, I ate, etc.) or when referring to people of the same age or younger than you. This verb is extremely useful and should be part of the basic Korean words that you learn first.
The brushing method recommended to general persons in Korea is the 3-3-3 brushing method campaign, which involves only toothbrushing behavior (the time and frequency); 3-3-3 means brushing one's teeth 3 times per day, within 3 minutes after having a meal, for at least 3 minutes each time.
Nodding. Koreans often acknowledge what they hear by saying “yes” or nodding. This, however, does not necessarily signal agreement with your opinions!
It is generally considered rude to address people by their given names in Korean culture. This is particularly the case when dealing with adults or one's elders. It is acceptable to call someone by his or her given name if he or she is the same age as the speaker.
It's illegal for North Koreans to leave their country without the government's permission. North Koreans who do attempt to leave the country illegally and are caught can face severe consequences including torture, forced labor, and life-imprisonment in a political prison camp.
1) 你好 nǐ hǎo - Hello
This is considered the "catch-all" greeting, common for a variety of scenarios one may come across. When you meet someone for the first time, you can say 你好 (nǐ hǎo). This also works for strangers at the store, grocery clerks, or any stranger you may not know on a personal level.
Usually when others greet you with “你吃了吗(Nǐ chī le ma)?” you can answer: “吃了, 你呢(chī le, nǐ ne) Yes, how about you?” or “还没有, 你呢(hái méiyǒu, nǐ ne) Not yet, and you?” Then you can move on to any other conversation.
Slurping your noodles loudly is considered a compliment to the chef throughout Japan and China – a sign of deep appreciation for your one-bowl meal. In South Korea and Singapore, however, not so much. There, you might get unappreciative glances – the kind you get when you talk too loudly in a quiet train carriage.
As long as you cover your shoulder and chest area, there will be no problem showing a little belly skin.
What NOT to wear in South Korea. While South Korea is quite modern, it's considered inappropriate to show too much skin, especially around the shoulders and chest area. Avoid wearing overly revealing clothing, particularly in traditional or religious settings.
It is not all that normal to use one thumb up to agree with what people say to you. South Koreans almost always see it as being rude. They believe that there is a proper way of doing things. Gesturing with two thumbs is seen as a sign of approval or saying a big yes to what people did right.