To us, it is a matter of table manners, but did you know there is a Korean dining habit that foreigners find puzzling?
Yes, it is the habit of not lifting your rice bowl while eating.
A Vietnamese media outlet recently reported on the differences in dining habits among South Korea, Vietnam, China, and Japan, as introduced by a Korean-American chef.
In Vietnam and China, people frequently lift their rice bowls while eating, and in Japan, it is also common to see people pick up their rice or soup bowls.
This is because leaving the bowl on the table and bending down to eat is considered unrefined behavior.
In contrast, in South Korea, lifting the rice bowl has traditionally been considered a breach of etiquette.
The outlet attributed this difference to the dining culture of using both spoons and chopsticks.
With a spoon available, people can comfortably eat rice without having to pick up the bowl.
Additionally, the historical use of brassware, which retains heat from hot food, is analyzed to have influenced the habit of not lifting bowls.
However, the report added that table manners are becoming much more flexible today depending on the food and the situation.
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