South Korean Christmas

The Snow has arrived to South Korea and all the people is wearing  very warm clout  because even if you do not wanna fell the winter you will feel it and The Christmas time could make you feel it more .

The Christmas time already passed too and this is the TODAY's TOPIK because in our countries(Latin american countries) we normally celebrate in a very different way. In some countries we can see fireworks everywhere, people spending all the night out but here in Korea is kind of different.

1. If you have a boyfriend or girlfriend you spend the Christmas day with your couple.I have talked with some friends and they told me that some times this is the Valetine's day for the Koreans. I have to mention that in this part of the world we celebrate Christmas on 25th .

2. If you do not have BF or GF you spend the Christmas time with your family, eating and maybe having some memories. In other cases people prefer to spend this day with their friends but the problem is that if you go out you will see couples everywhere and that is not the sight you wanna see, for sure.  

3.Some Koreans prefer to sleep all the day or watch some movies; they try to make their self kind of busy so the day could go away faster..... depressing, isn't it??  but that is the culture and the way the Korean people spend Christmas.

In the other side, in Latin America you spend all the night out of home, having fun with friends, eating tons of food  and drinking. So if you are planning to spend Christmas time at South Korea better to prepare a good movie or if you already have a Girlfriend or Boyfriend you can Enjoy it ;)!....

Soju Etiquette

The holidays are coming and the people is getting ready for receive the new year.

Some people decide to receive the new year with high spirits that means  drinking the LOVELY  KOREAN SOJU. As I mentioned on my last post, Soju is the most famous alcoholic beverage.

In every country when you drink you have to follow an etiquette and Korea is not the exception; here are some tips if you are planning to go drink with your Korean friends or just  if you want to know more about the culture.

Korean etiquette in drinking Soju:

-You can't fill you glass by your self

-When some elder is going to fill your glass you should keep your glass with two hands

-When you fill someone elder's glass it is polite to keep a bottle with two hands.

-Before drinking people usually clink glasses.

-Usually when Koreans invite you for drink they say 술 한잔 해요(마시자), that means "lets drink together"

-While young people are drinking they play funny games and if you lose you must drink "ONE SHOT", be careful and don't get drunk fast....ㅋㅋ.

Korean Alcohol

Yes, here is the expected  one THE KOREAN ALCOHOL.

In South Korea there is a variety of alcohol . I mean you can fiend beers from almost everywhere but I know you already know that and I am pretty sure that you want to know about the traditional one.

Before  go on details about the alcohol, I  have to mention that the South Koreans have a very big alcoholic culture; You can drink everywhere, parks and in the university . Sometimes Universities organize some festival during the year and the main purpose of  the festival is to get drunk besides that the Companies also have one day a week, in that day the workers get together and eat Samgyupsal with alcohol(Soju).

Perhaps you are think "just the Men", but I have to tell you that the women also drink a lot in South Korea. Here it doesn't matter the day and  the hour of the day. So now you can judge why I told you before about the big Alcoholic Culture.i

Mak-KO-LI
Korean  rice wine

Makkoli is a traditional alcoholic beverage native to Korea. Is is referred to in English as Korean rice wine which is produced through  fermenting a mixture of rice grains and boiled water. This combination give the white color and the sweetness, resulting in about 6.5% to 7% alcohol by volume after its distillation process.

Makkoli is available in plastic bottles or aseptic packaged containers. Traditionally, it is served in a large metal or wooden bowl also in popular restaurants or bars Makkoli can be served in metallic kettles.

                                                                                     So-ju

Korean rice liquor.

Soju is the best know liquor from Korea. It is a distilled, vodka-like, rice liquor with high potency and often flavored similarly. Soju is clear-colored and typically varies in alcohol content from 10% to 25% proff.

The Soju has a very low price relative to other alcoholic beverages, Soju has become one of the mos popular alcoholic beverages. You can find it everywhere and also drink it everywhere.

Mek-ju.
Korean Beer

I just will mention the name because we already know how the beers can have different taste according to the production country.

• Cass
• Hite 
• OB large

PD: next post could be about some Korean Drinking etiquette.

Good? You decide

As I mentioned on my last post there is variety of Korean Food. There is good food, "normal"one and  there is  also food that don't inspired too much confidence.(to me)

In America and Latin America we think that in Asia they eat a lot of disgusting things maybe because we don't know very well the culture and also there is a big ocean between America and Asia, so is not easy to get the proper information about culture, music, food, etc.

So, Have you ever tried DOG? or Have u ever tried to eat an Octopus? maybe your answer will be "YES", but  How about ALIVE?(not the dog just the OCTOPUS)

I know, sounds extravagant and strange also people say just try it an then is done; but the problem is when you are trying to put the food on your mouth  and you don't know how is gonna taste. On my personal experience I have never ate this kind of food also must of the people from Latin America have never tried either.

OCTOPUS 

 DOG SOUP

I have  participated in some surveys about food and I could find out that  Koreans don't like too much the RAW food because of the smell. That is strange, isn't it?

PD: Forgot to tell you that the dog soup an the Octopus are really highly priced  and many Korean people have never tried either.

Korean Food

I just finished to eat my lunch and I thought why not give people a comparison between Korean food and Latin America's food and some food that I know.

First, I should say that I love Korean Food " NOW". Yes,NOW!
I want to make you think about how it was at the beginning, what do you think ? did I enjoy the Korean food from the beginning ?.

Well let me tell you guys that during the first two months I had some problems with the Korean Food. Why?

The Korean Food is spicy.

The Koreans do not use salt.

The rice is different (like smashed rice)

The ingredients

The way they cook and prepare is simply different from the Latin America's way.

No difference between Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

So that is why I spend like two months just eating Ramen, fast food like pizza, pasta and hamburger; sure I gain a lot of weight. So after that two months I talked with my self and I decided to star eating the Korean food bit by bit.

After 1 month suddenly I started to loved more and more the Korean food but there was a problem I didn't like KIMCHI at all (Kimchi is a pickle Korean Cabbage)some people might think that is just cabbage but let me tell that  the taste is really different and  also is spicy but one day was you me and the kimchi in front of me and yes I started to it too. Until now I still eating every meal some kimchi with the rice.

A Korean Meal.

They will serve you One small sup, a lot of side dishes, the main plate and for finish  with WATER served BY YOUR SELF.

So here are some of the most loved foods in Korea.

 Gimbab.

Gimbab is considered one of the most popular and nutritious Korean meal. You can find it almost everywhere even at the convenience stores.

it consist of rice and strips of vegetables, egg and meat, rolled in laved(dried seaweed) and sliced.You can see this as snack for lunch or if you are in a hurry as your meal

Kimchi Chigae. 

As you can see for make it you need to use the lovely KIMCHI. This is a very popular soup. It is often prepared using older, more fermented and ripe kimchi.

 For sure this make you sweat because is really spicy and if you eat really hot you can get a better taste.

 Different variations can exist but sliced kimchi is usually put into a pot with tofu, onions, garlic and beef, pork or seafood, which are all boiled together with water or anchovy stock.

Samgyupsal.

For Koreans Soju(Korean alcoholic beverage) + Samgyupsal means a lot that; is one of the best combinations for Koreans. The other combination could be Chicken(fried) and Beer. 

However, Sometimes it is cooked on a grill with kimchi (again)mushrooms, garlic, onions and consumed altogether. This dish is usually served with a side of lettuce, spinach, or other leafy vegetable(s), which is used to wrap a slice of cooked samgyupsal.

Sure now maybe you are wondering all of that look really delicious. Yes, they are but also there is some food that are not.

In coming post I will let you know about the food that are not popular and about the drinking culture.