Comments on: Fear Factor Korea: Foods Which May Make You Cringe

By: Christine Ka'aloa

Christine Ka'aloa — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 03:05:27 +0000

In reply to Melissa. @Melissa: It's interesting how we all have different boundaries and tolerances due to cultures. Black pudding? Oooh, no can do ; no can do! Korea, aside from their quirky fear factor foods, actually has amazingly flavorful food. The only thing you'd have to do is get over the spice. Hope you enjoy your trip in October! If you find anything that pushes your boundaries, please feel free to share!

By: Melissa

Melissa — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 16:57:14 +0000

Blood sausage doesn’t sound too scary to me, but that’s probably since I grew up with the Newfoundland/Irish version (but we call is black pudding usually). To me, it tastes mostly like regular sausage but more bread like, less meat.

My food fear factor level would be very low. At a restaurant in Northern France I got very anxious because I didn’t recognize any of the types on the menu. I can’t imagine when I couldn’t read the menu either. Yikes. I’ll be visiting Korea for the first time in October and I’m simultaneously excited and nervous about the food situation. Luckily, I have an ex-pat friend who’ll be showing me the ropes.

By: Christine Ka'aloa

Christine Ka'aloa — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 00:30:17 +0000

In reply to Daniel. @Daniel: Thanks I totally agree with that-

that secret is not to discover what you are being served!

I'm sure on your luncheons you've been taken to the best restaurants, where the food is always good. But it's good sometimes not to inquire about it too much. For me, I just don't want to always see it in its living form. It's the seeing part that breaks the alluring spell. I also agree with you about how Korea's eating habit is much healthier than in the west. Dried squid and fruits are a lot of the "deserts" I've seen or seasonal things like baked sweet potato. And even tho they do eat some weird looking fish, fish is actually lower in fat and cholesterol. ;-) Thanks for your comment, Daniel!

By: Daniel

Daniel — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 13:35:48 +0000

Since 2002 I have visited South Korea once a year or sometimes twice a year. I am treated to lunches and dinners by my academic or industrial hosts. My strategy has been never to enquire what it is that I am eating. The strategy has served me well for I have enjoyed every meal very much and eaten a variety of food. For the first time in Daejeon I saw a child eat a dehydrated squid, chewing its legs. It was at an outdoor event town concert by the river. I was the only caucasian in the audience of many hundreds of people. The kid got the squid from a guy selling fast food. At first I was shocked but then I realized that this is much much healthier than eating a hot dog or burger as my kids would do in the west. In the west we are being literally poisoned by white bread and carbohydrates and becoming over weight and unhealthy. The business of the fish is interesting. It seems some koreans eat anything that swims. In Jeju I saw a fish market and some fish swimming and I could not tell what was its head and what was its tail. Although these things shock us, it is just a question of being born and bred in such a culture. Perhaps to them it does not cause revulsion at all. Of course, as a westener I try to eat kim chi and beef whenever I am there and have a choice. I did eat raw fish at a top class restaurants on two occassions but found it acceptable and even pallatable. Like I said, secret is not to discover what you are being served! That is the only solution that the westerner has besides ordering what you want.

By: Hannah

Hannah — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 01:22:58 +0000

Haha, I call sea cucumbers “sea penises.” See the (gross) resemblance?

By: Christine Ka'aloa

Christine Ka'aloa — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 09:02:38 +0000

In reply to Gray.

@Gray: Thanks, I don’t consider myself brave at all! I have no choice but see most of them. That’s what fools with my food trust issues. But thanks for commiserating.
@KissMyKimchi: THANK YOU Brian, for confirming that even wisened expats feel the same about that cucumber! I really think it hits everyone on that subconscious level of fear–a detachable moving body part! ha ha…

By: Kiss My Kimchi

Kiss My Kimchi — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 06:04:16 +0000

Wow! That sea cucumber has to be the most vile thing I’ve seen! I cannot abide even looking at them when I pass by a seafood place. The rest? No problem!

By: Gray

Gray — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 15:21:07 +0000

Dear God in Heaven. NO. Just no. I couldn’t possibly eat any of these things. I’d rather survive on grass. I’d eat the bark off a tree if I had to before I’d touch any of these things. I can’t even look at them. I can’t believe you have to look at this stuff all the time. You are a brave woman, Christine.

By: Christine Ka'aloa

Christine Ka'aloa — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 07:36:39 +0000

In reply to Julia. @Julia: Thanks for the translation, J! The centipedes were found in the herbal market so being a China import would make sense; it must have some health benefit Koreans like. Please ask your co-teach about the hoof thing. My CT knows nothing- everything is "I don't know". As for the pig head-- the one in the photo was in an actual eatery kind of market. But the ceremonial ones you're talking about-- I've seen them at festivals! That piece of information is culturally insightful. I can't imagine how you're getting along in with the food in this country, though you're probably doing better than I am.

By: Julia

Julia — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 05:53:26 +0000

i asked my co-teacher about the centipedes. the sign says they’re from china. it’s true the chinese eat centipedes as kind of a novelty food, but it’s really not common in korea.

she also told me that particular cut of pig head is used in a ceremony for when a new business/shop is opened. money is rolled up and stuffed into the pig’s nostrils and mouth. it’s supposed to ensure success and money for the new business. but people do eat pig’s head too.