Table Manner
- When having a meal with the elderly, wait for the elders to hold their spoon first.
- Do not hold the spoon and chopsticks together in one hand. When using chopsticks, the spoon is rested on the table. Spoon and chopsticks are not rested on any bowl or dish. Do not hold the rice bowl or soup bowl in the hand.
- At first, taste soup or kimchi juice, and then try rice or other dishes. Use spoon for rice and foods with liquid such as kimchi, stew, or soup; use chopsticks for other foods.
- Do not make noises while eating and using spoon or chopsticks.
- Do not rummage rice or side dishes with spoon, and do not pick out what you don't like or shake off seasonings.
- Do not leave any trace of foods on spoon while eating. Pour sungnyung (boiled water in the rice cooker or scorched-rice tea) into the rice bowl, and drink it at the end.
- Use individual plate for foods served for a crowd, and also for sauces such as soy & vinegar sauce or sweet & sour hot pepper soybean paste.
- During a meal, uneatable parts such as bones or fish bones are quietly discarded by wrapping them in a paper. Do not put them on the table or floor.
- When coughing or sneezing during a meal, cover the mouth with hand or napkin.
- Try to keep pace with others by eating not too fast or too slow. When having a meal with the elderly, wait for them to put the spoon and chopsticks on the table at the end of the meal.
- After a meal, put spoon and chopsticks on the spot where they were placed first and put used napkins on the table as it is.
- When using a toothpick, cover mouth with hand.
When Serving Korean Foods To Foreigner
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Table setting for foreigners is not much different from that for Koreans. First, decide the type of the table. Traditional meal table is either square or round. Depending on the number of people eating, it is divided into a table for one, a table for two, a table for three, a table for four, and dureban or gyojasang (big table) for more than four people.
Food will be served according to the traditional Korean way. However, for foreigners are more accustomed to sitting on chairs than on the floor, serving food on a tall table with chairs will make them feel more comfortable, especially when there are more than four people. |
Table cloths, table mats, spoon holders, spoons, forks, knives, napkins, water glasses, liquor glasses, and other utensils such as scissors for cutting foods or dish cloths for wiping tables should be always kept clean. Cleanliness is as important as the taste of the food.
Tablecloths and Tablemats
Traditional Korean table does not need a tablecloth or table-mats. These days, However, tablecloths and table-mats are widely used under the influence of western table-setting. Using tablecloths and table-mats for individual guests are recommended, especially to restaurants, for sanitary and other reasons.
White is the best and most widely used color for tablecloth. In some cases, a colored square cloth is placed on the white tablecloth to enliven the atmosphere and to prevent the cloth from being soiled easily. Tablecloth is usually hung about 30 cm below the table so that it does not touch the knees. It should be shorter when sitting on a cushion on the floor.
If a tablecloth is not used to cover the whole table, it is recommended to use table-mats or at least paper-mats for individual guests. Then, without spoon and chopstick holders, the table looks cleaner and more orderly.
In general, the size of a table-mat should be big enough to hold an individual plate, spoon and chopsticks, knives, and a water glass. Usually, the size of a table-mat is 30x45 cm, with rectangular or oval shape. Some restaurants use table-mats on which their name, menu, or patterns are printed. Plain white paper-mat is also used.
Spoon and Chopstick Holders
Spoon and chopstick holders are made from a variety of materials such as porcelain, wood, or silver. Regardless of the material, inexpensive ones with simple shape will do their function. Spoon and chopstick holders add to the elegance of the table when they are properly set on the tablecloth.
Spoon, Chopstick , and Forks
People from China, Japan, or countries in Southeast Asia are accustomed to using chopsticks. When serving them, spoon and chopsticks are placed as they are for Koreans. For those who do not use chopsticks, it is better to place the knife and fork along with the spoon. The knife is placed on the left side of the spoon. Put the fork on the left side of a plate, so that it can be appropriately used by the left hand.
Napkins
There is a wide variety in the kind and size of napkins. Ones made of the same cloth as the tablecloth, with a diagonal size of 50-60cm, will be the best choice. However, for reasons of convenience, most restaurants use paper napkins. The size of paper napkins should be at least 30cm diagonally. Smaller ones are for tea tables or refreshment tables.
Water Glasses and Liquor Glasses
For water glasses, ones made of porcelain are recommended. In general, cold drinking water is served before the food. When the guests are from China or Southeast Asian countries such as Singapore, hot water is served along with cold one for they drink hot water all the year round.
When serving alcoholic beverages, glassware or crystal glassware are placed. When serving rice wine or Korean traditional folk liquor to foreigners, porcelain-ware are prepared.
Food-cutting Scissors and Dish Cloths
Dishcloths for wiping off tables should be white, clean, and neatly trimmed around the edges. If a dishcloth is not clean, appetite will be spoiled no matter how good the food is.
To see sharp-pointed scissors cutting noodles or meats can also scare off the appetite. Among the things foreigners have cited as bad experiences in Korean restaurants are the shape of scissors and the sanitation problems. These need to be corrected. It would be better to use scissors made of stainless steel with blunted tips.
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