Korea, Explained
KOREA, EXPLAINED
The little things that make everyday life in Korea different.
Heated Bus-Stop Seats
Heated seats make waiting for the bus more comfortable during Korea's cold winters.
Ondol Floor Heating
Ondol warms the whole floor, allowing heat to rise gently through the room instead of simply blowing warm air.
Table Call Buttons
Press the button on the table to call a server without waving or shouting.
Hidden Table Utensil Drawers
In many Korean restaurants, spoons, chopsticks, and tissues are stored in a drawer under or beside the table for guests to take themselves.
Free Banchan
Order a main dish, and you will usually receive several small side dishes, such as kimchi and seasoned vegetables.
Metal Chopsticks
In many Korean restaurants, stainless-steel chopsticks come with a spoon instead of disposable wooden chopsticks.
RFID Food-Waste Bins
These bins weigh food scraps and charge each apartment household based on the amount it discards.
Convenience-Store Shipping
You can send a package from a convenience store or have it delivered to a nearby store for pickup.
Details
Metal Chopsticks
Korea's metal chopsticks are part of its sujeo culture, in which a spoon and chopsticks are treated as a set. Historically, metal tableware was durable and easy to clean, and silver spoons used in royal courts and wealthy households also gave it an image of status and formality. Today, the reason stainless steel is so common is far more practical. It holds up well to repeated washing and sanitizing, is easy to manage in large quantities, and makes sense on a table filled with rice, soup, and side dishes. Flat, slippery metal chopsticks can feel surprisingly difficult at first. Once you get used to them, though, they are precise enough to pick up thin pieces of banchan or turn meat on a grill. Visitors may find them colder and heavier than wooden chopsticks, but restaurants value how well they stand up to hot soup, strong sauces, and the heat around tabletop grills. They fit a modern restaurant system that values hygiene and durability.