Everyday life Korean idiom : What does 파김치가 되다 mean? The origin and realistic example sentences! Plus, get some knowledge about kimchi and Korean culture.

Like every other language, Korean has tons of fun and witty idiomatic expressions.

The question that can arise when learning Korean idioms on your own is, "But do native Korean speakers actually use these expressions in everyday life?".

So here's a heads up. I guarantee that the Korean idioms I introduce in this blog are only the ones that are actually very common among the many Korean idioms.

Today, we're going to learn "파김치가 되다" as an idiomatic expression in Korean.

I don't know every language, so I can't say for sure, but I can surely guess that many languages have one thing in common.

That is, each language would have many idioms that reflect the culture of the country. For example, English has idioms using like 'bacon' or 'chip', and French has idioms using like 'cheese' or 'baguette'.

Similarly, Korean has quite a few idioms using 'rice' or 'kimchi'. LOL~!

This common ground is a frequent topic of conversation between the French co-author of this blog and me.

Today's idiom consists of very simple minimal elements.

If you've studied a little bit of Korean, you'll recognize the literal meaning of today's idiom. However, the pride is short-lived. The question "What the hell does ‘a human turns into kimchi’ mean???" will immediately follow.

The more different the literal meaning is from the actual meaning, the more "idiomatic" it is, so today's idiom is just that.

Let’s start by breaking down the phrase "파김치가 되다" word by word.

파 : [noun] green onion, spring onion, Scallion

파김치 : [noun] green-onion kimchi

~가 : A suffix to make a noun a subject or a complement (a complement in this idiom)

become : [verb] become, turn into

Yes. The literal meaning is quite simple. It means “to become green-onion kimchi”.

Are you now thinking about what the difference is between 'green-onion kimchi' and 'regular kimchi'? That's an admirable attempt, but I'd say 'you don't have to go that far', because things called 'idioms' don't necessarily have a logical reason.

Let's start by talking about kimchi.

There are many kinds of kimchi in Korea. (Officially, there are 336 kinds of kimchi).

Off the top of my head, as an ordinary Korean, I can probably name about ten different kinds of kimchi that I eat on a daily basis.

Although there are many types of kimchi, the process of making them all starts the same. The first step is to salt and smother the vegetables that are the main ingredient. You don't want the kimchi to be too brothy, so you want to remove some of the water from the vegetables beforehand, but you also want to make sure the seasoning is just right.

"green-onion kimchi" is of course "kimchi made with green-onion", and it's one of the most common types of kimchi that the ordinary Koreans eat on a daily basis.

To make ‘파김치’, we Koreans use slender green-onions, not thick green onions. It’s because it's easier to make and easier to eat because it salts faster and softens more quickly.

(You : So what the heck does it mean to become green-onion kimchi?!!!)

(Whoa, whoa, we're getting there!)

This is where you can use your imagination.

So, picture this.

Before the salt is applied, the vegetables are vibrant and springy. But after a few hours of being covered in salt, they're dead, lifeless, and shriveled.

Together, these fragments can explain today's idiom.

In conclusion, the Korean idiom “파김치가 되다" means "to become so tired (physically)”. 

It's helpful to visualize a green onion that has gone from being plump and vibrant to shriveled up after spending hours covered in salt. 

The best English word that comes to mind when you picture “someone who has become so tired” is “be exhausted”. The difference between the idiom and “be exhausted” is that ‘파김치가 되다’ is only used to describe physical exhaustion. There are also “be worn out” and “be dead tired”.

Some of you may be wondering, "But why ‘green-onion kimchi’ in this idiom, out of all the kimchi out there?".

To this question, I just have to say, "Your guess is as good as mine."

Speaking of vegetables that go from plump to soggy when turning into kimchi, I’d say basic cabbage kimchi or cucumber kimchi are not far behind.

Let's just take it at face value and use it diligently in our daily lives, because that's what our adorable idioms want from us humans, right? 

I'd like to add one more thing.

The image in your head from this explanation might be “a human being turning into kimchi”. So this expression may seem very funny to you, but it's not the only way the idiom is used.

Basically, of course this idiom doesn’t have a very heavy or serious mood, but it doesn’t mean this idiom is always used in a very funny way, either.

For Koreans, it's not particularly funny, it's just a flat tone that expresses that you're physically very tired. And, perhaps unsurprisingly, it can be used in a serious or even emotional way, depending on the context. (like in examples 5 and 6 below)

I'll give you some realistic examples.

These are examples that many Koreans actually use in their daily lives.

[1] 일을 얼마나 한 거야? 파김치가 됐네! 우선 좀 쉬어! 내가 저녁 준비할게.

How long have you been working? You're exhausted! Get some rest, I'll make dinner.

[2] 어제 전화 못 받아서 미안. 퇴근하고 완전 파김치가 돼서 바로 잠들어 버렸어. 

I'm sorry I missed your call yesterday. I was so exhausted after work that I went straight to sleep.

[3] 일 끝내. 너 내일 첫 기차 타야 하는데 오늘 파김치 되면 어쩌려고 그래?

Finish your work. You have to catch the first train tomorrow. What if you get totally worn out today?

[4] 나, 차 사야겠어! 지하철로 출퇴근하니까 매일 파김치가 돼.

I need to buy a car! I commute by subway, and I become exhausted every day.

[5] 이제 우리 아빠도 인생을 즐기셔야 해. 우리를 위해서 평생 파김치가 되도록 일하셨거든.

Now my dad should enjoy life, he's been working so hard for the family his whole life that he became exhausted.

[6] 나 이제 아빠가 됐으니까 일을 더 많이 할거야. 파김치가 돼도 상관없어!

I'm going to work more now that I'm a dad. I don't mind becoming worn-out!

If this post was helpful to you, please leave a comment.

It will be a great motivation for me to continue this Korean Idiom series.

Everyday life Korean idiom : What does 엎어지면 코 닿을 데 mean? The origin and realistic example sentences!

Like every other language, Korean has tons of fun and witty idiomatic expressions.

The question that can arise when learning Korean idioms on your own is, "But do native Korean speakers actually use these expressions in everyday life?".

So here's a heads up. I guarantee that the Korean idioms I introduce in this blog are only the ones that are actually very common among the many Korean idioms.

Today, we're going to learn "엎어지면 코 닿을 데" as an idiomatic expression in Korean.

 

Let’s start by breaking down the phrase "엎어지면 코 닿을 데" word by word.

 

엎어지다 : [verb] fall down

코 : [noun] nose

닿다 : [verb] reach, touch

데 : [noun] place, somewhere

 

If you've got this far and chuckled, that means your Korean is pretty good.

That’s right. You can guess that the phrase "엎어지면 코 닿을 데" means something like "A place your nose can reach if you fall down".

 

So, let's take a closer look at each one.

First, we need to know how the two verbs in the phrase "엎어지면 코 닿을 데" are conjugated.

 

엎어지다 : The basic form of the verb, fall down

엎어지면 : if/when (somebody) falls down

 

Note that the verb "엎어지다" means the same thing as the more commonly used verb "넘어지다".

 

닿다 : The basic form of the verb, reach

닿을 : (something that somebody) can reach, or reachable

 

So, the chunk, "닿을 데", means something like this ;

닿을 데 : a place that somebody can reach

 

You can also use words like "곳" or "장소" instead of the noun "데".

Alternatively, it's also common to use the word "거리(distance)", which is not synonymous with "데", to say "엎어지면 코 닿을 거리". 

Of course, they mean the same thing.

 

Finally, the conclusion.

The Korean idiom "엎어지면 코 닿을 데" means "a very short distance".

Literally, it's the distance that your nose would touch if you fell. Since you're most likely no more than 2 meters tall, that's pretty close, right?

 

In English, it's roughly equivalent to “a stone's throw from something”, “within a stone's cast”.

 

Let me give you some realistic examples.

These are examples that many Koreans actually use in their daily lives.

 

[1] 뭘 하느라 이렇게 늦었어? 엎어지면 코 닿을 데 살면서!

What took you so long to come here? You live within a stone's throw!

 

[2] 30분 더 있다가 출발해도 돼. 엎어지면 코 닿을 거리야.

We can leave in another 30 minutes. It’s extremely close.

 

[3] 

Q : 넌 시부모님이랑 같이 안 살아서 좋겠다.

Q: It would be good for you not to live with your in-laws.

A : 같이 사는거나 다름없어. 엎어지면 코 닿을 데 사시거든.

A: It's the same as living with them, they're living super close.

 

[4] 

Q : 어두워서 무서워. 나 좀 집까지 데려다 줘.

Q: I'm scared because it's dark. Please take me home.

A : 헛소리한다! 엎어지면 코 닿을 거리잖아!

A: Bullshit! You're living a stone's throw from here!

 

[5] 

Q : 이 아파트 사세요! 지하철역에서 엎어지면 코 닿을 거리예요!

Q : Buy this apartment, It’s a stone’s throw from a subway station!

A : 아니, 여보세요! 도보 15분이 어떻게 엎어지면 코 닿을 거리예요?

A : Hey, excuse me? How is a 15-minute walk a stone’s throw?

 

If this post was helpful to you, please leave a comment.

It will be a great motivation for me to continue this Korean Idiom series.

Everyday life Korean idiom : What does 콩밥 먹다 mean? The origin and realistic example sentences!

Like every other language, Korean has tons of fun and witty idiomatic expressions.

The question that can arise when learning Korean idioms on your own is, "But do native Korean speakers actually use these expressions in everyday life?".

So here's a heads up. I guarantee that the Korean idioms I introduce in this blog are only the ones that are actually very common among the many Korean idioms.

Today, we're going to learn "콩밥 먹다" as an idiomatic expression in Korean.

First, let's break down the words that make up the phrase "콩밥 먹다".

콩 : beans

밥 : rice or cooked rice(=Bop)

먹다 : eat

So the sentence "콩밥 먹다" is literally "Eating rice cooked with beans."

To fully explain this idiom, we need to look back a bit into the past of Korea.

Unlike today's Korea, which has made remarkable progress in many aspects, just a few decades ago, the country's economy was not doing well and many Koreans did not have enough to eat.

As you may know, the staple food of Koreans is rice (Bap=cooked rice), and in the past, rice production was not sufficient, so when making Bop, people would add various grains like barley, corn, etc (often cheaper than rice) to the rice to increase the amount.

(Of course, many Koreans still eat bean-rice today. But it’s not because it's cheaper than rice, but because it's better for you nutritionally because it contains a lot of protein, or because they enjoy the flavor of the beans themselves).

OK, let's go back to Korea in the past.

In terms of cost, there was a fact that bean-rice was cheaper than pure rice.

So there's a story that in the past, prisoners in Korean jails were given bean-rice.

They needed rice because the prisoners also needed to eat, but the government couldn't give them pure rice because they wanted to minimize the amount of tax money that went to the prisoners.

Okay, don't want to read anymore because it was too long?

We're getting close. Read a little more, we're almost to the end.

I haven’t been in prison so far, so I can't attest to this with certainty, but what I do know about whether or not South Korean prisons still serve bean-rice to inmates is that the answer is "no".

Actually, In the current situation in South Korea, there is too much rice left over to dispose of.

We're either producing too much rice or we're not consuming enough rice to warrant a campaign to consume more rice.

So it's actually necessary to increase rice consumption by providing pure rice to prison inmates.

Now, finally, the conclusion.

The Korean idiom "콩밥 먹다" means "to live in prison for a crime".

Despite the fact that prisoners are no longer fed bean-rice in jail in Korea, this idiom is still commonly used in everyday Korean life.

Here are some realistic examples.

[1] 당장 내 돈 갚아! 콩밥 먹고 싶어?!!

Pay me back my money now! Do you want to eat bean-rice?!!

[2] 너 사람들한테 사기쳤지? 콩밥을 먹어봐야 정신을 차리지! 

You've been scamming people, haven't you? You'll only come to your senses when you eat bean-rice! 

[3] 저 사람 조심해. 옛날에 콩밥 먹은 적 있대.

Be careful with that guy, he's had bean-rice before.

As you can see above, I'm considering making a series of posts explaining Korean idioms.

If your response to this post is good, I'll do it with enthusiasm. If this post was helpful to you, please leave a comment, it will be a great motivation.

North or South? - Questions you should avoid asking to an expat in Korea. Episode 6 - Another batch of irrelevant questions.

To wrap up this series of posts about the irrelevant questions I've been asked by French people since I've been living in Korea, here are a few striking ones, in no particular order. Again, these are often due to ignorance, prejudice, and an obvious confusion between Korea and other Asian countries.

"Aren't there too many stray animals in the streets?"

I was only asked this question once, but it stuck with me because I got the impression that the person who asked it imagined stray dogs, or even monkeys, all over the streets, which you don't see here. True, there are a few stray cats, which are generally not a nuisance. Often, the locals even give them food, or set up a kennel for them. I have always been surprised when I observe the tail of cats in Korea, which looks like it has been cut off. But apparently this characteristic has a genetic origin, if we believe what is written HERE

If the tail of cats is a subject that you're into, this may interest you:

In short, no, there are not many animals in the streets, only a few cats, very few stray dogs, and far fewer rats than in the New York subway, for example.


Here's another example of confusion with other Asian countries:

"There are a lot of people riding bikes/scooters there, right?"

Well, no.

While cycling as a sport may be popular in Korea, it is not so common as a means of transportation. In Busan, there are bike lanes, which are generally used by pedestrians, but the bike still has a very limited place. Having lived in Strasbourg, I can say that there are very few bikes here!

 

This picture was taken in Strasbourg, although the Chinese sign may be misleading. By the way, it seems to me that this question actually comes from a confusion between China and Korea. We often have the image of Chinese cities invaded by bicycles, like here for example: 

https://factsanddetails.com/china/cat13/sub86/item1914.html#:~:text=There%20are%20around%20a%20half,at%20least%2010%20to%201

 

I don't know if this is true there because I don't know China. Anyway, I can tell you it's very different here in Korea:

The same question about scooters often comes from a confusion with countries like Viet Nam :

https://medium.com/@vildeoyen/8-tips-for-driving-a-motorbike-in-vietnam-b78c37fc2e9a

 

In Korea, the vast majority of scooters are driven by delivery people, which I already talked about HERE and HERE. The car remains the main means of transportation here.

Let's look at another example of confusion between Korea and Southeast Asia:

"I'm sure you can eat lots of fruit for cheap!"

Usually, this is followed by a "When I was in Malaysia / the Philippines..."

To the great surprise of my interlocutors, who surely imagine me stuffing myself with exotic fruits all day long, I reply that fruit is quite expensive in South Korea, much more so than in France, and even in the United States. I was told that this was because most was imported. (See this article)

For example, last week, I paid about 10,000 won ($8.5) for 500 grams of strawberries (which were not even tasty) and 13,000 won ($11) for 6 oranges/tangerines from Jeju Island which were delicious. But still...

This year, strawberries, which are usually expensive but excellent, seem to me even more expensive and much less tasty. I don't know what this is due to. It's only the beginning of the season though (yes, the strawberry season in Korea is winter), maybe it will get better.

Anyway, the price of fruit here seems outrageous to me!

Finally, as a bonus, here's a question that shocked me a bit, because I didn't see it coming. One day when I was talking about the possibility of having to undergo minor eye surgery, I was asked:

"Can't you have surgery in France?"

I'm still not sure I understand the meaning of that question. I guessed that this person thought that Korean medicine was a bit less reliable than in France... My Korean ophthalmologist happens to be an expert in his field who won several international awards...I don't see why I would have surgery elsewhere. In all medicine-related fields, Korea is very efficient, with highly qualified doctors, advanced technologies, and a great public health system. So I even found this question a bit offensive, but then again, it's probably just due to ignorance...

"Du Nord ou du Sud?" - Les questions à éviter de poser à un expatrié en Corée. Episode 6 - Diverses questions non pertinentes.

Pour finir cette série de posts sur les questions peu pertinentes qui m'ont été posées par des Français depuis que je vis en Corée, en voici en vrac quelques-unes qui m'ont marqué. Encore et toujours, celles-ci sont souvent dues à l'ignorance, aux préjugés, et à une confusion évidente entre la Corée et d'autres pays d'Asie.

"Il n'y pas trop d'animaux errants dans les rues?"

Cette question ne m'a été posée qu'une fois, mais elle m'a marqué car j'ai eu l'impression que la personne qui me l'avait posée imaginait des chiens errants, voire des singes, partout dans les rues, ce qui n'est absolument pas le cas ici. D'accord, il y a quelques chats errants, qui ne dérangent généralement pas. Souvent, les habitants du quartier leur donnent même à manger, ou leur installent une niche. J'ai d'ailleurs toujours été surpris en observant la queue des chats en Corée, qui me donne l'impression d'avoir été coupée. Mais apparemment cette caractéristique est d'origine génétique, si on en croit ce qui est écrit ICI

Si la queue des chats est un sujet qui vous parle, on ne sait jamais, ceci peut vous intéresser:

Bref, non, il n'y a pas pas plein d'animaux dans les rues. Quelques chats, très peu de chiens errants, et beaucoup moins de rats que dans le métro New-Yorkais, par exemple.


Nouvel exemple de confusion avec d'autres pays d'Asie:

"Il y a beaucoup de gens à vélo / à scooter là-bas, non?"

En un mot : non. 

Si le vélo en tant que sport jouit d'une certaine popularité en Corée, c'est un moyen de transport assez peu utilisé. A Busan, il y a des pistes cyclables, qui sont généralement utilisées davantage par les piétons, mais la place du vélo reste très limitée. Ayant vécu à Strasbourg, je peux affirmer qu'il y a très peu de vélos ici!

 

 

Ceci est une photo prise à Strasbourg, bien que le panneau en chinois puisse être trompeur. D'ailleurs, il me semble que cette question vient d'une confusion entre la Chine et la Corée. On a souvent l'image de villes chinoises envahies par les vélos, comme ici par exemple : 

https://factsanddetails.com/china/cat13/sub86/item1914.html#:~:text=There%20are%20around%20a%20half,at%20least%2010%20to%201.

 

Je ne sais pas si c'est vrai car je ne connais pas la Chine. En tout cas, c'est très différent en Corée. La preuve : 

La même question portant sur les scooters vient souvent d'une confusion avec des pays comme le Viet Nam :

https://medium.com/@vildeoyen/8-tips-for-driving-a-motorbike-in-vietnam-b78c37fc2e9a

 

En Corée, la grande majorité des scooters sont conduits par des livreurs à domiciles, dont j'ai déjà parlé ICI et ICI. Le moyen de locomotion principal reste la voiture.


Autre confusion avec des pays d'Asie du Sud-Est :

"Tu dois pouvoir manger plein de fruits pour pas cher!" 

Généralement, ce type de remarque est suivi d'un "Moi, quand j'étais en Malaisie / aux Philippines..."

A la grande surprise de mes interlocuteurs, qui m'imaginent sûrement en train de me gaver de fruits exotiques à longueur de journée,  je leur réponds que les fruits sont assez, voire très, chers en Corée du Sud, bien plus qu'en France, et même qu'aux Etats Unis. On m'a expliqué que cela venait du fait que l'essentiel des fruits étaient importés. (Voir cet article)

A titre d'exemple, la semaine dernière, jai payé environ 10000 won (7,5€) pour 500 grammes de fraises (même pas bonnes) et 13000 won (9,5€) pour 6 oranges de Jeju Island qui elles étaient délicieuses, mais tout de même  . 

Cette année, les fraises, qui sont d'habitudes chères mais excellentes, me paraissent encore plus chères et bien moins bonnes. Je ne sais pas à quoi cela est dû. Ce n'est que le début de la saison (oui, la saison des fraises en Corée est l'hiver), cela va peut-être s'améliorer.

Quoi qu'il en soit, le prix de tous les fruits - pommes, raisin, fraises, mangues, pour n'en citer que quelques uns - me paraît exorbitant!

Pour finir, en bonus, une question qui m'a un peu choqué, car je ne m'y attendais pas du tout. Un jour où j'évoquais la possibilité d'avoir à subir une légère intervention à un oeil, on m'a demandé :

"Tu ne peux pas te faire opérer en France?"

Je ne suis toujours pas sûr de comprendre le sens de cette question. J'ai subodoré que cette personne pensait que la médecine Coréenne était un peu moins fiable qu'en France... Il se trouve que mon ophtalmo Coréen est une sommité dans son domaine, lauréat de plusieurs prix internationaux...Je ne vois pas bien pourquoi je me ferais opérer ailleurs. Dans tous les domaines liés à la médecine, la Corée est très performante, avec des médecins très qualifiés, des technologies de pointe, et un très bon système de santé. J'ai donc trouvé cette question un peu vexante, mais là encore, elle est sûrement seulement due à l'ignorance...

North or South? - Questions you should avoid asking to an expat in Korea. Episode 5. "Strange food"?

When it comes to discovering or comparing the cultures and ways of life of different countries, food inevitably comes up. I have already addressed this issue HERE and HERE.

And there is no lack of irrelevant and prejudiced questions about that too:

"They eat strange stuff in Korea, right?"

 

If this video is to be believed, it's hard to say no, but it's something I'd like to qualify a bit. Of course it all depends on what you mean by "strange."

The covid crisis has showed that there are prejudices in the West about Chinese cuisine, and Asian cuisine in general, when it was assumed that the epidemic had started from a market in China where pangolins were sold.

And it is true that in Korea, you can actually see "strange" things at the market. Korea is a Peninsula, so you can find all kinds of fish, seafood, shellfish, not to mention seaweed. Just walk down the Jagalchi market, in Busan, and you'll see what I mean. I'm not a seafood lover, so I am not really comfortable there, but can we say that all this is "strange"?

 

Let's say that from a French point of view there are many unusual things to eat in Korea (like "penis fish" to name but one). Even Kimchi, a staple food in Korea along with rice, can be disconcerting when you try it for the first time. But in my view, a lot of Korean food can be called "different", "new", but certainly not "weird".

Wait. Let's take a closer look. If you walk through a market in Busan, it's likely that you'll see eels being skinned alive and still wriggling while they're being grilled... (Video available HERE, Graphic content advisory!) One may find this disturbing, but I'd like to stress that Koreans are not the only ones who mistreat animals to cook them. In Korea, I have been asked about the way the French cook ortolans (more information HERE). Even if this dish is (fortunately) not one of the most popular in France (it may even be forbidden now), we have to admit that this is weird too, not to say creepy.

And what about foie gras?

Let's not forget that for Koreans, we are the ones who eat strange, even disgusting foods. Snails, of course, frogs (even if I saw some on a market in Busan, as I mentioned here), but also rabbit meat (which is quite rare in Korea. In France, Her is always horrified to see whole rabbits on the butchers' stalls), liver, offal of all kinds, not to mention our smelly cheeses (some of which, like Roquefort, are even covered with mold!)

The other day, I prepared a simple grated carrot salad with a little oil, lemon juice and parsley. My mother-in-law found it very "weird"...when she eats shrimp heads!

In short, there are quite a lot of culinary differences between France and Korea, to say the least, but the expression "strange stuff" bothers me because it sounds too pejorative.

This being said, I'd like to talk about a sensitive subject that sometimes comes up too.

"Have you tried dog meat?"

To put it simply: yes, it is possible to eat dog meat in Korea (and no, I haven't tried it). But you should also know that it's something that is less and less common (especially among the younger generations). I've visited Korea regularly since 2015 and I've been living here for three years, and I've seen a restaurant serving dog meat on only one occasion. So don't imagine that all Koreans, or even a majority of them, eat dog meat. According to Wikipedia, about 4% of Koreans consume dog meat. In a way, it's a bit like Ortolan back home. The dish does exist, but it is not common.  Recently, President Moon Jae-In even raised the issue of a possible ban on dog meat consumption. I don't know if he will be able to pass this before his term ends in spring 2022, but it shows that there is progress on this issue.

Long story short, forget your prejudices and try Korean food, there are so many delicious dishes to discover!

"Du Nord ou du Sud?" - Les questions à éviter de poser à un expatrié en Corée. Episode 5 - La nourriture "bizarre"

Quand il s'agit de découvrir ou de comparer les cultures et modes de vie de différents pays, on en arrive toujours très rapidement au sujet de la nourriture. J'ai d'ailleurs déjà abordé la question ICI et ICI.

Et à ce sujet les questions peu pertinentes ne manquent pas, toujours teintées de quelques préjugés :

"Ils mangent des trucs bizarres en Corée, non?"

 

 

 

Si on en croit cette vidéo, difficile de répondre non, mais c'est quelque chose qu'il va falloir nuancer un peu. Tout dépend évidemment de ce qu'on entend par "bizarre".

La crise sanitaire a montré qu'il y avait des préjugés chez les occidentaux quant à la cuisine chinoise, et asiatique en général, lorsqu'on a supposé que l'épidémie était partie d'un marché sur lequel on vendait des pangolins (je ne sais plus si cela a finalement été confirmé ou pas, mais là n'est pas le propos).

Et il est vrai qu'en Corée, on voit parfois de drôles de choses sur les marchés. La Corée étant une Péninsule, on trouve toute sortes de poissons, fruits de mer, crustacés, sans parler des algues. Une simple promenade sur le marché de Jagalchi, à Busan, permet de s'en rendre compte. N'étant pas un grand amateur de fruits de mer, je ne suis pas vraiment à mon aise là-bas, mais peut-on dire que tout cela est "bizarre"?

 

Disons qu'il y a beaucoup de choses inhabituelles pour un Français en Corée. (mention spéciale au "penis fish"?) Même le Kimchi, aliment de base en Corée avec le riz, peut déconcerter quand on y goûte pour la première fois. De mon point de vue, vous pouvez manger, en Corée, de nombreuses choses différentes, nouvelles, mais pas "bizarres".

On a parfois l'impression de franchir un cap, cependant, quand, par exemple, on se promène sur un marché de Busan et qu'on voit des anguilles être pelées à vif puis être mises sur un grill alors qu'elles gigotent encore... (Video disponible ICI, âmes sensibles s'abstenir)

On peut évidemment trouver ça choquant, mais je souhaite juste rappeler que les Coréens ne sont pas les seuls à maltraiter des animaux pour les cuisiner. On m'a d'ailleurs déjà posé des questions sur la façon dont les Français préparent les ortolans (plus d'informations ICI). Même si ce plat n'est (heureusement) pas un des plus populaires en France (peut-être est-il même interdit maintenant?), il faut reconnaître que dans le genre "bizarre", nous faisons assez fort aussi. Et je ne parle pas du foie gras...

N'oublions pas que pour les Coréens, ce sont nous qui consommons des aliments étranges, voire dégoûtants. Les escargots, bien sûr, les grenouilles (même si j'en ai vu sur un marché de Busan,, comme je le racontais ici), mais aussi la viande de lapin (Assez rare en Corée.  Elle est d'ailleurs toujours horrifiée de voir des lapins entiers sur les étals des bouchers en France), le foie, les abats en tous genres, sans parler des nos odorants fromages (dont certains,comme le Roquefort, sont même couverts de moisissures!!).

L'autre jour, j'avais préparé une salade de carottes râpées toute simple, avec un peu d'huile, de jus de citron et de persil. Ma belle-mère a trouvé ça très "bizarre"...elle qui mange les crevettes avec la tête!

En gros, il y a beaucoup de différence culinaires entre la France et la Corée, c'est le moins que l'on puisse dire, mais l'expression "trucs bizarres" me gêne car trop péjorative.

Ceci dit, je dois tout de même aborder un sujet qui fâche, et dont on me parle parfois.

"T'as mangé du chien?"

Pour faire simple: oui, il est possible de manger de la viande de chien en Corée (et non, je n'ai pas essayé). Mais il faut aussi savoir que c'est quelque chose qui se fait de moins en moins (notamment parmi les jeunes générations). Je viens en Corée régulièrement depuis sept ans et j'y vis depuis trois ans, et je n'ai vu un restaurant servant du chien qu'à une seule occasion. Ne croyez pas que tous les Coréens, ni même une majorité d'entre eux, en consomment. D'après Wikipedia, environ 4% des Coréens consomment de la viande de chien.  En un sens, c'est un peu comme l'Ortolan chez nous. Cela existe, mais c'est très peu répandu. D'ailleurs, le président Moon Jae-In a récemment soulevé la question d'une interdiction de la consommation de viande de chien. Je ne sais pas s'il arrivera à faire passer ça avant la fin de son mandat au printemps 2022, mais cela montre qu'il y a du progrès sur cette question.

En résumé, oubliez vos préjugés et essayez la nourriture coréenne,il y a trop de plats délicieux à découvrir!

North or South? - Questions you should avoid asking to an expat in Korea. Episode 4 (Lockdown or no Lockdown?)

How could I not write about the main cause for concern around the world over the past two years, i.e. the coronavirus pandemic? Here too, there has been no shortage of irrelevant questions from my French friends ans relatives, starting with this one:

"How was the lockdown in Korea? Wasn't it too hard?"

To put it simply: so far, there has been no lockdown in South Korea. The country was the first after China to be hit by the virus in early 2020, but the authorities have managed to contain the epidemic without having to resort to a large-scale lockdown of the type that has been implemented in France on several occasions. The population was encouraged to stay at home, online work was encouraged, schools and universities were closed (and are closed again as soon as the number of infections increases) and strict social distancing measures were put in place, but at no time was it impossible to leave your home. Korea relied on masks (everyone wears them all the time, both indoors and outdoors, even at the beach), testing, tracing (which raised some concerns about privacy), and "curfews" were sometimes put in place. But these were quite different from what was done in France. People were allowed to go out, but bars, cafés and restaurants closed earlier (sometimes only take-away sales were allowed).

In short, the epidemic had less impact on the lives of Koreans than in most other countries. Even though Korea  is currently facing a fifth wave, the country is often seen as a model abroad for its handling of the pandemic.  In my view, this is due to the swift reaction of the government (based on the experience acquired after the MERS epidemic in 2015), to its transparency (see this article) and to the fact that the measures taken have not been politicized, as the wearing of masks has been in Europe or in North America, so the population has generally followed the government's recommendations.

No lockdown. This is sometimes hard to believe for my family or friends, who keep asking me this same question even after I explained that things are different here.

While the government's response was very quick, the vaccination program was a little slow to get going. But once the vaccination started, Korea proved to be very effective, as always, and the proportion of vaccinated people is now higher than in countries that started vaccinating earlier (France or the USA to name but two). For some foreigners, it was a bit difficult to get vaccinated. Personally, being married to a Korean citizen, everything went pretty smoothly and even had my third shot at the end of December.


 

"It must be the Chinese vaccine you have there, right?"

This is another question that I get a lot. The answer, again, is no. Korea has the same vaccines as France: Astrazeneca, Pfizer, Moderna,and Janssen. The difference is that it is possible to "mix" vaccines, contrary to France, I believe. For example, I got Astrazeneca for my first shot, then  Pfizer for the next two shots.

In short, I have to admit that when I see the situation in Western countries, especially in France, I think I am very lucky to be living in Korea right now. My daily life is much less disrupted, and the risk of catching and especially transmitting the virus seems to be much lower here.

"Du Nord ou du Sud?" - Les questions à éviter de poser à un expatrié en Corée. Episode 4 (Confinement ou pas confinement?)

 Difficile de passer à côté du sujet principal de nos préoccupations dans le monde entier depuis deux ans : l'épidémie de coronavirus. Et à ce propos également, les questions peu pertinentes de la part de mes compatriotes n'ont pas manqué, à commencer par celle-ci :

"Pas trop dur, le confinement?"

Pour faire simple : il n'y a, à ce jour, eu aucun confinement en Corée du Sud. Le pays a pourtant été le premier touché par le virus après la Chine début 2020, mais les autorités ont réussi à contenir l'épidémie sans avoir à recourir à un confinement de grande ampleur du type de celui qui a été mis en place en France à plusieurs reprises. Certes, la population a été incitée à rester chez elle, le télétravail a été encouragé, les écoles et universités ont été fermées (et le sont à nouveau dès que le nombre de contaminations repart à la hausse) et des mesures de distanciation sociale strictes ont été mises en place, mais à aucun moment il n'a été impossible de sortir de chez soi. La Corée a misé sur le port du masque (tout le monde le porte en permanence dans les lieux publics, à l'extérieur et à l'intérieur, y compris à la plage), les tests, le traçage (ce qui a suscité quelques inquiétudes concernant le respect de la vie privée), et des "couvre-feu" ont parfois été mis en place. Mais ceux-ci étaient bien différents de ce qui s'est fait en France. Il n'était pas interdit à la population de sortir, mais les bars, cafés et restaurants fermaient plus tôt (pafois, seule la vente à emporter était autorisée).

En bref, l'épidémie a eu moins de conséquences sur la vie des Coréens que dans la plupart des autres pays. Même si elle fait actuellement face à une cinquième vague, la Corée est souvent regardée à l'étranger comme un modèle pour sa gestion de cette crise sanitaire.  Cela tient, me semble-t-il, à la réaction très rapide du gouvernment (fort de l'expérience acquise suite à l'épidémie de MERS en 2015), à sa transparence (voir cet article), et au fait que les mesures prises n'ont pas été politisées, comme a pu l'être le port du masque en Europe ou en Amérique du Nord, donc la population a globalement suivi les recommandations du gouvernment.

Pas de confinement donc. Ce qui est parfois difficile à imaginer pour ma famille ou mes amis, qui continuent de me poser cette même question même après que je leur aie expliqué que les choses sont différentes ici.

Si la réaction du gouvernement a été très rapide, la mise en route du programme de vaccination, en revanche a été un peu lente. Mais une fois la vaccination mise en route, comme souvent, la Corée s'est révélée très efficace et la proportion de personnes vaccinées est maintenant supérieure aux pays qui avaient commencé à vacciner plus tôt (la France ou les USA pour n'en citer que deux). Pour certains étrangers, il a été un peu difficile de se faire vacciner, mais en tant qu'époux de citoyenne coréenne, je n'ai pas eu de problèmes et j'ai même eu ma troisième dose fin décembre.

 

"C'est le vaccin chinois que vous avez là-bas, non?"

Voilà une autre question qui revient souvent. La réponse, encore une fois, est non. La Corée administre les mêmes vaccins que la France : Astrazeneca, Pfizer, Moderna,et Janssen. La différence est que les "mélanges" sont possibles, contrairement à la France, je crois. Par exemple, j'ai reçu une première dose d'Astrazeneca, puis deux doses de Pfizer.

Pour résumer, je dois admettre que lorsque je vois la situation dans les pays occidentaux, notamment en France, je me dis que je suis très chanceux de vivre cette période de crise sanitaire en Corée. Ma vie quotidienne est nettement moins perturbée, et le risque d'attraper et, surtout, de transmettre le virus me semble beaucoup moins élevé ici.

North or South? - Questions you should avoid asking to an expat in Korea. Episode 3 (Is South Korea a democracy?)

The questions that come up most often after those about Korea's economy  have to do with the country's political situation:

"Is Korea a democracy?"

Sometimes, the questions on this topic actually take the form of statements, revealing once again prejudices and confusions about Korea. During a conversation about a movie, for instance, I explained that I haven't seen it because it is not available on Netflix in Korea. "Of course, I forgot there is censorship there," my interlocutor instantly replied.

I simply pointed out that I live in South Korea, not China.

There is no censorship in South Korea. At least not more than in France. It's not even remotely comparable to China or North Korea, where the authorities decide what can be published or broadcast.  True, if you watch a movie on Korean television, you will notice that nude scenes, sex scenes, or even a simple lit cigarette are usually blurred. And swear words are bleeped, like in the USA for example. It also happens that the flag of the Japanese imperial army (Kyokujitsuki) is blurred, erased, or replaced by the "official" flag of Japan. This symbol, for Koreans, refers to the Japanese colonization of the first half of the twentieth century and the atrocities that came with it. As a comparison, I would say it is, in a way, perceived here like the swastika in Europe.

I was flying from France to Korea a few years ago, and I remember that passengers using the internet on board were suddenly informed that they would not be able to do so while we were flying over China. This obviously surprised me because it is something that would be unimaginable in France and in South Korea.

It is true that, historically, Korean democracy is younger than ours. After the Korean War, South Korea was not only very poor, but also politically unstable. From the early 1960s to the late 1980s, there were several coups, martial law was imposed on multiple occasions, and opposition to the government was often harshly repressed, like during the Gwangju uprising in 1980.

More information is available HERE and in this presentation:

 
Since the late 1980s, Korea has made a democratic transition and is now considered a full democracy.

It was once pointed out to me that all former South Korean presidents still alive were in prison.  The person who said that saw it as a sign that there is still a lot of corruption at the head of the Korean state. But we can also be pleased to see that it is possible in Korea to convict former presidents and to actually send them to prison, which rarely happens in dictatorships, as far as I know. And we could add that in France, though some former presidents have been sentenced after the end of their term, none has ever been incarcerated...

"Du Nord ou du Sud?" - Les questions à éviter de poser à un expatrié en Corée. Episode 3 (La Corée du Sud est-elle une démocratie?)

 

Après les questions sur l'économie de la Corée, ce sont les questions sur la situation politique du pays qui reviennent le plus souvent. 

"C'est une démocratie, la Corée?"

Parfois, les questions sur ce sujet prennent plutôt la forme d'affirmations, qui révèlent une fois encore quelques préjugés et confusions à propos de la Corée. Dernière en date, lors d'une conversation au sujet d'un film. J'explique ne pas l'avoir vu car il n'est pas disponible sur Netflix en Corée. Ce à quoi on me répond immédiatement: "Ah oui, c'est vrai qu'il y a de la censure là-bas."

Je me suis contenté de préciser que j'habitais en Corée, pas en Chine.

Pour rebondir sur cette anecdote, non il n'y a pas de censure en Corée du Sud. En tout cas pas plus qu'en France. Rien à voir avec la Chine ou la Corée du Nord, où les autorités décident de ce qui peut être publié ou diffusé.  Certes, si vous regardez un film à la télévision coréenne, vous constaterez que les scènes de nu, de sexe, ou même une simple cigarette allumée sont généralement floutées. Et les jurons sont remplacés par des "bip", ce qui se fait aussi aux USA par exemple. Il arrive également que le drapeau de l'armée impériale japonaise (Kyokujitsuki) soit flouté, effacé, ou remplacé par le drapeau "officiel" du Japon. Ce symbole, pour les Coréens, renvoie à la colonisation japonaise de la première moitié du vingtième siècle et aux atrocités qui l'ont accompagnée. A titre de comparaison, il est un peu perçu ici comme la croix gammée en Europe.

Lors d'un vol entre la France et la Corée il y a quelques années, je me souviens qu'on avait soudain informé les passagers utilisant internet à bord qu'ils n'allaient plus pouvoir le faire le temps que nous survolions la Chine. Cela m'a évidemment surpris car c'est quelque chose d'inimaginable en France comme en Corée du Sud.

Il faut reconnaître que, historiquement, la démocratie coréenne est plus jeune que la nôtre. Après la guerre de Corée, la Corée du Sud était non seulement très pauvre, mais aussi politiquement instable. Du début des années 60 à la fin des années 80, plusieurs coups d'état ont eu lieu, la loi martiale a été instaurée à plusieurs reprises et l'opposition au pouvoir en place a souvent été réprimée durement, comme lors du soulèvement de Gwangju en 1980.

Des informations supplémentaires sont disponibles ICI et dans cette présentation:

 

 


Depuis la fin des années 1980, la Corée a effectué une transition démocratique et est désormais considérée comme une démocratie à part entière.

On m'a un jour fait remarquer que tous les anciens présidents sud-coréens encore en vie étaient en prison.  On peut y voir le signe qu'il y a encore beaucoup de corruption à la tête de l'état coréen. Mais on peut aussi se féliciter de voir qu'il est possible en Corée de condamner d'anciens présidents et de les envoyer en prison, ce qui se fait rarement dans une dictature, me semble-t-il. Et on pourrait ajouter qu'en France, si d'anciens présidents ont été condamnés après la fin de leur mandat, aucun n'a jamais été incarcéré...

North or South? - Questions you should avoid asking to an expat in Korea. Episode 2 (Is South Korea a developed country?)

 After the inevitable question about the North and the South, another question I've often been asked is about the level of economic development of South Korea.

"Is Korea a developed country?"

The simple fact that I am asked this question shows once again how little the French  know about South Korea. I don't think I would be asked this question if I lived in Japan. Though it is pretty obvious that Japan is a developed country, it is obviously not so clear when it comes to Korea.

To put it simply, I always answer that, yes, Korea is developed, and I often add that its level of development is comparable to that of Japan. That might make an economist cringe, but I think it can help people get the idea.

People who ask me this question often seem to associate Korea with countries in Southeast Asia that are not yet considered "developed" from an economic point of view.

That said, the confusion can be explained by the fact that South Korea used to be one of the poorest countries in the world (in the 1960s). But the country has grown dramatically and is now a world leader in industry and technology, not to mention the entertainment industry.

South Korea is now a member of the G20 and is knocking on the door of the G7. So, yes, Korea is a developed country. In fact, when I go back to France, I sometimes feel like I'm time-traveling to the Middle Ages!

However, it must be admitted that in some aspects, Korea is still lagging a little behind. Sometimes, I walk in Seoul or Busan, with the impression of being in a futuristic metropolis among all these skyscrapers and giant screens, when suddenly I come across an elderly person selling fruit sitting on a sidewalk, or another one pulling a cart full of old boxes, or cultivating a small vegetable garden between two ultra-modern high-rise buildings. In some back alleys, you may also see tangles of electrical wires that would certainly not meet the French safety standards. And it seems to me that many homes are real "thermal sieves" as we say in French to refer to poorly insulated buildings. In short, these few examples illustrate my impression that on some points, Korea is a bit behind. But given the speed at which Korea is advancing, it will not be long before it overtakes France!

More information about the economy of South Korea is available here.