X2 2 ID Vet. Bibimbap was a breakfast staple for me the two years I was there. KATUSA snackbar on K-16.
Great food!
I get it. We have plenty of Koreans in these parts, and I love my KBBQ joints. Also my dolsat bimibop.
I agree with your opinion on the Korean people. When I was stationed there in 1969 I also found them to be extremely sad that they had lost contact with family in the North. But their sadness didn’t prevent them from hating the communists. They were fiercely loyal to we Americans, especially the ROK Marines they sent to Vietnam. The VC/NVA were scared _hitless of them. Their military commanders and NCO’s had power of life and death on their subordinates. Many times I witnessed brutal beatings of low ranking soldiers who didn’t salute properly or were chewing gum as they came through the main gate and became Ti Quan Do practice for the gate guards. There were other cultural differences that took some getting used to as you learned that life in the Orient was cheap. I understand that it is far different now.
I spent a month in Korea, and went out a few times.
I probably broke all their rules of etiquette because I had no clue how we were supposed to eat. There were always several little plates of stuff—much of it unidentifiable—on the table, and we did not know what we were supposed to do with it. One thing they always served in the little plates was kimchee; I have realized that no matter how many times I try it, I will never like it.
I did like the bibimbap.
It’s good to learn new phrases in different languages, but I would just hope the menu had photos of the meals and clear arabic numbers for the prices. The worst thing would be to order way too much food for something I didn’t like, then realize I did not have enough money to cover it.
I don’t think washing the dishes for deficiently paid bills is still an acceptable solution. That may only have been in the movies anyway.
LOL, if you watched KDramas, you’d think all that Koreans ever ate was Subway.
Product placements are a big deal in KDramas.
Just know the difference between bul-go-gi (beef) vs the “other” meats. Ordering ke-go-gi means any meat and no telling what you’ll get. Have never heard of so-go-gi. Be careful!
When I was in TDC, I’d say downrange with never a problem. That 2nd S&T mess hall we had to go to because the 2nd Av one was being remodeled, though... Btw, best mess hall in Korea was the NCO academy in Camp Jackson.
It’s also considered polite to slurp loudly when sipping soup or noodles.
Been to Korea four times, IIRC. Had my first taste of Korean BBQ in a small restaurant in Suwon, near Samsung’s factory. They were giving us a tour and a quick introduction to Korean culture. Cooked the meat over glowing red bricks, not the gas fed flames you’ll find in local So Cal restaurants. Loved it. Kimchi is okay, but it takes a bit of getting used to.
Yep - loved it during my stint - never learned enough Korean to order like the article but being near American bases has it’s benefits - the locals know enough English to fill in the gaps - even if Mom and Pop need to ask their kids to help interpret.
There is a Korean grocer near me that sells the bulgogi beef by the pound already marinaded and ready to cook. All I have to do is add green onions and fry it up. I buy bibimbab vegetables to go with it, without the rice, for a lower carb dinner. They also sell chap-chae already prepared sometimes, which I’ll get as an occasional indulgence. Oh, and kimchee and anchovies, always.