Comments on: School Lunch #1

By: Korean Cafeteria Watch - FatManSeoul

Korean Cafeteria Watch - FatManSeoul — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 05:20:58 +0000

[...] Hub of Sparkle covering his daily lunch experiences at his school’s cafeteria. Check it out! Day 1 Day 2 Stafford's [...]

By: chiamattt

chiamattt — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 08:31:56 +0000

I have eaten a cafeteria lunch everyday for the past three years. At my previous job, we picked up plates and lunch was 100% subsidized. At my current job, lunch is 3,000. I also have pictures of my lunch.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/smokehard/2327684847/in/set-72157601813889141/

By: Gomushin Girl

Gomushin Girl — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 06:33:06 +0000

Although loathe to admit to anything good about Yonsei in a public forum, that liquid gold can still be had for a mere 3,000 (eh, maybe 3,500) at the engineering building cafeteria, near the front gate. Went there with friends a while ago.

By: The Metropolitician

The Metropolitician — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 05:06:22 +0000

Yonsei KLI cafeteria? You’re referring to the BEST 3,000 won (back then) soontubu EVER?! That stuff was gold in a bowl. Circa 1997. Still, I hear old fogies like me talk about it from time to time when KLI comes up. KLI soontubu in da house!

As for you, Jaim, your “maintenance fee” balancing against your school not taking money from you for food is evidence of the universal maxim “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” The man’s gonna get you somehow, hehe.

By: Anonymous Coward

Anonymous Coward — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 04:45:47 +0000

I was at Yonsei ID & KLI for a year back in the early 1990’s. Your lunch reminds me of what I used to score in the student cafeteria at Yonsei back in the day. If I recall correctly, it was 500 won.

I actually miss that sort of cheap, quick, basically healthy lunch. When I go to the cafeteria at the college where I now work (in southern California), most of what they serve is unhealthy food-porn type stuff.

By: Jaim

Jaim — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 00:27:28 +0000

Speaking as a hagwon jockey, I lurve our lunches. We have a “lunch lady” who comes in every day to prepare morning snack and “lunchi.” It’s pretty good grub, with the only caveat being that since she’s cooking mostly for tykes, she tones down the traditional hotness of all the dishes.

There’s always a bowl of kimchi though (cabbage or radish style) that I can throw on top of whatever the main course is not heat it up though.

Hmm. I think I’ll take some pictures. The lunch lady would be extremely proud to have her food depicted outside of school, I think.

Oh, and it’s free. Kind of makes up a little for my ridonkulous “maintenance” fee at my office-tel.

By: 3gyupsal

3gyupsal — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 23:52:39 +0000

School lunch in Korea. This is an intriguing topic. Most of the time I opt to eat out because I like outside food better than school food, but I have to say the quality of school food here is pretty good compared to say American school food, if you are willing to break down the basics. Korean school food is probably healthier. Though, many westerners may be disgusted by it, soups in my school are generally made with real broth that had been boiled. (I think people may be disgusted by various the fish or other sea critter broths.) Now the metropolitician’s experience is a bit difficult to stomach, but I have to say that Korean school food has its drawbacks and its benefeits.

By: suddenly susan

suddenly susan — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 18:51:33 +0000

i forgot what i wanted to say about the school lunch after reading metro’s comment. EWWWWW!!! i’m not opposed to eating from nose to tail but i think i threw up a little in my mouth at “optic nerve.”

so, yeah, back to school lunch…that looks so much tastier and healthier than the school lunches i grew up with in the brooklyn public school system. and all that for ₩1500? that is insanely cheap!

By: The Metropolitician

The Metropolitician — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:38:06 +0000

Your school has some good lunch. You gotta continue the series, since I'm now interested in whether that's regular stuff there, or some kind of special day exception. My first day at a middle school on Cheju Island in 1994 involved beef soup in which I got an eyeball under the spinach leaves. Yes, a cow eyeball the size of a golfball, with optic nerve still attached, boiled white and looking all glutinous. I sheet you not. That was some Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom-style banquet we're talking. No chilled monkey brains, but still. Yeesh. So, tangsuyuk and dongtaeguk together? Those are two main dishes in the same meal, man! And no sensory organs, such as eye or tongue? You got it good, mang. What's next at your cafeteria? Kalbi or somefin? Inquiring minds want to know...

By: FatManSeoul

FatManSeoul — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:30:52 +0000

Wanna be a guest columnist on FatManSeoul? We love hearing about lunch . . .