Analysis of Five Cultural Dimensions on North Korean’s Cultures

 

1.    North Korean’s Table Manners and Dining Ethics

Politeness is very important to Koreans and there is a lot of emphasis placed on sharing meals and drinks. Although some of the older traditions have relaxed in recent years, this list of Korean table manners includes etiquette still in use today:

 

1.      Wait to be seated

Wait for the oldest person/people to sit down first before you take a seat at the table.

 

2.      Before you begin

Before you eat, especially at someone's home, it's polite to say that you are looking forward to the meal. In Korean, people say Jalmukesumneda (I will eat well).

 

3.      Beginning the meal

Wait for the oldest person/people to lift their spoon or chopsticks first before you start eating.

 

4.      During the meal

Don't blow your nose at the table. Ever.

 

5.      Don't rush or linger

Try to eat at the same pace as everyone else, especially the elders.

 

6.      Soup and rice bowls

During the meal, don't hold the bowl of soup or rice (as you might do in other Asian countries like China or Japan).

 

 

 

7.      Double dipping

Korean meals have many communal side dishes, so don't dig into the bowls and touch a lot of the other food while you're taking your own.

 

8.      Refilling your glass

Always pour drinks for others first, especially for those senior to you.

 

9.      Offers of alcohol

It's not considered polite to refuse an alcoholic drink offered to you, especially from an elder.

 

10.  Accepting dishes or drinks

When someone senior pours a drink for you, hold out your cup with both hands to accept (this also holds true for someone passing you a side dish or something else at the table).

 

11.  Pouring drinks

When you pour for someone senior to you, place your other hand lightly under your pouring hand or under your opposite elbow.

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12.   Placement of utensils on table

Don't stick your chopsticks straight up into your bowl because that resembles traditional Korean ancestor ceremonies. When you're done, utensils go back on the table.

 

13.  Don't waste food

Don't take so much food that you can't finish, as that is considered wasteful.

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14.  Acknowledging your hosts

If someone has hosted you in their home or treated you to a meal out, it is customary to acknowledge your thanks after the meal. In Korean, people say masegaemugusuyo (I ate well).

 

Dinning with elderly people

1.      The space farthest away from the entrance door is the best spot, so reserve it for the elderly. 

2.      When having a meal with the elderly, wait for the elders to hold their spoon first and keep pace with them. 

3.      Sit with your body in an upright, straight position. 

4.      When the elderly person is getting up after finishing the meal, get up together. 

5.      If you finished the meal before the elderly, place the spoon in the rice bowl or sungnyung bowl and when the elderly person has finished the meal, place it on the table.

è Cultural Dimensions’ Analysis

In North Korean’s Table Manners and Dinning Ethics, we can see on some sentences with the yellow highlighting that it has Low Power Distance cultural dimension in which Koreans really respect the elder people or the seniors, they accept the unequal level and there was a gap between the superiors and inferiors. Like many Koreans let the elder or senior to do anything on the table firstly and they must accept everything on the table that given by the elder and senior.

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