RANTING/VENTING MEGATHREAD 3.0

I've seen people on this board saying that this doesn't happen so much anymore, and maybe it's better than it used to be, but this was very common when I had to travel at rush hour a couple years ago. It's just such a bizarre spectacle to see that profoundly illogical scenario play out on repeat, over and over again, at every stop. Like, it's not difficult to learn the lesson that this approach doesn't work well. Same with jamming 20 people into an elevator, which keeps the doors open for an extended length of time as more and more of them pile in. It would take just as long to let a smaller group go first and wait for the elevator to return, and it would be more comfortable for everyone.

They are getting better.  When I first came to Korea back in the late nineties it was absolute mayhem.  One thing I have noticed is that people have gotten better at waiting to board the train.  They just have to figure out that you need to combine waiting to get on with standing to the side.  Then we're all set. 

Coffee pot suction/drip feed thingy crapped out this morning. Heating pad rusted through. Damn! Only 4 years old. Appliance suicide is rife in my house lately. And here's me looking at semi-retirement. Not a hope! I'll be working for the next 10 years just to replace household items 

I'm sorry to hear that. These things always seem to happen in threes.

Maybe it's just the universe's way of prepping you for your retirement so that you can enjoy the life with newer appliances.

That should be it then...last weekends fridge/freezer drama, the new car drama because our current car is not looking healthy, and now the coffee pot drama. Also, the water purifier needed repairing...damn that's 4 for the week.
I'll go and make myself a cup on instant coffee and hope the microwave doesn't catch fire while I'm boosting the hot water 

You're right though. In the next few years, we'll need to replace most things. I think It's started.

I used Kakao Taxi the other day and after my ride I was shown a page asking if I'd like to add a tip. I hope tipping doesn't become commonplace here.

I used Kakao Taxi the other day and after my ride I was shown a page asking if I'd like to add a tip. I hope tipping doesn't become commonplace here.

Cheeky sods  Is tipping in Canada the norm or is mainly just the USA?

Cheeky sods  Is tipping in Canada the norm or is mainly just the USA?

Couldn't tell you about Canada. Maybe 77 can chime in with some info. But, as we all know, tipping in the US is on another level.

Americans have a reputation for tipping bigger, but Canadian workers seem to be just as open as their U.S> counterparts in asking for tips.  It's well past the point in bars and restaurants where anyone figures they have to give good service to get a tip. It's just expected.  It's the norm in taxis as well.  It's those damn tip jars that I have a real issue with. 

Couldn't tell you about Canada. Maybe 77 can chime in with some info. But, as we all know, tipping in the US is on another level.

During the pandemic, (over)tipping was pushed as a way of helping restaurant employees of all sorts who were suffering due to the business slowdown. I went along with that, but now I've throttled it way back. But you have to be careful when ordering online; they've often already included a tip. Then there's the "convenience" tip calculations on your check that now start at 18 or 20% and go up from there.

Restaurant prices have all gone up substantially and portions have been downsized. They can pay the person who puts the food in a to-go bag and hands it over enough without me tipping them.

It may be that restaurant service in Korea would be better, or at least more attentive, it tipping was common. But that's hard to say.
From my limited travel overseas, tipping was appreciated but not expected. And it was usually something like the change from the bill or a euro or two. Maybe at places with Michelin stars it's more, but I wouldn't know.

It may be that restaurant service in Korea would be better, or at least more attentive, it tipping was common. But that's hard to say.
From my limited travel overseas, tipping was appreciated but not expected. And it was usually something like the change from the bill or a euro or two. Maybe at places with Michelin stars it's more, but I wouldn't know.

I'd agree that the service at Korean restaurants isn't as attentive as back in the US but that's not really something that bothers me. I'd rather not have the server coming up to check everything is okay multiple times during my meal.

I'd agree that the service at Korean restaurants isn't as attentive as back in the US but that's not really something that bothers me. I'd rather not have the server coming up to check everything is okay multiple times during my meal.

Well, if it's a bun shik with SELF, great, I can get what I need. But say a place like Butterfingers (IIRC) where you might want say mustard or hot sauce or syrup, I always had to get up and get it myself. And places like that aren't cheap in Korea.

Well, if it's a bun shik with SELF, great, I can get what I need. But say a place like Butterfingers (IIRC) where you might want say mustard or hot sauce or syrup, I always had to get up and get it myself. And places like that aren't cheap in Korea.

Never been to Butterfingers so I can't comment specifically on that place. Overall there is less attentiveness from waitstaff but negative experiences aren't happening more often than anywhere else I have lived. Those little bells on the table at most restaurants are very handy 

Yeah, all you have to do is ding-dong the bell. Better that than the fake friendly, tip hustle game.

Attentive service is available at fine dining. At a place like Butterfinger's? I have mixed feelings.

Side A: I'm already paying 17 bucks for f*cking pancakes and eggs, the least I could get is some damn service.
Side B: What the f*ck do you expect from a place called "Butterfinger's"?

I dunno, strong arguments both ways.

I was in the US over the summer and in addition to feeling gouged by the extra 30% on top of menu prices (sales tax, tip, mandatory fees in certain Bay Area restaurants), I really grew to dislike the prolonged service interactions. There were often three or four exchanges before I even ordered food - seating by the host, some water filling by a busser who I'd mistake for my actual server, then the menu delivery by the server, then the server coming back minutes later to ask if we wanted to order drinks...

Yes, I've been mildly offended by a couple of exceptionally rude staff in Korea, but in general I much prefer how they do things here.

There's something to be said for cheap dining, in particular the price.

990 won for mushrooms.

1800 won for two big green peppers (bell peppers; sweet peppers; w.h.y. namewise a great daily vitamin c source - your body need vc daily to be optimal, and not the fabricated variety).

1900 won for broccoli.

2900 won for a bag of onions (only one or two needed today, the other 4 or 5 another day).

Black pepper (shake for two months for about 5000 won - not sure cuz black pepper i dont fact check, just pick up auto).

Usually add either green hot peppers for a spicy broth or (ideally purple) sweet potatoes, or both.

That's a dependable go-to soup. Cheap and healthy.

But wtf with the fruit? 49,000 won for a medium-sized watermelon at the closest Nongyup. GTFOOH is the only acronym i can think of. I pulled an adult student of mine over to the produce to point it out and she said she has never seen watermelon priced over 20,000 won. It stunned us. ... Korean Thanksgiving must be the reason, of course. But still..

I used to say i don't care about pricing when buying fruit, dropping 10,000 won for a small container of red raspberries or 4,000 won an apple.

But this is getting ridiculous.

9,000 for a very small punnet of cherry tomatoes in one local supermarket (should be about 2-3,000 atm), and nearly 8,000 for a bunch of celery in all local supermarkets...neve r seen it above 5,000 before. Beetroot are 2,500 each. Again, never seen them above 1,500 before at this time of the year...I bought one though, but nothing else. Not exactly Chuseok staples! So yeah, not sure what to think!

That reminds me...there was an article in one of the papers the other day that said Seoul is now the most expensive place in the world for grocery shopping  Down here in the valley is bad enough.

I do know the rains earlier in the summer had something to do with prices as it has led to crop failures with certain vegetables.

I remember EMart used to sell celery a few months ago in its 990 won section. Those days are sadly gone. I guess celery got caught up in all of this. Spinach is ridiculous ATM.

A lot of stuff is adjusting recipes, but celery is so essential for a lot of bases....

A lot of stuff is adjusting recipes, but celery is so essential for a lot of bases....

...and that's the problem! I use it in just about everything. I'll just have to suck it up and buy some, then wait and see if prices fall later on. Unfortunately, my freezer throwing a wobbly the other week resulted in all my frozen celery being trashed...bags and bags.

You're right, we were warned about how the extra rain was going to impact on prices later on. Looks like later on has arrived.

A lot of stuff is adjusting recipes, but celery is so essential for a lot of bases....

You mean your average Korean housewife uses celery in typical Korean dishes? Could you tell me which dishes you think of? Because this is news to me.

Just to add to the list of expensive fresh produce:  peaches!
I used to buy a 4.5kg box for 12-15.000 this time of the year. Now, it's 35k or up. I haven't been to the actual market for a while though. I might have a look there this weekend.