Chop Chop

I wrote about the Sound of Duk in my Ear, now comes a worse sound from Korea: Chop, Chop.

Every Wednesday when I have a break from 3-6pm, I run errands. I sometimes go to the Suwon library in Young-tong (which has books in English) near Home Plus or just read while having an ice mocha at Holly’s Coffee or Coffee Bean. If the weather is good, I stay at Home Plus and eat at their Food Court. There are many selections there of Korean food. And what else would you expect, gringo? However, if the weather is not so good, I stay in the area near the office. That’s when I get full, frontal Chop Chop.

Most Koreans I’ve had the pleasure to share a table or restaurant with, make this sound while eating. When it’s consistent in tempo and not sporadic, it is really irritating and ingratiating. A lot of my kids do it. In fact, they told me the name of the sound: Chop Chop. I say often say “Chop Chop” to them in the classroom in order to have them hurry or finish an activity. They laugh because Chop Chop is the name of the sound people make when eating.

It’s like the sound of smacking lips. It’s like that lazy sound dogs, in particular, make when lapping up their water. I think it’s partly due to people leaving their mouths open when they eat noodles or other food with slurping sounds-- in combination-- that helps make that sound. It’s definitely cultural and very Korean. When people make that sound, however, it’s annoying. Imagine a table of people making that sound.

I seem to have hit the sweet spot of chop, chop in this one Japanese restaurant called Miso-ya. About one block away from my office, this Japanese chain with its clean tables and fresh food and cheap prices beckons the penny wise traveler that I am. Nine out of ten times when it’s Wednesday, when the weather is not good, and I am stuck in the office, I often go to Miso-ya for a late lunch. And if it’s around 4pm, it’s also the time when the staff eats. I try to avoid the place at that time but if I am really hungry and I don’t want Korea food, which is usually the case now because I am burnt out on it, I eat at Miso-ya. Today, I left Miso-Ya with a lot of my food in my bowl: I was assaulted by their chop, chop sounds.

Without sounding like an ethnocentric racist, I’ve tried so many times to sit through a meal with people making that sound and conclude that I don’t like it, it’s annoying and though it’s their culture, they should stop doing it. Please!! Just like restaurants not allowing smoking anymore, maybe a good cultural trend (without making a law) would be for them to stop that noise! Ah! Have mercy on me!

When eating surrounded by Korean people at a restaurant, I always hope the music gets louder or they’re not hungry or I can find a table away from the choppers. But I have not been able to avoid it. I try to embrace it but it’s not working. When they come to America, they quickly realize, if eating with Westerners, that we don’t make that sound and they stop doing it, I hope. Another facet of American Cultural Imperialism working its magic. Maybe Americans make sounds that others don't like? Hmm.