I scraped these rules from the other site.
These are quite useful hints for Non-Koreans but......I think it's too strict rules.
If you try to keep these all, you never finish your meal because
you'll knocked out. ;-) Just enjoy the meal!!
* Just remember the one thing that highlighted in red.
Maybe most Koreans are quite generous about other things but not that one.
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[scrap] Korean table manner
> Do not make noises with spoon or chopsticks hitting the rice bowl or other food containers.
> Do not hold the rice bowl or soup bowl in your hand during the meal.
> Do not poke around the rice or side dishes with the spoon.
> Do not pick out what you don't like or shake off seasonings.
> Do not leave any trace of food on the spoon while eating.
> During the meal, uneatable parts such as bones or fish bones are quietly discarded by wrapping them in a paper so that others won't see them. Do not put them on the table or floor.
> When coughing or sneezing during a meal, face the other way from table and cover your mouth with your hand or napkin.
> Eat the rice and side dishes from one side.
> Do not use your hands to pick the foods.
> Chew food with your closed mouth and do not make noises while chewing.
> Do not leave the table while eating.
> Do not read a book or newspaper or watch TV while eating.
> Do not reach across the table for distant food- ask a nearby person to pass it to you.
> Use an individual plate for foods served for a crowd, and also for sauces such as soy & vinegar sauce or sweet & sour hot pepper soybean paste.
> Try to keep pace with others by eating not too fast or too slow. When having a meal with the elderly, wait for them to put the spoon and chopsticks on the table at the end of the meal.
(=>to me, this is the most difficult one. :-( Most koreans are too fast to eat!...Yes, I'm Korean, though....)
> At the end of the meal, pour sungnyung (boiled water in the rice cooker or scorched-rice tea) into the rice bowl and drink.
> After a meal, put the spoon and chopsticks on the spot where they were placed first and put used napkins on the table after folding it little bit if they are big.
> When using a toothpick, cover your mouth with one hand and discard it the toothpick afterwards so others won't see it. (=>please, do not use a toothpick infront of people. Even you're trying to do not show it. And that kind of habit is not good for your dental health...!!)
scrap from : Life in Korea>
http://www.lifeinkorea.com/Food/f-manners.cfm
