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[그렉의 한국 엿보기] Yes, I've eaten
Dinnertime. Endless side-dishes and overflowing plates of meat cooked to perfection on the grill. There's not a chance of being hungry when it's all over. To work off the food I head to the gym for a light workout. By this time it's about 9:00 P.M. The Korean trainer meets me inside the door and says hello. I respond and his next question surprises me. "Have you eaten yet?" he asks. I'm sure he means well but his question startles me and for a moment I feel the sensation of being caught having not done my homework or forgetting to wash behind my ears. Quickly I remember my huge meal and with relief and a laugh say "Yes, I have eaten." The trainer seems satisfied, and like a gatekeeper who's received the correct password, he lets me in.
Puzzled by his question I ask a Korean friend and am told that it was a literal translation of a common Korean greeting. Asking "Have you eaten?" was another way of saying "How's it going?" or "What's up?" It was another way of his showing concern for me. The question implies hope that you are in good health and doing well enough to take care of what may be your main concern: food. Another similar question from Korean would be "Was everything all right during the night?" or its English equivalent, "Did you sleep well?" Such questions carry over from disruptive historical periods when food and rest may have been scarce. At a certain point in the past, such questions would have been a constant reminder of the struggle to survive and the hope that one's friends and family, in fact all of society, would be well taken care of.
 [그렉의 한국 엿보기] Yes, I've eaten 청취
These days such greetings, though full of kindness, are mostly rhetorical. If asked "How's it going?" no one expects to hear specific details about success in business, disappointment in love or other personal information. Likewise, to reply with a full inventory of your last meal when asked, "Have you eaten yet?" would probably be unnecessary. I have read that a similar salutation in Arabic would be "Where are you going?" but I'm sure to respond with turn by turn directions would be excessive. Even negative answers are at times a burden to the listener. The best answers are those that demand the least of the asker. A simple "fine," or "yes," or "out," is good enough. That allows the conversation to remain at the level of well-meaning small talk and end or give the other person a chance to change the subject and talk about something more relevant.
Nowadays, when I'm asked about my appetite I'm more at ease. Though, out of curiosity I'm often asked follow up questions about my diet. So I often regal my audience with stories of the king don kass or the gamjatang or kimbop or on occasion the hamburger or pizza that I've just eaten. They listen good-naturedly and allow me to finish. Then it's my turn. "How are you?" I ask. Usually the answer is, "fine." Satisfied, neither hungry nor upset we move into more informal conversation, or both go on our way.
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 / 입력시간: 2008. 04.29. 15:27
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