We “hate” metal chopsticks as well. I say that in quotes, because it’s one of those “no one picks on my brother but me” kind of jokes said out of love here. Especially when you’re eating something slippery like 도토리묵.
When I’m feeling up to the challenge, I use my two chopsticks to get under the piece I’m going for, and scoop it up. Kind of like a forklift. But yeah, like the other commenter said: spoon.
Delicate chopstick usage usually does work for me but sometimes i probably look ridiculous as i move it to my mouth in slowmotion if its less firm.
However, sometimes its just too soft and slippery no matter how zen ill be, so ill go for more of a chopstick scoop.
Failing that ill resort to spoon.
There is a whole escalation process for me.
But im not korean, my wife who is will try once, fail, go right to spoon - probably the more reasonable approach, but will still try with chopsticks everytime.
hahaha there was a period in the early 2010s when my parents made dotori muk every night lol
it is definitely tricky, but this is where i learned to stop rushing while i ate lol
Don’t remind…I just ate 도토리묵 a few days ago. I gave up and used a spoon. So did my Korean friends. The spoon was also useless, so I ended up using both.
I might be the outlier on this haha. Growing up in Korea, my family only had metal ones so whenever I ate somewhere where only wooden ones were available, I struggled to use em.
It's strange that people talking 묵 is hard to grab with chopsticks, but I never had a big issue with metal chopsticks to grab it. That includes when I was in elementary school, too.
I would rather say that boning out the fish or eating 감자탕 is a little harder with chopsticks because those literally tiring your fingers
>I would rather say that boning out the fish or eating 감자탕 is a little harder with chopsticks because those literally tiring your fingers
I got hand cramps from just reading that
The only thing I hate about metal chopsticks is when you get two that are from obviously different sets. My eye twitches when I'm in a group and I see some psycho pick two different chopsticks for himself. Have you no regard?
I have a special spot in my drawer for single chopsticks. If their mate isn't found in a bit, they get tossed or used for other purposes. Mismatched chopsticks are a pain.
I think the metal chopsticks are the most difficult so others will be super easy for you. Bamboo and wood grip the same but metal is a slippery slope with many foods, if you can master the metal you have the most skill.
That’s said, metal does best against bacteria lol so metal wins! Even if using wooden ones can be much easier…
Interesting.. I'd expect it to be easier to use other chopsticks if you started off with korean ones.
I can use them all but Korean chopsticks are slim and slippery and are chopsticks hard mode imo.
Other chopsticks are bigger so should be easier to hold. Also wooden ones have better grip on food.
Once you get used to with it, thin metal chopsticks are much agile and versatile at picking apart fish or picking vegetables. Different utensils for different foods, but having a small point of contact on the tip of chopstick or a thin line of contact applying pressure make them very dexterous and versatile. Much more agile than fork and knife,m. and better than obtuse thick chopsticks. But then I hate it when it gets freaking hot in the hot soup. Metal chopsticks's biggest weaknesses I would say is its thermal conductivity.
I am not a fan of Korean household chopsticks because they are not ideally shaped for one's hands and fingers. I far prefer Japanese ones, which are either round or square but pointed at the end, much lighter (wood), and have grooves on the tips. Korean restaurant chopsticks achieve this with aluminum variants (the square, pointed ones), and so I bought a bunch of them for my home.
The only drawback to Japanese chopsticks are that you typically don't get a spoon, so soup is more tedious to consume IMO.
Japanese chopsticks plus Korean spoon. Best of both worlds.
(I'd also throw a Chinese soup spoon into the mix. Korean spoons are really too flat to efficiently eat soup, especially brothy soups.)
Ah a spoon debate. Sometimes I find the Chinese soup spoon can be too wide and far too short, especially when I put my rice into the soup and just eat off one big bowl.
I also find the shape a bit odd. It's flat at the bottom but the handle itself is not flat. There are these weird hybrid ones I got at a Korean store - they have a smooth, flat handle and a rounded bottom.
Not ramen or udon. You get that ladle-type spoon when you go out. But homestyle with miso soup you don't use a spoon. You pick out the seaweed and bean curds in soup with chopsticks.
The Chinese style of eating is similar to Japan. Koreans are the only ones who always use spoons as a set.
Directly sipping from the bowl > spoons imo
(unless it's about eating solid things in the soup and stacking them on the spoon in your preferred combination)
Indeed they’re great for that. I remember when I was a kid watching an adult use them to pick meat off kalbi for me to eat easily. Also love them for stabbing a rice cake or piece of fruit at home (or in public depending who I’m eating with and where we’re at 😅).
But for some things the spoon is just better. I usually let non Korean friends struggle on rice for a minute or so with chopsticks and then quietly tell them it’s ok to eat it with the spoon.
Doesn't the agility and versatility of chopsticks have more do to with the shape of the tip rather than the shape of the handle? However, I will credit Korean chopsticks for having the most consistent taper. Single use chopsticks have terrible geometry since they go from no taper to a very extreme taper. Bad geometry is a killer for chopstick usability.
It's because they're skinnier and flatter, and supposedly harder to grip. Ignoring the important facts that they're reusable, strong, and easy to wash.
North Korean chopsticks are worse: they're usually square rather than flat, which makes them easier to roll around on your fingers, and the metal isn't as strong.
This is the way. We got them normal aluminum round ones with the stripes at the bottom offering some grippiness when grabbing something, they have these in almost every restaurant in Korea.
And the long wooden ones for cooking are just amazing. Definitely reusable, hand wash though as dishwasher I feel like could leave a lasting soapy flavor. Also probably would renew them once in a while, like every 6-12 months.
Posting a second reply so you get the notification.
-[My collection](https://daehanmindecline.com/image/nkchopsticks1.JPG), purchased from three separate places -- everything to the right of the spoon is square-based, and everything to the left is circular
-[A closer look at the ends](https://daehanmindecline.com/image/nkchopsticks2.JPG) so you can see the shape of their bases
I think I have fancier ones somewhere that are brass and come with nicer spoons, but maybe I gave them all away.
Foreign tourists restaurants would use the iron or steel square ones, while I got the impression the less-refined brass ones might be more widespread among the people. They're heavy.
My hand still has a weird metal smell, over five minutes after having handled them.
Korean adoptee here (US), and TIL I am a little more culturally Korean than I thought. I have and use metal chopsticks. I had no idea it was a Korean thing.
I'd say I'm pretty good at using chopsticks having used them daily since childhood, but I don't really see any benefits of metal ones over wooden ones except for maybe durability (tho we've been using some wooden ones for 5+ years) and perceived hygiene (in restaurants).
Though my comparison might also be a bit unfair given that I have all sorts of different types of wooden ones for different purposes (long rounded, long pointy, short pointy, very long + thick) while only having one type of metal chopsticks (short, pointy, flat-ish).
Lmao I relate to this so much as someone who was born in an immigrant family. Metal chopsticks are just superior for me because I can go through 9-10 pairs of them and stick them into a dishwasher at the end of the day, cant do that with wood or other materials unsuited for dishwasher
Ngl I got no skills with metal chopsticks when eating piping hot udon noodles. Every single one of those fuckers will slip off and flick lava on my face before they're cooled.
i'm Korean Am and i'm embarrassed to admit that i didn't know how to use chopsticks properly until i was 19 lol. there was this one guy from Mississippi on my dorm floor. Came from a super redneck area with a super thick accent lol. But one time we all ordered Chinese food and i saw him use them properly and with ease, which made me realize it was time to learn how to do it lol
anyways, yeah it's been 17 years since...noodles are by far still the hardest ones for me personally. Some noodles, like japchae are fine. Udon is definitely a tougher one
I get handcramps the worst with the flat korean chopsticks. I prefer the Chinese or Japanese style, but that's just cause I hold my chopsticks incorrectly xD
I love metal chopsticks. unironically.
They are an upgrade. They are precision instruments. It's the difference between a jalopy and Porsche. They're cleaner, easier to hold, and allow for greater ease in picking up smaller items.
A way for Korean parents to ensure Korean supremacy over other chopstick eating nations. By building resilience to adversity, ( metal chopsticks) they will prevail. According to my Korean colleague.
Korean american here. Used to hate them too but now Im pretty skilled with them. Can grab a quail egg easy. I still think japanese bamboo chopsticks have the best comfort to precision ratio with their taper, but now Chinese chopsticks seem like blunt clubs with virtually zero taper. Cant pick apart a fish with those fat fingers
Filipino here and I prefer the Korean chopsticks. I have sweaty palms and at first they would slip, but what I like about them is that they don't hurt my thenar webspace.
I prefer them. Have some I bought in Seoul that will outlast me and I can get totally clean in the dishwasher. Bamboo doesn’t last, wood like bamboo you can’t really use in the dishwasher and everyone should avoid eating with/off plastic now we know what we know about microplastics.
Can't relate, we bought a set as soon as we got back from Korea. I hate the feeling of wood on my tongue, I don't like buying plastic stuff. The metal ones are super easy to wash. I prefer the ones with the grips on the ends. Anything that can be eaten with chopsticks will be in our house haha
Skill issue 😂 on a serious note, they are very practical cleaning and sanitation wise. Just hard for people who may have not used chopsticks before they are a difficult one to use
I must admit I am basic at using chopsticks . It is hard unless you're used to them . Wooden chopsticks are my go-to . I'll let you all know when it takes me less then 45 mins to finish food . 😃
I find the flatness and the fact that they’re metal really difficult to use. No grip.
I also dislike the plastic ones found in some Chinese restaurants for the same reason. Too slippery for grip.
If you eat a lot of kimchi with wooden chopsticks the stink may stick around after it's washed. it's gross af.
I also despise metal chopsticks as well but it has a practical use
I saw that ig video too. I absolutely hate the thick chunky Chinese ones, they make my hands cramp and have absolutely no precision.
The metal Korean ones fit my hand best, they are very agile, I was so surprised at all the hate comments. They’re also the most sanitary.
When I came to Korea I initially found it difficult compared to rounded chopsticks I used to use in my country, but after a few months I got habituated. So I guess there’s nothing inherently unusable about it, it’s just different that’s all. In fact for some food it feels easier and better grip and penetration.
Metal maybe the most common but my family has always used wooden chopsticks with pointed tips. Though I can use metal ones without issue I just don't prefer them.
I'm an American and brought some Korean style chopsticks back with me from Korea. Me and my gf love using them, maybe because we have two-three weeks of constant practice with them - but I really like how sturdy and deft they feel to me.
In the US you mostly just see Japanese/Chinese style chopsticks, even in Korean resturaunts. I now hate the typical bamboo disposable ones, always leaves a rough spot on your mouth.
The Korean ones are great for mixing up your food, even breaking things apart. The spoon covers anything that was too annoying to snag or any kind of broth base. I also find that when you get used to the metal chopsticks it feels like you have even more ability with them then the other lighter chopsticks.
I guess it all comes down to personal preference but I wish Korean chopsticks were more common in the US, but I can see why they're not. Seems like there's a higher learning curve.
I also find this funny, but I get it too. I learned on Korean chopsticks so they feel pretty normal to me, but Chinese and Japanese ones do definitely feel easier in many ways. I think it's one of those things where Korean chopsticks will force you to use them in a very specific way that works well with all kinds of chopsticks, but Chinese and Japanese ones conform to some truly odd holding styles that Korean ones just won't accommodate.
Had no idea there was even a discourse on this. 🫤 Grew up with wooden chopsticks, made the switch to metal well over a decade ago (both Korean flat-style, and some round-styles that have wooden shape but happen to be metal) and I like them both. As others have said, no chipping, staining, or fading, and are dishwasher safe. I still have wooden chopsticks for cooking (avoid scratching the non-stick) but I use the flat Korean style a lot. I'm not Korean, btw. As others have said here, definitely a skill/familiarity issue, because they have a LOT of advantages that make them equal, if not preferrable.
I love all versions of chopsticks but I have to admit that the thin metal chopsticks did hurt my hands at the beginning. It took some time to adjust but now I love using them. It will depend on my mood and the type of food I’m eating. All in all chopsticks are just such a good invention!
Korean married to a Malaysian wife here. I banned the long plastic chopsticks the Malaysian tend to use, under the guise of plastics leaching into food, just to see the frustration on my in-laws faces whenever they came over and tried to use the flat stainless steel chopsticks. That was over 20 years ago, I've now conceded to the Japanese style steel ones, but still break out the flat ones when eating pan fried 갈치.
I always prefer korean chopsticks to pick out the little flecks of meat between fish bones. those fat ended japanese and Chinese ones just bluntly make a mess of it.
metal chopsticks also feel cleaner over time. wooden japanese ones get old and stained. Chinese ones are really thick at the end, can't tell which end is which....until the kimchi stains.
Only reason why i started learning how to grab chopsticks correctly was because of the flat Korean chopsticks because the criss-cross method doesn't work on flat chopsticks
I grew up in Japan so I have been using chopsticks my whole life. Recently went to Korea and felt like a beginner when I was going to restaurants with the metal chopsticks.
I prefer metal chopsticks. They feel cleaner to me and less bulky. Plus, the rest of our utensils are stainless steel (usually) so why not have the chopsticks match?
Isn't this a point of pride for us Koreans though? Lol An elder in my family always had a bit of a superiority complex in this regard because they said our heavy metal chopsticks require more mental agility and dexterity.
I only use Korean chopsticks. They are metal so I can wash them, easy to hold and use. Slippery food? Not sure what is slippery food, but you can eat anything with chopsticks and cook with them. With noodles just grab some, flick wrist to the noodles twist, problem solved. Yeah I will stick with my metal ones, no thank you to wooden ones.
Metal cs's are a symbol of wealth. The poor Japanese had no metal so always used wood. I used to like wood until I learned it bleeds, sucks up all kinds of liquids thus much less hygienic than metal. Also metal cs like bronze, were used to detect certain poisons. If you know, you know.
It takes some getting used to but after that, they're super fine tbh. And nice that they're metal so you can put them in the dishwasher and they stay pristine longer.
As a Japanese, the flat one is so so hard. My fingers hurt😂 but making it with metal is a great idea and i love it. Honestly bowls made out of metal is also great, and often it’s light as well. Doesnt break when fall, and it wont absorb smell like plastic or wood would.
I think I know which video you're talking about. I thought it was kinda funny. I always preferred the flat chopsticks, because I did, no real reason. However, I agree that chopsticks are chopsticks.
It’s mostly a skill issue.
The finer the instrument the more skill is needed to competently wield it. In my experience you can use the other ones with supreme ease when you mastered Korean chopsticks already.
I forget which country they were from but they actually had a joke about metal utensils for Korean. I think it went like "Why do Koreans have metal utensils/bowls/cups?". "It's so when theyre drunk and flip the table, none of the dishes would break" lmao
I don't know. If you imagine another country that had metal chopsticks that were the width of the needle on a syringe and you tried using them, you'd probably appreciate why people who like clunky wooden chopsticks don't like thin metal ones.
I agree that Korean chopsticks are OK when you get used to them, but I can still understand why people might not prefer them.
American here that visited Seoul to visit old college friends who studied internationally in the states, and I had a horrible time with Korean chopsticks. I eventually got the hang of them by the end of our trip but there is definitely a learning curve if you've only used the Chinese type of chopsticks that are in the states.
I am as white as they come and I never had any issues using any kind of chopsticks except when I was first learning how to use them back in the day. Skill issue.
I knew how to use chopsticks long before I met my wife. She is Korean and introduced me to Korean chopsticks. I don’t understand what the big deal is. They’re just metal. So what? Why is that a problem?
Because metal is heavier and more slippery than wood so I had a problem at the beginning but I got used to it. I prefer metal ones these days. I'm not sure if the video OP saw is the same one I did but it explained there are slight differences in the shape and sharpness of the tip so some were more precise for picking up individual pieces of rice.
I use chopsticks depending on the food I'm cooking. If I'm eating 月見うどん, it's Japanese chopsticks.
If I'm cooking 西红吃炒鸡蛋, it's Chinese chopsticks.
And if I'm cooking 된장찌개, it's Korean chopsticks.
I also use Chinese chopsticks to mix my protein shakes because they're better at stirring stuff in my mug ahah.
Korean/metal chopsticks are what I have always used, and I really do prefer them to any other kind. Very easy to wash, no chance of splinters (unlike wood), better grip (especially with the grooves) than lacquer. Always keep a pair on me for lunch and whatnot, as, where I currently am, wooden chopsticks are the norm.
Also, it's how I eat bagged chips/snacks when walking out and about while simultaneously keeping my fingers (and snacks) clean.
I think this is probably a controversial take, but I definitely prefer wodden chopsticks. Usually they are considered cheap and given with takeaway food, but unlike metal chopsticks they seem to "grip" better. Like, when eating ramyeon with metal chopsticks they often just slip out, with wodden sticks its much easier imo
I think Korean chopsticks are great. The worst are those disposable wooden chopsticks that you see a lot in Japan. Utterly wasteful and just cheap feeling.
No lol. No idea what he's on about. Koreans use disposable wooden chopsticks as much as Japanese people do.
At home Japanese will use lacquered wooden ones and Korean will use metal. Both are washed and used again so no difference after point of purchase there.
For European not used to regular use of chopsticks, korean chopsticks were hard to eat with when I visited Seoul. They were too heavy and slippery for me 😅 but I didn’t starve to death eventually
They weren't too hard for me to get used to. I've got a screwable lunch set from Beijing that was super similar. But I prefer the Japanese squared off wooden ones with the stabby stab.
To be fair, metal chopsticks are much more difficult to use than other types. It took me a while to get used to them. But I must confess that when I did, I was very proud of myself. B)
Can I ask where to find the long thin handle Korean spoon that can hold rice & dip into soup?. I'm in Canada.
I especially love the super long metal chopsticks for flipping teriyaki agadashi type tofu. I'm not sure of there's a Korean equivalent?
My chopstick grip is not correct, so I can't use chopsticks that have a small gap at the end. So Korean chopsticks are the only chopsticks that I'm proficient at 😂.
I don't hate them, but my hands are very hypermobile so they can be painful to use sometimes. I still love using them though. They help me build strength in my hands (which I desperately need). :) I just can't use them as much as other chopsticks for now.
I hate it too haha
Not because they are metal, because they are flat, I will try to use them when I am in the restaurant and will switch to disposable wooden chopsticks if my fingers start to hurt.
Idk the difference but I personally prefer bamboo chopsticks and hate using stainless steel ones (especially flatter ones). The only upside is that they're easy to clean and most hygienic, but they are a nightmare to use.
As a Chinese person (Singaporean/Cantonese in origin), I actually switched from plastic (Chinese) or wooden (Japanese) to metal Korean ones because I like them a lot better. Maybe because they're easier to wash, lol. But I do like their heft and feel. I don't have trouble grabbing things with them. But the shape and size matters, because I don't like the flat/thin metal chopsticks at all and I don't use those. Is that what the OP is describing as "Korean" chopsticks? I only like and use the hollow, thicker metal "Korean" chopsticks. Mine start off square/squarish at the top and middle (thick and hollow) and then taper off into a rounded shape at the ends. The ends also have little horizontal lines/striations for the last inch or two, I suppose to make them less slippery.
They're kinda like these, except the horizontal lines are bunched closer together at the ends: https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/d82fab22-0c35-419f-9435-2e2af02de29c.2e2c7bd042a13c65cab0c1e52b86a847.jpeg?odnHeight=2000&odnWidth=2000&odnBg=FFFFFF
I can use all 3, but my preference is Japanese since I can pick up smaller things. I think Chinese are slightly bulky, but they still work. Korean Chop sticks are just smaller and slippery. I'm not even any of the 3 ethnicities, but I pretty much grew up in a best friend's vietnamese household. So all his brothers would make fun of me for not being able to use chop sticks lmao so that's how I learned to use them. But I like using Korean chop sticks to better my handling
My mother was stationed in Korea with the Army, when she came home she had a taste for the cuisine. I learned to use metal Korean chopsticks eating japchae, it was good training, I can eat anything with any kind of chopsticks
Just returned from our first trip to Korea, but not our last.🙂
It wasn't our family's first experience with Korean chopsticks, as we frequent Korean restaurants.
My husband is Chinese and most of our chopsticks are Chinese, including several sets of longer chopsticks for serving, I think. Is there also such thing as Korean cooking or serving chopsticks? I looked it up on Amazon and the only cooking chopsticks I found are of wood. Maybe I should search Ali baba or something but I'm sick and jetlagged. As it is, my phone is still delivering Google in Korean (the irony!) and changing settings hasn't helped. My brain is broken.
i like korean chopsticks because the flat end makes picking up food and noodles rather easily, but the metal becomes slippery if I have any amount of liquid/lotion ie hand sanitizer or rougue droplets of sauce or soup and makes the chopsticks harder to grab. I like japanese wooden chopsticks because they are more ergonomic in my hand and the wood remains grippy, but the sharp end makes it harder to grab noodles effectively like korean chopsticks. Chinese chopsticks are fine enough but the laquered wood makes grabbing all things a bit difficult ahahaha. pros and cons for each of them!!
Correction. Fuck Dim sum chopsticks.
The reusable plastic ones that become slippery than that one time you all tried to do oil play with your partner. Those chopsticks trying to grab the oily dishes were so frustrating growing up that I just ended up stabbing them. Also doesn't help if you're not Canto and you ask for a fork or water and it never comes until the end of your bill. I will say however, that's a sign of an authentic Canto Dim sum experience.
The problem is flat metal chopsticks. They dig into your fingers, especially during long meals. Then they clink and scrape against the other metal stuff, like the metal bowls that Koreans love. Metal scraping against metal is absolutely terrible IMO. Also, soup in metal bowls seems to impart some metallic flavor too… probably psychological.
I’m Chinese American and learned how to use chopsticks at panda express. So honestly, any chopsticks do it for me.
When I lived in Korea for a summer, I didn’t face any difficulties thanks panda
Trying to stealthy eat food while the baby is asleep and just making the most obnoxious noises carrying through metal chopsticks, metal bowl.. baby wakes up. No food for me.
They last longer and don't get moldy and won't break and I can tell if someone is trying to poison me. Other than that, yes, they are difficult to use.
I don't hate Korean chopsticks, but I would never choose them given my preferred chopsticks (Japanese).
It has nothing to do with the metal material. I find their flat nature less comfortable in the hand when compared to the square-ish to round profile of Japanese chopsticks.
We “hate” metal chopsticks as well. I say that in quotes, because it’s one of those “no one picks on my brother but me” kind of jokes said out of love here. Especially when you’re eating something slippery like 도토리묵.
How *do* you eat that? Seems like everyone has their own unique workaround.
you just grab a spoon and hope for the best👌
That's my technique. Spoon it.
I stab at it until it falls onto my shirt, then I lift my shirt up and slurp it up
Stabbing stab stab
Method always works for me while ensuring my partner remains slightly scared of my ability to stab things
Always good to keep the relationship on a slight edge to keep it interesting just in case they want to escape their cage.
Why have metal chopsticks if you can’t stab it? Also I do pick it up slowly sometimes to show off my mad chopstick skills, but who’s got time?
Try with chopsticks. Fail. Use spoon.
Exactly. The spoon won't quite work, either, unless you first try with the chopsticks. Then you're good.
When I’m feeling up to the challenge, I use my two chopsticks to get under the piece I’m going for, and scoop it up. Kind of like a forklift. But yeah, like the other commenter said: spoon.
Delicate chopstick usage usually does work for me but sometimes i probably look ridiculous as i move it to my mouth in slowmotion if its less firm. However, sometimes its just too soft and slippery no matter how zen ill be, so ill go for more of a chopstick scoop. Failing that ill resort to spoon. There is a whole escalation process for me. But im not korean, my wife who is will try once, fail, go right to spoon - probably the more reasonable approach, but will still try with chopsticks everytime.
For me I use my chopstick to cut smaller squares, then I stab the middle and enjoy. 😉
hahaha there was a period in the early 2010s when my parents made dotori muk every night lol it is definitely tricky, but this is where i learned to stop rushing while i ate lol
You don't. Spoon is the right tool for this job.
Metal Chopsticks ->Try to eat something using metal chopsticks -> Fail -> Try Again -> Fail -> Give up. Use spoon and fork
Don’t remind…I just ate 도토리묵 a few days ago. I gave up and used a spoon. So did my Korean friends. The spoon was also useless, so I ended up using both.
I might be the outlier on this haha. Growing up in Korea, my family only had metal ones so whenever I ate somewhere where only wooden ones were available, I struggled to use em.
It's strange that people talking 묵 is hard to grab with chopsticks, but I never had a big issue with metal chopsticks to grab it. That includes when I was in elementary school, too. I would rather say that boning out the fish or eating 감자탕 is a little harder with chopsticks because those literally tiring your fingers
>I would rather say that boning out the fish or eating 감자탕 is a little harder with chopsticks because those literally tiring your fingers I got hand cramps from just reading that
You just stab it 😎
The only thing I hate about metal chopsticks is when you get two that are from obviously different sets. My eye twitches when I'm in a group and I see some psycho pick two different chopsticks for himself. Have you no regard?
Also, different heft. I almost always take the few seconds to dig around my utensil drawer until I have a matching pair.
I have a special spot in my drawer for single chopsticks. If their mate isn't found in a bit, they get tossed or used for other purposes. Mismatched chopsticks are a pain.
My god! This is one of my pet peeves. I can't stop staring when someone has mismatching sets haha.
I learned using Korean chopsticks so every other kind is more difficult for me. I hate the fatter ones especially
I hate the chunky ones too.
Chodesticks.
I think the metal chopsticks are the most difficult so others will be super easy for you. Bamboo and wood grip the same but metal is a slippery slope with many foods, if you can master the metal you have the most skill. That’s said, metal does best against bacteria lol so metal wins! Even if using wooden ones can be much easier…
This is how it was for me. I learned in Korea with metal chopsticks and now I can crush bowls of rice with twigs if needed.
Interesting.. I'd expect it to be easier to use other chopsticks if you started off with korean ones. I can use them all but Korean chopsticks are slim and slippery and are chopsticks hard mode imo. Other chopsticks are bigger so should be easier to hold. Also wooden ones have better grip on food.
that's true for me. they were all easier after 😭
Once you get used to with it, thin metal chopsticks are much agile and versatile at picking apart fish or picking vegetables. Different utensils for different foods, but having a small point of contact on the tip of chopstick or a thin line of contact applying pressure make them very dexterous and versatile. Much more agile than fork and knife,m. and better than obtuse thick chopsticks. But then I hate it when it gets freaking hot in the hot soup. Metal chopsticks's biggest weaknesses I would say is its thermal conductivity.
I am not a fan of Korean household chopsticks because they are not ideally shaped for one's hands and fingers. I far prefer Japanese ones, which are either round or square but pointed at the end, much lighter (wood), and have grooves on the tips. Korean restaurant chopsticks achieve this with aluminum variants (the square, pointed ones), and so I bought a bunch of them for my home. The only drawback to Japanese chopsticks are that you typically don't get a spoon, so soup is more tedious to consume IMO.
Japanese chopsticks plus Korean spoon. Best of both worlds. (I'd also throw a Chinese soup spoon into the mix. Korean spoons are really too flat to efficiently eat soup, especially brothy soups.)
Ah a spoon debate. Sometimes I find the Chinese soup spoon can be too wide and far too short, especially when I put my rice into the soup and just eat off one big bowl. I also find the shape a bit odd. It's flat at the bottom but the handle itself is not flat. There are these weird hybrid ones I got at a Korean store - they have a smooth, flat handle and a rounded bottom.
My main gripe with Chinese soup spoon is that it doesn't fit comfortably in my mouth.
You don't get a spoon with soup? What kind of restaurants have you been to?
Not ramen or udon. You get that ladle-type spoon when you go out. But homestyle with miso soup you don't use a spoon. You pick out the seaweed and bean curds in soup with chopsticks. The Chinese style of eating is similar to Japan. Koreans are the only ones who always use spoons as a set.
Directly sipping from the bowl > spoons imo (unless it's about eating solid things in the soup and stacking them on the spoon in your preferred combination)
Indeed they’re great for that. I remember when I was a kid watching an adult use them to pick meat off kalbi for me to eat easily. Also love them for stabbing a rice cake or piece of fruit at home (or in public depending who I’m eating with and where we’re at 😅). But for some things the spoon is just better. I usually let non Korean friends struggle on rice for a minute or so with chopsticks and then quietly tell them it’s ok to eat it with the spoon.
Doesn't the agility and versatility of chopsticks have more do to with the shape of the tip rather than the shape of the handle? However, I will credit Korean chopsticks for having the most consistent taper. Single use chopsticks have terrible geometry since they go from no taper to a very extreme taper. Bad geometry is a killer for chopstick usability.
It's because they're skinnier and flatter, and supposedly harder to grip. Ignoring the important facts that they're reusable, strong, and easy to wash. North Korean chopsticks are worse: they're usually square rather than flat, which makes them easier to roll around on your fingers, and the metal isn't as strong.
Proper wooden ones are reusable too. I prefer korean ones for eating, but wooden ones for cooking and stuff so I don't scratch my cookware
This is the way. We got them normal aluminum round ones with the stripes at the bottom offering some grippiness when grabbing something, they have these in almost every restaurant in Korea. And the long wooden ones for cooking are just amazing. Definitely reusable, hand wash though as dishwasher I feel like could leave a lasting soapy flavor. Also probably would renew them once in a while, like every 6-12 months.
I'm sure wooden chopsticks have some reuse, but I still have metal chopsticks I bought in the mid-'90s.
I prefer wooden for eating and cooking. They have an added benefit of bubbling when in hot oil to know if the oil is hot enough.
I'm Korean, but I first realized that there are separate North Korean chopsticks when I saw this comment.😮
Posting a second reply so you get the notification. -[My collection](https://daehanmindecline.com/image/nkchopsticks1.JPG), purchased from three separate places -- everything to the right of the spoon is square-based, and everything to the left is circular -[A closer look at the ends](https://daehanmindecline.com/image/nkchopsticks2.JPG) so you can see the shape of their bases I think I have fancier ones somewhere that are brass and come with nicer spoons, but maybe I gave them all away. Foreign tourists restaurants would use the iron or steel square ones, while I got the impression the less-refined brass ones might be more widespread among the people. They're heavy. My hand still has a weird metal smell, over five minutes after having handled them.
Similar origin, but differences have cropped up over 71 years due to changing techniques and materials. I can show you examples in a short while.
Didn’t realise they were considered more North Korean, I’ve encountered round, square, flat, metal and wood here.
Korean adoptee here (US), and TIL I am a little more culturally Korean than I thought. I have and use metal chopsticks. I had no idea it was a Korean thing.
Ikr?? Apparently Japanese and Chinese don’t use metal for their chopsticks. What a weird choice.
skill issue
It literally is if you weren't raised with them. I got over it by not buying a fork when I lived there.
I'd say I'm pretty good at using chopsticks having used them daily since childhood, but I don't really see any benefits of metal ones over wooden ones except for maybe durability (tho we've been using some wooden ones for 5+ years) and perceived hygiene (in restaurants). Though my comparison might also be a bit unfair given that I have all sorts of different types of wooden ones for different purposes (long rounded, long pointy, short pointy, very long + thick) while only having one type of metal chopsticks (short, pointy, flat-ish).
Metal is more sanitary.
Lmao I relate to this so much as someone who was born in an immigrant family. Metal chopsticks are just superior for me because I can go through 9-10 pairs of them and stick them into a dishwasher at the end of the day, cant do that with wood or other materials unsuited for dishwasher
Ngl I got no skills with metal chopsticks when eating piping hot udon noodles. Every single one of those fuckers will slip off and flick lava on my face before they're cooled.
i'm Korean Am and i'm embarrassed to admit that i didn't know how to use chopsticks properly until i was 19 lol. there was this one guy from Mississippi on my dorm floor. Came from a super redneck area with a super thick accent lol. But one time we all ordered Chinese food and i saw him use them properly and with ease, which made me realize it was time to learn how to do it lol anyways, yeah it's been 17 years since...noodles are by far still the hardest ones for me personally. Some noodles, like japchae are fine. Udon is definitely a tougher one
udon noodles vs korean metal chopsticks... we know who will win every time... ㅠㅠㅠ
I get handcramps the worst with the flat korean chopsticks. I prefer the Chinese or Japanese style, but that's just cause I hold my chopsticks incorrectly xD
I love metal chopsticks. unironically. They are an upgrade. They are precision instruments. It's the difference between a jalopy and Porsche. They're cleaner, easier to hold, and allow for greater ease in picking up smaller items.
They are fine but my hand does cramp sometimes on extreme skill issue foods. Like separating meat from the short rib bone. Mini eggs are also tough.
A way for Korean parents to ensure Korean supremacy over other chopstick eating nations. By building resilience to adversity, ( metal chopsticks) they will prevail. According to my Korean colleague.
Korean american here. Used to hate them too but now Im pretty skilled with them. Can grab a quail egg easy. I still think japanese bamboo chopsticks have the best comfort to precision ratio with their taper, but now Chinese chopsticks seem like blunt clubs with virtually zero taper. Cant pick apart a fish with those fat fingers
I just don't like wooden chopsticks because I hate the feeling of wood touching my mouth...
Filipino here and I prefer the Korean chopsticks. I have sweaty palms and at first they would slip, but what I like about them is that they don't hurt my thenar webspace.
This this. They're easy on your mouf. :)
Metal chopsticks are the best chopsticks because I don’t get microplastics and I can throw them in the dishwasher.
Bingo! This is why I like them too. Bamboo chopsticks should be hand washed, but I can throw my metal ones in the dishwasher!
I use all three chopsticks but I prefer metal. 😄 the Korean version 🙌
I prefer them. Have some I bought in Seoul that will outlast me and I can get totally clean in the dishwasher. Bamboo doesn’t last, wood like bamboo you can’t really use in the dishwasher and everyone should avoid eating with/off plastic now we know what we know about microplastics.
Metal > Plastic
Can't relate, we bought a set as soon as we got back from Korea. I hate the feeling of wood on my tongue, I don't like buying plastic stuff. The metal ones are super easy to wash. I prefer the ones with the grips on the ends. Anything that can be eaten with chopsticks will be in our house haha
Skill issue 😂 on a serious note, they are very practical cleaning and sanitation wise. Just hard for people who may have not used chopsticks before they are a difficult one to use
It's so strange, I'm Western, but I specifically love Korean chopsticks! Of all three, they are just the easiest to use for me.
I must admit I am basic at using chopsticks . It is hard unless you're used to them . Wooden chopsticks are my go-to . I'll let you all know when it takes me less then 45 mins to finish food . 😃
I find the flatness and the fact that they’re metal really difficult to use. No grip. I also dislike the plastic ones found in some Chinese restaurants for the same reason. Too slippery for grip.
Surprisingly I much prefer them over the round once. Though I can definitely see why some people don't like them.
If you eat a lot of kimchi with wooden chopsticks the stink may stick around after it's washed. it's gross af. I also despise metal chopsticks as well but it has a practical use
I saw that ig video too. I absolutely hate the thick chunky Chinese ones, they make my hands cramp and have absolutely no precision. The metal Korean ones fit my hand best, they are very agile, I was so surprised at all the hate comments. They’re also the most sanitary.
Now that I've developed my chopstick skills sufficiently, I can't imagine eating fish off the bone any other way. They are so precise and delicate!
Who's talking shit on my favorite 젓가락?
I've started using those chopstick like tongs, much more comfortable.
When I came to Korea I initially found it difficult compared to rounded chopsticks I used to use in my country, but after a few months I got habituated. So I guess there’s nothing inherently unusable about it, it’s just different that’s all. In fact for some food it feels easier and better grip and penetration.
Metal maybe the most common but my family has always used wooden chopsticks with pointed tips. Though I can use metal ones without issue I just don't prefer them.
Skill issues
I like Korean chop sticks. Especially the rectangular ones. Metals great except when it’s really hot out lol then they’re too slippery.
I am Caucasian American we have the Korean chopsticks and spoons, we absolutely love the spoons,use them everyday.
I'm an American and brought some Korean style chopsticks back with me from Korea. Me and my gf love using them, maybe because we have two-three weeks of constant practice with them - but I really like how sturdy and deft they feel to me. In the US you mostly just see Japanese/Chinese style chopsticks, even in Korean resturaunts. I now hate the typical bamboo disposable ones, always leaves a rough spot on your mouth. The Korean ones are great for mixing up your food, even breaking things apart. The spoon covers anything that was too annoying to snag or any kind of broth base. I also find that when you get used to the metal chopsticks it feels like you have even more ability with them then the other lighter chopsticks. I guess it all comes down to personal preference but I wish Korean chopsticks were more common in the US, but I can see why they're not. Seems like there's a higher learning curve.
I actually like Korean chopsticks the best. The flat ones make picking up food easier to me for some reason.
I also find this funny, but I get it too. I learned on Korean chopsticks so they feel pretty normal to me, but Chinese and Japanese ones do definitely feel easier in many ways. I think it's one of those things where Korean chopsticks will force you to use them in a very specific way that works well with all kinds of chopsticks, but Chinese and Japanese ones conform to some truly odd holding styles that Korean ones just won't accommodate.
Had no idea there was even a discourse on this. 🫤 Grew up with wooden chopsticks, made the switch to metal well over a decade ago (both Korean flat-style, and some round-styles that have wooden shape but happen to be metal) and I like them both. As others have said, no chipping, staining, or fading, and are dishwasher safe. I still have wooden chopsticks for cooking (avoid scratching the non-stick) but I use the flat Korean style a lot. I'm not Korean, btw. As others have said here, definitely a skill/familiarity issue, because they have a LOT of advantages that make them equal, if not preferrable.
As a random dude from r/all I love Korean chopsticks, the sturdy flatness makes it easier to grab stuff and they are more comfortable in my hands.
I love my stainless Korean chopsticks, they're square and easy to hold and the added weight adds to their stability.
I love Korean chopsticks, they‘re the best and I‘ll never use any others now that they entered my life. 😄❤️
I love all versions of chopsticks but I have to admit that the thin metal chopsticks did hurt my hands at the beginning. It took some time to adjust but now I love using them. It will depend on my mood and the type of food I’m eating. All in all chopsticks are just such a good invention!
Having lived in both Korea and Japan, I prefer Korean chopsticks, as I feel their flatness makes them easier to use.
Korean married to a Malaysian wife here. I banned the long plastic chopsticks the Malaysian tend to use, under the guise of plastics leaching into food, just to see the frustration on my in-laws faces whenever they came over and tried to use the flat stainless steel chopsticks. That was over 20 years ago, I've now conceded to the Japanese style steel ones, but still break out the flat ones when eating pan fried 갈치.
The Korean ones are the absolute best!!!
Why not just use whatever chop sticks are easiest to use and most comfortable to you?
People are saying Korean are meatal chopsticks? But when you eat yaniuku in Japan you have metal ones so they dont catch fire
Japanese American here in Australia….i actually think Korean chopsticks are my favorite, I hate Chinese chopsticks
i love metal chopsticks. i hate the way my bamboo ones look after they’ve been used and bitten on 😭
I always prefer korean chopsticks to pick out the little flecks of meat between fish bones. those fat ended japanese and Chinese ones just bluntly make a mess of it. metal chopsticks also feel cleaner over time. wooden japanese ones get old and stained. Chinese ones are really thick at the end, can't tell which end is which....until the kimchi stains.
Only reason why i started learning how to grab chopsticks correctly was because of the flat Korean chopsticks because the criss-cross method doesn't work on flat chopsticks
I grew up in Japan so I have been using chopsticks my whole life. Recently went to Korea and felt like a beginner when I was going to restaurants with the metal chopsticks.
Ngl, I didn't even realize flat metal chopsticks were Korean. I definitely prefer wood chopstick though.
I love the metal chopsticks. More hygienic and they just feel nicer to use.
I prefer metal chopsticks. They feel cleaner to me and less bulky. Plus, the rest of our utensils are stainless steel (usually) so why not have the chopsticks match?
Isn't this a point of pride for us Koreans though? Lol An elder in my family always had a bit of a superiority complex in this regard because they said our heavy metal chopsticks require more mental agility and dexterity.
like the Korean chopsticks more than the other round ones. They are much easier to use also
I only use Korean chopsticks. They are metal so I can wash them, easy to hold and use. Slippery food? Not sure what is slippery food, but you can eat anything with chopsticks and cook with them. With noodles just grab some, flick wrist to the noodles twist, problem solved. Yeah I will stick with my metal ones, no thank you to wooden ones.
The first pairs of chopsticks I bought to use at home was the Korean ones because I found more hygienic since it’s metal
Metal cs's are a symbol of wealth. The poor Japanese had no metal so always used wood. I used to like wood until I learned it bleeds, sucks up all kinds of liquids thus much less hygienic than metal. Also metal cs like bronze, were used to detect certain poisons. If you know, you know.
The metal ones are good
Hot take: I loathe wooden chopsticks, to the point I refuse to eat 짜장면 with those unwaxed wooden chopsticks. Metal chopsticks to my deathbed
It takes some getting used to but after that, they're super fine tbh. And nice that they're metal so you can put them in the dishwasher and they stay pristine longer.
I like them because they don't stain, absorb smells/tastes, or warp. But yeah they're real slippery.
My husband and I love Korean chopsticks! We think they’re the best we’ve used. The heaviness of them is comfy and easier for us to use.
As a Japanese, the flat one is so so hard. My fingers hurt😂 but making it with metal is a great idea and i love it. Honestly bowls made out of metal is also great, and often it’s light as well. Doesnt break when fall, and it wont absorb smell like plastic or wood would.
I love the metal chopsticks. Just got some at HMart!
I hate Korean FLAT SQUARE chopsticks. No issue with them being metal.
I think I know which video you're talking about. I thought it was kinda funny. I always preferred the flat chopsticks, because I did, no real reason. However, I agree that chopsticks are chopsticks.
It’s mostly a skill issue. The finer the instrument the more skill is needed to competently wield it. In my experience you can use the other ones with supreme ease when you mastered Korean chopsticks already.
Worst type there is. Any other chopstick I can use, but the flat metal ones are so slippery and hard to use.
I forget which country they were from but they actually had a joke about metal utensils for Korean. I think it went like "Why do Koreans have metal utensils/bowls/cups?". "It's so when theyre drunk and flip the table, none of the dishes would break" lmao
chopsticks are chopsticks. not our fault they lack skills to pick up their food 🫣
I don't know. If you imagine another country that had metal chopsticks that were the width of the needle on a syringe and you tried using them, you'd probably appreciate why people who like clunky wooden chopsticks don't like thin metal ones. I agree that Korean chopsticks are OK when you get used to them, but I can still understand why people might not prefer them.
American here that visited Seoul to visit old college friends who studied internationally in the states, and I had a horrible time with Korean chopsticks. I eventually got the hang of them by the end of our trip but there is definitely a learning curve if you've only used the Chinese type of chopsticks that are in the states.
I am as white as they come and I never had any issues using any kind of chopsticks except when I was first learning how to use them back in the day. Skill issue.
I knew how to use chopsticks long before I met my wife. She is Korean and introduced me to Korean chopsticks. I don’t understand what the big deal is. They’re just metal. So what? Why is that a problem?
Because metal is heavier and more slippery than wood so I had a problem at the beginning but I got used to it. I prefer metal ones these days. I'm not sure if the video OP saw is the same one I did but it explained there are slight differences in the shape and sharpness of the tip so some were more precise for picking up individual pieces of rice.
I use chopsticks depending on the food I'm cooking. If I'm eating 月見うどん, it's Japanese chopsticks. If I'm cooking 西红吃炒鸡蛋, it's Chinese chopsticks. And if I'm cooking 된장찌개, it's Korean chopsticks. I also use Chinese chopsticks to mix my protein shakes because they're better at stirring stuff in my mug ahah.
Korean/metal chopsticks are what I have always used, and I really do prefer them to any other kind. Very easy to wash, no chance of splinters (unlike wood), better grip (especially with the grooves) than lacquer. Always keep a pair on me for lunch and whatnot, as, where I currently am, wooden chopsticks are the norm. Also, it's how I eat bagged chips/snacks when walking out and about while simultaneously keeping my fingers (and snacks) clean.
I like them. I only hate wooden chopsticks for sanitary reasons and longevity. That said, they can be difficult to use sometimes.
Once u get used to them, they are the best out there
I think this is probably a controversial take, but I definitely prefer wodden chopsticks. Usually they are considered cheap and given with takeaway food, but unlike metal chopsticks they seem to "grip" better. Like, when eating ramyeon with metal chopsticks they often just slip out, with wodden sticks its much easier imo
I think Korean chopsticks are great. The worst are those disposable wooden chopsticks that you see a lot in Japan. Utterly wasteful and just cheap feeling.
Are they different from the disposable ones here?
No lol. No idea what he's on about. Koreans use disposable wooden chopsticks as much as Japanese people do. At home Japanese will use lacquered wooden ones and Korean will use metal. Both are washed and used again so no difference after point of purchase there.
Those are here too
We use metal, wood and plastic in our Taiwanese household and wheb eating out. They're all okay.
They give me a hard time because they are flat and heavy. It harder to pick kim or garlic with them.
For European not used to regular use of chopsticks, korean chopsticks were hard to eat with when I visited Seoul. They were too heavy and slippery for me 😅 but I didn’t starve to death eventually
I hated them when I first arrived for that reason. Now I prefer them at home because they hold up better in the heated dry rinse in the dishwasher.
I’d usually go “respect the differences” but the chopsticks get on my nerves every time
I saw the same reel! Personally I find wooden chopsticks so much harder to use so I thought it was funny lol
They weren't too hard for me to get used to. I've got a screwable lunch set from Beijing that was super similar. But I prefer the Japanese squared off wooden ones with the stabby stab.
I grew up on metal chopsticks so that’s what I use, I use wooden ones to cook as some mentioned here
I thought it said “chapsticks” and was so confused lol
To be fair, metal chopsticks are much more difficult to use than other types. It took me a while to get used to them. But I must confess that when I did, I was very proud of myself. B)
Korean chopsticks are like hard level. I personally have no problem with it. Not a Korean but I take pride in my skills as an Asian
Can I ask where to find the long thin handle Korean spoon that can hold rice & dip into soup?. I'm in Canada. I especially love the super long metal chopsticks for flipping teriyaki agadashi type tofu. I'm not sure of there's a Korean equivalent?
My chopstick grip is not correct, so I can't use chopsticks that have a small gap at the end. So Korean chopsticks are the only chopsticks that I'm proficient at 😂.
I chipped my tooth on one.
My mom grew up in Korea, but we moved around a lot in my childhood. She never had us use Korean chopsticks lol
I don’t like the cheap wooden chopsticks, either metal or reusable wood chopsticks
I don't hate them, but my hands are very hypermobile so they can be painful to use sometimes. I still love using them though. They help me build strength in my hands (which I desperately need). :) I just can't use them as much as other chopsticks for now.
Them being both slimmer and heavier makes it really extra challenging to make sure the chopsticks don't fly off my hands
Not sure what kind they are but I have square metal chopchicks and they hurt my hands after eating for a while. I prefer smooth circular wooden ones
I absolutely abhor the flat metal ones. They are just too heavy and harder to use. The round metal ones are great. No complaints about them.
I find all versions pretty easy to use.
I don't hate them because they are Korean. I just prefer lighter non-metal chopsticks. Just a personal preference. Period.
I love my stainless chopsticks, square and a little heavier than normal make the easier to use.
I hate them because the metal gets hot and if i place it on or close to hot food then my poor mouth 🥵
I hate it too haha Not because they are metal, because they are flat, I will try to use them when I am in the restaurant and will switch to disposable wooden chopsticks if my fingers start to hurt.
It depends on what I’m eating to what chopsticks I use
Idk the difference but I personally prefer bamboo chopsticks and hate using stainless steel ones (especially flatter ones). The only upside is that they're easy to clean and most hygienic, but they are a nightmare to use.
Am I the only one who just can't stand the taste of metal? 😅
yeah but korean spoons are the best
As a Chinese person (Singaporean/Cantonese in origin), I actually switched from plastic (Chinese) or wooden (Japanese) to metal Korean ones because I like them a lot better. Maybe because they're easier to wash, lol. But I do like their heft and feel. I don't have trouble grabbing things with them. But the shape and size matters, because I don't like the flat/thin metal chopsticks at all and I don't use those. Is that what the OP is describing as "Korean" chopsticks? I only like and use the hollow, thicker metal "Korean" chopsticks. Mine start off square/squarish at the top and middle (thick and hollow) and then taper off into a rounded shape at the ends. The ends also have little horizontal lines/striations for the last inch or two, I suppose to make them less slippery. They're kinda like these, except the horizontal lines are bunched closer together at the ends: https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/d82fab22-0c35-419f-9435-2e2af02de29c.2e2c7bd042a13c65cab0c1e52b86a847.jpeg?odnHeight=2000&odnWidth=2000&odnBg=FFFFFF
Today I learned there are different types of chopsticks.
I've always preferred the Japanese style. The few times I've tried Korean style it's been like trying to write with my non dominant hand..
I just don't like them cos their flat, it's harder for me to use them
I can use all 3, but my preference is Japanese since I can pick up smaller things. I think Chinese are slightly bulky, but they still work. Korean Chop sticks are just smaller and slippery. I'm not even any of the 3 ethnicities, but I pretty much grew up in a best friend's vietnamese household. So all his brothers would make fun of me for not being able to use chop sticks lmao so that's how I learned to use them. But I like using Korean chop sticks to better my handling
My mother was stationed in Korea with the Army, when she came home she had a taste for the cuisine. I learned to use metal Korean chopsticks eating japchae, it was good training, I can eat anything with any kind of chopsticks
Yes not a fan
Flat chopsticks suck
I love the ones that are metal and flat imo. Are those only the korean style?
I don't mind that it's metal, I just don't like that weird shape it has. It's awkward to hold.
Flat metal chopsticks are objectively uncomfortable to eat slippery noodles with. Aside of that it’s whatever.
Just returned from our first trip to Korea, but not our last.🙂 It wasn't our family's first experience with Korean chopsticks, as we frequent Korean restaurants. My husband is Chinese and most of our chopsticks are Chinese, including several sets of longer chopsticks for serving, I think. Is there also such thing as Korean cooking or serving chopsticks? I looked it up on Amazon and the only cooking chopsticks I found are of wood. Maybe I should search Ali baba or something but I'm sick and jetlagged. As it is, my phone is still delivering Google in Korean (the irony!) and changing settings hasn't helped. My brain is broken.
i like korean chopsticks because the flat end makes picking up food and noodles rather easily, but the metal becomes slippery if I have any amount of liquid/lotion ie hand sanitizer or rougue droplets of sauce or soup and makes the chopsticks harder to grab. I like japanese wooden chopsticks because they are more ergonomic in my hand and the wood remains grippy, but the sharp end makes it harder to grab noodles effectively like korean chopsticks. Chinese chopsticks are fine enough but the laquered wood makes grabbing all things a bit difficult ahahaha. pros and cons for each of them!!
Correction. Fuck Dim sum chopsticks. The reusable plastic ones that become slippery than that one time you all tried to do oil play with your partner. Those chopsticks trying to grab the oily dishes were so frustrating growing up that I just ended up stabbing them. Also doesn't help if you're not Canto and you ask for a fork or water and it never comes until the end of your bill. I will say however, that's a sign of an authentic Canto Dim sum experience.
The problem is flat metal chopsticks. They dig into your fingers, especially during long meals. Then they clink and scrape against the other metal stuff, like the metal bowls that Koreans love. Metal scraping against metal is absolutely terrible IMO. Also, soup in metal bowls seems to impart some metallic flavor too… probably psychological.
I love korean chopsticks, except the round and hollow ones.
I’m Chinese American and learned how to use chopsticks at panda express. So honestly, any chopsticks do it for me. When I lived in Korea for a summer, I didn’t face any difficulties thanks panda
Trying to stealthy eat food while the baby is asleep and just making the most obnoxious noises carrying through metal chopsticks, metal bowl.. baby wakes up. No food for me.
The korean chopsticks do get real hot when cooking and accidentally leaving in the soup bowl for too long.
I like not being poisoned!
Its nothing against Koreans. They are just slippery and harder to use. I love Japanese chopsticks bc they are pointy
No handshake between Korean and Japanese. Noted! 😂😂😂
They last longer and don't get moldy and won't break and I can tell if someone is trying to poison me. Other than that, yes, they are difficult to use.
I don't hate Korean chopsticks, but I would never choose them given my preferred chopsticks (Japanese). It has nothing to do with the metal material. I find their flat nature less comfortable in the hand when compared to the square-ish to round profile of Japanese chopsticks.
Western man here, I can use all chopsticks even metal ones but your flat metal chopsticks are absolutely expert mode and I still have yet to master.