The Korea Herald

지나쌤

Tteokbokki most popular street food among foreigners

By (공용)코리아헤럴드

Published : April 8, 2011 - 12:09

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Tteokbokki was the most popular food sold on the streets among foreigners living in Korea, survey showed.

In a survey conducted by Kyung Hee University Institute of International Education, Tteokbokki (rice cakes in hot sauce) was the No. 1 street food foreigners liked to eat (31.1 percent) followed by dak-kkochi (skewered chicken grilled with spicy sauce) with 29 percent and sundae (pig’s intestine stuffed with a vegetable mixture) with 20.2 percent. Fritters placed last at 9.6 percent. The survey was conducted on 455 foreigners living in Korea from 62 different nations from March 21 to April 3.

Most of the foreigners surveyed (93.6 percent) answered that they liked Korean food. The reason for liking Korean food was because it was tasty (32.1 percent), nutritious (25 percent) and healthy (20.5 percent). Women, who have more interest in beauty and diet than men, answered that Korean food was best for health.

Fifty-nine percent of participants answered that kimchi was the food representing Korea. However, when asked what their favorite Korean food was, bulgogi (beef in a soy sauce marinade) ranked first with 32.4 percent and galbi (seasoned ribs) followed with 28.7 percent.

Side dishes most frequently consumed by foreigners were kimchi (29 percent), grilled fish (17.1 percent), seaweed (15.4 percent) and seasoned vegetables (10.9 percent).

Surveys showed foreigners also expressed their liking for not only Korean dishes, but Korean food culture as well. Oscar, a 30-year-old Ugandan, said he was surprised by the amount of side dishes offered at Korean restaurants. “I was surprised that the side dishes were given as much as you liked and was free of charge,” he said.

Over half of the foreigners surveyed answered that they had Korean dishes that they could cook well. Kimchi stew (32.3 percent), Tteokbokki (26.2 percent) and kimbap (rice rolled with seasoned vegetables) (15.9 percent) were food foreigners cooked most often.

Some actually showed confidence in Korean cooking. “I learned to cook Korean food for my husband. Now I can cook sundubu jjigae (soft tofu stew) with ease,” Dimtian from Vietnam said.

By Yun Suh-young (syun@heraldcorp.com)
Intern Reporter
Edited by Rob York

 

<한글 기사>

"외국인 길거리 음식으로 떡볶이 가장 선호"

경희대 국제교육원, 외국인 455명 대상 설문

국내 체류 외국인들은 길거리 음식 중 떡볶이를 가장 선호하는 것으로 나타났다.

경희대 국제교육원(원장 김중섭)이 최근 유학생, 결혼이민자 등 국내에  거주하는 62개국 외국인 455명을 대상으로 한국 음식에 대해 설문조사한 결과 외국인들이 가장 즐겨 먹는 길거리 음식은 '떡볶이(31.1%)'인 것으로 조사됐다.

이어 '닭꼬치(29.0%)', '순대'(20.2%), '튀김'(9.6%) 등의 순이었다.

외국인들 거의 대부분인 93.6%는 한국 음식을 좋아한다고 답했다. 한국 음식을 좋아하는 이유로 이들은 '맛있다'(32.1%), '영양가가 풍부하다'(25.0%), '건강에 좋다'(20.5%)라고 밝혔다.

외국인들은 한국의 대표 음식으로 '김치'(59.0%)라고 생각했지만 가장 좋아하는 음식으로는 '불고기'(32.4%)와 '갈비'(28.7%)를 꼽았다.

외국인들이 평소 자주 먹는 반찬은 '김치'(29.2%), '생선구이'(17.1%), '김'(15.4%), '나물'(10.9%) 등이었다.

실제 잘 만들 수 있는 한국 음식이 있느냐는 물음에 외국인의 59.8%가 '있다'고 답했다. 이들이 잘한다고 밝힌 음식은 '김치찌개'(32.3%), '떡볶이'(26.2%), '김밥'(15.9%)이었다.

(연합뉴스)