Why do Koreans Spit?

Question

I lived in Korea for a year and since moving home I have noticed the Koreans doing it here also, and that is HOCKING A BIG LOOGIE and spitting it on the side of the road, if you walk next to them, they will spit the other way.. What is with this? is it just a cultural thing? Personally I think its disgusting and they need to learn to either do it somewhere where no one can see or dont do it at all

Yes everyone does spit.. Im talking walking the main street and hocking up a huge loogie (not been quiet) and spitting it out.. infront of you.. behind you.. somewhere your gonnna step on it! I just wanna know if it is a cultural thing..

Answer 1

Interesting. I live in China, but teach Korean adolescents. In China spitting is a horrible, disgusting, rampant practice. I've had to avoid huge globs of mucas in the elevator in my building, and this is a nice building. Old women dressed in their Sunday best will make the most god awful sound and let a big old cob fly. Sometimes, the people will do a farmer blow in the bushes. I much prefer this because it's the noise they make before they spit that raises my hackles. However, it's all wrong. TB is prevalent here, as are a whole host of respiratory illnesses, and I really resent all the mucas that I have to avoid. I am always reminded that I have returned to China after I've been travelling because as soon as I arrive in the airport, I begin to hear that sound. That awful, awful sound. The spitting lessened a bit during SARS, but it's as bad as ever now. The country is going to have to do something before the Olympics come, or everyone will go home with the impression that the Chinese are a bunch of ignorant, backwards, crass people, which isn't true, though the spitting is. There is a law against it and a fine, but I guess it is never enforced because I'm not exaggerating when I say that I hear that sound at least 20 or 30 times a day, and I'm not in Chinese society for most of my day.

I say interesting because my Korean students think it is disgusting as well. I just assumed Koreans didn't spit. Guess I was wrong.

Answer 2

That's odd... Most Koreans I know don't spit (I'm also Korean)... It's probably just the younger generation. Koreans, on average, think it's disgusting to spit. It's definitely not a cultural thing!

Hope that helps!

Answer 3

i suppose is bigger to peer plenty of spits within the ground than drink your espresso filled with spit and do not see it.. the query is.. why they smoke? their spits would possibly not kill you as their smoke will

Answer 4

everyone spits... its not polite, but maybe it is more accepted in their culture than where your from

Answer 5

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