Korean freebies.....

I’ve blogged about this subject in the past, where it is customary, (and expected!) to receive something extra when you purchase something. This can be a simple plate of fruit appropriate during a meal, or a packet of tissues when filling up with petrol at the local gas station.

I was somewhat taken aback when last night when working late at the plant, we ordered in a Chinese take-away meal. The order was simple enough, sweet and sour pork accompanied by egg fried rice and some dim-sum rolls. Held tightly under the cling-film wrapping of the usual accoutrements of sliced pickled radish and raw onions, was a brightly coloured packet which resembled a large ut flattish match box. I extracted said item from under the film wrap and pushed open one end. It was full of individually wrapped wooden tooth picks. Nothing strange with that, in that I would expect to have to extract some wayward pork from between my now ageing teeth. What took me by surprise was opening up from the other side, I discovered a bunch of double-sided cotton buds. Who on earth sits there relaxed after a good nosh-up Chinese and de-meats their teeth with a toothpick in one hand cleaning their ears of wax with cotton bud in the other? Strange place Korea!