Another interesting development is that Jeollanam-do is shaping up to get its first Burger King. A Naver search turns up a Dolsan Hospital (돌산병원) location (map), though its not yet listed on the official Burger King Korea site. Another Naver search brings up online job postings for positions with Burger King throughout Jeollanam-do. It will be a welcome addition, for at least in my opinion the best burgers in Korea outside of Seoul can be found at Burger King.
Curious image choice by JobKorea.
7 comments:
Burger King will only exacerbate Chŏllanam-do's already pervasive anti-American sentiment. In the eyes of many, it will confirm their fears that America is trying to kill them with US beef.
(I don't mind BK in the US, but BK in Korea is blech.)
I take the complete opposite view. I rarely grace BK in Canada but it was my goto burger joint in Korea.
I've never noticed Koreans to be anti-American regarding major fastfood chains. BK, Krispie Kreme, et al are packed with Koreans.
Brian, this would be Jeollanamdo's second burger king. There has been a burger king in the U-square bus terminal in Gwangju for over a year now if I recall. I've gone there a few times myself. :D
http://www.gwangjuguide.or.kr/category/living-in-gwangju/food/intl-foods/
http://wiki.galbijim.com/Gwangju_Bus_Terminal
+ 1 puffin watch, although I would drop by occasionally in Canada myself.
I just wish they'd open up a subway sandwich restaurant and a dairy queen here. I'd kill for dipped cone now!
Actually that'd be #3, Mark.
There are two Burger King's in Gwangju, which I've written about before:
http://briandeutsch.blogspot.com/2009/06/gwangjus-imax-and-cold-stone-creamery_01.html
However, and which may be confusing or unnecessary, I don't consider Gwangju a part of "Jeollanam-do." Culturally, yes, it is, and it's right in the center of the province. But it's been politically independent since 2005, it's own city. I wrote most of the Galbijim articles on Jeollanam-do and Gwangju, and struggled with whether to include the latter in the former, but decided not to to keep with the political independence.
kushibo, I don't think BK will exacerbate any anti-American sentiment, because as has already been said, Gwangju has 2 Burger Kings, and Jeollanam-do has a handful of McDonald's and a bunch of other western stuff (to say nothing of the countless western items that comprise daily life). When you walk past a McDonald's, a Dunkin Donuts, or a Lotteria in Jeollanam-do, you'll see they're always full (except the McDonald's in Suncheon), and you'll see that they're always full of Koreans. These western---well, Lotteria isn't western---chains are really run by Koreans, for Koreans, and are extremel popular among them. There is likely resentment by some over western influence, and by those who think it's western food---and not instant ramen, fried street food, and bags of chips eaten between hagwon class---that's making Korean kids obese, but I don't think this Yeosu store will bring about any changes in anti-Americanism.
Seriously, I apologize for not making my sarcastic intentions crystal clear.
All I was trying to do was make a joke about BK in Korea being so bad that it will make anyone who taste it think that BK is trying to kill them.
In fact, though, I think a moderate number of American franchises in Chŏllanam-do will, as Brian suggests, alleviate anti-American sentiment.
Ah I see Brian. :) I guess I'm still stuck in western thinking in that a city has to be IN a province/state.
You wrote:
"There is likely resentment by some over western influence, and by those who think it's western food---and not instant ramen, fried street food, and bags of chips eaten between hagwon class---that's making Korean kids obese"
You hit the nail on the head! :)
Anecdotally a friend's Korean coworker couldn't understand why she was getting fat. "But I've stopped eating KFC and switched to Korean fried chicken."
There does appear to be a default assumption that Korean food = healthy and Western = make you fat.
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