Korean convenience stores have evolved from simple shops into versatile community hubs, offering a wide array of food, groceries, and essential services that cater to the diverse needs of modern Korean life.
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Hello, everyone. Welcome to Luna's Korean Podcast.
Today, I'd like to talk about a special place in Korean daily life: convenience stores.
Do you often go to convenience stores? Convenience stores are incredibly common in Korea.
You'll find them not only in front of your house, but across the street from your house. There
are also convenience stores in front of schools, inside schools, at subway stations, and even
along the Han River, which we all know well.
Because they're open 24 hours, they're popular places for Koreans.
I used to go to a convenience store during breaks at my academy. There was a convenience store on the first floor of the academy building.
When I was hungry, I'd eat cup ramen, sandwiches,
or something like that. I'd buy something like jelly or a snack to take a quick break before heading back to class. I'd
go with friends, have a quick chat,
listen to music, and have a quick break.
So, what's the most popular thing Koreans buy at convenience stores?
It's lunch boxes. Popular convenience store foods among Koreans include lunch boxes, triangle kimbap, and cup ramen.
There are so many different kinds of triangle kimbap. There are so many triangle kimbap rolls with a variety of flavors, like
tuna mayo, bulgogi, pork belly, and bibimbap .
And when you think of cup ramen, you can't forget about Korean convenience stores.
As many of you know, the Han River convenience stores have cooking machines, so
you can pour water and wait for the ramen to boil before using your phone or chatting with friends.
I find that time to be truly wonderful.
These days, tables and chairs are commonplace in convenience stores, so eating alone is no problem.
Convenience store lunch boxes are also very popular. Because they offer a simple meal, options
like stir-fried pork, mom's lunch boxes, and salad lunch boxes made by famous chefs are popular. They
're really useful when you're busy in the morning or pressed for time.
I used to grab a convenience store lunch box when I was a little pressed for time at work. They're
quick, simple, and delicious, so I ate them quite often.
Another convenience store promotion is the buy-one-get-one-free deal.
It's usually included on drinks, ice cream, and snacks.
Going out with a friend saves money, so I often use it myself.
Convenience stores always have microwaves.
So, it's nice to be able to warm up things like lunch boxes, triangle kimbap, and frozen dumplings instead of freezing them. That
's why Korean convenience stores always have microwaves, so
you can eat them warm, which seems to attract more people.
Some even have dedicated cooking areas.
So, in the winter, they sell baked sweet potatoes, steamed buns, tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), tteok-kkochi (skewered rice cakes), dak-kkochi (skewered chicken),
and sometimes even tonkatsu (pork cutlet). This creates a small, snack-like atmosphere.
Coffee is also really popular in Korea these days, so convenience stores
often have small coffee machines. So, while I'm waiting for the train or a friend, I can enjoy a cup of coffee while I wait.
These days, convenience stores also sell a lot of groceries.
While snacks and drinks used to be the main products,
now they sell eggs, tofu, salads, frozen foods, and even
small portions of simple vegetables and fruits.
I think this would be really useful for people living alone or living alone. Me too. I
was grocery shopping at the supermarket and forgot to buy tofu, so I went to the convenience store and
found a variety of tofu products and prices, so I was able to buy it right away.
Since then, I sometimes go to convenience stores to buy simple items like tofu or eggs.
There's also one thing I can't miss at Korean convenience stores:
the alcohol section. Korean convenience stores sell a wide variety of alcoholic beverages, including
beer, soju, wine, and even makgeolli (Korean makgeolli).
With the popularity of solo drinking in Korea,
they also sell a lot of small bottles and cocktails in cups, perfect for solo drinking.
This is especially useful on Friday nights when you want to have a quick drink at home on your way home from work.
You can buy some snacks and drinks together and enjoy them quietly at home, so
you'll see many people stopping by the alcohol section to grab some alcohol.
Korean convenience stores also offer convenience features beyond food.
For instance, if you need cash in a hurry, there's an ATM, so it's convenient.
You can also pay your utility bills. You can also send packages, which is our most important service.
If you bring a delivery box, you can send it
and pick it up yourself, which
is incredibly useful for those who live alone.
Convenience store umbrellas are also incredibly useful on rainy days when you don't have an umbrella.
When a sudden downpour starts, you can go to the convenience store, buy a clear plastic umbrella, and then head home.
Sometimes, since it's a sudden downpour, it'll stop soon anyway.
So, I buy a can of coffee and sit at a table and watch people pass by.
Aside from umbrellas, they also sell cosmetics in small quantities and a huge selection of travel products.
I also wear contact lenses, so
they sell contact lenses.
These days, they feel more like a small supermarket than a supermarket.
There's no better place to eat alone than a convenience store. And with the social climate shifting towards convenience stores
being places for dates and students to grab a quick meal,
the frequency of convenience store use has increased significantly.
Through today's experiences at convenience stores, I was able to gain a little insight into the daily lives and lifestyles of Koreans.
Convenience stores are more than just stores.
It's become a space like a small mart, a small society.
So, let's briefly summarize some of the expressions we discussed today.
Do you remember? It's the "1+1" event. In Korea, you often hear things like "buy one get one free."
For example, at a convenience store, they'll say "this drink is 1+1."
That means you can get two bottles for the price of one.
And there's the expression "to heat." It's often used
to heat up convenience store lunch boxes in the microwave.
Do you remember "instant food"? Cup ramen, tteokbokki, and other foods that can be heated up in the microwave
are all included here. "Instant" means "right away," or "immediately."
And there's also the slightly more difficult term "utility bill payment."
These days, you can pay your electricity or water bill at convenience stores right away by bringing your bill with you.
It's a system where you scan the barcode and pay with a card, so many people are using it.
Have you also heard the expression "to be displayed"?
This product isn't displayed. This means it wasn't displayed in the store.
These are
expressions we use often in real life, so don't forget them and be sure to memorize them!
I'll be back next time with more fun Korean stories.
Please like and subscribe. This was Luna. Thank you.
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