December 02, 2004 21:52
Professor Kim Phil-soo at Daelim College claims that 80 percent of elementary schoolchildren around the nation are inarticulate when it comes to putting two chopsticks together.
With the growing popularity of Western culinary culture's use of the knife and fork, manifested in the rise of U.S. food outlets like Bennigans and Outback Steak from Myung-dong to Kangnam, six in ten Korean adults are now unable to use chopsticks correctly, according to a recent study.
Professor Kim Phil-soo at Daelim College conducted a survey on the use of chopsticks on 252 adults aged 21-40 in November. Results showed that only 38 percent of the adults, split almost evenly between male and female, were able to use chopsticks in the correct manner.
A separate survey conducted on fifty fifth-grade elementary school students yielded a much higher rate of failure, with Kim discovering that 80 percent came unstuck when presented with two chopsticks.
Professor Kim blamed the new phenomenon on the rising influence of Western culinary culture.
He said that chopsticks require a person to use 64 muscles and 30 articulate movements simultaneously, which also acts in developing brain potential. He recommended that elementary school students be urged to master chopsticks.
With the growing popularity of Western culinary culture's use of the knife and fork, manifested in the rise of U.S. food outlets like Bennigans and Outback Steak from Myung-dong to Kangnam, six in ten Korean adults are now unable to use chopsticks correctly, according to a recent study.
Professor Kim Phil-soo at Daelim College conducted a survey on the use of chopsticks on 252 adults aged 21-40 in November. Results showed that only 38 percent of the adults, split almost evenly between male and female, were able to use chopsticks in the correct manner.
A separate survey conducted on fifty fifth-grade elementary school students yielded a much higher rate of failure, with Kim discovering that 80 percent came unstuck when presented with two chopsticks.
Professor Kim blamed the new phenomenon on the rising influence of Western culinary culture.
He said that chopsticks require a person to use 64 muscles and 30 articulate movements simultaneously, which also acts in developing brain potential. He recommended that elementary school students be urged to master chopsticks.
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