Eating in Public

"Eating alone, going solo or eating on a bench alone is not the usual norm in Korea."
I've heard this one before and it was surprise that the fact that it matters matter. I'm like, really? I've never felt any stigma on it except that the restos wouldn't really be happy with me hugging a big space that can accommodate other patrons if that was the case. I do try to make myself occupy minimal space, or go in during non-rush hour time. If it was during that time, I try to eat and leave quickly. But other than that, I have no problem dining alone at all.

Another one is eating on benches or even on buses. Haha! I try to be discreet when I eat in the bus or trains of course. And try to clean up any crumbs if there is. One that I find myself doing more often is eating on the bus stops. One might ask why? My answer would be, why not? I am hungry!  (and more for these following reasons)

1. I am hungry and would rather have something on my tummy before I get in the bus than be hungry and feel carsick (just because those don't go together nicely, to say the least.)

2. Specially on a cold day, a warm burrito or sandwich on my hand is a better hand warmer for my hand and my tummy. And we go back to number one equation of Hungry + Bus ride = motion sickness, nausea

3. I am hungry, no time to eat elsewhere so I will eat anywhere, as long as I have something to eat.

One good thing of being a foreigner in Korea is that I don't have to fit in this kind of "silly" ideas. So far, no one has ever bothered me dining alone outside because I am obviously not a Korean. I wonder if there other country or culture that dining out alone is a problem except in their closely-related neighbor, Japan.

Bottom line, I will eat because I am hungry even if I am alone.