Khushi, an Indian student living in South Korea, is going viral on social media for struggling to find vegetarian food. In an Instagram video, Khushi explains to a Korean friend why she cannot eat common foods in Korea like pork and beef. While Korean cuisine is increasingly becoming popular in India, it could be difficult to find vegetarian options in the authentic food available in Korea. In the video, Khushi, speaking fluently in the Korean language, explains, "Because I am Indian, I can't eat pork and beef because of my religion. Eating chicken is fine, but since childhood, my mom never made me eat it, so I can't eat it now either. But I ate eggs, so I can eat eggs here."
Khushi adds that she only eats vegetables in Korea, which many people find shocking. "People here get shocked when I tell them that I survive here by only eating vegetables. It's tough for me because not many vegetarian options are available in Korea."
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She continues, "I go to cafes, but I don't like coffee either, so I can't drink that either. I like bakeries here in Korea. The breads are really very tasty. But it is too sweet."
Khushi wrote on the video, "Telling a Korean the struggles of being a vegetarian in Korea." In the caption, she added, "I'm dying because I want to eat bhindi."
Watch the viral video below:
Khushi impressed many viewers with her Korean accent and left others concerned about how she manages her diet in Korea:
"Girl, how do you survive then? Like, what is even available there? What do you eat as a vegetarian?" a user questioned.
Another asked, "Is it difficult to socialise for someone who comes as a vegetarian to Korea? Since eating out in BBQ restaurants is a big part of their culture...does that make vegetarians feel left out when wanting to hang out with friends or colleagues?" Khushi replied, "I just don't hang out with them when they go and eat BBQ...So I don't know the feeling of being left out haha."
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One wrote, "Vegetables are expensive, girl." Relating to the struggle of finding bhindi abroad, another user added, "Okra ( bhindi ) when it used to be available in a few hypermarkets and Asian stores, it used to be too expensive in Europe. Mostly, it used to be the sticky variety."
Indians who follow a vegetarian diet may struggle to find food when living abroad. Just like Korea, can vegetarians survive in China? Click here to find out.
About Jigyasa KakwaniJigyasa finds her solace through writing, a medium she is exploring to make the world more informed and curious with every story published. She is always up for exploring new cuisines, but her heart comes back to the comforting ghar-ka-khana.