Why is Korean food not as good as Chinese and Japanese?
为什么韩国菜不如中国和日本菜？
这是在海外答疑网站Quora上一位外国友人提出的问题，但是当韩国人看到这个问题，不禁发出了灵魂拷问，你为什么觉得韩国菜不好吃？
韩国网友针对海外网友提出的问题进行回答
这位名叫Sena Im的韩国网友看到了这个问题，立刻进行了反驳，接下来我们来看看这位韩国网友是如何为韩国菜进行辩护的。
韩国网友的回答：
Garlic sold in American grocery stores look like this.
美国杂货店出售的大蒜看起来像这样。
美国出售的大蒜
Garlic sold in Korea look like this.
在韩国销售的大蒜看起来像这样。
韩国出售的大蒜
Maybe it’s an exaggeration but Koreans love their garlic and garlic makes food that much better. However I think garlic makes Korean food what it is to our kimchi down to our side dishes. Italian food also has a love affair with garlic and it’s considered some of the best the world has to offer.
或许有点夸张，但韩国人很喜欢大蒜，因为大蒜让食物吃起来更好吃。然而，我认为大蒜使韩国食物成为泡菜。意大利菜也对大蒜情有独钟，它被认为是世界上最好的食物之一。
编者解释：这里，韩国网友放出的两张图片意思是美国出售的大蒜是按小袋子精装的，而韩国是大袋子粗装的，说明韩国人买大蒜都是成袋成袋买，表达韩国人喜欢吃大蒜。
I don’t know about you but garlic is some of the most tastiest morsels raw, preserved or cooked and when mixed into our dishes it’s the opposite of tasteless.
我不知道你怎么想，但大蒜是最美味的食物之一。不管是生的、腌的或熟的，只要在饭里加进大蒜，他就能让饭菜变得很好吃。
韩国泡蒜
We love to preserve garlic in soy sauce and it makes it extra special with rice dishes. It’s not limited to only garlic but a huge array of vegetables like garlic stems, whole fresh garlic, peppers, onions, etc. Even seafood like fresh crabs, shrimps and much more!
我们喜欢用酱油保存大蒜，这样腌出来的蒜能让米饭吃起来更香。当然，韩国泡菜不仅限于大蒜，还有大量的蔬菜，如大蒜茎、全鲜大蒜、辣椒、洋葱等，甚至海鲜，如新鲜的螃蟹，虾等等！
韩国泡菜
Just look at this incredible bounty of side dishes, meats, fish, soup, and rice! The varieties are huge and change with every single season. You can get free refills for any of the smaller side dishes and I don’t know what makes a meal taste any better then having things for free.
肉，鱼，汤和米饭，这些都是韩国泡菜！品种很多，且有时令菜品。如果你吃不饱还可以免费加，我不知道有什么会比免费的午餐更棒。
韩国泡菜
Kimchi is not just spicy nappa cabbage kimchi there are so many varieties of fresh vegetables made both mild and spicy that makes a Korean like me cry in pure joy.
泡菜不仅仅只有卷心菜，还有很多品种的新鲜蔬菜，既温和又辛辣，让像我（Sena Im）这样的韩国人喜极而泣。
一种韩国杂粮米饭
Taste is key but also nutrition and just look how pretty mixed rice is in Korea! It just makes every meal more healthy and extra special.
味道是关键，但营养也是关键，看看韩国的杂粮米饭有多漂亮！它让每顿饭都更健康、更特别。
韩国煎饼
Korean pancakes in varieties of battered fish, skewered fishcakes, stuffed peppers, and stuffed zucchini.
韩国煎饼有各种炸鱼、串鱼饼、酿辣椒和西葫芦。
韩式烧烤
Of course there is Korean BBQ which is the best example of social and family occasions in Korea.
当然还有韩式烧烤，这是韩国社交和家庭场合的最佳例子。
As a granddaughter of a proud Korean cuisine expert all I can say is that I wish you can try what my family has to offer. We make our soy sauce and fermented sauces all from scratch which takes us years to age.
作为一位自豪的韩国大厨的孙女，我只能说，我希望你能尝试一下我家的东西。我们从头开始制作酱油和发酵酱，这需要我们数年的时间。
韩国酱料
It’s nothing like the stuff they sell in grocery stores believe me and even when we live in an era of such conveniences sometimes preparing stuff the good old fashioned way is just way better.
相信我，这与他们在杂货店出售的东西完全不同，即使我们生活在一个如此便利的时代，有时以老式的方式准备东西也会更好。
My grandmother keeps soy sauces older then me and I’m over 25 years old so you can just imagine how fine that soy sauce has aged like wine.
我的祖母保存的酱油比我岁数还大，我已经25岁多了，所以你可以想象酱油像葡萄酒一样陈年。
陈年酱油
Korean food is different in each region and if you think only spicy, tasteless stuff represents the entire cuisine that’s just crazy to compare. Korean food that’s served in a majority of restaurants I admit don’t do the best dang job they can possibly do. Kimchi will taste different in each restaurant and each household so will the sauces.
韩国菜在每个地区都不同，如果你认为只有辛辣、无味的东西代表了整个美食，那简直不像话。我承认，大多数餐馆供应的韩国菜并不是很完美。泡菜在每个餐厅和每个家庭的味道都不同，酱汁也是如此。
When we put so much effort into our food I think Korean food actually made with so much time set ahead that’s what makes it Korean food and I’m no expert in Chinese or Japanese cuisines but it’s not fair to dismiss Korean food completely. Maybe you really don’t have great Korean restaurants near you but if you can do go to a better place and maybe your better satisfied.
当我们在食物上投入如此多的努力时，韩国菜花费了大量时间，这就是使其成为韩国食物的原因，我不是中国或日本美食的专家，但完全忽视韩国美食是不公平的。也许你附近真的没有很棒的韩国餐厅，但如果你能去一个更好的地方，也许你更满意。
以上就是韩国网友的回答，但编者认为韩国能拿的出手的就只有泡菜了，毕竟看一看两国国宴就能看出差距，中国美食不是一个小小的韩国可以碰瓷的，单拎出来一个省份，比如粤菜、川菜等等，韩国都要甘拜下风。
国宴座位
G20峰会上为外宾准备的瓷质餐具
国宴菜品
不知道大家还记得2022年韩国国宴风波吗？
2022年5月21日，韩国总统尹锡悦举行国宴，招待来访的美国总统拜登，引发海外网友一阵吐槽。
下面就是韩国国宴，和中国国宴差的不是一星半点。
韩国国宴菜品
韩国国宴菜品
韩国国宴菜品
那么，大家认为韩国菜的水平如何呢？欢迎在评论区讨论留言。