WTF – Training Chopsticks

Filed as: Korea FTW! // Responses: 97

Yeah, we know that this isn’t really as weird as our Japanese Instant Boobs. Nothing will ever live up to the awesome bizarreness of those boobs. These chopsticks, though, we found quite befitting for what we’re doing this week. Martina’s parents are visiting us from Canada – Hooray! – and they’re not really skilled in chopstick usage, so these training chopsticks are just the thing for them. And, hey, maybe they’re just the thing for you as well, if you don’t know how to use chopsticks yet. You could win them in our WTF Care Package contest next week. Sweet!

Anyhow, we’re not sure how well these work to begin with. I mean, they work, in that they’ll pick up food for you in a chopstick like manner, but I’m not sure if they’ll do much for teaching you how to use them. You stick your fingers in the holes, and those holes are attached to the chopsticks, so move your fingers and the chopsticks move with you. It doesn’t teach you, though, how to hold the chopstick with your thumb. It’s lazy, no? Maybe it’s like training wheels: they teach you how to ride, sure, but they don’t teach you the most important part of riding: how to balance your bike and not fall on your face and run home crying to your mom about how much you hate biking and never want to bike again. That’s a very important lesson to learn.

The packaging was just ridiculous, though: these chopsticks, supposedly, boost your IQ and EQ? We weren’t even sure what EQ was (we had to Google it. “Emotional Intelligence”. Cool!) and now that we know what it is we’re not even sure how these chopsticks will help you develop emotionally. Anyone trained in child psychology here? We need answers! Martina’s guess is this: if you’re that one kid in kindergarten who can’t use chopsticks to save your life, and everyone teases you for it, these trainers will help teach you, so that you’re not teased anymore, and thus no longer in emotional turmoil. Is that it?

Another question: when do Asian kids begin to learn how to use chopsticks? They’re hard to use, after all! Simon learned in his grade 10 English class when someone did a presentation on multiculturalism (great presentation, by the way!) Martina had a really close Japanese friend as a neighbour, and so Martina learned how to use them when she was really young. But she was taught by her friend. How old was her friend when she learned how to use chopsticks? Miki? Are you reading this? We hope you are reading this. We’re gonna email you just to tell you to read this.

So that’s it for this week. If anyone knows anything about these, please let us know.

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Anonymous

My daughter’s training chopsticks came today…she loves them.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001052786758 Sunghye Ji

lol im a korean but i didnt exactly “learn” how to use chopsticks nd now im so used to using it my way – Â which is a very wrong nd tiring/hurful way – i rly think i need one of those…
http://twitter.com/nguyen_lynn Lynn Nguyen

i think i need those… im asian,.. but im eating rice with… FORKS
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1003515704 Daniela Dimitrova

I’m from Europe – I had never used chopsticks until I became interested in K-drama a year ago so I decided I had to learn. There are videos on youtube about how you have to properly hold them, so I trained and trained picking stuff from my desk and putting it back and at the end I learned. Now I eat my ramen with them and some other home meals too, and always use them when I go to a Chinese restaurant. It’s actually cool!!!
Rachel Lau

I’m Chinese. I was BORN to use chopsticks. (even if I’m Canadian born.) I use them basically every day of my LIFE.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=510673020 Corinna Leung

I found these chopsticks that you’re talking about at Galleria Supermarket(Korean Grocery Store on Yonge & Steels)! $7.99 for one!
http://www.facebook.com/people/Elizabeth-Cha/100000993817627 Elizabeth Cha

I’m Asian and I was never taught how to use chopsticks. :( I tried to learn but…it took awhile. I still haven’t gotten the hang of it.Â
Jennifer Myers

The way your dad says “Go!” at 4:09 is so adorably, hilariously Canadian! ^^
http://www.facebook.com/candice.roitt Candice Roitt

They are wonderful for kids… my almost 5 year old is doing pritty well… no more ” mommy i wanna use chopsticks like you!” all the time… tho i really need to start putting the extra pair in my purse so when we go out she can use them… fyi they work better with the smaller hands… its why you two are having such trouble lol
http://twitter.com/Pmwaller Paul

I feel the ultimate skill in using chopsticks is being able to cut/split kimchi. Â My mom is a master, and I have yet to obtain the same level of skillz :)
http://twitter.com/oOTeaOo Jisoo

all i know is that I have a pic of myself eating and i was using chopsticks at the age of four. It’s like non-asian ppl and their forks. when do your kids learn to use forks? thats around our time. since some kids have less strong grip or have a hard time trying to control their fingers, those training chopsticks were created to help learn how to grip the chopsticks correctly.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000452876761 Gizem Akyazi

Martina,U’re SO cute when you do a “littlechild-sweet-voice—thing?” =3