"I Only Eat Vegetables in Korea, It's Hard" Indian Student's Video Sparks Debate

"It's Hard to Be a Vegetarian in Korea"
Indian Student Shares Her Struggles Online

A video featuring an Indian woman studying in Korea, in which she shares how difficult it is to live as a vegetarian in Korea, has been drawing attention online.

A video in which Kushi Yadav, an Indian international student, shares the difficulties she faces as a vegetarian in Korea. Screenshot from Kushi Yadav's Instagram.

International student Kushi Yadav posted a video on her social media account on August 10, along with a caption saying, "I feel like I'm dying to eat okra (bhindi)," in which she discusses her life in Korea.

In the video, she explains her dietary habits, saying, "For religious reasons, I can't eat beef or pork. I can eat chicken, but I haven't eaten it since I was young. I do eat eggs." She goes on to say, "In Korea, I only eat vegetables. It's really hard," expressing the challenges she faces living as a vegetarian in Korea.

Kushi adds, "That's why I mostly go to cafes, but honestly, I don't even like coffee." When a Korean person in the conversation responds, "There's really nothing you can eat here. What do you do?" Kushi replies, "I really liked Korean bakeries. The bread is delicious." However, she also notes, "Most of it is too sweet," expressing some disappointment.

This video, described as highlighting the difficulties of living as a vegetarian in Korea, was also featured by the Indian media outlet Hindustan Times on August 12.

People who saw the video had a variety of reactions. Some expressed empathy, saying, "Vegetarians in Korea face the same difficulties," while others commented, "Recently, the salad market in Korea has been growing," and "If you eat chicken, there are plenty of options."

In reality, Korea has a food culture that traditionally relies heavily on meat and seafood, and except for some major cities, access to vegetarian options remains limited.

According to the Korea Vegetarian Union, the number of vegetarians in Korea surged from 150,000 in 2008 to 1.5 million in 2018, nearly a tenfold increase. It is now estimated to be around 2.5 million, representing about 4% of the population. However, this is still a small proportion of the total population, and with low consumer awareness of vegetarianism, demand remains limited.