Day 3 of 15~12 min저기요, 반찬 더 주세요, 물은 셀프, and who pours for whom.
Romanisation help
저기요, 여기요, 사장님, 이모님, 반찬 더 주세요, 앞접시, 물은 셀프예요, 수저, 한 잔 받아요, 따라 드릴게요, 건배
Staff in a Korean restaurant do not come round to check on you, so today starts with how to call them over. Then refills, which are free, and self-service, which is common. Last, the table itself: who sets out the spoons, who pours, and why a younger person turns away to drink.
Calling someone over
Said clearly across the room, with a hand up:
저기요
jeogiyo
Excuse me.
From day 6 of the daily course: 'over there', aimed at the person you want. Safe anywhere.
여기요
yeogiyo
Over here, please.
'Here', drawing the server to you. In restaurants the two are used almost interchangeably.
사장님
sajangnim
Boss (to the owner)
Literally 'company president'. In a small restaurant the person running it is 사장님: friendly and respectful at once.
이모님
imonim
Auntie (to a middle-aged woman serving)
이모 is a mother's sister. Regulars call the women serving 이모 or politer 이모님. As a visitor, 저기요 is enough.
Why it works
Korean has no neutral word for 'waiter' to call out, and calling a stranger 'you' is out, as day 2 of the daily course showed. So people point at a place, 저기 or 여기 made polite with 요, or borrow a word for a role or a relative. -님 is the honorific suffix that turns 사장 'president' into a form of address, as in 선생님 (seonsaengnim) 'teacher'. 이모 in a restaurant does not mean anyone thinks you are related; it just sounds warmer.
Refills and self-service
Side dishes and refills are free, but some things you fetch:
반찬 더 주세요
banchan deo juseyo
More side dishes, please.
반찬 are the small dishes that come with the meal; 더 is 'more'. Daily day 11's 좀 softens it: 반찬 좀 더 주세요.
앞접시 좀 주세요
apjeopsi jom juseyo
Could we have some small plates?
Small plates for taking food from a shared pot or pan. Asking is entirely normal.
물은 셀프예요
mureun selpeuyeyo
Water is self-service.
What staff say, or a sign says, when you ask for water. Look for a dispenser or a fridge of jugs.
수저는 어디 있어요?
sujeoneun eodi isseoyo?
Where are the spoons and chopsticks?
수저 is a spoon and chopsticks together. Check for a drawer in the side of the table.
Why it works
셀프 is English 'self', clipped, and 물은 셀프예요 uses daily day 3's topic marker 은: 'as for water, it's self'. The same word hangs over side-dish bars, 반찬은 셀프 (banchaneun selpeu), where you refill your own small dishes. It is about staffing, not meanness: a small restaurant may have one person cooking and one serving the whole room. The rule of thumb: if you can see the water or the refill bar, fetch it; if not, ask.
Dinner with the team leader
Minji eats with Mr Park, her older team leader, who is paying:
Minji
수저 여기 있어요.
sujeo yeogi isseoyo.
Here are your spoon and chopsticks.
The youngest usually lays out everyone's spoons and chopsticks on a napkin and pours the water.
Mr Park
고마워요. 자, 먹어요.
gomawoyo. ja, meogeoyo.
Thanks. Right, let's eat.
자 is 'right, now then'. Nobody starts before the most senior person.
Minji
잘 먹겠습니다.
jal meokgetseumnida.
Thank you for the meal.
Mr Park
한 잔 받아요.
han jan badayo.
Have a drink.
Literally 'receive a glass'. She holds her glass up with both hands.
Minji
감사합니다. 저도 한 잔 따라 드릴게요.
gamsahamnida. jeodo han jan ttara deurilgeyo.
Thank you. Let me pour one for you too.
따르다 'to pour' plus humble 드릴게요, 'I'll do it for you'. She pours with her left hand touching her right wrist.
Mr Park
좋아요. 건배!
joayo. geonbae!
Great. Cheers!
When glasses touch, the younger person's goes a little lower.
Minji
건배!
geonbae!
Cheers!
She drinks with her head turned slightly away.
Why it works
You do not pour your own glass: you fill other people's and wait for yours to be filled, so pouring becomes a way of looking after each other. Two hands are how Korean shows respect when giving or taking anything, which is why the younger person pours and receives with both, or with the left supporting the right. Turning away to drink comes from the same place: you do not drink face to face with someone senior. It applies to alcohol far more than to water, and among friends of the same age nobody bothers.