North Korean youth ditch tradition as “going Dutch” becomes the norm at restaurants

North Korean high school students in Hamhung have begun dining out with classmates multiple times a week, with splitting the bill evenly becoming the default practice, a sign of deepening marketization and growing individualism among the country’s youth.

A source in South Hamgyong province said Wednesday a “dining out” culture has been forming in North Korea, with groups of students from similar economic backgrounds going out to restaurants after class and on holidays.

Students from affluent families tend to visit upscale restaurants, while those from middle-income families generally go to private eateries. Eating out is out of the question for students from struggling families, who find other places to socialize with peers in similar circumstances.

Dining at an upscale restaurant typically costs over 50,000 North Korean won per person, while prices at more modest eateries start at 25,000 won. Students naturally gravitate toward restaurants that fit their budgets.

“It used to be the case that people would take turns paying for the whole bill. But nowadays, it’s typical for the bill to be split by the number of diners, with each person paying a portion,” the source said.

“This practice is observed in both the upper and middle classes. Members of the older generation confess to being shocked and baffled to see students scrupulously dividing the expenses after a fun-filled meal together.”

Splitting the bill takes hold beyond the classroom

The trend extends beyond Hamhung. A source in North Hamgyong province said students there spend far more time with friends in public than at home, and restaurant outings are common.

“It’s rare for any one person to foot the entire bill at such gatherings. Generally, the bill is divided evenly between all the diners,” the source said.

Going Dutch is also standard among young people who have entered the workforce. Unlike teenagers, who typically split the total evenly, young workers tend to order and pay only for their own portions — a more granular form of the same individualistic logic.

In the past, it was common for a well-off member of the group to treat everyone, or for diners to pay equal shares regardless of how much they consumed. Young workers have moved away from both of those conventions.

These shifting customs appear to reflect the utilitarian, individualistic mindset that has gradually taken hold in North Korea as marketization has intensified.

Older North Koreans are not impressed.

“What’s the point of sharing a meal if you’re going to behave like that?” one said.

“How can they call each other comrades after that?” another said.

“I don’t think we would ever do that — it would just feel too awkward,” a third said.

“That just shows how big a gap there is between the older and younger generations. The two generations’ attitudes are vastly different, and it won’t be easy to bridge that divide,” the South Hamgyong source said.

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