The New York Times > Dining & Wine > Diners and Dinner, Close to the Flame: "SOME American cooks believe that grilling is the national pastime. But it's also a passion in Korea and Japan, where cooks enjoy a particularly cozy relationship with the fire.

In Korean restaurants the grill is in the middle of the table, where everyone can reach it.

'Cooking together and serving other people are part of the barbecue experience,' said Max Han, who runs an online guide to Korean-American culture at newyorkseoul.com. 'It's one of the ways we Koreans feel jeong, a bonding, a connection that's very important in our culture.'"