10 customs that are korean understand before you go to Korea

You will get much more out of your time in Korea if you know and respect Korean culture.

1. Kimchi is tradition

Kimchi is cut cabbage, fermented with red chili anchovy and sauce paste. It is pungent, spicy, and sour. Koreans love it and consume it with every meal — frequently in the part -– though in addition they put it to use being an ingredient in countless other meals.

Kimchi is symbolic of Korean tradition it is strong, distinctive, and defiant. Some foreigners can’t stomach it, but you will earn the locals’ heartfelt respect if you can. It is certainly one of the f d that is top you need to have in South Korea.

2. Shoes off

When entering A korean home, you have to eliminate your f twear. Doing any less is just a sign of g d disrespect.

Koreans have a unique relationship with their fl r, on which they sit and often sleep. a fl r that is dirty intolerable in a Korean home, plus they see Westerners as backward savages for remaining shod within our living r ms.

3. Soju

Korea is just a ingesting tradition, and their national b ze is soju, a definite, vodka-like beverage.

Soju is drunk away from shot eyeglasses, and like all liquor in Korea, it’s always offered with meals. Koreans beverage in boisterous teams, regularly clinking glasses, while shouting geonbae! (cheers) and one shot-uh!

At you will see men coming out of norae bang (karaoke r ms) and staggering through the streets, laughing, singing and arguing night. Be sure that you steer clear of the puddles of reddish-vomit often left behind, which are also underst d as kimchi plants.

Koreans have actually strict consuming etiquette never pour your very own beverage, and whenever pouring for somebody over the age of you, put one hand to your heart or your pouring arm as being a sign of respect.

4. Rice

Just like the Japanese, the Koreans eat rice with nearly every meal. It is so ingrained inside their culture that certain of the most greetings that are common Bap meogeosseoyo?, or ‘Have you eaten rice?’

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Unlike the Japanese, Koreans frequently consume their rice by having a sp n, plus they never improve the rice bowl from the dining table towards their mouths.

Additionally, chopsticks must be left sticking never from the rice dish, as this resembles the way in which rice exists to your dead.

5. Do not smile

Koreans certainly are a warm and substantial individuals, however you would not know it from the sourpusses they paste on in public places.

Sometimes, the chaotic streets regarding the peninsula resemble a sea of scowls, with everyone else literally putting their most faces that are stern. This is NOT true regarding the children nevertheless, that will invariably grin and laugh while shouting “Hello! Hello!”

6. Beware of elbows

Korea is just a crowded country. It’s a cluster of stony mountains with merely a valleys that are few plains on which to create.

The end result will be a lot of people in little areas, and folks will perhaps not think about pushing and jostling in order to get onto a coach, into an elevator, or to those perfect onions at industry.

Don’t even bother with “excuse me,” and beware of the older women, referred to as ajumma. They’re deadly.

7. Protests

Southern Koreans fought difficult to attain the society that is democratic now enjoy, and tend to be among the top on earth when it comes to exercising their right to protest.

Dissent is alive and well. Koreans protest with regularity plus they protest with fervor –- on all sides of this spectrum that is political.

Protesters hire a selection of techniques, through the violent (furious students regularly attack riot police with huge metal rods), to the ridiculous (cutting down hands, throwing animal dung, covering themselves in bees).

8. Hiking

As Korea is mountainous, it will come as no surprise that hiking could be the pastime that is national.

Perhaps the most crowded of urban centers have actually hills that provide a haven that is relative the kinetic madness regarding the streets below.

Koreans are in their finest in the hill. They smile and greet you and can frequently insist on sharing their refreshments. Make sure to stop at a hill hut restaurant for pajeon (fritter) and dong rice wine).

9. Bow-wow

Yes, some Koreans do eat dog meat, despite some sporadic attempts by the federal government to shut the( dog meat soup down) restaurants, in order to increase the country’s “international image.”

Puppy meat is principally consumed through the summer and by men, who claim that it does miracles for endurance.

10. Nationalism

Koreans can be an extremely proud individuals, and sometimes this pride transforms into white-hot nationalism.

The truth is this nationalism exhibited at sporting events, where several thousand Korean fans cheer their nationwide teams on in unison, banging on drums and waving massive flags.

This nationalism specially involves a boil whenever Japan is mentioned, as Japan has occupied them many times, and occupied Korea as being a colony for almost the initial half of the twentieth century, decimating the country’s resources and conscripting a huge number of their females as intercourse slaves.

Finally, please keep in mind the 2 things that are following

• Up to a Korean, there is absolutely no such thing as The ocean of Japan. Your body of water between Korea and Japan is known only once the East water.
• Also, Koreans fervently believe that Dokdo — the disputed islets between Korea and Japan (known in Japan as Takeshima) -– belong only to Korea.

It might be most unwise to attempt to disagree with either of the true points, as Koreans don’t think about them up for debate.