Interesting stories about South Korea. South Korea

In my personal ranking of visited Asian countries, South Korea confidently took 1st place. We spent 3 wonderful months here, most of the time spent on a strawberry farm, where we helped through the workaway program to pick strawberries and make desserts from them (the best strawberries of my entire life). I'll leave a link to the farm , in case someone wants to come, I highly recommend this place. Conditions for arrival: the ability to stay for at least a month, the ability to speak English fluently, and a friendly character. Bonuses - meals, taekwondo lessons, badminton and various outings to eat and karaoke, and for those who stay for 2 months - a paid trip to Jeju Island.

Russians can come to Korea without a visa for 60 days and then return for another 30 days (the rule for staying in the country is 90/180 days).

In this country, you often forget that you are in Asia, although it still has its own characteristics. Below I’ll tell you about things that seemed interesting, unusual, strange to us, or that we had to get used to.

1. Korean age. In Korea, there is a breakdown of Korean and international ages. Here, a child born on December 31st will be considered 2 years old the next day. The fact is that when a child is born, Koreans already believe that he is one year old, and on January 1, regardless of the date of birth, all residents of the country become a year older.
2. Here you can forget O familiar green or black tea. Even tea that will be labeled green on the packet will actually be a mixture of green with, for example, rice tea. Here you can also try a variety of strange teas, including pure onion tea.
3. Most Koreans are Catholics. The number of churches per square meter here is simply off the charts.
4. If you've ever watched a Korean movie, you must have seen that in the movies they constantly eat ramen(instant noodles or doshirak). In real life they eat it even more than in the movies. Even at a football match, a huge number of people can sit and munch on canned noodles.
5. Red is considered “good”, green is considered “bad”. Those. “Danger” signs will most likely be written in green.
6. In Korea it is almost impossible to find anything with the inscription “Made in China”, as a rule, all products are stamped “Made in Korea”. And, in my opinion, this is very cool!
7. With English it's bad here, although its study is one of the most popular hobbies at the moment. Parents try to ensure that their children learn the language from an early age so that they can get a better job in the future. Even if the job does not require English, first of all they will hire an employee who knows this language (though it is not clear why).
8. Korean was invented to supplant Chinese, which was (and is) much more complex than Korean and which was difficult for ordinary people to learn.
9. Light metro runs in some parts of Korea without drivers. This is space, although we have already seen this in Malaysia.
10. If you will eating rice with a fork, most likely, someone will start laughing. If rice is not eaten with chopsticks, then it will be eaten with a spoon. The fork will seem strange to them.

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11. Foreigners there are not very many here and they really love them, but no one will rush to take pictures with you or try to take a discreet selfie with you, as they did in some other countries.
12. Farm sector receives government support (we received this information from the owners of the strawberry farm where we volunteered).
13. Food here it ranges from moderately spicy to “it’ll burn.”
14. One of the most popular dishes after a working day is chimek - fried chicken + beer. Well, don’t forget about kimchi - pickled vegetables (cabbage or radish); not a single meal is complete without this snack.
15. There is Russian language! Due to the fact that during the war between North and South Korea, many Koreans fled to the USSR, and now their children and grandchildren are returning to Korea, Russian speech and signs in Russian can be found quite often. In Busan, for example, there is even a Russian street.
16. It's very purely, and the culture of waste sorting and recycling is at a very high level.
17. The Korean language has a crazy amount of politeness styles. When speaking Korean, to choose the right form you always have to take into account many details, such as age, social status and God knows what else, but this is also necessary. Often the elder will be right. And period.
18. Saying hello, saying goodbye, thanking you, you always you bow. I adore this part of the culture and already bow with all my might in conversation and receive the same politeness in return. When we went to Hong Kong (you can talk about our trip), I used to bow in conversation, but this is not at all accepted there.
19. Samsung and only Samsung- the most popular brand in Korea, no iPhones. This country really supports its manufacturers, although this is not difficult, because Korean brands are truly high-quality (LG, KIA, HYUNDAI).
20. Using transport card, you will pay almost 2 times less for travel than when paying in cash (provided that you are traveling on more than one transport).

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21. The most popular sport is badminton. We also played badminton like adults, through a net. This is much more interesting than simply throwing a shuttlecock to each other, as it was in childhood.
22. Tomato here it is a fruit, so you can periodically see it in desserts, I even saw tomato ice cream. You can also see in the desserts red beans. They generally love her madly.
23. Korean cosmetics- this is love and advice to try it. It is high quality and affordable. Here I really fell in love with taking care of my skin; I take a whole suitcase of various products, masks and creams from the country.
24. K-POP culture and Korean dramas are deeply intertwined with the lives of ordinary Koreans. Hairstyles, clothing styles of actors and singers, as well as accessories are copied by almost everyone, so in Korea now most boys, young men and men wear bowl-shaped haircuts, while girls mostly wear loose long hair with or without bangs. Everyone's glasses are shaped like Harry Potter. Makeup - different shades of red lipstick. Grandmothers wear short hair and curls. Even in Korea, you won’t see not only bearded men, but even light stubble, only clean-shaven faces.
25. The most popular alcoholic drink is soju(about 20 degrees) - costs about 1 euro, while a can of beer costs from 2.5 euros and more. Wine and champagne are generally a wild luxury - from 10 euros and above. The most popular soft drink is coffee, which is sold here at every turn.
26. Despite the strict adherence to rules characteristic of Koreans, drivers They're not the best, they can run red lights, they ignore the fast lane, they don't always look both ways when making a maneuver.
27. Korea ranks 1st in the world in terms of quantity plastic surgery per capita, and medical tourism is a significant part of the country's income.
28. Korea is one of the top countries for sales cryptocurrencies(point from husband).
29. Even though Korea is located in Asia, fruit prices They bite a lot here (really, really).
30. When you jumping in the cold To keep warm, Koreans will stand quietly in sneakers and unbuttoned jackets, without hats. Apparently they are frost-resistant. We are not.

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Our results

Three months flew by very quickly, I can say that I didn’t breathe enough of Korea, but during this time we:

1. received a green belt in taekwondo (we studied with the Korean champion in taekwondo and his students);
2. learned several “vital” phrases, such as: strawberries are delicious, eat more, I’m smart, thank you, hello, beauty, soju, please;
3. went to Jeju Island;
4. visited the stadium where the FIFA World Cup was held in 2002, and also went to a football match in the Asian Champions League;
5. I ended up in a newspaper in the city of Gimhae and in a video about a strawberry farm, which was filmed by one of the three most popular channels in Korea, and my husband was published on the website of the administration of the city of Gimhae;
6. We went to Asian karaoke for the first time (when you sing in a separate room only with your group of friends) and it was divine. I found out that I have an excellent voice and that I don’t sing badly, as I thought all my life (after I was kicked out of the choir in elementary school); tried on national clothes - hanbok;
7. we went to a mini-island near Seoul - one of the most popular dating places for Korean lovers;
8. saw the cherry blossoms;
9. I fell in love with Korea my whole life.

In this country there is a sense of care towards the population, even in the smallest details. When I left, I left here a piece of my heart that I already miss. I really hope that this is not our last visit to the country of Han (the old name of Korea).

Would you like to visit Korea? And if so, why?

P.S. My memories of Korea .

Do you know about South Korea? Well, at least the fact that the official name of this country is “Republic of Korea”, and only thanks to the media we have become accustomed to its unofficial name “South Korea”. You should definitely find out more about her!

Covering an area of ​​only 100,210 km², this country, although small, is, as you will understand from our article, an amazing and unexpectedly diverse place that boasts many impressive achievements!

You may have heard about the country's highly efficient economy, cutting-edge technology and influential pop culture, but in reality, South Korea is more than just Samsung and Gangnam Style.

If you are interested in learning about this country, then keep reading because this post may open you up to South Korea in a way you never imagined. From an obsession with cosmetics to problems with the number “4” and fans, you will read these 25 interesting facts about the Republic of Korea in one sitting!

25. South Korean men are literally obsessed with cosmetics. They spend a lot of money on cosmetic products (particularly makeup) to improve their appearance.

By the way, South Korean men occupy first place in the world in the list of consumers of cosmetic skin care products per capita, 4 times ahead of Denmark (who took second place)!

24. When it comes to appearance and beauty, South Korea also ranks first in the world in the number of plastic surgeries per capita. The USA, for example, is in 4th place - after Brazil and Thailand.

23. South Korea has a very unusual approach to age. Every child born in the country is immediately considered one year old, and on the New Year following the birth according to the lunar calendar, he turns 2 years old. Moreover, 100 days after birth, a grand celebration is held for the baby.

22. The Republic of Korea is one of the most urbanized and densely populated countries in the world, but it also boasts amazing natural beauty.

For example, Jeju Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is known for its magnificent cliffs and unique nature.

21. South Korea is a world leader in Internet quality, providing the highest average Internet connection speed today. Almost 92.4% of the population are Internet users.

20. The video with the famous song "Gangnam Style" by South Korean musician PSY became the first video on YouTube to reach 1 billion views.

19. South Korea is known for its distinctive cuisine, largely based on seafood, but few people know that more than 90% of the seaweed consumed in the world comes from the people of this country.

18. South Korea is known for its practice of "crime reenactment." Citizens suspected of crimes such as rape or murder are brought in handcuffs to the scene of the crime and ordered to publicly recount the events.

To make this procedure even more humiliating, media representatives are invited to photograph what is happening and publish the details of this crime.

17. Most restaurants in South Korea (including fast food places like McDonald's) provide food delivery services, carried out by motorcycle couriers who are notorious for almost always speeding to deliver orders on time.

After you finish your meal, you can simply leave the dirty dishes outside the door and the delivery driver will come pick them up later.

16. In South Korea, there is a common misconception known as “death by fan.” Many people in this country think that leaving a fan on all night indoors can cause death.

The origin of this misunderstanding is still unclear, but fear of this electrical device gripped South Koreans almost immediately after its first appearance in Korea in the 1920s.

15. The Seoul metropolitan area, known as the Seoul Capital Region, is home to more than 25 million people, making Seoul the third largest city in the world.

14. South Koreans love kimchi, a Korean traditional spicy side dish made from pickled (fermented) vegetables. There are about 250 different variations of this dish - from kimchi with cabbage to kimchi with radishes or cucumbers.

13. South Korea is the absolute world leader in alcohol consumption per capita - more than 11 shots per week (one shot ≈ 44 ml). This figure is twice that of Russia.

12. Although South Korea has a very high standard of living, suicide is a serious and widespread problem. In fact, the country has the second highest suicide rate in the world, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

11. Despite its proximity to North Korea, a notorious aggressor, South Korea is one of the safest and calmest countries in the world. It has an extremely low crime rate, and in addition, it has very strict laws that practically exclude the possibility of purchasing weapons.

10. The color of a taxi in South Korea depends on the level of services provided. White or gray taxis are regular cars with skilled but potentially inexperienced drivers, while black taxis are luxury cars with experienced drivers.

9. Many South Koreans suffer from tetraphobia, an irrational fear of the number “4”. In hospitals and public buildings there is almost always no floor with this number. In other buildings, the fourth floor in elevators is sometimes indicated by the letter "F" instead of the number "4". They also try to avoid designations of apartment numbers containing more than one four (such as, for example, 404).

8. Just like the number 4 question, South Koreans are very superstitious when it comes to writing things in red. The color red in this country symbolizes death, and if you write someone's name in red, it will mean that you either want them dead or think that they will die soon.

7. Despite increasing controversy and criticism over the past few years, dog meat continues to be eaten in South Korea. This tradition, which dates back 2,000 years, still persists in the country, but as more and more South Koreans refuse to eat dogs, it may eventually disappear.

6. Until February 2015, adultery was illegal in South Korea for 62 years. Early last year, the country's Constitutional Court overturned a law that made treason a crime and considered a violation of the constitution.

5. Residents of Seoul are among the least sleep-deprived people in the world. On average, a resident of the capital sleeps less than 6 hours a day, which, along with residents of Tokyo, is the least in the world.

4. Every July, the city of Boryeong (200 km south of Seoul) hosts perhaps the world's largest Mud Festival.

During the festival, many different competitions, competitions and mud fights are organized, as well as mud massage sessions and mud treatments.

Founded in 1998, the Boryeong Mud Festival attracts millions of visitors to the city.

3. Many South Koreans believe that blood type reflects a person's personal qualities. They take it very seriously - just like Westerners who believe in horoscopes.

2. Samsung Corporation alone accounts for 20% of South Korea's $1.1 trillion economy. While most people think that Samsung only makes electronics, the company is also involved in construction, automobile manufacturing, armored vehicles, tankers, door locks, medical equipment, household chemicals, clothing and much more.

1. South Koreans prefer heated floors, called “ondol” (translated as “warm cavities”), to conventional heating devices. Heat is transferred through pipes located under the floor.

This heating system was invented during the Goguryeo Dynasty (37 BC - 668 AD), but remains very common today, heating more than 90% of homes in the country. Therefore, South Koreans often eat, sleep and watch TV on warm floors.

South Korea is one of the most developed Asian countries. This country is one of the world's main suppliers of computer equipment, along with mighty China. It is located next to the most closed state in the world - the DPRK, or North Korea. The country was divided during a civil conflict, and so much time has passed since then that North and South Koreans can rightfully be considered different, albeit related, peoples.

1. Koreans believe that the founder of their country was the son of a woman and a bear.
2. Residents of South Korea, according to official data, have the highest level of intelligence among the entire population of the Earth.
3. South Korea is home to the most visited Christian temple in the world - the Full Gospel Church receives about 20 thousand parishioners weekly.
4. South Korea is one of the five largest automakers in the world, and also ranks first in the construction of ships.
5. Seoul National University staff were the first scientists to clone a dog.
6. There is room for more than two dozen national parks in South Korea.
7. The largest building on the Korean Peninsula is the residence of the President of South Korea, which is called the Blue House.
8. Video game competitions, like the concept of eSports itself, originated in South Korea.
9. Korea is the birthplace of the martial art of taekwondo.
10. South Koreans are partial to alcohol; local cuisine even has a special “hangover soup” made with pork broth. Drinking alcoholic beverages is accompanied by a lot of conventions - for example, it is indecent to pour alcohol into your glass, and the older person in the group will certainly drink first.
11. South Koreans have an extremely negative attitude towards red ink - it is believed that if you write a person’s name in red, misfortune or even death awaits him in the near future. The reason for this superstition is that in the past the names of the dead were written in red on gravestones.
12. In South Korea, there is a special culture of handshakes, according to which you can only greet peers or friends with one hand, and to greet respected or older people, you need to use both hands and bow slightly.
13. Private educational institutions are widespread in South Korea, and the quality of education is very high. Parents of South Korean schoolchildren spend $17 billion annually on the education of their offspring. Teaching is a prestigious profession; a truly good teacher in a private school can earn several million a year.
14. Despite its apparent prosperity, South Korea has the highest suicide rate in the world.
15. The city of Suwon has an unusual amusement park entirely dedicated to toilets. You can visit this place for free.
16. Plastic surgery is very popular in South Korea - many parents give their daughters a trip to the surgeon as a graduation present. One of the latest fashion trends is the artificial lifting of the corners of the lips, which creates the illusion of a permanent light smile.
17. In South Korea they hold their own bullfights, but the bulls fight not with people, but with their own kind. The fight is considered over when one of the animals leaves the arena.
18. South Korean scientists have developed a special robot to combat jellyfish that interfere with fishing and recreation of tourists.
19. Almost the entire population of South Korea (90%) has some vision problems since birth.
20. South Koreans believe that a person's essence is closely related to his blood type. Based on this indicator, decisions are often made about the success or failure of a marriage.
21. South Korea has its own system for calculating a person's age - in this country it is customary to count the year a child spends in the womb, and then add age at each calendar change of year.
22. The most common Korean surname is Kim.
23. Korean Cha Sa Soon was able to pass the theoretical part of the driver's license exam after 950 unsuccessful attempts. When she finally achieved success, she was 69 years old.

South Korea is a mysterious Asian country - what is it like? Some people fly there to buy a new car, while others fly there to go skiing. Haven't been there yet? Then our list of interesting facts.

1. Korea is a paradise for shopaholics: there are stock hypermarkets, shopping areas, and local markets. All Koreans, without exception, buy famous brands. And meeting a granny here wearing Ray Ban glasses and a Prada bag is the standard.
2. High prices for alcohol do not stop locals from going to a bar after work and having a drink with friends. It is curious that Koreans do not consider themselves a nation prone to drinking, but in the evening you can meet many drunk people on the streets of Seoul.
   
   
3. Koreans are active in sports, but especially love baseball and golf. This is due to the enormous influence of the United States in the early 20th century on Korea.
   
   
4. It was in Korea that LG and Samsung appeared, which greatly affected the lifestyle of local residents. Children, youth, and old people are constantly on their phones.
   
   
5. In the land of gadgets, phones are sold under contracts: you can buy an iPhone for a hundred dollars and pay $25 every month for communication. But if you don't have a Korean ID, you won't be able to buy anything. These are the cyber security rules: residents are allowed up to 5 smartphones, those with a residence permit - 2, foreign students - 1.
   
   
6. Korea loves nature very much and every piece of land in the concrete jungle of Seoul turns into a green park. In general, there are more than 20 national parks located in the country’s territory of only 100,000 square kilometers.
   
   
7. South Korea has a large concentration of workaholics: every Korean is given 14 days a year to rest, and after 2 years of work, you can accumulate 25 vacation days. Only more than half of the population cancels vacation due to work. Here the most important thing in life is education and career.
   
   
8. Koreans are great dance lovers: they dance in the subway, on the streets, in shopping centers.
   
   
9. Koreans eat a lot and variety, almost not limiting themselves to one dish. At the same time, meeting an overweight Korean is very rare.
   
   
10. There are no stray dogs in Korea. Local residents prefer small pocket dogs and, contrary to myths, do not eat dog meat.
    
    

And now is the time to find

South Korea is one of the most popular countries for tourism in all of Asia. This is not surprising considering that South Korea has a large number of historical monuments, Buddhist monasteries, temples and pagodas. Tourists in this country will find ski resorts, beautiful mountains, waterfalls on rivers, and long sandy beaches.

South Korea is located in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. In the north, South Korea borders on North Korea, in the east (across the Sea of ​​Japan) on Japan, and on the west (across the Yellow Sea) on China. The total area of ​​the country is 99,392 square meters. km, including the islands, and the total length of the state border is 238 km.

Most of the territory of South Korea is occupied by mountains and hills. The highest peak is Mount Hallasan, whose height reaches 1,950 m. Plains and lowlands make up only about 30% of the country's territory, they are located in the west and southeast of South Korea.

South Korea owns about 3 thousand islands, most of them are very small and uninhabited. The largest island of this country is Jeju, located 100 km from the southern coast.

The capital of South Korea is Seoul, which is now home to more than 10.5 million people. Historians claim that Seoul existed already in the 4th century BC.

The official language in South Korea is Korean, which belongs to the Altaic languages.

More than 46% of the South Korean population consider themselves atheists. Another 29.2% of South Koreans are Christians (18.3% are Protestants, 10.9% are Catholics), and more than 22% are Buddhists.

According to the current Constitution, South Korea is a parliamentary republic. Its head is the President, elected for 5 years.

The unicameral parliament in South Korea is called the National Assembly, it consists of 299 deputies elected for a 4-year term.

The main political parties are the conservative Saenuri Party, the United Democratic Party, and the Liberal Forward Party.

The climate in South Korea is very diverse - continental and humid monsoon, with cold winters and hot summers. The average air temperature is +11.5C. The highest average air temperature is in August (+31C), and the lowest is in January (-10C). The average annual precipitation is 1,258 mm.

In the east, South Korea is washed by the warm waters of the Sea of ​​Japan, and in the west by the Yellow Sea. The total coastline is 2,413 km. In August, the water off the coast of South Korea warms up to +26-27C.

Most of the rivers in South Korea are located in the eastern part of the country. Many rivers flow into the Yellow Sea. The largest river in South Korea is the Nakdong River. Some rivers have amazingly beautiful waterfalls (for example, in Cheongjeyeonpokpo Nature Park).

As such, the history of South Korea begins in 1948, when the previously united Korea was divided into two states - the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and the DPRK. According to mythology, the Korean state was formed in 2333 BC.

In 1950-53, there was a war between South Korea and the DPRK, in which the USA, China, the USSR and even the UN took an active part. A peace treaty between these countries has not yet been signed, and their border is divided by the Demilitarized Zone.

South Korea was admitted to the UN only in 1991.

The culture of South Korea is based on the centuries-old cultural traditions of the Korean people. The traditions and customs of the people of South Korea are unique, unless, of course, you take into account North Korea (and this, of course, is impossible).

The most important holiday in South Korea is the Sol holiday, which is considered to reflect the Chinese New Year.

In winter, South Koreans celebrate the Hwacheon Mountain Trout Festival and the Inje Icefish Festival.

At the end of March, Gyeongju hosts the annual Liquor and Rice Cake Festival, and in April (or May) South Koreans celebrate Buddha's Birthday. At the end of May, Koreans celebrate the Chungju Martial Arts Festival.

In September-October every year, South Koreans celebrate the Chuseok harvest festival. These days, Koreans take a short break from work to visit the graves of their ancestors.

South Korean cuisine is based on ancient Korean culinary traditions. The main foods are rice, seafood, fish, vegetables, meat.

In South Korea, we recommend trying rice porridge, rice with vegetables, kimchi (sauerkraut or pickled cabbage), potato cakes, seafood soup, various fish soups, squid and octopus dishes, bulgogi (Korean kebabs), fried pork ribs , Khodukwachzha cookies.

Traditional non-alcoholic drinks in South Korea include rice and barley water, as well as decoctions and infusions of herbs and spices.

As for alcoholic drinks, local rice wine and soju rice liquor are popular in South Korea.

Remember that "boshingtang" is dog soup. The South Korean government is making attempts to ban the preparation of this dish, but so far it has been unsuccessful. The dish "boshingtang" is usually consumed by South Koreans in the summer. South Korean men claim that this dish promotes stamina.

In South Korea there are now several thousand historical, architectural and archaeological monuments. In terms of the number of attractions, South Korea ranks one of the first in all of Asia. Some South Korean attractions are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List (for example, the Seokguram Buddhist Temple). In our opinion, the top ten best attractions in South Korea may include the following:

1. Gyeongbokgung Royal Palace in Seoul
2. Hwaseong Fortress
3. Bulguksa Buddhist Monastery
4. Bulguksa Buddhist Temple
5. Seokguram Cave Buddhist Temple
6. Deoksugung Palace in Seoul
7. Tombs of the Li Dynasty at Gwangneung
8. Changdeokgung Royal Palace in Seoul
9. Posingak Bell Tower in Senul
10. Henchhunsa Shrine near Asan

The largest cities in South Korea are Busan, Incheon, Daegu, Gwangju, Daejeon and, of course, Seoul.

The best beach resorts in South Korea are located on the shores of the Sea of ​​Japan. The most popular beaches on the shores of the Sea of ​​Japan are Gyeongpodae near the city of Gangneung and Naksan near the town of Chongjin. Most of the beaches are surrounded by beautiful pine forests. The beach season in South Korea is very short - from July to August.

Another popular place for a beach holiday in South Korea is Jeju Island, located 100 km from the Korean Peninsula. We also recommend that tourists pay attention to the beaches of Ganghwa Island in the Yellow Sea.

There are many ski resorts in South Korea that are popular among Asians. These ski resorts have a well-developed skiing infrastructure, and, in addition, prices there are much lower than, for example, in Europe. The most popular ski resorts in South Korea are Muju, Yangji, Yeonpyeong, Bears Town and Chisan Forest.

The skiing season is from late November to mid-March. Some ski resorts use artificial snow, so skiing is possible all year round.

There are many thermal and hot springs in South Korea. Tourists are recommended to visit the Yenphen resort in the east of the country, where there are excellent hot springs, the water temperature of which is +49C. By the way, tourists will also find good ski slopes at this ski resort.

Tourists from South Korea usually bring folk art items, lamps, bookends, traditional Korean folk masks, dolls in traditional Korean clothes, Korean tea cups, necklaces, hair clips, bracelets, blankets, scarves, Korean sweets, Korean tea, Korean white wine.

Banks:
Mon-Fri: 09:00-16:00

Supermarkets are open daily from 10:30 to 20:00 (close later on weekends).