10 Things South Koreans Do Better Than Americans

Enjoy!

20 Interesting Facts about South Korea

1. The name “Korea” comes from Goryeo, which was the name given to the dynasty established by General Wang Geon in AD 918. Goryeo means “high and clear.” Some poetic interpretations of the name Korea are “Land of High Mountains and Sparkling Streams” and “Land of the Morning Calm.
2. Most restaurants, including McDonald’s, will deliver food straight to homes in South Korea.
3. South Koreans are obsessed with feces, and everything from turd-shaped cookies, phone charms, and an entire museum devoted to poop can be found in the country. Toilets across the country also feature pleasant flushing sounds, background music, and colored water.
4. In Korea, babies are considered one year old at birth.
5. Only 3.2% of South Koreans are overweight, which ties the country of Japan for the lowest percentage in the world.
6. South Korean men love makeup, spending close to US$900 million a year, or a quarter of the world’s men’s cosmetics. Up to 20% of the male Korean population is reported to use makeup regularly.
7. In South Korea, it is perfectly legal to drink alcohol in public. People can carry open containers of their favorite alcoholic beverage and even take a drink or two.
8. When a Korean’s name is written in red ink, this indicates that that person is about to die or is already dead.
9. South Koreans believe that leaving an electric fan on overnight will kill the person sleeping directly below it.
10. The microchips for Apple’s iPhones are made by the South Korean company Samsung.
11. On Jeju, South Korea’s largest island, giant stone statues known as dol hareubang (old grandfather) can be found along the beaches. Newlywed women believe that if they touch the statues’ long, broad, phallic-looking noses, they will be blessed with fertility.
12. South Koreans consider the number 4 as unlucky, and it is associated with death. This belief seems to have come from China.
13. More than 2 billion people have viewed the “Gangnam Style” music video of Korean K-pop artist Psy since 2011. It topped the charts in 30 countries around the world. World leaders including U.S. President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron have mimicked the dance. The song refers to the Gangnam District of Seoul.
14. South Korea is the largest market for plastic surgery per capita in the world. It is estimated between 1/5 and 1/3 of the women in Seoul have gone under the knife for at least one cosmetic procedure.
15. Group blind dating in South Korea is called “Meeting” or “So-getting” and is a very popular way for young university students to meet over dinner and drinks.
16. South Koreans enjoy showing off their relationship statuses publically. It is common to see couples holding hands, kissing, and even wearing matching outfits.
17. South Korea has the world’s fastest wireless speeds on the planet, with an average download speed 33.5 megabits per second, nearly three times the average speed of second-place Hong Kong. The country also has an average upload speed of 17 megabits per second. One hundred percent of South Koreans have broadband access.
18. South Koreans love Honey Butter Chips, which are potato chips flavored with honey and butter from France. Because shops run out of them so fast, raffles are held for a chance to buy a bag, and the chips can sell for up to US$100 a bag on eBay. McDonald’s even sold honey butter-flavored French fries in South Korea for a while.
19. South Koreans love shopping, and the country has some of the biggest shopping malls in the world. The stores are open until 4:00 in the morning, while most restaurants, bars, and cafes are open only until 11:00 p.m.
20. South Koreans love sweet potatoes so much that there is every possible dish flavored with sweet potato, including main courses, desserts, chips, latte, bread, salads, and sweet potato-topped pizza.

Seoul City Walking Tours - help you to understand the Korean culture deeper

Hey beloved readers, a good news for you guys. There is a free and attractive programme offered by the city of Seoul.

This programme is provided for those curious tourists who want to see Seoul’s top tourist attractions on foot under the expert guidance of multilingual tour guides.

Reservations for this program can be made via the internet and mobile web at dobo.visitseoul.net



Are you worry about losing direction?

Don't worry! "Seoul Cultural Tourism Volunteer Guides", the experts that are knowledgeable in Seoul's history and culture that are ready to help. They volunteer as guides to help visiting tourists understand Seoul in a deeper way.

Walking Tour Introduction

[About]
The programme themes:

• Historic-Culture area
• Traditional Cultural area
• Modern Culture area
• Environmental and Ecological Restoration area
• Traditional Market area
• Themed course on the Weekends

There are 23 different tours available with a program that is classified under six themes with twenty walking tour courses (the Gyeongbok Palace, the Changdeok Palace, Bukchon, Cheonggye stream, the Namsan fortress, Seonggyungwan, etc) and three permanent tours including 'Tong-Tong' course for Seoul City Hall.

[Operating Hours]

• Weekdays: 10 a.m., 2 p.m.
• Weekends: 10 a.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m.

Gentle reminder: Please be advised the time for opening and closing of the courses are available at detail content view.

[Number of Participants]

• Individual: Up to 10 people
• Group: 11 or more people

Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung tours are advised for 21 or more people.

[Language]

Don't afraid of communication problem. You can talk to them in Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese language.

[Fee]

Worry about the money exchange rate? It is FREE for this tour. You only have to pay for the admission fees to the royal palaces & fees for cultural experience programs, etc. and must be paid for separately.) 

Walking Tour Reservation Information

[Making Reservations]

Reservations must be made online at least 3 days in advance

• All reservations can be made on the Visit Seoul mobile website (m.dobo.visitseoul.net)
• As tour guides are volunteers, there may be instances in which a certain tour may not be available because a volunteer tour guide is unavailable for that tour date or time.
• Spots fill up quickly on weekends, holidays, and during peak season (April, May, September, October), so if you would like to make a reservation during this time, please consider reserving in advance.
• Reservations for groups of 50 or more must be made at least 2 weeks in advance.
• For Seoul Cultural Tourism Volunteer Guide Permanent Tours, please contact the tour sites directly.

[Viewing / Cancelling Reservations]

• Your reservation details will be sent to you via mobile text message and e-mail. You can also view your reservation details on the "View / Cancel Reservation" page on the website and mobile web, or on your My Seoul page.
• Changes cannot be made to a reservation once it has been made. If you would like to change your reservation, please cancel your reservation first and make a new reservation.
• If you would like to cancel your reservation, you may do so on the website or mobile website up to 24 hours in advance. If it is less than 24 hours in advance, you may cancel via phone or e-mail up to 6PM. After 6PM the tour cannot be cancelled, so please cancel in advance.
• If a tour guide has to cancel or adjust the tour or time due to personal reasons, we ask for your understanding.

[Meeting Place]

Meet at the designated meeting place for each tour. 

Seoul Cultural Tourism Volunteer Guide Permanent Tours
Namsangol Hanok Village
Languages: Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese
Hours of Guided Tours: 10:30, 12:00, 14:00, 15:30
Fee: Free
Closed: Every Tuesday
Phone: +82-2-2264-4412
Transportation: Take subway line 3 or 4 to Chungmuro Station. Go out exit 3 or 4 and walk about 5 minutes along the road between Dongguk University Chungmuro Media Center and Maeil Business Newspaper.

War Memorial of Korea
Languages: Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese
Hours of Guided Tours: 10:00~17:00
Fee: Free
Closed: Every Monday (except for when the Monday falls on an extended holiday,
in which case the tours resume regular business hours, and tours do not operate on
the day after the last day of the extended holiday.)
Phone: +82-2-709-3139
Transportation: Take subway line 4 to Samgakji Station. Go out exit 1 and walk about 5 minutes.

Contact Information 
Weekdays: Seoul City Walking Tours Office / Hours of Operation: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
(Closed 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.) Phone: +82-2-6925-0777 Fax : +82-2-3788-0899
E-mail : dobo@seoulwelcome.com
Weekends & Holidays: DASAN Call Center / Hours of Operation: 9 a.m. – 10 p.m.
DASAN Call Center(Tel : 02-120)

SPECIAL THANKS TO
visitseoul.net for the detailed information

9 Things to Know Before Travelling to Korea

Visiting South Korea for the first time? Arm yourself with these useful tips and travel information.

(1) Language

The official local language is of course Korean. However, be prepared that most of the vendors do not speak English, even in touristy areas. If you’re a Chinese, you can still understand a little as they know a few Chinese characters like the price of their merchandises. If you’re not, you may have to start doing some hand language with them.

Unfortunately, most of the locals can only understand a little bit of English and they can hardly converse with you in English.


(2) Money matters

Each KRW1,000 is about MYR4. My friend taught me to simply divide the Korean won by 250. KRW10,000 would be of course around MYR40.


(3) Public Transport



Trains arrive on time and on a frequent basis. If you purchase the Korea T-money card, which is our touch-n-go card equivalent, each ride would mostly cost KRW1, 250 unless you go slightly further, then it will add another KRW100-300. You have to tap in and out of the gantries when you board the train.

I was told that that cabs here are pretty cheap too. But avoid black cabs here as they can be quite expensive. Take those orange/silver ones.


(4) Public toilets and hygiene

There are quite a number of public toilets wherever we go, and to my pleasant surprise they are generally clean. You can also often find toilet paper in public toilets. On the other hand, it is extremely difficult to find dustbins around so you may have to carry your trash for quite a distance before you find one bin.


(5) Weather

Children play in a fountain to cool down on a hot summer day in front of the General Lee Soon-shin statue in Gwanghwamun, Seoul

The period from late July to early August can be seriously hot. The government even announced a heat wave warning. So my friend recommends us to come during spring, which is between April and June. September’s cooling weather is great too.

If you’re here in July, make sure you bring lots of sunblock and aloe vera gel to defend yourself against the merciless sun! You can barely open your eyes if you don’t wear a cap, the sun was just so glaring.


(6) Drinking Water

My friend Carolyn also mentioned that the tap water here in Korea is drinkable. If you still do not feel safe about it, you can purchase bottles of water from their convenience stores or vending machines. They should not cost more than KRW1,500 unless you are in tourist areas.


(7) Travel and Korea metro apps

For first time travellers, travel apps are really useful. The train maps might look daunting because it’s so complicated, and it surely doesn’t help when there are Korean words on it, making it look even scarier. You’ll be glad to know that train line map apps like Seoul Metro and Busan Metro Map will save your life here in Korea. For more travelling and food tips, they also have a VisitKorea app that is pretty useful too!

Seoul Metro App

VisitKorea App

(8) Travelling to and fro Seoul and Busan

You can take the Korea’s High-speed Train (KTX) to travel to and fro Busan and Seoul, which takes only about 2 hour and 45 minutes. Visitkorea website has very extensive information on this. All in all, it was a breeze and very comfortable to take the KTX, and there’s even Wi-Fi on board.

They do sell snacks on the train, but you are also free to buy your snacks before boarding and enjoy them while on board.

(9) Shopping places in Seoul

I only know a few shopping places in Seoul, and they are:

• Myeongdong: Best shopping place for girls and fashionistas. Lots of cosmetics stores.
• Namdaemun: For wholesale shopping. Not much trendy items here though.
• Dongdaemun: More of affordable clothing, street market style like Bangkok.
• Insadong: Cultural place, more for souvenirs.
• Garosugil: Trendy cafe streets. High end designer clothing.
• Express bus terminal underground shopping: A variety of both cheap and expensive apparels.

Most of these shopping districts close at 10pm.

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I guess that’s about it. I really hope you will find this simple travel guide to Korea useful, and I’ll be excited for you if you choose to visit Korea! There are many things to see, do and eat here that you’ll be packed with many fun activities every single day. Never stop travelling and exploring!

♥

12 fascinating Korean festivals

Mountain Trout Ice Festival (화천 산천어축제)

Each year throughout January, visitors are welcomed to celebrate the beautiful scenery of crystal clear ice and amazing white snow at Hwacheon, Gangwon Province. The Mountain Trout Ice Festival features exciting activities for families, travelers and couples. Its special activities include mountain trout ice fishing, snow sledding, ice sculpture and many more programs.
Visit: http://www.narafestival.com/01_icenara



Jindo Sea parting Festival (진도 신비의 바닷길축제)

A few times during the year, the sea around Jindo in South Jeolla Province parts and visitors can walk along a narrow path through the sea from the mainland to a nearby island. This phenomenon, sometimes called the “Moses Miracle,” is caused by the tide. The path is approximately 2.8 kilometers long and is 40 to 60 meters wide. The next festival will be held on March 19. 

Visit: http://miraclesea.jindo.go.kr/

Hampyeong Butterfly Festival (함평나비축제)

The Hampyeong Butterfly Festival is celebrated each year around the end of April in Hampyeong, South Jeolla Province. Visitors can experience thousands of different butterflies at the Hampyeong Butterfly Festival. In the fresh spring weather, visitors can walk through fields of wild flowers and observe the butterflies in their natural habitat. They can also observe rare butterflies up close and learn about ecology. 

Visit: http://inabi.or.kr/2008_hpm/hpm01/m1index.php

Damyang Bamboo Festival (담양대나무축제)

Damyang-gun in South Jeolla Province, known for its rich green forests, celebrates its bamboo festival each year at Juknokwon for five consecutive days in early May. The ecosystem is known for its spectacular scenery which contains lots of bamboo, other trees and cultural sites. More than 1.2 million tourists visited Damyang for the 2009 Festival. The festival includes orchestral concerts, traditional music, riding pedaloes, fishing and lots more. 

Visit: http://www.bamboofestival.co.kr/

Muju Firefly Festival (무주반딧불축제)

Don’t miss this magical experience. As the sky darkens, thousands of fireflies light up the sky with their beautiful natural illumination. The firefly festival is held each year in mid-June in Muju, North Jeolla Province. Fireflies are considered to be very special and are designated as one of Korea’s natural monuments. Activities include a nighttime “fireflies exploration event,” a chance to experience fireflies’ natural environment and trout fishing. 

Visit: http://firefly.or.kr/main.html

Boryeong Mud Festival (보령머드축제)

Boryeong has beautiful scenery with mountains and beaches. Its mud festival takes place on Daecheon beach. Participants slap on mud packs made from Boryeong mud, which is claimed to be a great way to improve your skin tone with its high level of minerals, germanium and bentonite. Other exciting activities include mud wrestling, the “mud king” contest, fireworks and slides greased with mud. This is one of the most popular festivals among Korea’s foreign community. There are International nighttime events such as hip hop and dance parties. “Boryeong Mud Festival” takes place in mid July each year. 

Visit: http://mudfestival.or.kr

Andong International Mask dance Festival (안동탈춤축제)

The Andong International Mask Dance Festival is held around the end of September each year. At one of the venues, Hahoe Folk Village, Korea’s vibrant traditional performing art is still a part of everyday life. The main venue is in nearby Andong, a city in North Gyeongsang Province. Visitors can not only enjoy Korea’s talchum (Korean masked dances), but there are also international masked performances. After the sun sets, enjoy Hahoe’s highlight performance “Seonyujul Bulnori” where fireworks fall like rain, creating spectacular reflections on the river. 

Visit: http://www.maskdance.com/

Jinju Lantern Festival (진주남강유등축제) 

This is a very special festival with hundreds of stunning paper lanterns floating down the Nam River. The lanterns come in all shapes and sizes. In this particular festival which is usually held for more than a week after the first day of October, visitors can write wishes and attach them to lanterns. 

Visit http://www.yudeung.com/index.php

Cheongdo Bullfighting Festival (청도 소싸움축제)

In 2010 the bullfighting festival was held on March 17-21. This is an annual event and tickets are sold for an affordable price at approximately 4,000 to 5,000 won. The previous event had 132 matches and there were other activities including introductions to the cultural values of bullfighting. 

Visit: http://www.청도소싸움.kr/

Bongpyeong Cultural Festival (봉평 메밀꽃축제)

Bongpyeong Cultural festival is surrounded each autumn by beautiful buckwheat flowers. The flowers are often associated in Korea with remembering your first love, an idea that comes from a famous novel “When the Buckwheat Flower is About to Blossom” by Lee Hyo-seok. The story takes place right at the location of the festival at Bongpyeong, Gangwon-do province. The event takes place on Sept. 3-21. The main purpose of this festival is to appreciate the natural beauty of Bongpyeong by welcoming visitors and sharing different cultural experiences. 

Visit: http://www.hyoseok.com/html/index.asp

Boseong Green Tea Festival (보성 녹차축제)

Each year Boseong celebrates its tea industry and culture by promoting the Boseong Green Tea Festival. This festival is held May 1-5. There are a variety of activities such as making tea and learning about tea culture. Next year, the city will celebrate the 37th Boseong Green Tea Festival. Visit: http://dahyang.boseong.go.kr/dahyang2005/

Icheon Ceramic Festival (이천 도자기축제)

The Icheon Ceramic Festival is another exciting annual event. There are lots of lessons and experiences to try out. Intriguing programs range from making your own ceramics to learning methods of drinking tea. Other events include ceramic exhibitions, sales and performances. This event usually lasts from second week of May until the first week of June. 

Visit: http://www.ceramic.or.kr/