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.