Geographic Location
• East Asia
• Southern portion of the Korean Peninsula
• The country is largely mountainous, with small valleys and narrow coastal plains.
• Its total area is 100,032 square kilometers.
• South Korea can be divided into four general regions:
1. an eastern region of high mountain ranges; narrow coastal plains
2. a western region of broad coastal plains, river basins, and rolling hills
3. a southwestern region of mountains and valleys
4. a southeastern region dominated by the broad basin of the Nakdong River
Language
• Korean is the official language of South Korea and is classified by most linguists as a language isolate.
• Korean incorporates a number of words that are Chinese in origin.
• Korean spoken in South Korea uses a significant number of loan words from English and other European languages.
Traditional meals in Korea
• Kimchi (one of the most traditional meals in Korea)
• Sushi (my favourite J)
• Classic Korean Bibimbap
• Mandoo (Korean Dumplings)
• Soft Tofu Stew
Nationwide Traditions
Some traditional holidays:
1.) Korean New Year’s Day, or “Seollal,” is celebrated on the first day of the Korean lunar calendar.
2.) Memorial Day is celebrated on 6 June, and its purpose is to honor the men and women who died in South Korea’s independence movement.
3.) Constitution Day is on 17 July, and it celebrates the promulgation of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea.
• Koreans have two birthdays: their Korean birthday, which is celebrated on Seollal, the Lunar New Year, and their actual birthday, which is observed on their day of birth.
• Koreans start the morning of Seollal with a bowl of tteokguk, a tasty soup of disc-shaped rice cakes in a clear broth. (The Koreans thought that the white rice cakes symbolize purity, and the custom itself was believed to bring good fortune for the upcoming year.)
• Korean values include obedience to family, hard work, protection of the family, and proper decorum among family members.
Gestures and Communication
• Generally indirect and quite verbose.
• Tend to rely less on words and are attentive to a speaker’s posture, expression and tone of voice to draw meaning
Greetings in Korea
1.) It’s always best to be introduced by a third party, and the higher the status of the introducer, the better.
2.) To greet another person, simply look at them, bow, say “annyeonghaseyo,” and shake their hand.
3.) Maintain eye contact
Verbal Communication in Korea
1.) Calling someone by their first name is considered rude in South Korea. Instead, refer to each person by their last name and their job title.
Etiquette
Meeting and Greeting
• The bow is the traditional Korean greeting, although it is often accompanied by a handshake among men.
Name and Titles
• Address Koreans using appropriate professional titles
Body Language
• Body contact is considered a personal violation in Korea, whether it is done by or to a relative or close friend.
Avoid touching, patting or back-slapping a Korean.
• Do not cross your legs or stretch your legs out straight in front of you. Keep your feet on the floor, never on a desk or chair.
Dining and Entertainment
• It is polite to pass or accept food or drink with your right hand while your left hand supports your forearm/wrist.
• The person who invites pays the bill for everyone. However, it is polite to offer to pay. When two people are dining, usually, the younger person pays for the older person.
• Koreans do not like to talk a lot during dinner. Periods of silence are common and appreciated at a dinner.
Dating and Marriage
Wedding process in Korea:
Pre-wedding:
During the ceremony, a kireogi or a wild goose is presented to the prospective groom. The groom is expected to bow twice before presenting the kireogi to his future mother-in-law. This Korean tradition is respected as a symbol of harmony and structure.
The Korean Wedding Ceremony:
During the Korean wedding ceremony, vows are taken in the kunbere ceremony. Both bride and groom wear the traditional hanbok, a traditional Korean dress specially designed for the ceremony. The hanbok represents thousands of years of tradition and is usually made of lightweight material with bright colors, simple lines, and no pockets.
Pyebaek:
Pyebaek is a traditional Korean wedding custom that is held a few days after the official ceremony, with only family members present. Here, the bride and groom don traditional Korean garb and perform a deep bow to their parents in unison.
Dressing
• Koreans dress well on formal occasions.
• To show respect to others, a formal suit and tie is almost always appropriate.
• The traditional dress in Korea is called the Hanbok.
Men:
A man’s hanbok consists of jeorgori (jacket) and baggy pants that are called baji.
Woman:
Women’s traditional hanbok consists of jeogori, which is a shirt or a jacket, and chima dress, which is a wrap-around skirt that is usually worn full.
Something I personally found interesting – Health in Korea
• I was surprised that South Korea actually has a universal healthcare system that has been rated the second-best healthcare system in the world
• Life expectancy has been rising rapidly, and South Korea was ranked 11th in the world for life expectancy at 82.3 years by the WHO in 2015. It also has the third highest health-adjusted life expectancy in the world.
My Thoughts
• If I had to adapt to the culture of South Korea, it wouldn’t be too overwhelming of a task for me because I actually find the Korean culture interesting after my research.
• I would consider and worry about my basic needs before I consider my interpersonal relationships (basic needs include: shelter, food,)
• It would be a bit hard for me to adapt to some of the traditional etiquettes in Korea, as some of them are quite strict. For example, bows and handshakes are some professional greeting methods that I don’t practice much in Canada.
• Language skill, which ties into communication, is another thing that I would lack if I were asked to adapt to the environment in Korea. Learning a language isn’t easy; it takes time to process so much knowledge, but I believe that my endeavour will end with a positive result.
• Food culture in Korea really catches my attention, and I think I am quite used to these favours because I often go to and enjoy Korean restaurants in Canada.
Ladner, Mimsie. “Traditions Only Koreans Can Understand.” Culture Trip, The Culture Trip, 7 Feb. 2017, theculturetrip.com/asia/south-korea/articles/traditions-only-koreans-can-understand/.
“Resources.” Commisceo Global Consulting Ltd., www.commisceo-global.com/resources/country-guides/south-korea-guide.
“Daily Life and Social Customs.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/place/South-Korea/Daily-life-and-social-customs.
