Every culture in this world is interesting to explore which shows the beliefs, values, norms, and customs of the people. Let’s discover South Korean culture and know more about them.
Korean Age is Different From the International Age
Normally, we register ourselves according to international age but Koreans determine their age with another method. Are you excited to know more about it?
Then, visit to know more about Korean age: WHAT IS YOUR KOREAN AGE?
Show Respect by Bowing
Is Pakistani culture, we hug each whenever we meet or bid a goodbye. We continue doing so on special occasions, festivals and other celebrations but Koreans are somewhat different. Alternatively, they bow to show respect and greet others. Yes! They do hug each other but that’s the case for couples, close friends and family members when they are bidding goodbye.
Gaming Culture
It is no hidden fact that South Korea is among the technologically advanced countries. So, the population of South Korea gains a huge benefit from it because their gaming culture is really popular there. Playing game is not only common in children, teenagers but in adults too. They enjoy playing games and importantly, there are several online gaming centers which are earning huge profits from it. The gaming centers are known as ‘PC Bangs’ in South Korea.
Do I say, “Bless you?”
In Pakistan, we say ‘Alhumdulilah’ when we sneeze. Also, the other person, who sees us sneezing, gives their blessings but in South Korean culture, they do not say anything. Even if anybody sneezes in front of them, they are normal as nothing has happened.
Compulsory to Serve Military Service
Usually, people voluntary serve in military service but in South Korean culture, it is compulsory to serve in military service. For the purpose, every male who is between 18-35 years old, he has to enlist himself in military service for 21 months, once in his life. Interestingly, even the Korean drama celebrities do not get an exemption.
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Brushing After Every Meal
It is crucially important in South Korean culture to brushing your teeth after every meal because oral hygiene cannot be ignored. Therefore, long queues near sinks are common in public places. For the purpose, every Korean carries their toothbrush and toothpaste with them, everywhere.
Wait for the Green Light
The traffic lights are slow in South Korea and the people wait for the green light to cross the road. Once, the light is green, people rush to their destinations.
Top Educational System
South Korea is known for its brilliant education system but somehow it is also affecting its population, negatively. The students have busy schedules. They have long school hours and after that, they have to attend tuition centers. It does not end here! They have to do their homework and that’s why they stay late at night. According to several researches, the suicide rate is high in South Korea among teenagers because they face high-stress levels. Further, they are pressurized by the parents to score well to get admission in the best of the universities.
Moreover, there are study cafes in South Korea which denotes the hardworking in South Korean culture.
Read More: THE RISING STRESS IN TEENAGERS
Long Office Hours
South Korea is one of the rising nations in the world. The people of South Korea have made huge struggle and still, the people are working for long hours in the office. In Pakistan, we say 9 am to 5 pm job is really difficult but in South Korean culture, the worker has to work for 68 hours per week. As a result, South Korea’s economy is rising on the cost of worker’s health.
In 2018, a law was passed to reduce the workload to 52 hours but still, there is overtime on weekdays and weekends.
Live in Apartments
Apartment culture is common in a few cities of Pakistan. Else wise, the majority of us owns a house but South Korea people live in apartments because 70% of the land is covered with mountains. Therefore, people have no other option but to utilize the space well. Importantly, there is an electronic keypad as a security check where the person enters the pin code to enter the house.
Wearing Face Masks
From a few years, Pakistan is facing smog issues in winter and people are compelled to wear face masks. On the other hand, South Korean people wear face marks, often. It is due to high levels of pollution in South Korea and it is not safe to step out of the house. Even in the house, there is an air purifier. So, people wear masks to avoid any health issues. Apart from this, people wear faces mask when they are sick and do not want to make anyone sick around them. Also, they wear is a fashion accessory. Furthermore, they wear it in winters to keep their face warm because South Korea experiences deadly winters.
Eat It Every Day in South Korean Culture
In South Korean culture, there are three food items that every person consumes, daily. It includes kimchi, rice, and soup. Kimchi is made from vegetables added some spices whereas rice is regularly (staple food) consumed in breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Also, the soup sets the right combination with the meal (The soup is not the heavy one but just a broth.)
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Plastic Surgery
Pakistani people click pictures in different filters, use home remedies or apply some makeup to beautify themselves. Contradictory, South Korean culture has plastic surgery. Korean’s beauty expectations are higher and it is common to have plastic surgery there. Moreover, they feel proud to walk in the street with bandages on their face after the surgery. Some of the popular surgeries are eyelid surgery, jawline surgery, and anti-aging surgery, etc.
These are among the strange things of South Korean culture and if you know more of them, please do not hesitate to mention in the comment section below!
Keep visiting Mushwarah to know more about different cultures.
Find South Korean Smartphone: PHONEBOX
Great article, very informative. I love learning about other cultures, especially Korean culture because it’s so unknown in many countries. By the way, if you’re looking to travel to South Korea, you should definitely learn about what to expect and how to best plan your trip there. This might help you – https://joelstraveltips.com/traveling-to-south-korea/ 🙂