75 Things No One Tells You About Korea

Hey guys, this is your friendly internet big sister, Gina Bear reporting to you for duty. I lived abroad in both Japan and South Korea for almost a decade. After being in Asia so long I began to think… What are some things no one tells you about Korea? What are some things I wish people would have told me? Well, I’ve complied the most juicy list full of things no one ever tells you from the good, the bad, and the downright ugly.

Sometimes, Korea be living in the year 3033 with their unique inventions and technology advances. You’ll see brand new shiny building and also buildings that are older than the United States and Canada combined. You’ll see them make leaps and bounds. Other times you’ll wonder if you’re living in 1950 the way some people still treat women like second class citizens. So here it is, my friends. Read on for everything you didn’t know about Korea.

Table of Contents

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1. Korea Is a Super Old Country

Korea is about 5,000 years old. Because The Land of The Morning Calm has thousands of years of history and culture, there is so much to learn. With beautiful grand palaces and amazing tours in Seoul, there’s never a dull moment. Throughout the country there are several UNESCO World Heritage sites, amazing mountains to climb, and delicious regional cuisines.

Korea is a country who remembers its past. I can quiz my middle school students on everything and anything that has happened in the last 100 years and they’ll tell me in detail what happened.

2. Korea is Tourist Friendly

Despite what other grumpy travelers may tell you, Korea is AMAZING when it comes to being tourist friendly. Because Korean entertainment is such a worldwide phenomenon, it has really contributed to tourism. In tourist hotspots in Seoul, you’ll find people called the Red Angels who are dressed in red and have an i on their clothing. They are seriously the BEST. For more information on solo female travel in Korea, click here.

3. Korea is Very Entertaining

Having a hobby is a great way to make new friends in Korea. There are a lot of restaurants, coffee shops, museums, free concerts, public events, meet ups, traditional events, celebrity sightings, night clubs and hobby clubs. As far as the nightlife goes, Seoul hosts a plethora of Top 100 Clubs in the World, which can be a lot of fun. Places like Hongdae are young and hip with many hole-in-the-wall bars and clubs. It transforms from a lighthearted shopping place during the day to a crowded, hectic party palace at night.

4. Korea is Safe

One of the things I absolutely love about South Korea is the safety. There are CCTVs almost everywhere. You can also leave your purse, wallet, phone, or laptop on the table and the chances of it getting stolen are slim to none. I can walk around late at night in Seoul and most people will not mess with me. The reason why I say most is because, yes, there have been times I felt unsafe as a woman in Seoul due to both Korean and foreign men.

5. Most Buildings Have Keypads

What are keys? This is yet another example of Korea living in the year 3033. Most building doors have keyless entry. All you have to do is remember a four-digit code. Gone are the days where you lock yourself out of the house. If the power goes out, most keypads are battery operated. Once the batteries get low, the door will beep and let you in for an emergency until you can replace the batteries. Yes, please.

6. Medical Care is Cheap & Efficient

I will forever be grateful for medical care that doesn’t make me go into thousands of dollars of debt. Once, while I was washing dishes, I broke a glass and sliced my finger open. I started bleeding all over the place and freaking out. After visiting the local hospital, getting five stitches, and medication for infection and pain it cost me a grand total of… wait for it… $30.

Since Korean medical care is excellent many people come to Seoul for medical tourism or plastic surgery. (I highly recommend Eunogo as your medical tourism concierge.) The service and the quality is unlike anywhere in the world.

7. The Subways Are Super Clean

Have you ever ridden the subway in NYC? Let me tell you, it was one of the most disgusting experiences I’ve ever had. It’s old, it smells funny, and there are rats as big as cats running around. Not to mention it breaks my heart to see homeless and drug addicts passed out in horrible positions on the floor.

The subways in Korea? Top notch. They’re clean and efficient… And I don’t feel like I’m gonna get rabies.

8. People Don’t Talk on The Train

I absolutely love this level of respect on pubic transport. You don’t have to listen to anyone’s loud phone conversations or actual conversations. That is the beauty of, “STFU while you’re on the train” rule.

9. Korea is a Collectivist Culture

When it came to smashing the COVID-19 pandemic, Korea really showed the world how it was done. Everyone made sure to do their part to wear their masks, stay home, and get tested.

With a united group front, Koreans really came together to get their lives, economy, and public health back on track. That is something that I think is a wonderful positive about South Korea and should be celebrated.

10. The Cost of Living is Cheap

Take this from someone who used to live in Japan (which is one of the more expensive countries in Asia). And Chicago… And Austin…. The cost of living in South Korea is very cheap. Going on the subway doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, you don’t have to pay tips, and eating out at restaurants is cheaper. There’s even awesome stores like Daiso (which is like the dollar store in America) where you can buy cheap home goods, kitchenware, and pet supplies.

11. Skincare & Makeup is Cheap & Amazing Quality

South Korea has quality and innovative skincare products. Looking for bee venom and placenta masks? Korea has got you covered. The only skincare that has really done me justice is Korean products. I’m absolutely obsessed with the AHC Skincare Line. While you may be paying an arm and a leg for makeup brands in the States, you can get the same quality in South Korea for much cheaper.

12. Most Koreans Are Awesome… Once They Get To Know You

One of the things that reminds me of Mexican and Italian culture is how once you get in with Koreans… You’re in. Granted they won’t adopt you as fast as my ancestry will, but if they like you… You’re in. There were times I needed a lot of help and my supervisor helped me find a clinic, or translate something, or chatted with me. Another coworker used to feed me a lot of side dishes (especially kimchi). My Korean dad pretty much adopted me into his family and my ex-boyfriend’s parents welcomed me into the family. Once you’re in with Koreans they will take care of you like their own.

13. Nunchi

This was something I was already familiar with after having living in Japan. Moving to Korea meant it had a new name and similar concept. This word basically means being able to read the mood or vibe in the room. Basically mind reading. The closest English word we have for this would be emotional intelligence.

Having good nunchi in South Korea means you are a well-liked and sociable person. It is a trait most people admire and are encouraged to have.

14. The Fastest Internet in The World

There’s a reason there are a lot of pro Korean gamers. South Korea has the fastest internet. You best believe with their 5G internet, they’re unstoppable. Hold onto your kimchi because this internet is going to be so fast, you’ll get whiplash.

15. Food Delivery is Revolutionary

In America you have to pay a tip and a delivery fee to get your food delivered. EW. Well, in Korea, you have to pay a small fee and it is sent directly to your house. It’s cheap, fast, and efficient. It’s also super convenient with the Yogiyo app on my phone. I love how when I order something and it is still hot when I get it 20 minutes later.

16. It’s Okay To Drink in Public

Drinking in public is banned in most places in the States. Granted there are some places like the strip in Vegas and the Riverwalk in San Antonio that will allow it. You better be on top of the law because some people in some places literally have nothing better to do than fuck you up the ass. In Korea, no one cares if you walk down the street sipping a bottle of flavored soju through a straw. Nor will they bat an eye.

17. You Can Save A LOT of Money as an English Teacher

This is one of the most attractive qualities that drove me to leave Japan and move to South Korea. Most jobs will have you living rent free. Because let’s be real… Paying rent is yucky. If you’re thinking about coming to Korea to to teach English check out this guide here and click on this link to get 20% off your TEFL certificate.

18. Most South Koreans Think Kim Jeong Eun is a Joke

Nothing gave me a bigger headache than when Trump was making a media spectacle out of North Korea. The media claimed North Korea possessed a rocket that could potentially reach the United States. I would get worried messages from family members stating they believed South Korea was unsafe and I should come home as soon as possible.

Whenever I ask most South Koreans what they think of the fat man up North, they all say the same thing. He’s overweight, needs to stop eating, and that he’s always throwing temper tantrums. When he promises to, “Rain fire upon the South” it’s mostly a ploy to get more money and aid to the people since they are starving. This has been going on since the Korean War. If South Koreans think Kim Jeong Eun is full of hot air, then I do too.

19. Korean Men Are Not Your OPPAR

I’m very blessed to have been able to travel and live in many different places all over the world. And you wanna know one thing all men have in common? They are all capable of being predators and trash. This isn’t to say Korean men aren’t lovely. However, Kpop and Hallyu are meant to be entertainment. These men are not innocent and if given the chance, the majority of them will be more than happy to stick their penis inside you… Just like most men around the globe. I’ve had great dating experiences with Korean men. Just be aware there is a very dark side of dating in Korea.

20. Free Water Everywhere

While in some countries you have to pay for water, you don’t have to in Korea. Many restaurants have self serve water filter machines. There are also a lot of public drinking fountains and public filtered water. Just bring yourself a reusable water bottle.

21. Everyone Follows The Trends

If there’s a popular Kdrama or Kpop group that has set a new trend, you best believe everyone is going to jump on it. Men and women will have the same exact haircut, hair color, hair style, shoes, accessories, clothes, and shoes as their beloved celebrity. Sometimes, if an item is super popular, it will be sold out within minutes.

22. Mini Skirts & Shorts All Year Long

This is a trend I will never understand because I can’t imagine how cold the ladies are in winter. I noticed all year round my female students will wear their skirts short. Rather than wear the pants that come with their school uniforms, they will instead wrap blankets around their legs to keep warm…

23. Koreans Are Night Owls

Rejoice if you’re someone who thrives at night. Everything in Korea opens late and closes late. Some places are even 24 hour establishments like convenience stores and some PC rooms.

24. University Students Busk

To make a quick penny for their art, students outside the main road by Hongik University Station busk. They’ll dance and if they’re really good, they’ll earn a name for themselves and some popularity. Others will just sell their art or sing. This is what really brings the vibe to Hongdae.

25. Eating Alone Isn’t Very Common

There are certain Korean dishes that can be eaten alone like a lot of the stews, bulgogi, and bibimbap. If you’re looking to eat Korean barbecue, dakgabli (chicken stir fry), or anything else that requires a two person quota, you will be very disappointed. In recent years in Seoul, it’s becoming more common to eat alone. However, most Koreans eat with others because it is a communal style atmosphere.

26. Couple Everything

Koreans have a huge couple culture. When you’re dating someone in Korea, you make a statement by wearing couple rings, clothes, shirts, or shoes. Sometimes couples will even dress the same from head to foot. Other times, you’ll see them rocking school uniforms together at an amusement park. If you want to know more, check out this Ultimate Guide to Dating in South Korea.

27. Lack of Ovens and Dryers

Sometimes you just want to throw and easy meal in the oven and work on something else until your food is ready. Unfortunately in Korea, you have to settle for nuking things in the microwave or cook it on the stove. Since electricity is very expensive, a dryer truly is a luxury.

28. Korea Isn’t Vegetarian/Vegan Friendly

Everything in Korea has meat in it. Many soups are prepared with fish, chicken, or vegetable stock. Korean side dishes are also seasoned with it. It depends on how strict you are about your diet. If you refuse to eat any animal products, then you will most likely never eat out in South Korea. Click here for tips on How To Be Vegetarian in Korea.

29. Most Korean Snacks Are Sweet

If you have a major sweet tooth, then you are absolutely going to love this! Fair warning… Things that have no business being sweet are sweet. For instance garlic bread has sugar on top of it. Bread is sweet in general. If you’re looking for some savory snacks, I guarantee you will not find it in Korea.

30. Koreans Work Very Long Hours

Many Koreans work at salaried company jobs. My Korean friends work from 9am to 9pm Monday through Saturday. This is not a healthy way of life. The work environment can get quite toxic and societal expectations keep people at their jobs even though they have finished their work.

31. Korean Students Study ALL The Time

As a teacher, I noticed the students whose families have money tend to send their children to hagwons aka private academies. These cram schools help students pass various exams they take throughout the year and help them get into good universities. Every academy deals offers math, science, English, history, and even music. They go to academy five days a week on top of going to regular school.

Because they have so much homework from their academies and regular school, students often do that homework in class. I also feel really sorry for them as I feel like they don’t have much of a childhood since society and their parents push them to study all the time.

32. There’s a HUGE Drinking Culture

Since most people spend a lot of time in the office, its common practice in Asian countries like South Korea and Japan to go out drinking with your coworkers. This fosters better work relationships or so I’m told. So that means you get off very late like at 9pm-11pm and then the expectation is you go out to eat and drink with your coworkers… Only to stay out all night and then stumble haggardly into work the next day.

Thankfully, there are laws that prevent people from being forced to go to company gatherings, but this is still a huge problem for a vast majority of the country. I think this is one of the saddest things no one tells you about Korea.

Because Koreans drink all the time, it’s very common to see men passed out in random places like bus stops, on trains, on the street, in cafes, and anyplace else you can think of.

33. Public Trashcans Aren’t a Thing

Places in Korea will be fairly clean despite the lack of trashcans especially in a trendier or richer neighborhood. But if you’ve ever seen Hongdae after a weekend or Busan beaches during the summer, you’ll see trash EVERYWHERE.

34. The Sidewalks Aren’t 100% Even

I’ve tripped and fallen on my face due to uneven sidewalks. For whatever reason, a popular style of sidewalk style in Korea is with multiple stones. While I agree this is aesthetically more pleasing, after time, if the sidewalk is not redone, some of the stones start to come up due to wear and tear or tree roots growing underneath. I can’t even begin to tell you how many pairs of shoes I’ve also ruined because of uneven sidewalks. Or how many people I know have twisted an ankle or leg because of this.

35. You Will Get Judged… Constantly

Koreans love to judge others. They will also judge you. After living in Korea almost six years, I can confidently tell you they have their noses in everyone’s business. Do your best to hide a lot of details in your personal life (or lie by omission) because I guarantee they will gossip.

One way to tell you’re being judged is if you’re a woman and show up to work without makeup, your coworker may say, “You look so tired” or “You look sick.” Which is a nice way of saying you look like shit.

Since Koreans are vain, you’ll find there are mirrors EVERYWHERE. And yes, they’re even in the public subways. No one will judge you for stopping in front of one, adjusting your clothes, hair, or makeup and then walking away. This goes for men too.

36. Age Matters in Korea

Koreans use the old Chinese system where when you are born; therefore, you are automatically one year old. Then every year, everyone gets a year older during the Chinese New Year. When you meet someone in Korea, they will most likely ask your age so they know how to address you in conversation.

37. Personal Space Isn’t a Thing

If you’re from another country where people don’t stand too close to each other when they interact, then this won’t be that big of a deal for you… However, if you’re an American, an accepted cultural norm for most people is to stand at least an arm’s length apart. Americans have a very specific personal space bubble and if you cross that, that’s straight into Uncomfortableville.

38. Some Manners in Korea Are SCARY

There are some things I really don’t like no matter how long I’ve lived in Asia. One of my pet peeves is the very loud slurping of noodles. If I wanted to hear a vacuum cleaner, I would turn one on.

Koreans will stare at you unabashedly. While in America and Japan, staring at others is completely rude, Koreans will not look away while they are staring at you. You can even death stare back and they still won’t avert their gaze.

If you’ve ever been on public transport you will most likely have been pushed out of the way by an ajhumma or granny. Some of these evil little fuckers will be half your size and possess the strength of an American football linebacker. These lack of manners are typically displayed by entitled older folk who believe they come first since age hierarchy is so important in Korean culture.

I gotta save the best for last but… Spitting is still a thing here. I’ve seen both men and women do it. They will push their shoulders back and spit one out like a Dilophosaurus about to eat Dennis Nedry from Jurassic Park. Only in Korea have I seen globs of spit on the sidewalk as I walk down the street.

39. Bathroom Etiquette is… Weird

One of the things a lot of Korean women will do is knock on your bathroom stall. Usually in America if you say anything, people will leave you be. In Korea, what you’re supposed to do is knock back. Not only that, in old style Korean bathrooms, there is no toilet paper in the stalls. It will be kept on a wall near the door so be sure to be on the lookout for that.

In some bathrooms, there may or may not be soap. If there is soap, you’ll have to rub it phallically (gross, I know) with everyone else. Also, there’s no paper towels in most public bathrooms. You have to air dry or use the hand dryer.

40. You Will Never Fit In

No matter how much Korean you learn or how much you assimilate into society… You will NEVER be Korean. Many people will group you as other and not fully accept you as being one of them.

Alternatively, you can very easily flip this narrative. You will never be expected to full conform to Korean societal standards or expectations because you are a foreigner.

41. Winter Sucks

I have a higher tolerance for the cold than most people. Legit, I can wear a skirt and pantyhose in December and still be sweating. Not only that, I’m from Chicago where it gets God doesn’t love you cold. I have noticed winter in Korea is an entirely different ballpark.

I think because it’s more humid during Korean winters, it has a different kind of cold feeling. Not only that most subways or other public spaces don’t have central heating or cooling… Which contributes to the extreme temperature changes. Winter is also a time when the air pollution is at its worst.

42. Korea Actually Has 12 Seasons

You’ve most likely never heard of these seasons because Koreans love to tell you their country has four beautiful and distinct seasons. Don’t let them fool you. The weather is just as bipolar as the Windy City. Anyone who has lived in Korea for an extended period of time can attest to this.

43. The Air Pollution = Death

While many Koreans will tell you air pollution in Korea comes from China… That’s only part of the equation. According to this article done by Bright Shiny Robot, the air pollution comes from Korea’s coal plants as well as other internal factors.

In 2019, the air quality was so bad, I was having the worst trouble of my life breathing. Clean air should be a human right and not just a passing concern. And yes, dirty air does cause health problems. If you don’t wear a mask, you will definitely taste the disgusting air in your mouth.

44. Korea is a Patriarchal Society

Unfortunately, the pay gap between Korean men and women is still enormous. Korea comes in at a 37.1 percent pay gap between men and women. Out of 50 countries surveyed, South Korea ranks as number one according to a 2019 survey done on the pay gap between men and women.

There are still many traditional households in Korea where women are expected to cook, clean, and work too. My ex-boyfriend’s family was like this and I hated watching his step-mother do everything alone. Eventually, I forced myself into the kitchen to help her (despite her protests I was a guest and shouldn’t have to do it). This is also a very big reason a lot of young Koreans skip town during Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) and Seollal (Chinese New Year). None of them women want to act like servants to their male family members.

45. The Laws to Protect Women & Children are Abysmal

There are very few laws for protecting Korea’s most vulnerable population of women and children. This is a country where you can use being intoxicated as an excuse for committing rape and get a reduced sentence. It honestly makes me sick to my stomach to even think about it.

Another case that will make you sick to your stomach is that of Na-Young, an eight year old girl who was abducted, brutally raped, and left for dead by a 58 year old deranged monster. And you want to know what his sentence was? Twelve years in prison. Na-Young will forever be mentally, emotionally, and physically scarred from this event for the rest of her life. Because of the injuries she maintained during the assault, she has to wear a colostomy bag for the rest of her life. Watch the South Korean movie, Hope at your own discretion. Reading about the case itself made me cry.

Don’t even get me started on the sexual assault, revenge porn, and blackmail women face in South Korea. There’s even less help for foreign women. In 2016, there was a huge case involving Australian expat Airdre Mattner who was based in Japan and came to South Korea on holiday and was drugged, brutally raped, and then victim shamed by South Korean police who handled the case poorly.

46. Racism Is a Problem

Korea is a homogenous country. The foreigner population stands at 1.8 million which makes up 3.4% of the population. This means most people aren’t exposed to others from other nations and have preconceived stereotypes. If you’re a foreign white male, you most likely won’t have this problem.

Southeast Asians, Chinese, and Black people get treated the worst. Even though I can sometimes pass for white, I still have experienced discrimination and racism. I wrote an entire blog post about the racism I’ve faced in South Korea here.

47. Korea Has the Highest Suicide Rate

All subway platforms have closed glass to keep people from jumping in front of the train. Rooftops are locked during the university testing to prevent students who feel as if they’ve screwed up from jumping off. School windows are also barred to keep students from jumping out. According to an article done by the Korea Herald, suicide remains the top reason teens and young people take their lives.

48. A Lot of Homeless Elderly

Korea has a growing elderly population and a decline birthrate. It also has the highest number of homeless elderly in the world. Many of the elderly in South Korea resort to collecting trash where junk collectors will pay 100 won per 100 kilograms. With a heavy haul, that’s about $8 a day. There are even grannies who have resorted to prostitution in order to pay the bills.

49. Churches Are Everywhere

You will see little red crosses lighting up the buildings of South Korea at night. There usually are multiple churches on every block. South Korea also hosts one of the world’s biggest super churches outside of the US. According to a survey done in 2010, about 29% of Korea’s population identifies as Christian. Thanks to them, this is why Christmas is a national holiday in Korea.

50. Online Shopping is Revolutionary

One of the fun things about online shopping in Korea is I can order something that very morning and get it delivered to my house by that evening or the next day. Talk about some serious instant gratification culture.

51. 빨리 빨리 (ppali ppali) Culture

Koreans like services carried out quickly with good quality and efficiently. This culture is why buildings are built quickly, food is served quickly at restaurants, and other services are carried out well.

52. Seoul is Very Crowded

I come from the third biggest city in the United States with a population of almost 2.8 million people. You know what blows my damn mind? Seoul is geographically much smaller than Chicago and yet 9 million people live in the city. There are people everywhere you go in Seoul and it can get quite overwhelming with people everywhere and bumping into you.

53. Gyopos Have it Rough

Gyopo is a term to describe a Korean who was born and raised abroad. Sometimes they go live in Korea for work and are expected to act the way their counterparts who were born and raised in Korea. This gets really tough as they are expected to work the same long hours and conform. Yet when it suits their jobs, they are treated as the foreigner. That being said, here is a girl to girl warning. Be careful of the Gyopo men. A lot of them tend to be good looking with Western ideals. Many are the cheating horror stories where they have their Korean girlfriend and their Western one. You have been warned.

54. Housing is Really Expensive

In Korea, they have a housing system where if you pay a huge amount of money up front, you get to live rent free. Alternatively, you can put down a smaller amount of key money and have to pay monthly rent. So what do the landlords do with this insane amount of money? They usually invest where they want and when you move out of that apartment, you get your deposit back.

55. FREE FOOD

This is one of the more fun parts about South Korea. If you get buddy buddy with the banchan (side dish) ajhumma, she will throw in a little extra food for you. For instance, my favorite banchan lady is so fascinated I like to eat Korean peppers, she always throws in extra for me. If you frequent a restaurant and they know your face, they will also throw in “service” or extra food for you. I’m ALL about that.

56. The Korean Alphabet is EASY To Learn

Because the Korean alphabet is so phonetic it is super easy to learn. Hangul was invented by King Sejong the Great. Koreans are so proud of their alphabet, there is a holiday every October dedicated to it. Once you learn how to read hangul, your life in Korea will be so much easier. If you’re interested in learning Korean, check out this free hangul cheat sheet here.

57. Plastic Surgery Ads Are EVERYWHERE

Because Koreans are the most vain in Asia, (you’ll see mirrors in subway stations) you will see plastic surgery ads on buses, subways, on billboards and commercials. Did you know one third of South Korean women between the ages of 19-29 have had plastic surgery? The beauty standards in Korea are tough. Many employers require you to have a photo of yourself on your resume. This really forces people to go under the knife and have a little bit more of an advantage.

58. Men Wear Makeup Too

Yup. You read this correctly. If you’re a fan of K-pop or K-dramas, you’ll know men also wear makeup too. There are special men’s skin care lines and even foundations for men in South Korea. It’s totally cool for men to want to be beautiful too. And honestly, I’m all for men peacocking.

59. Korea’s Cafe Culture is Unmatched

Since Koreans don’t really have a culture of hanging out at each other’s homes, most will meet at cafes. Which has given rise to all sorts of interesting and unique cafes in Seoul. While I lived in South Korea, cafe hopping became one of my favorite hobbies.

60. Koreans Are OBSESSED With Coffee

In Korea, you will often see at least three to four coffee shops on one block. Koreans are obsessed with the drink. Outside of the United States, Korea has the most Starbucks. Which is okay with me because I absolutely love their holiday collections.

61. Western Food is Filled With Sugar

Things that should not be sweet in Korea are sweet. For instance, pizza is sweet and will have surprise corn in it. Bread is loaded with so much sugar you can literally feel your teeth wanting to rot and fall out of your head. A lot of pasta sauces are sweet. Just expect your western food to have a lot of sugar.

62. Dokdo is Korea

I wish I would have known the Sea of Japan was called the East Sea in Korea and about the ancient trade routes in Asia. Had I known, I would have saved myself a few lectures. Dokdo are the controversial islands in the middle of the East Sea (aka the Sea of Japan as I was taught in America). Russia calls them the Liancourt Rocks. Japan calls them Takeshima. Korea calls the Dokdo. I highly recommend you do a little research for yourself and make a conclusion about which country these three giant rocks in the middle of the sea belong to. Ask any Korean and they will always tell you, “Dokdo is Korea!!!”

63. Hiking is Korea’s National Sport

Taekwondo? Yeah, we don’t know her. There are so many mountains in Korea, it’s no wonder a favorite pastime in the country is to go hiking. I will often see tour buses of older men and women dressed in their hiking boots, pants, shirts, and backpacks. They will proudly carry around their hiking sticks too.

64. Eating Dog Isn’t As Uncommon As You Think

Sadly taking a bite out of our friend Fido is still a thing in South Korea. According to USA Today, South Koreans eat more than 2 million dogs per year. While many young South Koreans have abandoned this tradition, the older people in Korea still eat them. Unfortunately, confusing laws and loopholes allow dog farms operate.

65. Cars Have Blue Sponges To Prevent Dings

This interesting trend blew my mind in Korea. While manufactures keep the blue sponges on the side of the door to keep the cars from banging against other objects during shipment, Koreans just tend to keep them on.

66. Sexy Norebang (singing room) is a Thing

Fun fact. If there’s a basement norebang around chances are it’s one of the fancier establishments were you sing with a bunch of girls. For a little something extra, you can go to a motel somewhere nearby and have a happy ending. I would stick with going to the establishments with wide open windows or coin norebangs.

67. Samsung & Lotte Own Korea

Korea is the land of Samsung and Lotte. Everywhere you go you’ll see Samsung electronics and even apartment buildings. Lotte is the same. There’s Lotte Department Stores, Lotte Tower, Lotte Buildings, and Lotte everything. This is the biggest conglomerate in the entire country.

68. Protests Are Mostly Peaceful

Back in 2016 there were mass protests in Ganghwamun Square. Tens of thousands of Koreans flocked to the country’s capitol to protest now ex-president Park Geun-hye and remove her from office. During this time, Koreans banded together to show the world democracy is not dead and when we band together, many things can be accomplished. During these protests, they would sing songs, light candles, and even share food.

69. Your Blood Type Contributes to Your Personality

A way to break the conversational ice is by telling Koreans what your blood type is. It’s very common for everyone to know what type they are. For instance, people with A blood type are considered to be introverted, indecisive, and timid while B blood type produced psychopaths, hysterics, and alcoholics.

70. All Men Do Two Years Mandatory Military Service

The Korean War ended with an armistice in 1953. Which means technically North and South Korea are at war. Because of this, all able bodied men are required to two two years mandatory conscription as a proud duty to their nation.

71. People Don’t Pay Attention When They Walk

If there’s one thing that will drive anyone bonkers… It’s this. There have been times I’ve been walking down the street and someone will swerve on an empty side walking start walking in front of me. I noticed there’s no distinct rules of the side walk where everyone divides up by the way they’re walking. Organized chaos anyone?

72. Koreans Live At Home Until Marriage

This makes total sense since housing prices are insanely expensive in South Korea. Because of the Confucianist mindset, most young people live at home until they’re married. Which to me is kind of scary because you have no idea what your husband’s living habits are until you marry.

73. Mopeds & Motorcycles Don’t Have the Same Rules of the Road

The downside to revolutionary delivery is that in order to get the food to you fast and on time, a lot of mopeds while drive on the sidewalk or through public squares to get to their destination on time. I’ve also seen motorcycles weave in and out of traffic on the highways.

74. Google Maps Doesn’t Work

Oh how this must tickle the mighty Google’s nerves. South Korea is very secretive about their map data. One of my major guesses is because of their very grumpy neighbor in the North, Kim Jeong Eun. If I were you, I download Naver Maps or Kakao Maps instead so you can find your way around. Many are the times I’ve gotten lost because Google Maps steered me the wrong way.

75. Tattoos Are Illegal

In Korea, you need to have a medical license to be a tattoo artist. And let’s be real. Who honestly wants to go throw medical school just so they can draw? Yeah. No one. Most places are in back rooms or you have to get a recommendation from a friend. I got my tattoo from Donghwa Tattoo. 10/10 recommend her.

76. Kimchi is KING

Did you know there are over 200 different varieties of kimchi in Korea? Each has their own tangy taste and they come with a variety of flavors and different vegetables. Kimchi is incorporated into everything such as savory pancakes, dumplings, and even with fries!

77. Ask For Forgiveness, Not Permission

Sadly, I’ve found when I tell the truth somehow a “rule” gets made up as to why I can and cannot do something. It drives me up the wall. Honestly, one of the skills working in a Korean school taught me was to lie by omission. For instance, if anyone asked where I went during lunch time I would say I went to the 7/11 to get my lunch… Which wasn’t exactly a lie. I would go, but I would also go back home to grab something I forgot. If you get caught… Just apologize and say you won’t do it again.

78. Saving Face

In the workplace, Koreans don’t really like conflict. It gives bad nunchi for the workplace. This is where you’ll have to pick and choose your battles. If something happens, sometimes Koreans will want to brush it off.

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