South Korea – A Basic Introduction
Are you familiar with South Korea? If you’re not, you’re missing out on a quirky yet brilliant, cultured yet modern country full of life and fantastic experiences. South Korea might be a small country, but as you will see, it is a wonderful and surprisingly diverse place that boasts a number of impressive achievements. Here are a few things you should know about South Korea.
South Koreans have a very unusual approach to age. Every South Korean child is considered to be one-year-old when it is born, and it will turn two on the next Lunar New Year. So be careful when asking a Korean for their age as they will likely tell you they are 1 or even 2 years older than they would be in the international age system. They do, however, still celebrate their birthdays.
South Korea is the world leader in internet connectivity, having by far the world's fastest average internet connection speed. About 92.4% of the population are internet users. 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 iconic song "Gangnam Style" by the South Korean musician Psy became the first YouTube video to reach 1 billion views. Now it has over 2.8 billion views and it has been YouTube's most watched video since November 2012, when it surpassed "Baby" by Justin Bieber.
Most South Korean restaurants (including fast food like McDonald´s) offer food delivery via motorcycle drivers who are notorious for speeding through traffic (including pedestrians on the pavement) to deliver the food on time. After you are done eating, you can just put your dirty dishes outside your door and the delivery guy will come for them later.
A misconception known as the fan death is common in South Korea. Many South Koreans believe that leaving an electric fan on overnight may kill the person sleeping below it. The genesis of the misconception is unclear but fears about electric fans date almost to their introduction to Korea in the 1920's.
With more than 11 shots of liquor per person per week, South Korea totally dominates liquor consumption per capita. Runners-up Russians, notorious for their drinking habits, drink “just” 5 shots per person per week. South Koreans top the list worldwide in terms of hard liquor consumption, and Jinro Soju, Korean distilled rice liquor, is the best-selling liquor in the world.
Despite being located right next to North Korea, an infamous aggressor, South Korea is one of the safest and most peaceful countries in the world. It has an extremely low crime rate and very strict gun policy. Also, almost every kid in the country studies and practices the Korean national sport, Tae Kwon Do, which teaches respect for others and discipline over aggressive emotions. This could be a significant contributing factor to the level of safety in the country.
Many South Koreans suffer from tetraphobia – fear of the number 4. The floor number 4 is almost always skipped in hospitals and public buildings. In other buildings, the fourth floor is sometimes labelled "F" instead of "4" in elevators. Apartment numbers containing multiple occurrences of the number 4 (such as 404) are also likely to be avoided.
Each July, the town of Boryeong (200 km south of Seoul) hosts arguably the largest mud festival in the world. The Boryeong Mud Festival features various mud contests and fights but also massages and therapies. Since it was staged in 1998, the festival has attracted millions of visitors to Boryeong.
Samsung alone is responsible for 20% of South Korea´s $1.1 trillion economy. While most people think Samsung only produces electronics, the company also manufactures armoured vehicles, oil tankers, appliances, door locks, medical equipment and much more.
Despite reaching the end of the list, there are a few honourable mentions I feel deserve to be said, so here goes…
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. Most wealthy young South Koreans receive double-eyelid surgery for their 16th birthday as a gift to make their eyes appear more Western.
Valentine’s Day in South Korea is celebrated with a twist. It is a day where women show their love for their men by giving chocolates and gifts to their husbands or boyfriends. On March 14, Koreans celebrate White Day, where men buy gifts for their ladies―but they are supposed to spend three times the amount they received on Valentine’s Day. In fact, the 14th of every month is a romantically themed holiday in the country, including Kiss Day (June) and Hug Day (December). The saddest of all days is April 14, which is known as Black Day, and single Koreans mourn their lack of love by eating sticky, black noodles called jajangmyeon.
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