Abhay Kumar
The rising interest in K-culture through dramas, k-pop, and Korean cafes is also paralleled in the increasing number of Indians visiting South Korea. Before you visit, here are some unique facts about the country you should know.
The South Korean boyband BTS is a global phenomenon. They has so many followers that it is estimated that 1 in 13 tourists visit S. Korea because they are a BTS fan. The boyband contributes about 5 billion $ into the country’s GDP.
All men have to enlist in the S. Korean army for a period of 2 years. BTS members had their enlistment delayed because of their significant impact on the economy, but even they had to join the army once they turned 30.
Daeseong-dong village, close to the North Korean border is a sensitive region, and the residents are exempted from military service and paying taxes. There is also a curfew every night and a headcount.
In Busan, there is a museum popular among locals and tourists like. It is called Poopoo Land, and deals with everything toilets & toiletry. Top attractions are items like urinals, various kinds of toilet paper, a poo-poo obstacle course.
Kimchi is a quintessential part of Korean diet & 200+ varieties of Kimchi are known to exist. It is so fundamental to Koreans that companies give their employees a Kimchi Bonus to buy & prepare great amounts of Kimchi to eat throughout the year.
Like Valentines & White Day, days for gift-giving & celebrating love between couple, Black Day is another special occasion. But instead of couples, Black Day is meant for single people who get together and eat Jjajangmyeon noodles.
In Korea, public drinking is not considered a taboo. Infact, they love their Soju (a rice wine) so much that alcohol is a part of everyday life - celebrations, mournings, and get-togethers.
In S. Korea, age is counted 1 onwards instead of 0. When you’re born, you are thought of as a one year old. Subtract 1 from your korean friends’ ages to count in international standard.
Just as in other countries, strangers might ask your star sign or your Myers Briggs personality type to break the ice, people in Korea might ask your blood type. They belive that different blood types have different personalities.
Korean beauty standards are another level! People look after their appearance very fastidiously. So, don’t be surprised if you see men also put foundation, blush, highlight, or other makeup products.
The number 4 in S. Korea is considered unlucky. The pronunciation for the word 4 in Korean is similar to the word ‘death’, which is why you’ll see that elevators are often missing the number four. It usually goes 1, 2, 3, F, 5, and on.
When people greet each other in Korea, they don’t say ‘hello’ or ‘how are you?’ Instead they ask ‘Bap meogeosseoyo?’ which means ‘did you eat rice?’ which shows concern by way of asking if a person has had food.
There is a popular urban myth in Korea - people think that if you leave the electric fan turned on during the night when you sleep, you might die. The myth has been debunked but that doesn’t stop people from believing in it.