We’ve been in Korea for almost nine months now, and it’s amazing to me how COMFORTABLE we feel. Especially since we don’t actually speak Korean (I can READ Hangeul, but that does little good when I don’t understand what I’m reading), I’m surprised at how much this country is feeling like home. Sure, there’s still some adjusting going on. And absolutely there are so many things about the United States that we miss. But for now, we’re so happy to be in Korea and we’ll be sad when it’s time to leave.
Since we are feeling pretty settled, I’ve started realizing just how many “odd” things have become the norm to us. It wasn’t until my bestie came to visit me that I realized just how funny some of the cultural differences are. And so I thought it would be interesting AND entertaining to tell you a few things that you might not know about South Korea.
Things you didn’t know about South Korea
1 || They love their cute things || Similar to the “cuteness culture” of Japan (called “Kawaii”), South Korea LOVES all things adorable. From cartoon characters on… well, everything, to the googly eye stickers that drivers put on the back of their trucks, there is no shortage of cuteness in this country. If I’m being 100% honest: I didn’t get super into it when we first moved here. But as I’ve tried more fully to embrace this country, I’ve found it not only insanely fun, but so endearing. After all, who doesn’t need a little more cute in their life!?
2 || Couples like to match each other || We’re not just talkin’ matching T-shirts. We’re talkin’ COMPLETE matching outfits, down to the shoes. In the winter, couples often wear matching parkas and in the spring and fall, they don matching sweatsuits and then parade around the Peninsula looking like the cutest-darned thing you’ve ever seen. 16-year-old me would have found this adorable. 25-year-old me would have found it annoying. And 31-year-old me deems this as #relationshipgoals. Although I can’t seem to convince my husband to get us matching outfits all the way down to our Nike shoes. What can I say? He’s a work in progress. (Just kidding – LOVE YOU BRANDON!)
3 || They LOVE kids || As the country with one of the lowest birthrates in the world, this one might surprise you. But it’s true: they LOVE kids here. And even more, they are SET on protecting kids at all costs. I’ve spoken with Korean moms at the park on multiple occasions where they talked to me about Korean moms and how they are “helicopter parents” – meanwhile my children were running around like ABSOLUTE psychos and jumping off of the play equipment. So maybe Korean moms are a little overbearing, but it’s all to keep their kids safe. Many times when we’ve been out-and-about, locals have approached to help when they see our children doing something that they see as dangerous. In America we would probably tell them to mind their own business (especially when our children aren’t actually in any danger), but here it’s just so engrained in their culture: PROTECT THE CHILDREN.
Photo cred for photo above and below: Missy Moore | @missymoorephotography
4 || The selfie game in Korea is STRONG || It’s completely common to see someone get their picture taken multiple times, striking a different pose for each picture. Meanwhile, I’m over here standing awkwardly holding up “peace signs” in about 90% of my photos. It’s not just the teenagers and young adults who enjoy a good selfie – Koreans of all ages can often be seen snapping pictures of themselves and others – all posed of course. And honestly it’s no wonder – there are places in Korea that are set up for the SOLE purpose of taking Instagram-worthy pictures. And I’m no influencer, but I weirdly kind of love it. What’s even more entertaining than watching other people take selfies is when they offer to take pictures of our family for us. They don’t just tell us to say “KIMCHI!” (because they don’t say “cheese” here), but they go OUT OF THEIR WAY to pose us in just the right way so that the picture is perfect. And I honestly really appreciate it AND enjoy watching locals try to wrangle our little ones for a picture.
5 || Shoes indoors are an absolute no || Here’s the thing: I was taught growing up that you remove your shoes when you walk into someone’s house. It’s just what we did. And so I get a little annoyed when someone comes into my house and doesn’t take off their shoes. But the older I get, the more I realize how little this guideline is adhered to. While it may seem an archaic rule of etiquette in the States, it’s a hard-and-fast rule in Korea – and not only in homes. If you enter any of the buildings at a Buddhist temple, you must remove your shoes. Heck, we’ve even visited Buddhist temples where you’re required to replace your shoes with house-slippers to go into the BATHROOM. Some restaurants – especially traditional ones where you sit on the floor to eat – will require shoes to be removed also. And most houses have a “no shoes” rule right in their lease. It’s a rule that I can 100% get behind and I honestly wish we adhered to more in the States.
6 || Always use two hands when you are giving or receiving something || This piece of etiquette was one that I didn’t understand when we first got here, but it’s a sign of respect. Anytime you are handing something to someone, you use two hands. You either hold the object itself with two hands, or you hold it with one hand, and place your other hand on the elbow of the arm holding the object. When receiving an object, you do the same thing. I’ve gotten in the habit of this so much that I don’t even think about it anymore. And it’s fun to see how often locals get excited when they see me do it. They love to see foreigners pick up the small things in their culture, and I love that I can show respect by a simple gesture.
7 || The café scene is unmatched || I’m not exaggerating when I say it feels like there is a café (or two or three) on every single corner. In America you have a Starbucks every mile-and-a-half – here you have a Starbucks AND a locally owned café. Home to DELICIOUS pastries, a HUGE variety of drinks (including lattes made with milk and not coffee) and typically a really fun atmosphere, cafés are a huge part of the culture and I am HERE FOR IT.
8 || Smiling at strangers isn’t really a thing, but you know what is? Bowing at strangers || As it turns out, smiling at complete strangers is a VERY American thing, which would explain why when I smile at strangers here (as I am just accustomed to doing) it’s usually met with a confused look, but no smile. That is, until they notice the kids that I’m toting around with me – they get smiles all the time. At first I thought people were just unkind. And then I realized that smiling at strangers in passing just isn’t part of their culture here. Their alternative? Bowing. And we aren’t talking just a little head-nod (though occasionally they do that too) – we are talking full abdomen bending forward – even if only for a second – in a respectful bow. And I LOVE it. I’ll tell you right now, Imma be unapologetically bowing at people for years after we move away from Korea.
9 || Bathrooms || That’s it – just bathrooms. They are a whole vibe here. While I have generally found public bathrooms in Korea to be VERY clean, there are a few things that even after all these months of living here, STILL catch me by surprise. For one, sometimes there are no regular toilets and you get the opportunity of using a toilet that is basically just a hole in the floor. My bestie got the opportunity to squat over one of them while she was here and I love that for her. Secondly, the toilet paper is often on the OUTSIDE of the stalls. But is there a warning sign on the inside of the stall so you remember to grab some before you do your business? No. (Or maybe there is, but it’s in Korean so I just can’t read it.) Do I ever remember to check if there’s toilet paper IN the stall? Absolutely not. The number of times I’ve had to “drip dry” here is ridiculous. But it always gives me a good laugh, so I guess it’s fine. And then there is the only thing about Korean bathrooms that actually makes me cringe: the shared hand soap. Not every bathroom has a communal bar of hand soap (heck, some bathrooms have no soap at all!), but those that do keep the soap right by the sink, shish kabobbed on a metal rod attached to the countertop (so that soap doesn’t get stolen or dropped or… something). I have to say it’s kind of a great idea, if I wasn’t so paranoid about the millions, nay, BILLIONS of germs that are probably sitting on that bar of soap. Even so, we use it when it’s there – usually topping off with some hand sanitizer after just for good measure.
10 || Napkins here are tiny || Like truly tiny. Each napkin is basically a square of single-ply toilet paper, which is really inconvenient when you’re enjoying your Korean BBQ and having juices drip down your hands. This is probably my main complaint about Korea – just use normal, large, wonderful napkins!
11 || Koreans dress very modestly, for the most part || Anytime you visit a new country, you’re likely to be surprised by some of the tendencies of the locals. For me, I was surprised by how modest the women dressed. Even at the beach, we saw a lot of linen pants and long-sleeved shirts – with very few swimming suits. But I learned that locals don’t cover up because they are worried about showing too much skin. They cover up because they want to be pale. Pale skin is considered beautiful in Korea – and although I believe ALL skin colors and types are beautiful, the general culture in America seems to suggest that tan is more desirable – and it seems that many people strive for that. One funny side-effect of this is how the women – particularly younger women and girls – dress for the seasons. In the summer, they cover up as I described before. But in the winter, they wear the shortest skirts you could imagine because they don’t have to worry about their legs getting tanned in the winter. Interestingly enough, though, you see very few (if any) tank-tops or low-cut shirts. Because, as my friend’s Korean grandmother says: “legs and butt are okay to show, but boobs and shoulders are not.”
12 || Ages are calculated different here || Koreans consider the time that you’re in the womb when calculating ages. So when you are born, you are already considered to be a year old. I’m not sure why they consider it a year long when pregnancy is only 9 months, but my guess is that it’s for simplicity’s sake. Then, on New Year’s Day, everyone gets one year added to their age. Koreans still celebrate the day that they were born, but unlike the rest of the world, they don’t add another year to their age until January 1st. Because I was born in September of 1991, I am currently 31 years old in INTERNATIONAL age terms. But in Korean age, I am actually 33 years old – because I was 1 when I was born, and my age increased by 1 every January 1st. And because it went up every January 1st, I gained another year (putting me at 33) on January 1st, 2023, even though I haven’t had my birthday yet this year. THAT ALL BEING SAID, because South Korea is the ONLY country in the world that tracks age in this way, it appears that by June of this year, Korean Age will no longer be permitted on any kind of official documentation. It makes sense to use international age – again, just for the sake of simplicity – but it does feel a bit like a piece of culture is going to be lost.
13 || Plastic surgery is a HUGE industry here – for Koreans and foreigners alike || I wouldn’t go as far as to say that Koreans are vain, but physical appearance DOES seem to be very important to them. Some of the most popular surgeries are double eyelid surgery, eye widening surgery, jaw reduction surgery, rhinoplasty, forehead augmentation, and chin augmentation. More minor cosmetic procedures are also well-used here – with lip injections, permanent makeup (like lip colorings and eyebrows), and Botox being very popular. In addition, vision enhancement surgery (like Lasik, Lasek, and SMILE) are common, as well as orthodontics (including standard braces and Invisalign **see the bottom of this post for more information on dental and orthodontic recommendations in the Camp Humphreys area). Needless to say, if you’re looking for SAFE and EFFECTIVE cosmetic surgery (or vision enhancement surgery or orthodontics) at a fraction of the price you’ll pay in the States, South Korea is the place to go (*see the end of the post for more information).
14 || Nobody is in a hurry || Whether walking through the grocery store, crossing the street, or blocking traffic while running a quick errand – nobody seems to be in a hurry. They go at their own pace and mosey along without a care in the world (except for the Ajummas when they cross the street – they run like their freaking lives depend on it). I cannot count the number of times I’ve been driving along, minding my own business, when the person driving in front of me slaps on their hazards, stops their car (and thereby blocking one lane of traffic), and gets out of their car for one reason or another. I can’t say I’ve ever been completely blocked for more than a couple minutes, but this is something that Americans (in general) would be FAR too impatient for. But you know what’s funny? The locals don’t seem to mind. It’s like they realize – “Hey – I’m going to inconvenience you at some point, so it’s okay that you inconvenience me right now.” It’s an interesting dynamic – and one that I’m still trying to find endearing, rather than straight-up annoying. Of course, seeing people here go so calmly about their days serves as a good reminder for me to slow down, so I can’t really be TOO frustrated about it.
So there you have it: 14 things that I didn’t know about South Korea that you probably didn’t either! If any of the items listed seem overtly negative or critical, please chalk it up to poor description capabilities on my part, and not to any real beef we have with Korea or the Korean people. We truly love having the opportunity to live in this country and embrace its culture. Already we are talking about trying to come back to live in the future – whether that is with the military or by some other means – because we really love it enough that we don’t want our time here to end.
Have you visited or lived in South Korea? If so – what things would you add to the list?
’til next time…
Ash
*For reference, I paid $2,300 TOTAL for my Lasik procedure in Korea (compared to the $5,800 I was quoted in the States) and $180 for my micro-bladed eyebrows in Korea (compared to $600 in the States).
**For orthodontics, we were told that braces for our daughter would cost roughly $2,500 in Korea, whereas the same braces would be closer to $3-$6k in the States, depending on the orthodontist. My Invisalign in the States was $6,000 exactly – and from the research I did, would be the same in South Korea for that treatment. That being said, Dr. Kim at Ivy Dental (located within walking distance from Camp Humphreys) is wonderful for all your dental and orthodontic needs and has affordable prices for braces (from what I hear). Call them at 031-658-2722 (Korean phone number) for appointments and inquiries. They have both Korean and English services available and are so helpful. TO GET TO IVY DENTAL: go to the Capitolium residence building in Pyeongtaek and park in the garage beneath it (paste 경기도 평택시 팽성읍 안정쇼핑로 52 into Naver). Park in either B1 or B2 and take the elevator to the second floor. You’ll see signs for Ivy Dental and you can’t miss it when you get off the elevator. If you parked in the garage, provide the last four numbers of your license plate to the front-desk workers and they will validate your parking. We have loved having Dr. Kim as our dentist during our time here – and he helped me finish up my Invisalign treatment after we arrived which saved me a trip back to the States.
