It’s time for more not-so-normal norms! This time, I talk about the Korean version of a milkman, cell phone accessories, personal space, and movie theater culture. Please remember that this segment has been written to point out differences that I’ve noticed in cultural norms between my home country, America, and my new home, Korea. My …
Recently, I wrote a post about all of the wonderful reasons to love autumn in Korea. Not listed in the post but very much included in my reasons for loving the season is that of Chuseok. Chuseok is a Korean holiday that celebrates the autumn harvest and is held around the autumn equinox based on …
It never ceased to amaze me how abruptly summer vacation came to an end as a kid. The magical, care-free days of summer seemed to cease overnight, without the slightest warning of abandonment. It was always a depressing time for me, knowing that there would be no more trips to the beaches of Florida or …
Having kicked off earlier this month, the 7th annual Korea in Motion Festival is once again showcasing the very best nonverbal performances the country has to offer. The lineup this year is fantastic, with shows including genres of dance, traditional culture, music, comedy, and action. For the month of September, theater enthusiasts can see Seoul’s …
Korea wasn’t always an incredibly modern, high tech, “bbali, bbali” (“hurry, hurry”) country. In fact, back in the day before it was a nation of Samsung and skyscrapers, its residents preferred a simpler, slower paced lifestyle. I remember when this fact was first brought to my attention last year. I was walking with a Korean …
One of the cool things about Korea is that there is a number of subcultures flourishing, but many of them are so far underground that visitors (and even some locals) might never even suspect their existence. B-boy culture is one of these and while I knew it was present here, my exposure to it had …
I’ve decided to continue sharing my observations of Korean cultural norms with a “Not-So-Normal Norms” segment. As noted in parts one and two, these posts are in no way intended to degrade Korean customs or offend the people that live there. These are simply my observations on cultural practices that do not exist in the …
It seems that you, too, enjoy learning about all the things that make Korea… different. I had a lot of responses and clicks to my original post, Not-So-Normal Norms, so I’ve decided to make it into a segment. Every so often, I’ll post some things that I’ve observed to be unique about this great country. …
I love this time of year. No, not spring. Not Easter, either. It’s election time in Korea!! Two hundred ninety-nine new assembly members will be elected this upcoming Wednesday for a four year term. New members will come from one of the many parties established in Korea’s multi-party system. Currently, conservative parties dominate the assembly, …
Koreans love taking pictures of themselves. It’s not uncommon to be in a cafe and look around to find girls at surrounding tables holding up their cell phones, finding their best angle, and snapping away like they are the stars of their very own photo shoots. Riding on the bus or subway, I’ve watched girls …