The cultural component of a particular country is a very serious subject to study, especially before traveling. Each nation has its own traditions and customs, its own prohibitions and beliefs. The same gesture in different countries can be interpreted completely differently, and while you can put up with comical situations, no one will tolerate insults from visitors. If you are planning a holiday in , now is the time to get acquainted with its culture.

Fundamental principles of South Korean culture

In 1948, one large state, Korea, was divided into the DPRK and the Republic of Korea. After this, the culture of each country began to develop in different ways, but they have the same origins and roots. In particular, the behavior of society is based on the principles of Confucianism, which were developed in China in 500 BC.

From a young age, Koreans instill in their children love and respect for parents, family, and those in authority. Great importance is attached to such concepts as justice, honesty, humanism, peace and education. In modern South Korean culture, a model of behavior called the Rule of Five Relationships has developed on this basis. In particular, it provides for certain norms in communication between father and son, husband and wife, older and younger generations, ruler and subject, and between friends.

Tourists who come to this country on holiday often fall out of this pattern of behavior. Therefore, sometimes it seems that Koreans are rude and ignorant. But in fact, until you enter into one of these types of relationships, you may simply not be noticed.

It is because of the Rule of Five Relationships that Koreans can sometimes ask somewhat awkward and personal questions. But if a local resident is interested in your marital status or age, do not rush to be rude in response - he is simply trying to determine by what rules he should interact with you.

Selected manifestations of South Korean culture

Understanding the fundamental principles of building relationships between Koreans, it will be interesting to consider more specific manifestations of their behavior patterns. In particular, these are:

1. Respect for elders. In Korea, it is customary that young people and those of lower rank are obliged to follow the wishes and instructions of their elders without any objections.
2. Attitude towards marriage. Koreans consider marriage to be perhaps the most important event in life. Divorce, on the contrary, is interpreted as a huge and indelible shame.
3. Names. Among residents of the CIS countries, it is common practice for a wife to take her husband’s surname. In South Korea, they adhere to different traditions - the wife keeps her last name, but their common children inherit the father's family name.
4. Public quarrels. Angry and offended women are everywhere. This mixture turns out to be especially explosive if such a woman is also elderly. In South Korea, there are quite often these types of grandmothers who can show their dissatisfaction not only verbally, but also physically. No matter how offensive it may be, you cannot react to this, even if you are provoked. It's best to just step aside.
5. Handshake. People who are equal in status or who are on friendly terms use the familiar form of handshake. But if one of them is of lower rank or younger, then he is obliged to shake the outstretched hand with both hands. Quite often, the greeting is supplemented with a bow. The older and the higher in status a person is, the deeper they bow to him.
6. The boss is always right and cannot be denied. Surprisingly, this rule applies to almost all areas of life. You can't even refuse an offer to drink. Therefore, if the boss is an alcoholic, it is easier to change jobs than to give them a refusal.

South Korean traditions

The culture and traditions of South Korea are closely intertwined, because one follows the other. However, with the passage of time and globalization moving by leaps and bounds, any open society undergoes one change or another. But there are fundamental beliefs that are revered at all times. In relation to South Korea, the following traditions, customs and:

1. Chere, or rite of remembrance of ancestors. According to Korean beliefs, after death a person’s soul goes to another world only after a change of 4 generations. And throughout this period he is a full-fledged member of the family, who, according to legend, cares for and protects the entire family from bad weather.
2. Hanbok, or traditional clothing. It is what Koreans wear on special days such as Lunar New Year, Harvest Day, or wedding ceremonies.
3. In relation to marriage, Koreans have skillfully created a model that combines both modern trends and traditional rituals. Today, a Korean wedding is divided into two parts: first there is a ceremony according to Western European style, with a white dress, veil and tuxedo for the groom, and after the newlyweds dress in traditional outfits and go to a special room for lunch with their parents.
4. Sollal, or Lunar New Year. This holiday is celebrated on the first day of the lunar calendar. It is customary to celebrate it with family, remembering ancestors, preparing special dishes and dressing up in hanbok.
5. Chuseok, or Harvest Day. Koreans devote the fifteenth day of the eighth month according to the eastern calendar to remembering their ancestors and thanking the gods for food.

Note to tourists

In order not to get into trouble when communicating with a Korean, or to avoid incurring the wrath of law enforcement officials, a tourist in South Korea should remember a few rules:

1. Watch your gestures. Calling someone with your palm up or beckoning with your finger is considered offensive.
2. You should take off your shoes when entering a Korean home, but walking on the floor without socks is considered bad manners.
3. Public displays of affection between a couple, be it kissing or hugging, are considered indecent in Korean society, but displays of friendship are quite acceptable.
4. Smoking in public places is strictly prohibited, and enforcement of this rule is closely monitored by the police.
5. You cannot pierce food with chopsticks and leave them directly on the plate, especially when visiting - the hostess may take this as an insult.

Since the state is located on a peninsula, Korea was regularly subjected to military invasions from its neighbors. This led to the interpenetration of many cultural values ​​and traditions, which, thanks to the country’s long closure, have survived to this day. Arriving in Korea, you will immediately feel the difference between the West and the East.

Of course, the main difference between each country is culture. It contains many aspects, but the very first thing we encounter when arriving in another country is etiquette.

Korean etiquette - origins

Etiquette can be called a set of certain rules that are undesirable to break. Failure to comply with one of them a few centuries ago would have been punishable by physical punishment or even death. Now everything is simpler, if you violated it, you will be condemned.

Any etiquette of an Asian country is tied to the dogmas of Confucianism. It precisely determined the place of each person in the family and in the country. Many dogmas have long been disobeyed, but some of them are firmly rooted in the consciousness of modern Korea. For example, traditional patriarchal relationships in the family, addresses, communication style.

Korea. Features of national etiquette

Communication is an important part of the life of every society. Each country has its own conventions when speaking. The etiquette rules of South Korea, as well as North Korea in general, prohibit calling a person by name. This is familiar and impolite. You can only call someone you know well by name: your child or a very good friend. In all other cases, they are addressed by last name and first name (strictly in that order) with the prefix “cabbage soup,” which means “Mr.” Features of Korean culture include strict adherence to hierarchy both in the family and in society: between the elder in age or position and the younger there is a huge gulf of endless respect and unquestioning submission. It is not customary to argue or argue with an elder. There is also no “you” in the Korean language. Despite the fact that there is a word with this meaning - “tanshchin” - it is used extremely rarely: when communicating between a husband and his wife, in poetry, or to insult a person.

Greetings in Korea

As in any Asian country, Koreans bow a lot: when they say goodbye, ask for a favor, thank you for something, or express their respect. Elders must be treated with respect and not interrupted. The youngest always bows first. The depth of the bow is determined by the difference in status between the interlocutors: the greater it is, the lower the bow of the younger one and vice versa. If the social status of the interlocutor is high, special respect is expressed by bowing to the floor. Handshakes are also common in Korea. The first to offer a hand is the one who is higher in position in society. The one who is lower in status must shake the other’s hand, preferably with both of his own, and bow. In Korea, it is generally not customary to do something with one hand, only with two. This is how they used to prove in the old days that they did not keep weapons on them and did not want to cause harm.

Another old tradition is the call “Annyonhaschimnikka?” or “Annyeonhaseyo!”, which literally translates to “How are you?/How are you?” and “Good health!” Previously, the Korean people were very oppressed by their neighbors. Almost every house buried their sons because of the war. This greeting was a wish for health, perseverance and longevity.

Gestures in Korea

In any country there are a lot of gestures, and they all have very different meanings. To avoid getting into trouble with them, let's look at the most common ones.

1. Do not call a person to you with your hand raised, palm up. This is the name of dogs in Korea. Just turn your hand palm down and no problem.
2. Koreans love to show their love and affection. The “heart” gesture is especially popular. To do this, raise your arms, spread your elbows to the sides, and place your palms on your head.
3. Koreans laugh a lot, but in Korean gesture culture, smiling is specific. Laughter used to be considered unacceptable, especially among women. Therefore, even now, when Koreans smile or laugh, they always cover their mouths with their palm.
4. The “peace” gesture—two fingers up—is very popular. Koreans love to take pictures with him.

Use of transport

Korea is a country with a high level of development. All buses or trains run strictly on schedule. The system of one universal card for all types of transport is very convenient. In Korea, you can buy such a card or pay separately each time. Each subway car or bus has special seats for disabled people and pregnant women. Even if the transport is crowded, no passenger will sit in these seats except those for whom they are intended.

Clothing and shoes in Korea

Koreans love fashion and follow trends. On the street you can often see the following picture: a Korean woman is wearing a short skirt or shorts and a closed neckline. The fact is that the traditional women's outfit until the beginning of the 20th century had a very short top that almost did not cover the chest. Thanks to missionaries from America, who were horrified by this, religious schools were opened in the 20th century, where Korean women were convinced to cover their neckline. This has led to the fact that even now, T-shirts or sweaters with a neckline are considered indecent.

Koreans almost never wear slippers. It is customary to walk barefoot at home, so the floors are always kept perfectly clean. We take off our street shoes at the entrance, and then go barefoot. We only wear slippers in the kitchen or toilet. Also, such shoes are issued in saunas or baths, where Koreans like to relax periodically.

Meal in Korea

A traditional Korean table will always have one or two main courses and plenty of appetizers. At a traditional dinner, the table will be low, and instead of chairs there will be soft pillows on which everyone sits cross-legged. A regular lunch is no different from what we are used to. At the head of the table sits the eldest by status or age (as well as the owner of the house or the one who invited you to the restaurant). Don't start eating first. Most often, the head of the table asks everyone to start eating, and if you are visiting a traditional Korean family, then start eating only after the host has done so. They eat everything with chopsticks (rice and snacks) and a spoon (soups, rice at informal meetings).

A little about chopsticks. They are called "chotgarak". Remember, under no circumstances “pok” chopsticks at your interlocutor or pin food on them - this is indecent. Do not insert chopsticks vertically into rice - this is a bad sign. This is how offerings are given to the deceased at a funeral.

Rules of conduct for women

Korea is a patriarchal country; the head of the family is always a man. Now Koreans are becoming more and more familiar with Western culture, and the fair sex has much more rights. Despite this, it is considered unacceptable for women to contradict their husbands, especially on the street. This is disrespect for your spouse. A girl has only two responsibilities: to raise children and take care of her husband’s well-being. For example, it is not uncommon for a wife to sit at home, looking after the children and the house, while the husband earns money.

Visit to a Korean home

It may happen that you are invited to visit. Don't worry, just follow these 2 rules:

1. It is customary to give and receive with both hands.
2. The eldest in age and position is always held in high esteem. You should be especially polite with him.

Hierarchy has become firmly established in communications between close people. Even in a family, the eldest has more power and his word is law.

Korean children are very different from ours. They are trained to be quiet and calm, to respect their elders, and not to contradict them.

Despite all the prejudices associated with Asia, there are tables and chairs in the Korean home. There are not many traditional houses left where they are absent.

Apchhi and some other nuances

Koreans are also aesthetes. They love everything beautiful and disdain the imperfect. They turn a blind eye to a lot of things here, but they won’t let you off the hook. It should be remembered that in Asia it is also indecent to blow your nose in public. You must sniff until the last moment, until you are left alone. Only then can you blow your nose. But coughing and sneezing are welcome. This is considered normal.

Smoking and drinking alcohol in public places is also considered unacceptable. This is prohibited by law. After all, in this way you disrupt order and cause inconvenience to other members of society.

The paradox of this social phenomenon is that South Korean culture, like the North, have not only a common language of communication, but also common historical roots of their ethical and moral traditions, based on the principles and postulates of Confucianism. And if, in the Southern country, these principles of universal respect for parents, family, friends and the older generation acquired more humanistic forms, then in the Northern country the Juche teachings significantly transformed these concepts.

All this led to the creation of not only a totalitarian state regime of the post-communist type, but also to the destruction of any human and personal freedoms. At the same time, if we consider current trends in the education of the younger generation in South Korea, then in this process special importance is primarily given to the aesthetic education of the individual, and then technical and humanitarian knowledge of a higher order is superimposed on this formed “foundation”.

Religion of South Korea

It is no secret that almost all religions of the world are significantly influenced by both certain national traditions and the ethnic characteristics of a particular people or social group that professes it. This happened in our case too, because geography of South Korea, suggests significant influence from the cultures of neighboring peoples. After all, having traditionally Buddhist beliefs, it absorbed more ancient religious interpretations of Confucianism, which for many centuries was the official religion of the Joseon Dynasty.

Economy of South Korea

The paradox of the development of the South Korean economy is the fact that, being backward until the sixtieth year and focused mainly on the production of agricultural products for domestic consumption, over the past fifty years it has become the most advanced economy in the world, ranking 15th in the world in terms of GDP. In addition, there was a radical reorientation. And today the economy South Korea is advanced in almost all sectors of industry and agriculture.

Science of South Korea

As many analysts in the field of economics write, one of the main reasons for the incredible successes of South Korea in the field of economic development and production lies in the fact that these transformations were based both in terms of significant investments in scientific and technological developments, and in the field of national education.

South Korean art

One of the main features of the development of contemporary art in South Korea is the fact that against the backdrop of the manifestation of modern urban trends, both in the field of architecture, monumental art and painting, modern carefully preserves the ancient, centuries-old traditions of masters of making the finest ceramics, architecture and metal work.

South Korean cuisine

Modern kitchen South Korea, as well as culture Many countries in this Asian region have the peculiarity that it is based on the use of the most common agricultural products, namely rice, beans and barley. At the same time, being a country surrounded by seas, the cuisine of South Korea abounds in seafood, which traditionally, like ordinary Korean dishes, is generously seasoned with spicy seasonings.

Customs and traditions of South Korea

If we talk about, then in addition to the peculiar national clothing “hanbok” and the traditional style in architecture, namely the construction of buildings in the form of pagodas, landscape design occupies a special place in the culture of South Koreans. South Korean gardens, which are an essential element of any home, differ significantly from the tradition of creating parks in China and Japan. So, in particular, South Korean parks and gardens have all the surroundings present in the park are only of artificial origin. So, quite often a South Korean garden or park looks much more attractive than its natural counterpart.

Sports of South Korea

South Korea, being quite tightly integrated into the modern world economy in the field of sports, cultivates almost all popular European sports. So, in many international arenas it is represented not only by football and basketball, but also by such somewhat exotic sports as computer sports, which are based on individual and personal participation in multiplayer computer games.

Translator from Russia AdaKwon married a local resident and moved to South Korea. The girl shares her observations about life in the country online. Many customs and habits of Koreans seem strange to us. Here men shave their legs, young people don’t know who Harry Potter is, and at weddings it’s customary to open envelopes and immediately write down who gave how much.

1. Webtoons

Webtoons - Internet comics - are very popular in South Korea. They are read by children, young people, and older people. New chapters of one episode are usually released once a week.
At metro stations you can sometimes see the creations of webtoon artists.

2. Study is a priority

The photo shows the schedule of classes for teenagers 16–19 years old. As you can see, it is customary to study here from morning until late evening. School libraries are open until 1:00 am, and high school students often stay there late. It is not surprising that children often fall asleep during lessons and ask the teacher to let them leave the classroom to wash their faces and cheer up.

3. Isolation from the rest of the world

South Korean youth know little about other countries and their cultures. The names of the most famous American pop stars and legendary musicians mean absolutely nothing to them. They had never heard of the Titanic or Harry Potter. They are only interested in their own culture. For example, all young people are crazy about artists in the K-pop (Korean pop music) genre, and children dream of becoming stars in this field when they grow up.

4. Themed subway cars

In this country, you can find themed subway cars, such as a car dedicated to a cartoon character. It announces stations in a cartoon voice.

5. Matching clothes

Lovers here love to wear matching or similar clothes. So don’t be surprised if you see young people wearing similar things on the street.

6. Men's leg shaving machines

In South Korea, fashion requires men to get rid of hair on their legs. Special machines are sold for this. According to their advertising, Korean women love smooth male legs.

7. Lack of trash cans on the streets

In South Korea, waste is carefully sorted. But you won’t find ordinary trash cans on the streets.

8. Tangerine Valentines

Instead of the Valentine cards that we are used to, in South Korea they use tangerines: you can decorate a tangerine with a funny face and give it to someone you like. For this purpose, funny stickers are sold with citrus fruits.

9. No gifts for teachers

Gifts to teachers are considered a bribe here, so when parents want to thank the teacher, they bring him... a glass of coffee. And children usually give sweets. Koreans use the English word "fighting" when they wish for success and moral strength.

10. A wedding is a business

To invite guests to a Korean wedding, it is not enough to simply hand out an invitation. You need to take everyone to a restaurant, give them something to drink, feed you, and only then invite you to the ceremony. Everyone they know is invited to the celebration.
Like us, it is customary to give envelopes with money at weddings. But this is done differently. The guest enters the wedding hall and approaches the gift table. Specially trained people take the envelope, open it and count the bills enclosed in it, after which they write down the name of the guest and the amount of money donated. This is accounting.

11. President's popularity

The current president, Moon Jae-in, is incredibly popular in the country. Ties “like the president’s” are selling out at lightning speed, and in stores you can easily find coloring books with the head of the country for the youngest patriots.

12. Toothbrushes with toothpaste squeezed out on them

Korean stores have many products for the lazy, such as toothbrushes with toothpaste already squeezed out on them or diced frozen vegetables.

South Korea is a country with a rich and unique culture, many of which foreign visitors should know. The national characteristics of South Korea are manifested in various areas of everyday life.

Korean cuisine

The nation is rightfully proud of its cuisine. So what should you take into account?

Kimchi, which are fermented vegetables with the addition of a large number of spices, has long been considered an attribute of the culture. Most often, Chinese cabbage is used to make kimchi, but sometimes preference is given to kohlrabi leaves, eggplant, cucumbers, and radishes. It is impossible to imagine any meal without this dish!

Koreans are very fond of rice, which they can eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, on weekdays and holidays. However, remember that in South Korea it is still customary to eat rice with a spoon, and the bowl cannot be brought to your mouth!

Koreans can eat dog meat. Such delicacies are held in high regard by men and are usually ordered in the summer. Government authorities are seeking to ban restaurants from using dog meat for cooking, because the state must be rehabilitated in the eyes of the entire civilized world.

The national alcoholic drink is soju, which resembles vodka but is made from grain or potatoes. Please note that in South Korea, alcohol can only be served with meals.

Important features of traveling to Korea

South Korea is a densely populated country, because most of its territory is mountains. It is between the numerous mountains that there are small plains with large cities.

You need to be extremely careful: you should not expect that you will be asked to step aside or give way to you, Koreans can simply push you away, and getting to the counter in any store, crossing the street, or using public transport can be somewhat difficult.

You can visit South Korea and decide to go on a long hike in the mountains. This is especially true if you are friends with a Korean, since hiking is something of a national hobby.

Patriotism and attitude towards the homeland

Koreans truly love their country and are ready to fight for its happy future. Be prepared for demonstrations on city streets to be a typical sight.