Test your knowledge of Korea with our weekly quiz on the language, culture, history or anything K-related. -- Ed.  Find the answer at the bottom of the page. North Korea is one of the most unusual states in the world, led by a dictatorial regime that saw the power succession to a third generation a decade ago. But according to South Korea’s law, it is not even a real country. The Constitution of South Korea states that its territory is the Korean Peninsula and its islands, d

  There will be plenty of instances where, despite ordering your own separate meal, you will be asked to share some part of your food with Korean friends. And, when it comes to sharing food, Koreans always offer to share more than once, as we believe that offering just once lacks consideration of others, or "jeong." So, be sure to always offer to share your food more than once and don't be shy about accepting an offer of food from others. By Min Byoung-chul Min Byoung-chul is

Myers-Briggs personality types used by some as tool to predict romantic compatibility

An important Korean ceremony is the celebration of a baby‘s first birthday, known as doljanchi. The ceremony is held to bless the child with a prosperous and healthy life. The highlight of this ceremony is where a variety of objects are placed in front of the baby and the baby is encouraged to grab one or two items. Each of the items represents a different future for the child in terms of career or lifestyle. A brush, a gavel, or a stethoscope may mean that the baby will become a schol

Test your knowledge of Korea with our weekly quiz on the language, culture, history or anything K-related. -- Ed There is no state religion in South Korea and over half of Koreans profess no religion. But among those who are religious, the two largest groups are Christianity and Buddhism. According to a census conducted in 2015, 19.7 percent of the country’s population consider themselves Protestant Christians. Together with Roman Catholics, who make up another 7.9 percent of the pop

When greeted by a foreigner, some Koreans may respond with just a smile. Westerners prefer to exchange verbal greetings. In noisy places, they may simply nod or wave. Therefore, Westerners may feel slighted by receiving only a smile in return. However, you may see some Koreans try to express themselves with gestures rather than verbal communication. By Min Byoung-chul Min Byoung-chul is an endowed chair professor at Chung-Ang University who is widely known as a multicultural educator and

Test your knowledge of Korea with our weekly quiz on the language, culture, history or anything K-related. -- Ed.  The Dangun myth tells the story of how the first Korean kingdom Gojoseon was founded in 2233 BC.  A long, long time ago, a heavenly prince named Hwanung descended on the Korean Peninsula to rule over humans. A tiger and a bear, envious of people living so happily and peacefully together under his rule, prayed and prayed with wishes to become human.  Hwanung, mo

Sports Complex Station serves as gateway to arenas for sports, concerts with global acts, other large events

Test your knowledge of Korea with our weekly quiz on the language, culture, history or anything K-related. -- Ed.    Mountain hiking is one of the most popular hobbies among Korean people, partly because mountains are accessible from anywhere in the country. 　 South Korea is home to thousands of mountains, known for their rugged slopes, leafy forests and scenic beauty. In fact, over 60 percent of Korea’s land is situated 700 meters above sea level, in other words, covered by m

There is a custom in Korea of helping others in return for their help, called “pumasi,” which is derived from the “jeong” aspect of Korean culture. Long ago, when one farmer had a difficult task to accomplish, such as building a new rice paddy, rather than facing the task by himself, his neighbors would come and help. They would work together to build the new rice paddy, with each neighbor knowing that the farmer would return the favor when they needed help. Eve

Test your knowledge of Korea with our weekly quiz on the language, culture, history or anything K-related. -- Ed.  Answer: (b) Throughout its 5,000-year history, S. Korea has had no shortage of heroes. But only one claims the title of “Seong-woong,” roughly translated as “a sacred hero.” Adm. Yi Sun-shin (1545-1598) of the Joseon era is considered among history‘s greatest war heroes. Revered for his undefeated record, loyalty to the country and the

Tipping workers is rare in Korea and therefore, you‘re not obliged to provide a tip after you take a taxi or eat at a restaurant. You won’t, however, offend anyone by leaving a small token of appreciation for their exceptional service. Koreans traveling abroad might, however, forget to tip, but this is merely because they are not used to doing so in Korea. By Min Byoung-chul Min Byoung-chul is an endowed chair professor at Chung-Ang University who is widely known as a multi

From busking performances by idol trainees to fan events, campus town turns into a bustling K-pop mecca on weekends

Test your knowledge of Korea with our weekly quiz on the language, culture, history or anything K-related. -- Ed.  Girls born in Korea in 2020 are expected to live 86.5 years, six years longer than boys. The latest available data puts the average life expectancy at 83.5 years for both sexes in Korea, second only after Japan among members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Japan’s figure is 84.7 years, while the OECD average stands at 80.5 years. Despite

If you are a K-drama maniac, you might be wondering why Koreans eat seaweed soup on their birthdays. Most cultures have cakes or some other special dish (usually a pastry). But in Korea, it’s seaweed soup. Seaweed is traditionally served to women during postnatal care. The seaweed is a great source of iodine and iron, and its detoxifying characteristics make it an ideal food for postnatal recovery. So, Koreans eat seaweed soup on their birthdays to pay respect to their mothers.