The Korea Herald is launching a new weekly series titled “Uniquely Korean” on Page 3 every Thursday. This series will explore many aspects of Korea that can be classified as “unique” for readers, such as customs, practices, institutions, hot spots and social trends. The column will help guide both Korean and non-Korean readers to the hidden and intriguing gems of Korean culture. ― Ed.Song Joo-hee (not her real name) regularly takes her 3-year-old son to a private English school in Seoul as publi

Despite high prices, nonmedical businesses thrive by offering hotel-like services to mothers

Unique housing contract of ‘jeonse’ now being eclipsed by monthly rents

When it comes to booze, Koreans know what they are dealing with. Just as the term “let’s have a meal” is often interchangeable with arranging a meeting, “let’s go for a drink” is roughly equivalent to socializing. In the past, social meetings with alcohol had involved participants getting heavily drunk. This brought forth the birth of poktanju, or the bomb-drink, which refers to a cocktail of beer and liquors such as whiskey.As its name suggests, its main goal is to bombard the drinker with a he

For less than 20,000 won ($18), Park Min-joo, 25, can relieve her stress in an hour. Visiting a noraebang at least once a week, Park forgets it all in a confined room equipped with a karaoke system.“It’s just a way for me to release built-up stress,” she said.“My friends and I sing everything from American oldies to the latest K-pop hits to let go of all the bad things that happened during the week.”For Koreans, noraebang have served as a common means of dealing with stress.With comfortable sofa

Couples consult with foretune-tellers to predict their marital harmony

South Koreans’ heavy alcohol consumption is well-known, and drinking is an almost integral part of doing business here. Company dinners often involve round after round of “boilermakers” ― hard liquor (soju or whisky) mixed with beer ― and this business boozing has fueled the demand for driver-for-hire services. The services, called “daeri unjeon” in Korean ― which literally means “replacement driver” ― started in the late 1990s targeting businessmen who wanted to get home in their own vehicles a

Some argue patriotic demonstration is outdated

It is certainly no secret in Korea that the training process to debut as a K-pop star is no quick or simple venture. Often referred to as music “boot camp,” K-pop training among some of the nation’s biggest talent agencies is intense, to say the least. And with only a fraction of trainees able to become K-pop stars, the atmosphere among trainees can be fiercely competitive and cutthroat. Although other nations’ talent agencies play a role in “grooming” acts to make it big in the entertainment in