Unique Experiences of Korea

• Hanok Village: beautifully preserved traditional Korean villages to experience Korea's past
• DMZ: a sobering experience in a heavily fortified border between south and north Korea
• Jjimjilbang: chance to relax and rejuvenate in Korean spa
• K-Pop and K-Dramas: experience the Korean pop and drama culture and their fandoms
• K-Wave: extends from Korean pop, drama, cinema, food, fashion, beauty, and other cultural expressions
• Korean BBQ: chance to grill your own meat in a social and interactive dining
• Korean Temples: a peaceful escape into Buddhist temples
• Jeju Island: volcanic landscapes, fabulous beaches, on a picturesque island
• Korean Festivals: colorful festivals celebrated throughout the year with unique Korean traditions
• Korean Calligraphy: meditative practice that has been passed down through generations
• Convenience Store Culture: diverse stores that offer hot meals and even beauty products
• Unique Museums: 
• Trick Eye Museum: optical illusions and interactive exhibits
• Mr Toilet House Museum: history of toilets
• Haewoojae Museum: shaped like a gigantic toilet
• National Museum of Korea: collection of comprehensive Korean artifacts
• Gyeongju National Museum: showcase of artifacts from the Silla Kingdom
• Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art: contemporary works of art
• National Palace Mueseum: exploration into Korean royal court
• War Memorial of Korea: tells a story about the Korean War the impact it had on the country
• Seoul Museum of History: time travel into the history of Seoul
• National Folk Museum of Korea: explores the Korean traditional life
• Seodaemun Prison History Hall: story of Korean independence and the struggles against the Japanese colonial rule
• Korean Beauty Culture:
• Sheet Masks: innovative skincare products
• 'Glass Skin' Trend: flawless and translucent skin 
• Technology Hub:
• Fast Internet: fastest internet speeds
• Mobile-First Culture: digitized society with heavy use of smartphones from payments to communication
• Unique Traditions:
• Doljapi: first birthday celebration where the child chooses their future profession from table of symbolic objects
• Jeong: complex concept of loyalty, affection, and moral obligation in social relationships
• Talchum: traditional masked dance drama with satirical and irreverent performance
• Seol: major holiday with sharing rice cakes, and playing yut nori
• Beyond BBQ:
• Kimchi: fermented cabbage in many varieties
• Bibimbap: rice dish with mixed vegetables, meat, and fried egg
• Fried Chicken: crispy chicken served with sauces
• Beyond Kimchi: fermentation is deeply ingrained in Korean cuisine from soybean paste, red pepper paste, and unfiltered rice wine
• Banchan: feast with side dishes served alongside rice
• Gochujang: the magical spice of life used in countless dishes that also has regional variations
• Hansik: traditional cooking methods with emphasis on seasonal ingredients
• Tteokbokki: chewy rice cakes stir-fried in spicy gochujang sauce with fish cakes and vegetables
• Bulgogi: Thinly sliced marinated and grilled beef with lettuce leaves, rice, and other side dishes
• Kimbap: similar to sushi maki
• Jjigae: favorful stews, come in varieties
• Nature and Scenery:
• Seoraksan National Park: mountain scenery with hiking trails, waterfalls, and Buddhist temples
• Gamcheon Culture Village: hillside village in Busan with murals and artistic atmosphere
• Yeouido Hangang Park: famous for Yeouido Cherry Blossom Festival
• Seokchon Lake Park: picturesque reflection on the lake with pedestrian path lined with cherry blossoms
• Jinhae: renowned for Jinhae Gunhangji Festival
• Hadong: breathtaking sight of cherry trees
• Chimsangjeong Pavilion in Daegu: stunning backdrop of cherry blossom clouds and scenic stone staircase
• Jirisan National Park: Korea's largest national park with dense forests, cascading waterfalls, hiking trails, and diverse wildlife
• Modern Marvels:
• Seoul Forest: urban oasis with themed gardens, wildlife center, and marsh
• Starfield COEX Mall: underground shopping mall with shops, restaurants, aquarium, and library
• Bad Cultural Practices:
• Conformity and social pressure that leads to anxiety and stress
• A very fast paced life that has an emphasis on efficiency, speed, and promptness as a result of competition for education and workplace as well as from rapid economic development
• Hierarchical social structure based on age and social status that leads to inequality
• Huge emphasis on materialism and beauty standards which creates a very artificial and unhealthy lifestyle especially with plastic surgery and mental body image issues
• Nightlife scene can be an issue for women as there is growing problem with rape culture at night and the way women are viewed in general in Korean society
• Superstitions are very common in Korean society
• The day a baby is born is essentially regarded as 1 yr old as they include the time spent in the womb and everyone turns a year older on the 1st of January and not on their date of birth (in 2023 a new law was passed to scrap this method of counting age)
• Pushing and shoving is part of the culture and quite unapologetically
• You don't hug you bow, to some this may be awkward and a contradiction with their religious sensibilities
• Air pollution has become an issue in the outdoors
• The language barrier can be a real issue to people that don't speak Korean. However, in places like Seoul and Busan you can get by with English.
• Korean weather can be extreme across the four seasons. Winter can be harsh with freezing cold temperatures and snowfall. Summers can be unbearably hot and humid. However, most places have air conditioning and underfloor heating.
• Korea is a conservative society which is also reflected in how you show affection to your partner in public and the way you dress.
• Koreans are obsessed with hygiene habits. Brushing teeth after every meal. They even carry around toothbrushes with them to work, business meetings, and even friendly lunches.
• Korea has a high suicide rate as a result of a high-stress society with extreme competition in education and professional work culture that leads to depression and anxiety.
• Apartment blocks and skyscrapers seem to be everywhere. But, they tend to be built with small spaces.
• Koreans enjoy spitting, slurping, and burping
• There are animal cafes everywhere from hello kitty, figurine, poo themes and many others.
• Social life seems to start at noon on weekends otherwise it may feel like a ghost town where people stay up till very late
• Koreans are crazy about plastic surgery especially with eyelid, nose, anti-aging, and face shapes
• Koreans are crazy about skin care, lighter, youthful, and smoother skin tones are treated better than other races, the skin privilege really does apply
• Korea has a mandatory military service for men
• No distinction between 'my' space or 'your' space.
• Korean clothes sizes can be smaller than western standards
• Traffic lights can be very slow moving and you cannot jaywalk
• Expect lots of stares if you are not Korean or don't speak the language
• Leave your shoes outside. Although, this is a nice practice it can sometimes mean your shoes might get stolen in public. So, carry a shoe bag.
• Discrimination against women and how they are treated both in public, in private, and workplace can be a bit unconcerting.
• There is generally lack of diversity in workplace and some apparent discrimination against minorities.
• Some public places give priority to Koreans over non-Koreans, as race mixing is actively discouraged
• Korea has a rising prostitution problem that is connected to abuse and violence against women
• Koreans consume a lot of pig meat in comparison to lamb and beef which is considered a luxury. Most products will likely contain pig-based gelatin which may be an issue for some people.
• Koreans can be quite loud and noisy but this is generally part of the spoken language and the way they work. Soft spoken people may find it rather intimidating.