A small land with a grand story – Korea.
When foreigners first travel in Korea, one of the most surprising things isn’t a temple or a dish—it’s the Korean subway system. What seems like a simple transport network quickly reveals itself to be a futuristic, comfortable, and deeply cultural experience. Let’s explore 7 reasons why the Korean subway feels like something out of a … Read more
Why Do Koreans Fry So Much Food on Holidays? (Korean holiday food) When Korean holidays approach, the air fills with the smell of oil and sizzling sounds from the kitchen. Mothers wear aprons, ingredients are neatly stacked, and someone is always flipping something in a frying pan. To foreign eyes, this might just look like … Read more
Why So Many Meal Scenes in K-Dramas? (Korean food culture) If you watch Korean dramas, there’s one scene you’ll see again and again: people sitting around a table, sharing food. Sometimes it’s filled with laughter, sometimes with tears—and often with tension. As a foreign viewer, I found myself wondering, “Why are there so many scenes … Read more
Why Do Koreans Ask Your Age First? (Korean age culture) “Which year were you born?” That was one of the first questions I heard in Korea, and I froze for a moment. In many Western countries, people usually ask about your name, job, or hobbies first—but here, age came before anything else. At first, it … Read more
Introduction – Soup for Breakfast on Your Birthday? On my first birthday in Korea, my roommate placed a steaming bowl of soup in front of me.A clear, dark-green broth with floating strands of seaweed. I was surprised by its unique flavor and texture, but more than anything, I felt comforted.I soon learned that in Korean … Read more
Introduction – Adults Relaxing in a Kids’ Playroom? When a Korean friend first invited me to a “kids cafe,” I pictured chaos: slides, toys, and nonstop noise. But what I actually found flipped my expectations completely.A sleek, clean interior, a full coffee menu, and even reclining chairs where parents were relaxing—it was nothing like what … Read more
Introduction – Just Lifting a Soju Bottle? When I was first invited to a Korean drinking party, it wasn’t the green bottle of soju that left the strongest impression.It was the silent but sincere gesture of pouring each other’s drinks that caught my heart.Korean soju culture felt less like casual drinking and more like an … Read more
It was my first night in Korea. Past 11 PM, I was hungry, unfamiliar with delivery apps, and most restaurants were closed.As I wandered through the quiet streets, a few brightly lit spots stood out in the dark — convenience stores. What I assumed would be a simple place to grab snacks turned out to … Read more
“Please take off your shoes.”A familiar phrase, but what follows in a Korean jjimjilbang is unlike anything I’ve experienced before.What I thought would be a regular Korean sauna turned out to be a deep cultural immersion — a unique healing space I never knew I needed. Stepping Into the Jjimjilbang – A Cultural Shock It … Read more