Hi, I am Garima Nag, a globe trotter, had a great fortune to live in South Korea for 5 years. It was totally different from what I expected. People, culture. Lifestyle et all. What intrigued me the most was their obsessions with some really bizarre things. Let me take you through some of the weird & interesting facts about South Korea.
You are a year old at the time of birth
The whole world is going nuts about looking young & here are Koreans who are already a year old when they are born! Their logic -” The baby’s age is calculated since the conception of the baby”. Well! isn’t the period suppose to be 9 months? But whatever rocks their boat.
I learned this on my first trip to the city of Busan when a lady on the metro asked my Korean age to mention in a form. Is that a thing?!
It is probably the cleanest country in the world
Everything is so clean in here. From subway to malls, homes, streets, even gas stations & public utilities are clean & hygienic. People are pretty conscious about keeping their surroundings clean in private as well as public spaces.
They are obsessed with their looks
People of South Korea are blessed with a lean figure, black silky hair & flawless complexion. They take extreme care of their skin & hair. You will find a hair & nail spa in every single street in Korea. They splurge BIG on beauty & cosmetics.
South Korea is a billion-dollar market of beauty products & plastic surgery. So, next time you envy their complexion & perfect appearance, give a little credit to the beauty treatments & enhancements.
They Love FRIED CHICKEN ( 200+ varieties)
No one loves fried chicken more than South Korea. They have more than 200+ varieties of Fried chicken alone!!! I love to try South Korean food & couldn’t help but sample most of these juicy & delish chicken dishes. They are literally out of this world.
Every Second Person is either Park or Kim
It is confusing, so confusing! I can bet at least 35-40% of people in South Korea share these two surnames. Even they have similar-sounding first names making it so difficult to identify.
No Rules for Motor Bikes
South Korea has a very good & safe traffic system but their motorbikers especially pizza delivery guys are crazy fast. They Jump red lights, drive on the pavement or zoom past you at lightning speed. Next time you see a Korean delivery boy on a bike, just get off the road 😀
Don’t Flush It
In the majority of places I have been in Korea, they DO NOT flush the toilet paper down the drain. Rather you will have to throw it in giant garbage bins. Major EWW..!
Feel Like a Millionaire
50,000 Won is the highest currency denominator in Korea. It is equivalent to $50. Move around with a couple of these & feel like a millionaire.
Quirky Museums
I went to explore Jeju Island ( One of the most gorgeous destinations in S. Korea) & found some really quirky museums. They have car Museums, Glass Museums, War Museums, and Sex & Health Museums.
Kimchi is the way
Go east or west, Kimchi is the best! No Kidding. THEY LOVE KIMCHI ( fermented & pickled vegetables) so much so that it is literally served with everything! So next time when you go to South Korea, don’t say Cheese say KIMCHI!
