Like every cultures in the world, they have their own stereotypes and superstitions. Korea is no different. According to stereotypes on blood type, they believe that one's blood can determine one's personality.
The following list is not comprehensive, but you'll get the picture;
Blood type A - Introverted, considerate, self-conscious, patient, unable to express emotions well, and tend to be perfectionists. Blood type B - Creative, individualistic, self -centered, inconsiderate and passionate. Blood type AB - Critical, indecisive, unpredictable, emotional and are most likely to be geniuses. Blood type O - Leaders, easygoing, friendly, outgoing. BONUS INTERESTING INFOS!
...and dating. Dating superstitions. I'm sure some of you are very interested to know XDDD
Well, the followings are not true, but they're fun and wacky;
Korean Dating Superstition #1 – If you pour yourself a drink, you’ll be single for 3 years.
Korean Dating Superstition #2 – If you give your Korean boyfriend or girlfriend shoes as a present, they’ll run away or they’ll cheat on you.
Korean Dating Superstition #3 – If you take out your wisdom teeth, you’ll breakup with your Korean girlfriend or boyfriend.
Korean Dating Superstition #4 – All men in Korea have to go to the army. If you cry when your boyfriend goes, you’ll break up!
Korean Dating Superstition #5 – If you catch the bouquet at a wedding, you have to get married within 6 months, or you’ll never get married. (At Korean weddings, you choose a friend – usually someone engaged – to catch the bouquet.)
Next shopping complex would like introduce to all reader. A place where S.M. Entertainment & JYP entertainment located.
Apgujeong-dong 한명회 韓明會
A residential, fashion, shopping, and educational district in the Gangnam district of Seoul. The dong originates from a pavilion with the same name founded by Han Myeong-hoe (Hangul:한명회 Hanja: 1415 - 1487), a high-ranking government officer during the Joseon dynasty.
The area contains upscale department stores, shops, boutiques, private educations, cafes and restaurants. It is also the location for headquarters of entertainment agencies, such as S.M. Entertainment and JYP Entertainment. The Café Pascucci coffee chain in Apgujeong was used as one of the main filming locations for Seoul Broadcasting System's 2001 drama Beautiful Days, starring Lee Byung-hun, Choi Ji-woo, Ryu Shi-won, Shin Min-a, Lee Jung-hyun and Lee Yoo-jin
It is served by Apgujeong Station and Sinsa Station on the Seoul Subway Line 3.Currently, it is one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Seoul.
This area of Seoul soundly represents the 'Economic Affluence' found south of the Han River. Apgujeong-dong and the surrounding areas are home to many of Korea's richest families, especially those with newfound wealth. Its large, private houses, expensive, imported cars, and dozens of high class import shops is where many people go to be seen. Many of the local children have been educated overseas or otherwise spent much time abroad, so many people can be found who can speak English (and other languages) well.
However, it also showcases the reckless indulgence of the upper class, with their showing-off, liberal sexual relationships, and concept of spoiled rich kids. The area is famous for it 'Orange People,' 'Yatas' (meaning 'Hey, jump in!'), and 'Natas' (meaning 'Hey, I am going to jump in!').
The name of the area originated from the pavilion name built by a powerful politician named Han Myung-Hae of the Chosun Dynasty, whose pen name was 'Apgu.' Although the pavilion no longer exists, it is believed to have stood where the Hyundai Apartments were built. In Chinese, apgu variously means 'being away from mundane matters and business, staying at a serene and quiet lake side,' and also 'having a good time with sea gulls.
Apgujeong-dong is the place for teenagers who are very sensitive to their styles and fashion. Their outfits look not only a bit rebellious and unsophisticated, but also deliver the image of challenge and being unprecedented. Fads related to fashion, hairstyles, and accessories that become popular in this area are often followed by the rest of the nation a few months later. Many fashion designers have shops in the area to keep tabs on the pulse of the local styles. Many trends quickly find themselves being copied into mainstream clothes sold through Dongdaemun and Namdaemun Markets.
Apgujeong-dong has already beat Myeong-dong for the title of 'Fashion Street.' It has also garnered nicknames of '1st Street of Fashion' and 'The origin of Fashion Culture.' The area is also a breeding ground for computer-related venture firms, with over 200 Internet and computer-related companies designing game software, CD-ROMs, and Internet shopping malls. Many of them are funded from local capital, a testament to the economic power of those who live here.
Chuseok, also known as the Korean Thanksgiving or Mid-Autumn Festival. If the biggest holiday of the first half of the year is Seollal (설날, Lunar New Year’s Day), then the biggest holiday of the second half of the year is undoubtedly Chuseok (추석). This festival held on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, which is September 30th this year. Chusok is often called a great day in the middle of August. It occurs during the harvest season. Thus, Korean families take this time to thank their ancestors for providing them with rice and fruits.
A traditional Chuseok table setting for ancestral rites
The celebration starts on the night before Chusok and ends on the day after the holiday. It is usually a three day holiday – something quite rare in Korea – emphasizing the importance of this holiday. People go back to their hometowns to get together with their families to tend the ancestors’ graves and give thanks to them through solemn ancestral rites.
Naturally, because it is a holiday celebrating the harvest, food becomes a central focus. Special Chuseok foods like songpyeon (송편), a kind of rice cakes made of rice, beans, sesame seeds, and chestnuts in crescent shapes with various fillings. The usual holiday foods of jeon (전) and japchae (잡채) also making an appearance.
songpyeon (송편)
Although called by different names depending on the era, Chuseok has been celebrated in Korea for centuries. Celebrating the harvest and the full moon also come hand in hand, as the full moon symbolizes fecundity and prosperity. Since the brightest and fullest moon is said to rise on Chuseok, it is more than reason enough for celebration. In the evening, children wear their favorite hanbok(한복 traditional Korean clothing). Among the traditional games played on Chuseok, the dance Ganggangsullae (강강술래) consists of people holding hands, singing and dancing in circles under the bright full moon.
In Korea, you can’t talk about the full moon without thinking about the rabbit. Mostly known that the full moon brings upon images of the “Man in the Moon” in some other country culture, but here, it’s the rabbit.
The rabbit
The rabbit in the moon is also called the “jade rabbit” (옥토끼), which is common in the folklore of not only Korea, but also China, Japan, and other countries. In Chinese folklore the rabbit is busily pounding a special medicine in a mortar for the Goddess of the Moon; in Korea, the rabbit is busily pounding rice to make tteok (떡, ddeok, rice cakes); in both cases, it is making an essence of life.
But why is there a rabbit in the moon? Legend says there once was a village where a rabbit, a fox, and a monkey resided. The three devoted themselves to Buddhism and spent much time in its study and practice. One day, the Emperor of the Heavens looked upon them and to test their faith, told them to bring him something to eat. The three set off to fulfill his wish. Consequently, the fox returned with fish, the monkey with fruit, and the rabbit, who could do nothing but gather grass, lit a fire with it and jumped in, offering his own self. His commitment earned the approval of the Emperor and he was placed in the moon as its guardian, with “smoke” surrounding him as a reminder of his endeavor.
This legend varies in different cultures: sometimes the Emperor of the Heavens is disguised as a poor old man, sometimes it’s not the three animals mentioned above but others. The actions of the rabbit remain consistent, however, and the results of his deed as well.
The image of the rabbit in the moon and the gyesu tree is so steadfast in Korean culture that it shows up in a famous children’s song, “Half-moon” (반달), which was written and composed by the songwriter Yoon Geuk-young (윤극영) in 1924. (The song is better known for its first verse and some people think it is the title, but it’s not.)
The lyrics are: 푸른 하늘 은하수 하얀 쪽배엔 계수나무 한 나무 토끼 한마리 돛대도 아니 달고 삿대도 없이 가기도 잘도 간다 서쪽 나라로
High above the deep blue sky, down the Milky Way, Rides a ship without a sail, with no oars they say, Ship of white, its only crew, is a rabbit white, Westward it floats along, silently through the night
Food... everybody loves this topic. Food is important, yes, but today I'm not going to be posting anything about the Korean cuisines, but I'll be sharing with you guys a little bit about the table manners in Korea according to a couple of articles that I read recently.
Politeness is very vital to the Koreans. Although some of the older traditions have relaxed in recent years this is a couple of Korean table manners include etiquette still in use today. Here goes:
Before you start eating, we are supposed to say "잘 먹겠습니다" （jal meok-ket-seum-ni-da) which means "I'm going to have a nice meal" or "I will eat well"
In the beginning of the meal, wait for the oldest person to eat first. If you are with a friend of the same age or with a business partner, you should say "먼저 드세요" （meon-jeo deu-se-yo) [Please eat first].
In addition, try to keep pace with others by eating not too fast or not too slow.
How to hold a spoon and chopsticks the right way? Well, I came across with this article in lifeinkorea.com so I thought I should share this with you guys about the right way to use a spoon and chopsticks. Of course I know you guys know how to use them but this is the Korean way :D
1. Right way to use spoon
O
X
X
X
2. How to use chopstics:
Place one chopstick inside of thumb and reach to 4th finger.
Place the other chopstick between the index finger and middle finger and hold by pressing with your thumb.
Freely move chopsticks by pressing thumb and only using your index and middle fingers.
O
X
The third rule is, during a meal you should not hold your bowl up. In some cultures in Asia such as in China and Japan, people hold the bowl up. However in Korea, that's not the case. You should have your bowl on your table. Moreover, you should hold one utensils at a time. Don't be going holding a pair of chopsticks on one hand and a spoon on the other.
Next, NEVER STICK YOUR CHOPSTICKS IN YOUR RICE OR ANY OTHER FOOD!! Because it looks like it's for an ancestral rite (제사 je-sa). In Korea, this is totally wrong!
When it comes to refilling your glass, always pour your drinks for others first especially those who are older or senior to you. Other than that, when someone offers you alcohol, it's not considered as polite to refuse especially from an elder. Speaking of alcohol, in Korea, it's only legal for someone to have alcoholic drinks when they're above 19 years of age.
Some Korean foods can be very spicy and some of you might not be used to it and hence you might have a runny nose. The major important manners in the Korean culture is to NEVER EVER blow your nose at the table. NEVER!!!
Finally, when you end your meal, you'll have to say "잘 먹었습니다" (jal meo-geot-seum-ni-da) which basically means "Thank you for the meal"
Thank you for reading, and thank you lifeinkorea.com and Seoulistics.com. I had a wonderful time learning!
Nope...today topics I think all the girl interest with it
Yup no doubt !! It's shooooping~
Do all KCS's follower watch the video that posted at fb?
If no , never mind...I would like to introduce all the shopping complex 1by1
Dongdaemun,Apgujeong-dong,Cheondam-dong,Sinsa-dong and so on.
Lets talk about dongdaemun...
Dongdeamun(동대문)Great East Gate 东大门
Dongdaemun Market or Tongdaemun (abbreviated DDM) is the large commercial district comprising traditional markets and shopping centers in Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea. A popular shopping and tourist
destination, it has been designated a Special Tourism Zone (관광특구) since 2002.
Dongdaemun Market opened in July 1905 in Yeji-dong (예지동 禮智洞), whose name means "a neighborhood for learning politeness", so the market was originally called Baeugaejang (배우개장, "market for learning"). The market was also called Gwangjang Market (광장시장) as a company of the same name was set up as market management.
The market was set in a closed structure until the Korean War, when the market was completely destroyed. The market slowly rebuilt over the years, and in 1959 a building was constructed and the market was revived. In 1998 and 1999, large shopping malls such as Geopyeong Freya, Migliore, and Doosan Tower were built in the district and the market was renovated with a modern atmosphere among the traditional market.
Dongdaemun Market is located near its namesake of Dongdaemun (Great East Gate). Korea's largest wholesale and retail shopping district has 26 shopping malls, 30,000 specialty shops, and 50,000 manufacturers. Within the ten blocks of the market area, you can find silks, clothes, shoes, sporting goods, plumbing and electrical supplies, electronics, office supplies, toys and just about everything else imaginable.
Traditionally, wholesalers operated from 1:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and retailers were open from 1:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Buyers came from all over Korea to take advantage of the cheap wholesale prices during the wee hours of the morning, creating an unusual nightlife in the area. Now, the area stays open from 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 a.m., allowing shoopers to do their thing almost any time the mood strikes them. (Most stores close on Mondays and holidays.)
However, many of the new stores have been targeting college and high school students. The older 2- and 3-story buildings have narrow walkways between the stores, poor lighting, exposed plumbing and conduits, and ajumas run the individual shops. The newer high rise stores resemble department stores, having wider walkways, brighter lighting, modern stylings, loud techno-pop music blaring from speakers, and college-age people running the stores.
Dongdaemun Shopping Town and Dongdaemun Chain Store(across the street from Dongdaemun) both exemplify old Dongdaemun Market. They contain many shops catering to newlyweds, selling clothing materials, bedding, dishes and silverware, and other necessary items for starting a new household. Many couples and their parents head here before their wedding to get custom-made clothes, curtains, and bedding materials. Young couples also come here to get tradtional and formal clothes for their small children.
The Korea International Trade Association (KITA) recently opened the Dongdaemun Market Information Center to assist foreign buyers in Dongdaemun Market. Located in the basement of the Fraya Town Building, staff members can answer questions and offer assistance in English, Japanese, and Chinese. They also have some information available in Russian. The Center is open 12:00-22:00 daily.
In South Korea, the Muslim population has been growing since the introduction of the Islamic faith shortly after the Korean War. The Muslim for both Korean and foreign born community is stayed around Seoul, where the first large 20th-century mosque was built in 1976 using the funds of the Malaysian Islamic Mission and other Islamic countries.In 1962, the Malaysian government offered a grant of US$ 33,000 for a mosque to be built in Seoul. However, the plan was derailed due to inflation. During 1970s, when South Korea's economic ties with many Middle Eastern countries became prominent, that interest in Islam began to rise again. Some Koreans working in Saudi Arabia converted to Islam and back to Korea after completed their labour.
In addition to fewer than 30,000 indigenous Korean Muslims, there has been a slow but evident growth of South Asian, Middle Eastern (i.e. Iraqi), Indonesia and Malaysian immigration to South Korea, the majority being Muslims, during the 1990s and 2000s, usually arriving as guest workers to the country. In total, there are up to 35,000 Muslims in South Korea.
Now there are more than 10 mosques and 40 prayer centers throughout the country.
For sure, when Muslims visit Korea, they will wondering where to take halal foods. To make their stay in Korea more comfortable, here are some restaurant or places recommended~
1. Al-Saba Restaurant
The restaurant specializes in lamb dishes, curry, and chicken dishes.
Address : 34-50 Itaewon 1(il)-dong Yongsan-gu Seoul South Korea
2. Ashoka Restaurant
The first Indian restaurant to open in Korea.
Address: 3rd Flr, Hamilton Hotel, Itaewon, Seoul.
3. Murree Restaurant
The restaurant specializes in Lamb Dishes, curry, and chicken dishes.
From Itaewon-ro, take right up the hill and take left. Murree is on the right side of the road. Up a bit is the mosque.
4. Mr. Kebab
Turkish Cuisine
Address: 127-2, Itaewon-1-Dong, YongsanGu, Seoul.
5. Foreign Restaurant
The restaurant having the menu included chicken and mutton and salad.
Address: 136-45, Itaewon Dong,. Yongsangu, Seoul.
Here are the Seoul Central Masjid, Islamic restaurants, and Vegetarian Restaurants recommended by Korean Tourism Organization :
Jeju-do (transliterated Korean for Jeju Province, short form of Jeju Special Autonomous Province or Cheju Island) is the special autonomous province of South Korea, situated on and coterminous with the country's largest island. Jeju-do lies in the Korea Strait, southwest of Jeollanam-do Province, of which it was a part before it became a separate province in 1946. Its capital is the city of Jeju.The island contains the naturalWorld Heritage SiteJeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes.
(for getting more knowledge about jeju island may visit the site paste on above)
Jeju Island Travel Information
Jeju Island, also known as the "Island of the Gods," is a popular vacation spot for Koreans and many Japanese. It remains one of the top honeymoon destinations for Korean newlyweds. The island's mixture of volcanic rock, frequent rains, and temperate climate, make it very similar to the Hawaiian Islands in the U.S. The island offers visitors a wide range of activities: hiking on Halla-san (South Korea's highest peak), catching sunrises and sunsets over the ocean, viewing majestic waterfalls, riding horses, or just lying around on the sandy beaches.
Although tourism is one of the main industries on the island, many of the hotels and other tourist areas are run by mainland companies, so much of the income never gets put back into the local economy. Also, since the attractions are geared towards tourists, many of the entrance fees can be hefty (although the locally owned and operated ones tend to be cheaper). Similar to Gyeongju and some other areas, local residents can enter most places for free or for a steeply discounted price.
Lodging
Jeju (Cheju) Island has 21 lodging facilities listed with Life in Korea. See all Jeju (Cheju) Island hotels.
Transportation
Bicycle: Given Jeju's wide expanses, bicycling here is much safer than in most of Korea. Many of the roads have sufficient room to ride along the edge, and some even have special bike lanes- not just a painted line between you and traffic, but a separate road with curbs between you and the drivers. Unfortunately, many of the local residents are convinced that the bikes lanes were actually built especially for them to dry their seeds and herbs, so in some places you may have to take short detours onto the road.
Boat: The ferry terminals in Jeju City has daily boats to Busan, Yeosu, Mokp'o, Wando, Noktong, and Incheon on the mainland, as well as several boats to Japan (see the Jeju Port section for schedules). Several other smaller ports have boats to the outlying islands of Kapa-do, Mara-do, Piyang-do, and U-do.
Bus: The bus terminal in Jeju City has buses to numerous destinations around the island. Most do circuits between here and Seogwip'o or Jungmun Resort on the south coast, stopping at various points of interest along the way. Several Jeju City buses criss-cross the city. The main bus is #100, running between the airport and the port, passing the bus terminal and most major hotels. Major hotels and tourist agencies run 1- and 2-day tours around the island.
Car: Several rental car agencies have various models for hire, starting from around W35,000 per half day.
Plane: Jeju International Airport has several flights daily via Korean Air and Asiana to Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Jinju, Kunsan, Gwangju, Mokp'o, P'ohang, Ulsan, Yecheon, and Yeosu. Domestic flights have an airport tax of W3,000. It also has international flights to Japan: Fukuoka, Nagoya, Osaka, and Tokyo. International flights have an airport tax of W9,000.
Jejudo is a volcanic island, 130 km from the southern coast of Korea. The largest island and smallest province in Korea, the island has a surface area of 1,846 sqkm. A central feature of Jeju is Hallasan, the tallest mountain in South Korea and a dormant volcano, which rises 1,950 m above sea level. 360 satellite volcanoes are around the main volcano.
