Archive for 'Culture'
Korean Buddhist Statues Posted by Ginny on Jul 20, 2010
Although Christianity is taking control of the South Korean peninsula, there are majestic remnants of Korea’s attachment to Buddhism. The Bangasayusang (반가사유상) is a bronze statue of the Buddha. It’s sometimes compared to Rodin’s “The Thinker” because of the elbow resting on the leg. This is an old piece, originating from the Silla (신라)-Baekje (백제)…
Boryeong Festival Posted by Ginny on Jul 17, 2010
From July 17 – 25, the city of Boryeong (보령) will have a festival called the 보령머드축제 or the Boryeong Mud Festival. There are several events; all having to do with mud : The festival attracts lots of tourists and boosts the local economy. Supposedly, the mud in Boryeong is rich in minerals and moisturizes…
Ondol Posted by Ginny on Jul 14, 2010
Ondol (온돌) is a term used to describe the traditional Korean way of heating the floor. The fire to heat the floor was made in an external fireplace called an 아궁이. The pipes used to transfer the heat from the fireplace to the floor were called 고래, and the external chimney (굴뚝) (pictured left)…
Korean Soccer Posted by Ginny on Jun 14, 2010
Lately there’s been a buzz among Koreans for Korea’s recent victory against Greece. The man on everyone’s tongue is Park Ji-Sung (박지성), the captain of the Korean soccer team. Of course, here are some other players that have received attention for one reason or another : Kim Nam-il (김남일) The player that gets a lot…
Gisaeng Posted by Ginny on Jun 5, 2010
Where did traditional Korean dances, music and poetry come from? A lot of traditional Korean culture that we appreciate and enjoy today can be traced to the gisaeng (기생), also called ginyeo (기녀). The hanja (한자) or Chinese Korean characters for 기생 consist of 妓 which means, female entertainer and 生, which means life. Who…
Our YouTube Winner: Rafiqahsari (Gyeongbok Palace) Posted by Transparent Language on May 25, 2010
First off, we’d like to thank all of you who submitted videos regarding exotic Korean customs. We really enjoyed reading all of your insightful comments on our Facebook page. The cultural practices you all mentioned — from the Korean BBQ to eccentric bridal piggybacks — were very enlightening. Without further adieu, our video winner is…
Spring Festivities in South Korea Posted by Ginny on Apr 17, 2010
The Cornus Fruit Festival in 인천 is a beautiful festival that highlights cornus fruit trees. The trees tend to bloom in the spring and from far away, it looks as though the area is covered in a sea of gold leaves. Some of the trees are actually hundreds of years old. Tourists are allowed to walk…