Archive for 'Culture'
The Three Jewel Temples of Korea Posted by Ginny on Dec 7, 2009
The 삼보사 are the Three Jewel Temples of South Korea. Each temple represents a “jewel” or precept of Buddhism. The three precepts are: the person itself, aka Buddha, the Dharma or the teachings of Buddha, and the Sangha or the community of practicing Buddhists. Each of the temples listed below are thought to represent one…
Korean Ghosts, Ghouls, Goblins Posted by Ginny on Oct 28, 2009
귀신 is a generic term for a ghost or spirt. A 귀신 is a spirt that has already died but for one reason or another has not passed on to the afterlife. In other words, a Korean 귀신 is a spirit roaming the earth. In Korean ghost stories, the 귀신 is often in the form…
Pansori Posted by Ginny on Sep 29, 2009
When I was a child, I had the pleasure of viewing a pansori (판소리) performance in Korea. Pansori (판소리) is a type of traditional Korean music using vocals and instruments. The singer of a Pansori (판소리) performance is called a 소리꾼. The 소리꾼 is usually accompanied by a drummer called a 고수. Both the singer…
Prestigious Korean Universities Posted by Ginny on Sep 26, 2009
This fall, as new students in America enter their first year of college, I thought I’d talk about SKY universities. Many Korean parents dream of sending their children to a SKY university to further their children’s future. Have you ever heard of the acronym SKY? The letters come from the first letter of three prestigious…
Taekwondo Posted by Ginny on Aug 31, 2009
I think everyone knows this, but just to be sure, Taekwondo (태권도) is a Korean martial art. Just for your information, Kung Fu is a Chinese martial art and Karate is a Japanese martial art. Since this is a Korean blog, I’m going to be discussing Taekwondo (태권도). 태 = means to strike with your…
Gwanghwamun and Gyungbokgung Posted by Ginny on Aug 19, 2009
This month, Gwanghwamun (광화문) plaza was unveiled to the public after years of construction. Gwanghwamun (광화문) plaza is located in Seoul (서울), the capital city of South Korea. The plaza is a popular place for the natives because it has a huge water fountain. In the sweltering summer, the kids try to run past all…
Korean Currency Part 2 Posted by Ginny on Jun 16, 2009
The first part on Korean currency dealt with coins. Today’s post deals with the paper money. ₩1000 : As of now it’s equivalent to about $1. It’s blue; with one side containing a portrait of Yi Hwang (이 황). Yi Hwang (이황) was one of the greatest scholars of Korea. The portrait of Yi Hwang (이황)…