Archive for 'Culture'
Foreign Residents in Korea Posted by Flying Oyster on Jun 29, 2021
In 2021, over 51 million people are living in South Korea. Over 2 million are 외국인 (wei-gook-in: foreigners). Among them, over 1 million live in the capital city, Seoul. When I was young, I grew up in a town where I didn’t see many foreigners. Although I know that there always have been…
Mental Health in South Korea Posted by Flying Oyster on Jun 16, 2021
Have you heard of a competition for doing nothing? Yes, it is a real event in South Korea. (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/22/screen-addicted-south-koreans-compete-in-space-out-contest) A Korean artist 주최하다 (joo-choi-hah-dah: host) 멍때리기 (mung-dde-ri-gi: space out) competition since 2014. The participants literally do nothing for 90 minutes. They are not allowed to talk, sleep, eat or use electric devices. The…
The Analysis of Korean Cuisine (Part 2) Posted by Flying Oyster on May 26, 2021
As I promised in the last post, I will talk more about the characteristics of Korean cuisine. I am a foodie who deeply appreciates good foods from all over the world. Among them, Korean food is special to me not only because of its familiarity as a home county food, but its health benefits. Korean…
The Analysis of Korean Cuisine (Part 1) Posted by Flying Oyster on May 16, 2021
If you enjoy Korean food, how much do you know about Korean food? If you can think about Kimchi, Bibimbop and Bulgogi as Korean food, that is a good start. However, Korean food is more than these dishes. I have been noticing distinctive characteristics about my home county food as a native Korean who deeply…
Korean Archaic Words That Might Help You Enjoy Korean Dramas Posted by Flying Oyster on Apr 26, 2021
I know K-Drama is popular all over the world, but I am often surprised by how many people, who enjoy Korean dramas, I run into. I often binge-watch some of them as well. I know, they can be addictive. Among Korean dramas, I particularly like to watch 사극 (sah-geuk: historical drama). When I…
Minari: Tastes of Korean Sentiments Posted by Flying Oyster on Apr 13, 2021
Have you seen a movie called 미나리 (Minari: water celery) yet? I strongly recommend you watch it if you haven’t. The movie poignantly, but beautifully describes how a Korean family settles in a foreign land. 미나리 is a type of plant that grows in Asian countries. In Korean cuisine, 미나리 is a frequent food…
Proper Korean Expressions at a Family Event (Part 2) Posted by Flying Oyster on Mar 29, 2021
Previously, we reviewed Proper Korean Expressions at a Family Event. Today, we are going to study what to properly say in more difficult circumstances, such as at 병문안 (byung-moon-an: visiting the sick) or a funeral. I personally think that many Korean expressions that are commonly used at 경조사 (kyung-joh-sah: a family event), particularly in…