Exploring Korea

Unit06_Discover Korea                                                          p.135

I. Places to See

In downtown Seoul, you can visit the five great palaces that were built during the Joseon Dynasty. A particularly beautiful palace is Changdeokgung, which was first built in 1405. The garden behind the palace, called Biwon or Secret Garden, is famous for its lovely design. It contains all the marks of a traditional Korean garden: beautiful buildings, lotus ponds, rocks, stone bridges, and stairways.

While you are in downtown Seoul, go to the Insa-dong district to see and feel traditional Korea. The streets are filled with different kinds of artwork and Korean antiques.

Also in downtown Seoul, you can walk through a traditional Korean house or Hanok at the Namsangol Hanok Village. These houses were made out of clay, wood and stones without using any nails. You can also play a traditional game like Tuho (arrow throwing) or watch a traditional wedding ceremony.

For a look at modern Korean culture, go to the Hongdae area. Young artists from all over the country gather here, so this area is full of the color and spirit of youth.

II. Everyday Manners

Unit06_Discover Korea                                                          p.136

Korea is changing quickly, yet we can see the beauty of old traditions in everyday manners. Parents and school teachers pass on to children the old Confucian values of respect. They teach children to speak properly to elders. Greetings are especially important. To praise a Korean child, someone might say, “She really knows how to greet people properly.”

At work and school, there is a special relationship between juniors and seniors. If someone joined a company before you or started school before you, they are senior to you. The senior member will take care of the junior member like an older brother will take care of a younger brother. The junior member in turn will respect the senior member.

Titles are so important in Korea that Koreans rarely hear their own names. It’s important to use specific titles like teacher, manager, or director. If someone does not have a formal title, you might use seonsaengnim (teacher) for a man or samonim (teacher’s wife) for a woman. Sometimes, you might use ajeossi for a man or ajumeoni for a woman. These words actually mean ‘uncle’ and ‘aunt,’ and Koreans use these titles because they still think of Korean society as one big family.

III. Hallyu, The Korean Wave

Unit06_Discover Korea                                                          p.137

The reach of Korean culture extends far beyond Korean society. The term ‘Korean Wave’ (Hallyu in Korean) was first used by the Chinese. It described the popularity of Korean pop culture in China. The Korean Wave started when Korean television dramas were first shown in China in the late 1990s. Since then Korea has become a center of international pop culture.

Korean pop culture has been spreading beyond Asia to audiences in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. In Japan, albums by K-pop groups have quickly become popular. Online music videos by Korean groups have set new records because so many people want to dance along to K-pop.

Korean dramas have attracted audiences around the world. At one point, 86% of television watchers in Iran saw the Korean historical drama Daejanggeum. In the UK, one blogger demanded that the BBC show the program.

Korean films have often appeared at the world’s major film festivals, where they are winning awards. Korean actors are working in Hollywood, and Hollywood is making English versions of Korean films. Now, Korea is exporting its culture to the world.