Tall Koreans happen or something. koryo

Many of the customs that characterize traditional Korea date back to the time of the Goryeo state (935-1392).

And the state of Joseon that came to replace it.

It was during the Goryeo period that Koreans developed the habit of sitting on the floor, the ondol heating system became widespread, the prototype of the famous kimchi dish appeared, and the national wrestling “ssireum” and soju vodka became popular among the people. Back to food meat dishes previously forbidden by the Buddhist tradition.

The origins of the famous Korean traditions in the program (dated 09/02/2005) of the Russian broadcast of Radio International Korea (KBS World, Seoul) about the traditions of the state of Korea. A snippet of this original source program from the site's archive audio file further and further down in the text:

• audio file #1

Why Koreans began to sit on the floor, or the influence of "ondol"

“Foreigners, once in a Korean house, are first of all surprised at how Koreans take off their shoes and eat while sitting on a warm floor. But such a way of life was established in Korea only in the late period of the Joseon Dynasty, and during the Goryeo period, people did not sit on the floor. Such changes were associated with the expansion of the use of the ondol system.

Dr. Hong Yong Eui says:

"In the era of Koryo warm floor was only in part of the room. By the end of this period, in the 13th century, ondol became more widespread, and with it, the culture of eating food while sitting on the floor appeared.

Ondol has been used in Korea since the ancient Joseon period. This system allows you to save fuel: the chimney from the hearth, located in the kitchen, passed through the stone floor of the room, thus heating it. A feature of the houses of the Goryeo era was that the kitchen and living quarters were not separated by walls. Therefore, the room was also heated by the fire on which food was cooked. At night, the rooms were separated by curtains, which made it possible for family members to relax peacefully.

From jimchae to kimchi

When it comes to Korean food, the first thing we think of is kimchi. The salting of vegetables, which allowed them to be stored in the winter, has been known in Korea since the time of the Three States. In the sources of the Goryeo Dynasty period, vegetables prepared in this way are called "jimchae". It seems that it is the modern “kimchi” that is meant.

Pak Chung-gi, Professor of History at Kungmin University, says:

"Jimchae" - very important element nutrition of people in the Goryeo era - was prepared by pickling vegetables in a special brine. Most often, "chimchae" was prepared from radishes or cucumbers dipped in soy sauce - kanjan. And the spicy "kimchi" from lettuce leaves, without which no Korean lunch is now complete, appears only in the 17th-18th centuries, when lettuce and red pepper were brought to Korea.

"Let's eat kuksu"

But dishes made from cucumbers or radishes cooked in soy sauce have survived to this day and are now called “chanchhi”, “oichhi”, etc. They are eaten as an appetizer with soup or rice and have been a tradition for over a thousand years. It's interesting that Kuksu noodles, now considered the food of the common people, were available only to aristocrats in those days.

Professor Hong Yong Eui says:

“In Korea, when a friend’s wedding is expected, they say, “Let’s eat guksu.” This shows how expensive these noodles were in the old days. In Goryeo times, "guksu" was an expensive import, as it needed rare wheat flour to make it."

The Koryo people also loved "tteok" - bread made from beaten rice. Back in the days of Unified Silla (a Korean state that existed in Approx. traditional dishes like "tasik" - a biscuit-snack for tea - and confectionery from butter and honey.

In addition, one of the dishes that appeared during the Goryeo period and is still popular today is “yakbap” - rice mixed with honey, vegetable oil, pine nuts, chestnut and jujube. What other dishes did the Goryeo people prepare and eat?

Koreans discover new products

“At the beginning of the Goryeo period, under the influence of Buddhism, food obtained from the killing of animals was forbidden, and the consumption of meat was severely restricted. However, since the time of the Mongol invasion, the tradition of meat food has revived again, and such meats as lamb, pork and chicken, as well as dog meat, have become popular. Sheep and camels appeared in Korea, and with them their dairy products - butter and cheese.

It is curious that soju - the famous Korean vodka - appeared at about the same time, after the Mongolian period of Goryeo. Then soju was considered the drink of the aristocracy.

Professor Park Chung-gi from Kungmin University says:

“The main liquor in the Goryeo era was vodka made from grain. It is believed that these were primarily soju, makgeolli and cheongju - the types of alcoholic drinks that we still have today. In addition, there were various other drinks: dongdongju, songju, as well as wines made from chrysanthemums, azaleas and other plants. During the Goryeo era, the tradition of drinking tea reached its peak. Tea was drunk with pleasure by members of the royal family, aristocrats, officials, as well as ordinary people. The word "taban" - tea, used today in Korea, also appeared during this period.

Professor Park Chung Gi says:

“The institution that oversaw tea operations was called “taban” - “tea room”. There are records that say that tea was served to guests during official ceremonies and peers. An edict has also been preserved, ordering the use of currency in drinking and tea houses. There is evidence that ordinary people also drank tea.”

In the capital, Kaesong, there were special tea houses for commoners. There were also competitions to see who would drink the most tea. The desire to drink good tea from quality and beautiful tableware contributed to the development of ceramic production. The Koryo people enjoyed the aroma and taste of tea while drinking it from beautiful cups decorated with floral patterns.

As for the history of Korean clothing and ornaments, it changed dramatically after the appearance of cotton culture on the peninsula. Cotton was first sown in Korea in 1364, when the first seeds were brought by Mun Ik Chom from China.

Dr. Hong Yong Eui says:

"Appearance cotton fabric made a real revolution in the production and life of Koreans. Soft and warm, cotton fabric has had a reforming effect on the cut and look of the Korean costume. New types of production tools appeared, for example, spinning wheels and spindles, which accelerated the process of making thread and fabric. In addition, strong cotton thread has taken its place in the manufacture of products such as cords, fishing lines and nets.

The mass production of cotton brought great changes to Korean National Costume. In winter, people began to wear wadded clothes. But what were their clothes like before cotton appeared? Professor Park Chung Gi says:

“The nobility wore clothes made of ramie and silk, and the common people wore hemp and animal skins. Aristocrats dressed in silks brought from China. For warmth in winter, clothes were stuffed with fine grass collected in the spring. Of course, such clothes could not serve for a long time and did not protect well from the cold.

The outfits of the aristocracy were very different from the clothes ordinary people. While some had a strong Chinese influence, others wore work-friendly sweatshirts, pants, and skirts. Changes in clothing mainly concerned the length women's blouse as well as accessories.

Birth of "Ssirim"

In China, "Koryo wrestling" was called "ssireum" - a traditional martial art that is still popular in Korea today. Wrestling competitions were held on days folk holidays, and just like that, at fairs. Other popular competitions were swing jumping and subak wrestling, when the opponent was pressured with only fists. Swings became especially popular during the late Goryeo period. On a swing, the girls jumped or took off into the sky, as the famous poet and writer Li Gyu Bo sang in his poems.

by the most big holidays Yongdeunghwa and Phalgwanghwe were Buddhist festivals in Korea. They originated in the Silla period, but they began to be celebrated especially magnificently in Goryeo. Professor Park Chung Gi says:

“Yongdeunghwe is a Buddhist holiday dedicated to giving thanks to the Buddha. Gradually, it was superimposed on the local Taoist ritual of offering sacrifices to the spirits of earth and sky. After the harvest was over, foreign ambassadors and local leaders came together to offer sacrifices on this kind of "Thanksgiving Day." If Yongdeunghwa was celebrated in each village separately, then after the harvest, people from all over the country gathered for Phalgwanghwa, a nationwide festival in the capital. Van made sacrifices to Heaven, and then dances, music and various performances began. The Phalgwanghwe festival was supposed to emphasize the unity of the Goryeo people.

As you can see, the life of the Korean society was characterized by openness and splendor. Many features of that life have become a feature of modern Korea too. In the life of Koreans a thousand years ago, the roots of the traditions that we see now lie.

The text is a fragment of the Russian broadcast of the South Korean "International Radio Korea" (KBS World) about the traditions of the state of Korea (dated 09/02/2005) from our archive. The audio recording of this KBS World program is made by Portalotranah.ru;

Travel notes of the special correspondent KM.RU

website, Oleg Larionov

The laws of ancient tradition and the trends of the latest modernity intertwined here so closely that they eventually formed a kind of paradoxical whole. For this reason, a traveler in South Korea sometimes has two opposite friend illusion friend.

According to one of them, you are not in Southeast Asia, but somewhere in Frankfurt am Main, and the famous pencil skyscraper is about to appear around the next corner. According to another, there is no Samsung or Hyundai at all, and the Koreans never parted with their patriarchal clothes, Buddhist temples and wooden sticks for food.

Entrance to the nightclub

The life of modern South Korea holds a lot of unexpected mysteries., most of which will never be solved for two simple reasons: foreigners will never be allowed to solve them, and the Koreans themselves simply do not notice them. It is possible that the way of this ancient country rests on these two postulates.

Like most "old" Russians, I have never been seriously interested in cooking. Addicted to delicious food we consider it a weakness, and the characteristic "likes to eat" closes access to many professional and political heights. Meanwhile, cooking plays a huge role in the development of societies, including the most innovative ones. In Israel, for example, there was a real national discussion for several years about what should be the table of the average citizen of the country. Well, the classics of Eastern philosophies are completely categorical: you are what you eat. I would venture to add on my own that not only “that”, but also “how many” years you will live on this sinful earth. In terms of average life expectancy, for example, South Korea is in 34th place with a result of 79 years, Russia is in 112th and 10 years shorter. The first places are held by Japan, Switzerland and Israel. Maybe it's time for us, Russians, to think about our national diet and somehow streamline it?

From the first hours in Seoul, one caught my eye mysterious feature of the local population. On the one hand, they obviously love to eat here very much. On the other hand, everything is like a selection, slender, fit, not a hint of a stomach.

Koreans eat very peculiarly. They sit at large tables, squatting, on large wooden platforms, or, in Lately more and more often, on an ordinary European chair. But the filling of the table does not change from this: for each eater there are up to twenty dishes, some of them are very, very respectable sizes. Moreover, throughout the evening, the waiters endlessly enclose the guest of the establishment with new and new portions, bring new and new dishes.

In the spirit of innovative thinking inherent in the inhabitants of this country, even invented special devices for a quick table setting. It is clear, after all, that it is not so easy to arrange such a number of plates and saucepans. Therefore, on a special trolley they carry a tabletop, served with dishes in the kitchen. The height of the trolley matches the height of the table in the establishment, the board with dishes is carefully shifted onto the table - a couple of seconds and the table is set.

Guests, without delay, are accepted for food. They eat hastily, constantly mixing one dish with another, inventing the most unimaginable combinations on the go. No system, no rules or there is no sequence, and the process itself active search, jumping from one plate to another gives them a clearly noticeable pleasure.

By the amount of what I ate, for example, I could not keep up with a single Korean. But they all look perfect without exception.

I met the first Korean fat man only after a day and a half, at the opposite end of the peninsula, in Ulsan. Guess three times where it happened? That's right, in a Western-style cafe with sweet buns and chocolates like Sinabon. I was delighted with the fat man, as if I were my own, and threw up my camera, but he hurried to retreat, blushing deeply and giving me a reproachful look. It was felt that in modern South Korea, being fat is very, very shameful. Just like in a regular high school from my distant Soviet childhood.

Buns, sugar... It was then that I guessed that the answer was in the food itself.

And started leaning on traditional korean food- for purely educational purposes, of course.

To begin with, I ate two impressive rolls and a whole package of dumplings. The rolls are wrapped in seaweed leaves, followed by a layer of rice and some juicy herbs, as well as seasonings. Pelmeni are more like our manti, but three times smaller. All this is sure to be eaten with a large amount of kimchi - spicy sauerkraut. I barely chewed it, I thought I would burst. But it was not there - the fire in the mouth, formed after the sharpest spices and spices, had to be poured with a huge amount of cold water. Water, by the way, after taking all this explosive food acquires a special taste. You just enjoy every sip without noticing how the bottle ends.

Within five or ten minutes, I found that a heavy and plentiful meal had settled down extremely neatly in my stomach. But previous experiments with oriental cuisine usually ended far from being so successful ... And half an hour later, I did feel an extraordinary lightness and a surge of energy. Ancient traditional cooking worked properly, despite my northern Russian body.

From then until the end of our journey I believed in the power of Korean cuisine and began to study it carefully. The key role, no doubt, is played by the same kimchi. By the way, sauerkraut has always played a key role in traditional Russian cuisine. In addition to cabbage, they eat a little meat, even less fish and seafood, which here, despite the peninsular position, are expensive and not very good for the most part. A delicacy, for example, is an ordinary dried fish, which is rather bad according to our standards. Bread is practically not eaten at all - as in China. So the main emphasis, like the Chinese, is on various herbs, spices, seasonings and rice. But if Chinese food pulls many people into the bushes in just half an hour, then there were no adventures with Korean food during the week of the trip. Perhaps it's all about the seasonings, the Chinese love to sweeten, the Koreans, on the contrary, have a sweet rarity, everything is spicy, sharp, salty.

There are also real delicacies. In the restaurant of the traditional museum folk life near Seoul, we were fed "local pizza" - a fusion of seafood, herbs and mysterious ingredients. Not an ounce of bread again, but very tasty, without any adjustments for the local flavor. Korean "kebabs" are also unforgettable - a thin slice of pork is fried on a grill and cut into small pieces with huge iron scissors.

Anyway, but consuming great amount food, Koreans manage to stay slim and demonstrate excellent mobility and vigor. It is also obvious that, apart from its other virtues, Korean food is healthy food. This is evidenced by at least the skin color of Koreans.

But skin color is another mystery...

About why in South Korea it is better to be a foreigner than a citizen of the republic, why the curlers on the head of the chairman of the Constitutional Court of South Korea are not at all an accident, and how it happened that a sectarian became the president of the country - read the blog.

Anna Lee 25 years old, Distortion Magazine journalist, traveler without the skill to take "beautiful photos".

In 2015, I was graduating from university, sending out resumes to the masters of office plankton, hoping to forget the meaning of the word freelancer, and dreaming of a summer in Barcelona. And then she fell in love. In Korean. Having gone through all the stages of denial and resigned to the fact that this greatest love on Earth, I moved to South Korea. Now I live in Seoul, I study the Korean language and I try very hard not to go bankrupt in the shops treacherously scattered around the city with.

South Korea is a mono-ethnic country with a Confucian heritage that has made an impressive leap from a poor agrarian state to a high-tech post-industrial republic, and in doing so has created the so-called "economic miracle on the Han River."

These factors had a tremendous impact on the formation of the mentality and way of life of the inhabitants of the Korean Peninsula, and for me, a person in love with Europe, life in Korea has become a revelation in many ways. I have been living here for less than a year and a half, and perhaps my “glasses” are still rosy before my eyes, but I can’t help but feel that being a foreigner in is great, and sometimes even better than a citizen of the Republic of Korea squeezed into a strict hierarchical culture.

ATTITUDE TO UKRAINIANS AND OTHER FOREIGNERS

First of all, it is impossible not to notice that in South Korea you find yourself among Asian faces. 98% of the inhabitants of the republic are Koreans, and it would be very hard for me if they turned out to be racists. It is obvious that Koreans are nationalists who adore their country, but their nationalism, as a rule, does not translate into aggressive attacks towards other peoples. If we talk about how hanguks (South Koreans) relate to wiguks (foreigners), it is important to clarify which ones. The "most beloved" foreigners are Americans. Everything related to the USA is considered cool, young people dream of studying in America or going there for an internship, because with such data in the resume, a well-paid job in their homeland is provided.Inserting an English word into Korean is, again, considered cool. certain set English words a Korean of any age speaks, but many hanguks are still too shy to speak English.

The "most beloved" foreigners are Americans. But, in principle, all English-speaking foreigners are very valuable friends for Koreans, because thanks to communication they will help to improve colloquial speech and the peculiar pronunciation of "Coringlish".

But South Koreans treat immigrants from poorer Asian countries with arrogance - as if they were cheap labor. The Japanese are not digested at all, as they remember the cruel period of the occupation, but, of course, no one speaks openly about this. The so-called ethnic Koreans scattered around the world are treated differently. Someone - as to their lost brothers, someone - already as to another people. Language proficiency also influences attitudes. The older generation does not understand how a Korean, even if born in another country, can not know Korean. Young people often do not know at all what kind of ethnic Koreans they are, living abroad.

In short, in 1860, the Opium Wars ended between the Chinese Empire and European countries. The Beijing Treaty was signed, according to which the Russian Empire had a border with Korea at the expense of former Chinese lands. At that time, a terrible famine raged on the Korean Peninsula, so the Koreans began to cross into the territories of Russia and China due to lack of land and food. A new wave of emigration occurred as a result of the Japanese occupation of 1910, and 1937, known in the post-Soviet space as the time of the most brutal wave of repressions, was also the year of the deportation of ethnic Koreans who inhabited Russian empire and then the USSR from that same 1860, in the steppes of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, which further alienated them from their historical homeland. In the USSR, Koreans were subjected to a policy of Russification, which is why many ethnic Koreans do not know the Korean language.

My husband works in a Canadian bar in a foreigner's area, and next to the American base, so 95% of the customers are English-speaking guys, the staff also communicates in English. Once a Korean came to the bar, drank too much and made a real scandal: “Why does everyone speak English here ?! This is Korea, speak Korean!”, tried to climb onto the bar and actively waved his ID. As it turned out, the man was an employee of the district immigration office. It hurts a person, it happens.

Everyone has heard about Ukraine, but the depth of knowledge is the same as that of the average Ukrainian about Zimbabwe.

They know that Ukrainians play football well, they know about the revolution and the war in the east of the country. Recently, they asked if strawberries are grown in Ukraine and “what they feed you with”, hinting at the beauty of Ukrainian women.

BEAUTY IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS IN SOUTH KOREA

My great-grandfather was Asian, so many new acquaintances often ask if I'm half Korean. I collect compliments due to the double eyelid, on which “there is so much room for shading shadows”, and white skin - the saleswoman in particular “checked it out” in jewelry store, where I chose the ring: “God, such pens! White-white." I'm sorry I can't convey the tone. Although Korean women use whitening creams, many have a neck and body that are still darker than their faces. In Ukraine, I had the opposite problem: even the lightest foundation in the European line decorative cosmetics has always been a few shades darker than my neck. It was generally unrealistic to get a tan, but in Korea, it turns out, it’s no longer necessary. Here in the summer women walk around with umbrellas, smear themselves impenetrable and bathe in the sea dressed.

South Korea is a country where you have to be beautiful to be successful. And only then smart, and even better - diligent: here perseverance is valued above the mind.

Beauty standards in Korea are quite strict and detailed: snow-white skin, double eyelids, wide straight eyebrows, small lips, high nose bridge, V-shaped chin, weak cheekbones, prominent forehead, skull (the shape of the top of the head should also be rounded), small face(“you have a face like a cam” is an amazing compliment), and of course, slimness - all this applies to both girls and guys. Ideal height for a girl - 170, for a guy - 180 cm and above, in addition, a pumped-up body for men is an unconditional plus. Most Korean celebrities and idols meet these requirements, among Korean female celebrities, actresses Jung Ji Hyun and Go Ara, singers Sulli, Song Na Eun, Kim Yura can be an example. Among the handsome boys: Kim Soo Hyun, Lee Hong Bin, Kim Jin Woo, T.O.P.

Everyone who works on television is beautiful. Who is not beautiful - that clown, that is, a comedian. And all because South Korea is a country in which, in order to be successful, you need to be beautiful. And only then smart, and even better - diligent: here perseverance is valued above the mind. Therefore, parents give children birthday gifts, both women and men use cosmetics, and fashion trends turn into the uniform of Korean shopaholics.A foreigner is easy to recognize, even if he has an Asian appearance: visitors are not dressed in Korean fashion. For a Korean, fashion is above style, if something is fashionable― so everyone wears it.

POLITICAL SCANDAL AND CURLS

If I got used to short pants and oversized clothes back in Kyiv, then I still can’t put up with the fashion for curlers. Today is like thisthat it is fashionable to wear a thin, slightly twisted bang, and in order for this bang to be perfect, Korean women twist it on curlers and, confident in their irresistibility, go everywhere like that. Curlers for bangs are sold individually as decoration: if you want - with rhinestones, if you want - with flowers. Curlers were even involved in politics.

No one could have imagined that a sect would replace the president's family, and that state decisions would be made under the influence of fortune-tellers and mystical rituals.

On March 10, I followed the news about the impeachment of the President of the Republic of Korea and saw the news about the President of the Constitutional Court, Lee Chung Mi, who came to the meeting with two pink curlers on the back of her head. In general, at first I decided that this was a new round of fashion, and the curlers moved from the bangs to the back of the head. But it turned out that the chairman was so absorbed in thinking about the announcement of the verdict that she simply forgot to take off the curlers. The reaction of the Koreans themselves is interesting: instead of sexist banter, they dubbed Judge Lee Chung Mi a “symbol of hard work” - they say, they were not thinking about themselves, they were thinking about the fate of the country. This, of course, pleases, because the already former Park Geun-hye is called a "chicken", and this is perhaps the softest thing in recent months they talk about her.

Meanwhile, Park Geun Hye's life is worthy of a detective novel. Her father, Park Chung-hee, was the dictatorial president of Korea from 1963-79. During another attempt on his life by a North Korean agent in 1974, his wife was shot dead, and in 1979 Park Chung-hee himself was killed by the director of the South Korean CIA, who was tired of the constant pressure of the sovereign.

In her youth, Park Geun-hye fell under the influence of Choi Tae-min's "Ensenge" sect, which combined elements of Christianity and traditional shamanism, and his daughter, Choi Sun-sil, became best friend future president. The scandal erupted when journalists discovered a tablet with secret documents, and further investigation showed that Chae Sun-sil edited the president's speech, thereby determining the direction of the country's politics, military strategy and national security, pulled off corruption schemes, defrauding millions of dollars from largest companies, including Samsung and Hyundai, and conducted shamanic rites V blue house(presidential residence). In general, not a friend, but "Rasputin in a skirt." During the last presidential campaign, Park Geun-hye promised to devote herself to serving Korea, since she had no parents, no husband, no children, and the Koreans, who remembered what a dictator her father was, were convinced that the daughter was not responsible for her father’s actions. answer. Then no one could have imagined that a sect would replace a woman's family, and state decisions would be made under the influence of fortune-tellers and mystical rituals. But this amazing story not so surprising, given the mentality of Koreans, who easily fall under the influence of charismatic individuals or the majority.

THE REVERSE SIDE OF LIFE IN SOUTH KOREA: SECTS AND SUICIDES

Christianity is spreading rapidly in Korea. Catholic, Protestant, Baptist and even Orthodox churches host more than 30% of the total population of South Korea within their walls. There are also plenty of near-Christian sects collecting considerable sums from parishioners waiting for the Second Coming. Wherein older generation does not disdain the services of shamans and fortune-tellers. Look at tarot cards before accepting important decision, marriage or business deal― normal, but expensive practice.

Koreans have built one of the most high-tech, safe and comfortable countries to live in. A country in which the Koreans themselves sometimes find it so unbearable to live.

Nevertheless, Confucian philosophy is still strong in Korea with such concepts as humanity, a sense of duty, justice, morality, observance of customs, attentiveness, unity, honoring parents, respect and submission to a subject - the sovereign, son - father, wife - husband, younger - senior. Combined with hard work, a focus on potentially progressive sectors of the economy, and "development loans", the Koreans have built one of the most high-tech, safe and comfortable countries to live in. A country in which the Koreans themselves sometimes find it so unbearable to live. South Korea ranks first in suicide rates among advanced economies year after year. Takova back side Confucianism and a hierarchical society with shifted values, in which everything is decided by position and money. Childhood is spent in cramming, marriages are made by calculation without a drop of love, and appearance is more important than mind and inner content.

According to statistics, 42 people voluntarily die a day.

The history of the Seoul Mapo is indicative - the bridge, which has gained a terrible reputation due to its proximity to the business center of the capital. In South Korea, one of the most. Deprived of the meaning of life (read - money), Koreans go to the bridge after unsuccessful deals or dismissals. And if you don’t have the courage to jump into the Han River, then there is a twitter where “kind” people cynically offer to buy reliable way die. For only $1,000, you can purchase a sealed tent and a bottle of sleeping gas. According to statistics, 42 people voluntarily die a day. Foreigners, on the other hand, fall out of this terrible system, the requirements for veguks are minimal - to be law-abiding and comply with social norms.

WHAT'S GOOD IN SOUTH KOREA?

At the same time, Koreans are very polite people, and they are friendly even to strangers: they will cover with their umbrella if the rain is taken by surprise, they will tell the “lost” how to find a street or attraction, and if there is time, they even spend it. The Korean service, also known as "social security", deserves special delight: my nature, greedy for freebies, rejoices every day. When I order food in a cafe, I get a few Korean snacks or soup with “social security”, in cosmetic stores my “social security” and samplers of popular products, a protective film, case or portable battery is attached to the smartphone with “social security”. By the way, about a trifle: in Korea it is not customary to give a tip, as the waiter receives a decent salary thanks to the employer and does not depend on the visitor's generosity. I don’t have to rack my brains, as it was in Kyiv, how many percent of the bill should be left as a tip to the waiter, who, with his royal presence, was clearly doing me a favor.

The Korean service, also known as "social security", deserves special admiration. And the feeling of comfort, care for people living in Korea is the first thing you notice already at the airport.

The feeling of comfort, care for people living in Korea is the first thing you notice at first on the scale of Incheon Airport (every year it receives the title of "Best Airport in the World"), and then in various, completely optional, but pleasant little things. The first time I saw a map of the Seoul subway, I was horrified: 9 lines, more than 300 stations are scattered not only in the capital, but throughout the Gyeonggi-do district, how can you even remember this? But it turned out not to be necessary, because it is enough to have an application with a metro map and not be color blind. The Koreans built a special Airport Railroad line, which is a bit more expensive than all the subways, but will take you from the suburbs to the heart of Seoul in just over an hour. In winter, heated seats are turned on in the metro, in summer - air conditioning, some cars are equipped with special places for luggage, the last three places on the sides of the car are for old people, each extreme place at the door is for pregnant women. No “give way to a woman in position / grandfather / grandmother” is heard here. And in general it is not customary to give way to old people: they are all cheerful, youthful here - they can be offended.

There are toilets at every metro station: huge, clean, free of charge, in all booths there is an “SOS” button, if you suddenly get sick and need help. Women's toilets have a separate wall with a mirror and a table, sometimes there are armchairs, and some metro stations even have separate rooms so that girls can fix their makeup and not interfere with others washing their hands or brushing their teeth (this is normal).

And Korea is mountains and hills. I live at the foot of Seoul's Namsan Mountain, and it took me a couple of weeks to stop panting on my way home on a critical 50-degree slope. And to the fears from the long list of “because of what I could die” was added a car breaking off the handbrake. But what beautiful views! And minus 2 centimeters from the hips in the first month.

FOOD IN SOUTH KOREA: DO KOREANS EAT DOGS?

And finally - about the favorite food of Koreans. No, not about dogs. Not so easy to get to them, besides, they recently closed the last market selling dog meat. In Seoul, I have not seen a single restaurant serving dog meat. They say she is expensive, and mostly older men eat her for potency. The favorite food of Koreans, practically their property, is kimchi: fermented vegetables, most often Beijing cabbage with red pepper, dried anchovies and other seasonings. There is a kimchi museum in Seoul: this sauerkraut has already flown into space, and many Koreans are happy owners of separate kimchi refrigerators, made, of course, specifically and exclusively for storing kimchi. Imagine if Ukraine did the same for pickles. Cucumber Fridge! Cucumber in space! Well, come on, my favorite type of kimchi is the one that doesn't make me cry (i.e., with an acceptable concentration of red pepper). And it’s also very tasty when fried kimchi.

In Seoul, I have not seen a single restaurant serving dog meat. In fact, Koreans' favorite food is kimchi.

But most of all, I was surprised that at the Incheon airport, in front of the control of documents and personal belongings, there is a huge poster forbidding the export of kimchi and seasonings for its preparation from Korea! In general, there is nothing to do, if you want kimchi - fly in for a visit!

Surely you will also be interested: brave Julia talks about beauty standards in China, the ambiguous attitude of the Chinese towards foreigners, whom they call "laowai", and the shocking details of life in what was once one of the most closed countries in the world.

(based on personal observations)

1. There are many beautiful girls in Korea. Well, i.e. for those who appreciate Asian type beauty, and even more so is a lover of it - there is where to turn around.

2. To feel beautiful - a Korean girl must have white skin and big eyes.

3. To have white skin, korean girls avoid sun rays, walk the streets covered with a layer of anti-tanning creams and under umbrellas. Also, marketers are actively using this weakness of theirs, offering lines of special skin-whitening creams.

4. Best gift at graduation for a modern Korean schoolgirl - an operation to expand the eyes or narrow the nose.

5. Korean girls paint their lips differently - erasing, brightening the outer contour of the lips (rather than emphasizing it, as we often do), and applying a bright special lipstick - tint - on inner surface lips, which creates the effect of such a cute baby juicy mouth. I bought one for myself, I love it.

6. Since I spent a day in a Korean women's bath, I can say the following: Naked Korean women made a strong impression on me. Most of them - the vast majority - are quite slender. And many of them are frankly goddesses. Even those with not ideal figures are not flabby and loose, toned, with good skin. Korean breasts are generally a work of art. Even older women have practically no sagging elongated breasts, almost all of them are very neat and have small nipples.
This observation was confirmed by other people who have been in Korean baths - Korean women's boobs of almost any age - like our 20-year-olds.

7. The only nuance that is unusual for a modern European - Korean women are very natural in the bikini area, almost no one shaves.

8. Korean women have very good posture. I think it's genetic, because Asians have been sleeping on the floor for centuries.

9. As I understand it, naturally black hair is also a scam - that's why Korean boys and Korean girls tint and lighten their hair in every possible way. But before the blond - extremely rarely - it is apparently very difficult to kill the natural black Asian pigment.

10. Korean hair and skin care products are some of the best in the world. Even those free shampoos that I tried in ordinary hotels had an effect on my hair. best effect than expensive professional goldwells, loreals and other crap here.

The capital of South Korea, the city of Seoul in 2010 was recognized as the best capital for design. It should also be noted that the number of tourists to this Asian country has been steadily growing over the past few years.

The popularity of toilet humor.

Everyone in South Korea is obsessed with toilet humor. Whether it's poop-shaped cookies, poop-themed phones, or an entire museum in Seoul dedicated to poop. The logic behind this obsession is explained local residents like that the shape of the shit is "cute" and "adorable".

While the country boasts the advantages of any other major cosmopolitan center in Asia: amazing food, cutting-edge technology, efficient public transport and incredible shopping, here Europeans can encounter local traditions that seem strange. Foreigners arriving in the country will be delighted with everything they can see here and may also be puzzled by ten strange aspects of life in South Korea.

Sexual touch.

In Western society, two men holding hands on the street will automatically be perceived as a gay couple. But not in South Korea. While touching relationships in public of opposite sexes are highly frowned upon and considered disrespectful to others, sitting on friends' laps or playing with their hair is perfectly acceptable. Adult women and men can usually be seen exchanging drinks and embracing.

Plastic surgery.

South Korea quickly became known as the capital plastic surgery peace. Many tourists from all over the world travel to the country to visit surgeons for rhinoplasty, facelift, cosmetic injections and many others. etc. South Koreans become obsessed with the concept of achievement perfect appearance from the early age, and most boys and girls from wealthy families get eyelid surgery to make their eyes look more European. Nearly all subway stations have ads with photos of people before and after plastic surgery. The country's obsession with cosmetic perfection has led to a significant number of divorces after husbands or wives find out their spouses looked very different before they had surgery and married them.

Love resorts.

Due to the inappropriate treatment of public displays of passion in Korea and the fact that most young people live with their parents until they are married, love motels are incredibly popular in South Korea. These tiny motel rooms serve as retreats for young couples in love. You can see such mini love motels in any part of the city. These motels are always clean and comfortable. They are also available for rent by the hour, in case you are interested.

K-Pop (short for Korean pop music) is a musical genre specific to South Korea. While there are many popular genres of music, K-Pop reigns supreme in South Korea. These groups usually consist of several men and women aged 16-24. Hundreds of thousands of people go to their concerts, fans faint from pure joy to see their idols. K-by music characterized by high budgets, outfits cost a fortune.

"Ayummas" (Korean for "old ladies") tyrannize passers-by on the streets. In South Korean society, there is a special respect for the elderly, which forgives them for many things, no matter what they do. For example, Ayummas can loudly hiss at you in the subway, push you in public transport, spitting at young people or yelling at a person if they don't like what they are doing. Although their actions may not always seem fair, nevertheless, this must be put up with.

Alcohol consumption

The ability of Europeans to consume alcoholic beverages is nothing compared to South Korea. Year after year, South Korea ranks as the top alcohol drinker on the planet. If in South Korea someone puts a drink in front of you, then it would be considered rude to refuse it. South Koreans especially love their Soju liqueur, a strong alcoholic drink made from rice or barley.

The same clothes.

The same clothes? Same jeans, sweaters and sneakers? Dressing in identical outfits is a very popular trend in South Korea today. It is not at all uncommon to see young people on the streets of the city dressed exactly alike, like twins. Pair matching logic identical outfits is to show everyone around how people love each other. Companies ranging from large chain stores to small boutiques are planning their marketing around this very popular trend.

Word filter.

Foreigners in South Korea may be shocked by how many people tell them they are "overweight", "poorly dressed". Although these statements are considered incorrect in Western society, nevertheless, the logic of such statements is that South Koreans are concerned about your well-being and want to make sure that the person is in order.

"Without pants"

After landing in South Korea, Westerners immediately notice how short skirts local girls wear. Concept youth fashion"No pants" is very popular in the country and skirts are so short that women often hold a newspaper or a bag to cover when walking up the stairs. appetizing forms. While the length of a skirt has no value in the country, wearing a cleavage is considered completely unacceptable. If any girl wears a cleavage, then almost every passer-by will look at her disapprovingly, and Ayummas grandmothers will definitely scream and spit after her.