Customs & Oddities, Seoul

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If you are in Seoul, to add to your culture shock, every person here is beautiful. By this, I mean, they dress like models, have perfect hair and skin, and impeccable style- both men and women, regardless of age. I seriously counted under 10 Koreans during my time in Seoul that weren't dressed like models (aside from construction workers and bums). Their style is more conservative, NY-ish, than Hollywood. They are obsessed with designer labels, and Burberry (regardless of its authenticity) is VERY popular, among men and women. You can spot Americans a mile away. This seems to be the rule elsewhere in Korea, such as Busan, where I saw people dressed just as well on the beach. I have photos here and elsewhere on my VT pages.

I hope my VT korea page can give you a lot of good information about Korea for those who want to know and understand about Korean culture.
I won't say that Korean culture is the best in the world since every culture has their own unique lure.
No culture can be the best or superior than any other culture in the world.
We should accept and admire other cultures as they show.

This picture shows traditional Korean socks. Especially for little babies before they begin to toddle.
And also, babies wore these socks at a party given to a hundred-day-old baby, first birthday and other national holidays.
They have embroidered decorations. The 'red' ribbon is for girls. Then, boys? Of course ' blue' ribbon.

You will always be sitting on the floor in korea. Just alittle warning. I thought i would be fine, that i'm young, try too sit on the floor for an hour. Just try.
If you haven't been doing it you hole life, it starts to hurt, fast.

Since i lived with koreans for a few months I can tell you all i know about it. Coming into a korean home ( If you ever get the chance ).
Ok, when you frist come into there house, the floor will be always lower by the door. Your shoes will never leave this area. Going beyond that area with your shoes is forbidden, it's almost like a sin. Also any wet umbrellas or anything like that will stay in that area. Steping in the lowered area with bare feet is also a No-No.
Now the big problem that i had was the washroom. They keep their washrooms like they keep their rice fields, soaking wet ( this is the most important tip i can give ) TAKE YOUR SOCKS OFF, before you enter the washroom. When i frist got here i would always forget, and my socks would always be wet. I don't know why they must have a big puddle on the floor but they do. They will have slippers in the washroom but you will still want to take your socks off becuase the slippers are offen wet too. There floor is offen wet becuase of the shower.
The shower! some are diffrent then others I've had every type they have in korea. I've had the Western style. I've had korean style, that is just like a hose with a shower head on the end that comes from the sink and the water just goes on the floor. This is the most common type you will find. Its like having a shower in a RV. In new apartments they may have a tub that you stand in but water will still go everywhere. I've also done the OLD OLD korean style. Out in the countrey, I was given a bucket and you go in the washroom and fill up the bucket with hot water and use a rag. That was the worst way! you just don't feel clean after.
I think those are the most important tips i can give you.

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There are several places in Seoul where you can hear traditional Korean music. From major professional theaters to the casual, outdoor Seoul Nori Madong (Jamsil-dong) you can easily find these performers playing their ancient music on drums, silkstring instruments, or bamboo pipes.

A hanbok is a traditional/ceremonial Korean gown. Made in a variey of colors, hanboks are comprised of a long dress with a short top. You will still see hanboks worn throughout Korea on holidays and other special occasions.

In days gone by, every village in Korea was protected by guardian deities, who watched over the entrance to the village as totem poles, beautifully carved from wood or stone. Even today, big towns and cities retain these protective icons and their presence is a charming reminder of Korean folk customs.
The upper part of the pole or post is a face, either human or spiritual, while the lower part has a statement in Chinese script, or occasionally in the Hangeul Korean script. Originally, the choice of wood or stone as the material would depend upon the availability of local materials suitable for use.
The totem poles have different names in different areas – Buksu, Bubsu, Dolharubang – but all fulfil the same purpose. Similarly, the posts are of different sizes but are genrally bigger than human-size so as to scare off intruders.
Those posts topped by a spirit face can be recognised by the distorted tortured faces, designed to frighten, with round bulging eyes, thick lips and protruding curved teeth. The human-faced posts have simpler, stylised local faces, designed more to welcome, but still with the purpose of reminding wrongdoers that they are being watched.
These roadside village guardians are always found in pairs, so that one could sleep while the other watched the road for strangers and attackers.
Today, the jangseung can be seen in many museums and even in public parks, and the outdoor area of the National Folk Museum in Seoul has a collection of them from different regions and showing different styles through the regions and ages of Korea.
Long ago, as you approached a village in the dark, the rain pouring around you, the wind whistling in the trees, the presence of the janseung as you arrived at your destination would be either a comfort and a sign of arrival, or an eery, scary warning not to enter, depending upon your intent.

Tips and observations during my 15 months in Korea.
Take off your shoes when entering someone's home. (make sure your dog's don't bring the funk ~ if ya know what I mean)
You will see teenage men walking in the street with their arms around each other's shoulders and teenage girls walking hand-in-hand. This means nothing more than intimacy. Touching close friends while talking to them is perfectly acceptable in Korea. Bumping into other people while passing is acceptable unless you shove them offensively. Koreans believe that direct eye contact during conversation shows boldness, and out of politeness they concentrate on the conversation, usually avoiding eye-to-eye contact. Koreans shake hands and bow at the same time. The depth of the bow depends on the relative seniority of the two people. When you receive something from an older person, you should use two hands when receiving it, with a bow. If it's small enough for one hand, use one hand to receive it and the other under your forearm or your lower chest (for support). When you are shaking hands with an older person, use two hands. If the person receiving the gift is younger or lower in stature, passing with one hand is acceptable. Rather than pouring their own drinks, Koreans pour for one another. It is a bad breach of etiquette to pour your own drink. Thus conlcudes the lecture, Now go forth, travel, be happy.