South Korea: Culture and Tradition

Country Specific
Korea is a small peninsula located between China and Japan. As a result of the Allied victory in
World War II in 1945, Korea was divided into two sovereign states with different political
ideologies: the Republic of Korea to the south and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to
the north. This ended Japan’s 35 year rule of Korea.

Language
Hangul is the name of the Korean alphabet. Although the spelling, alphabet and vocabulary
differ slightly between the two countries, Korean is the official language of both South Korea
and North Korea. Linguists believe the Korean language is a member of the Altaic family of
languages, which originated in northern Asia.
There are five major dialects in South Korea and one in North Korea. Despite differences in the
dialects, speakers from different areas can understand each other.
The Korean alphabet is easy to learn and Korea enjoys one of the highest literacy rates in the
world.

Culture
Despite the political unrest that resulted in the division of the region, these two countries still
share the same culture and traditional values. Korea is divided by boundaries, but still united by
culture.
Korea is greatly influenced by the Chinese and Japanese cultures. This influence can be seen by
Confucianism, which established many traditions that can be seen in modern Korea today.
These traditions include the ethical code of conduct in social life and showing respect to the
elders and family.
Koreans also believe in sincerity and loyalty and follow certain codes of conduct while meeting,
eating, praying and even celebrating. At times when many other cultures would shake hands,
Koreans bow. They bow as a sign of gratitude and respect to the person they are meeting.

Family Structure
Family is the most important part of Korean society and the father is the leader of the family.
They also believe in a hierarchical structure and children help their parents and must obey
them and show respect to the elders. As Confucius teachings have a deep influence on Koreans
lives, they believe in duty, loyalty, honor and sincerity. That’s why children live with their
parents after they became adults as they believe it is their duty to take care of their parents.
Religion
Confucianism, Buddhism and Christianity are the main religions. Buddhism is the religion in
Korea with the most followers and its teachings have a great impact on Korean lifestyle, culture
and art. Yungdrung is a main symbol of Korean Buddhism and can be found in all temples and
religious places in Korea.
The division of Korea has also caused a divergence in religious life in the two countries due to
the different political structures. South Korea has been characterized by a rise of Christianity
and Buddhism, while North Korea is considered a secular state.

Celebrations
Festivals have great importance in Korean life. Korean festivals are full of life, colors and joy and
they are celebrated throughout the year. Most celebrations and festivals are related to harvest
and family.
The Korean society depends on farming so many of their celebrations focus on events to pray
for a good harvest. These events have gradually turned into popular celebrations and festivals
held regularly in Korea, like the Hanshi (Cold Food Festival) celebration, which marks the
beginning of the farming season. Hanshi is celebrated 105 days after Dongji (Winter Solstice).

Meals
Korean cuisine is largely based on rice, noodles, vegetables and meats. Some of the famous
Korean dishes include bibimbap, bulgogi and dakgalbi. The Korean culture is based on
politeness and respect and this is clearly evident in Korean table manners.

Korean Manners for Sharing Meals:

Older people should sit down first at the table.
A guest says “jal meokkessumnida”, which means “I will enjoy the meal”, as sign of
respect to the host.
Eat at the same pace of other people sitting at the table.
Chew your food with your mouth closed and do not make noises while chewing.
1. Better Understanding of Korean
Culture and Concepts
One of the main reasons people choose to study Korean is because
they’re already familiar with some Korean exports like songs, TV
shows, and movies.

Perhaps you watched Park Chan-wook’s film “Oldboy,” and it sparked

your interest in Korean cinema. Maybe a friend introduced you to K-
Pop artists like PSY, Girls Generation, IU, or Big Bang, and now you
want to know the lyrics to the songs on your playlist. Perhaps you
discovered a Korean TV drama, and you’ve been hooked on K-dramas
ever since. Whatever it is that piqued your interest in Korean culture,
learning the Korean language can help you gain more than a
superficial understanding of your favorite Korean songs or TV shows.

Most Korean music and cinema fans are content using subtitles or
online translations, but learning the Korean language can help you
have a deeper and more meaningful understanding of Korean songs
and shows. The Korean language isn’t as difficult as it seems.
Studying Hangul, Korean script, can help you learn the basics. With a
little effort and practice, you’ll be able to sing along to those K-pop
songs or understand those Korean TV shows without subtitles. This
will also help you gain more insight into a fascinating society and
country with a long, rich history.

2. Boost Your Brainpower

There are many benefits to learning a second language. Being
bilingual can stimulate intellectual growth, and enhance mental
development. Learning a new language helps you stimulate your mind,
which keeps your brain active and healthy.

If you want to be bilingual, then you should consider learning Korean.

Some people are able to learn to read Hangul fairly quickly. Once you
can understand basic Hangul, you will be able to pick up Korean
vocabulary, and your knowledge and comprehension will continue to
grow.
3. Improve Personal and Business
Relationships
If you interact with any Korean-speaking people at work, then learning
Korean will make you a more valuable asset to your company. With
companies like Samsung, LG, and Hyundai, Korea has the 13th largest
economy in the world.
If and when your company wants to expand into Korea’s dynamic
economy, your knowledge of the Korean language could put you at the
forefront in an incredibly competitive, challenging market.

Learning Korean can also help you strengthen personal relationships

with Korean-speaking friends or loved ones. Your friends will
appreciate your effort to learn a new language, and they will be
excited to help you practice and improve.

Being able to speak Korean, even just a little, can help you break the
ice with new friends or professional colleagues.

4. Better Travel Experience

If you’re planning to travel to Korea, then you definitely should put
some effort into learning the language. It doesn’t matter if you’re
staying for a week or several months, learning Korean can help you
find your way around, and adapt to the culture and society.

You will be able to communicate with tour guides, business owners,

and locals, which will allow you to have a better overall travel
experience. Plus, you will feel much more comfortable in a foreign
place if you’re able to understand the native language.

5. New Opportunities
Believe it or not, the fact that you speak Korean could enable you to
help someone else. If you travel to Korea, or meet Korean-speaking
people in the United States, you can use your Korean-language skills
to bridge the cultural gap, and help someone else learn English.

Helping someone learn a new language is a fantastic way to be a

positive influence in someone’s life. You can help a native Korean
speaker improve his or her relationships with English-speaking
colleagues, or help him or her understand difficult aspects of the
English language. In return, your Korean-speaking friend can help you
improve your Korean-conversation skills.