South Korea is an ancient country with a rich culture. But unless you were deeply interested in the Eastern traditions and cultural heritage, up until about a decade ago there was probably not much you knew about Korea. This changed when the so-called Korean Wave, or Hallyu, hit the West.
The surge started with music and extended into TV shows (commonly called dramas), movies, skincare, and fashion. This, as a result, brought interest to the Korean language and other more traditional aspects of the culture. Understanding the benefits this could bring to the overall economy of the country, the government of the Republic of Korea continued supporting the promotion of their popular and traditional culture in the world. Today, you have heard about K-pop and at least one Korean drama even if you live under a rock.
But of course, South Korea, also known as the Land of the Morning Calm, is much more than just its entertainment. Seoul, the capital of South Korea, is a vibrant city that houses multiple corporations and historical monuments. It is a gateway to getting acquainted with the country, but if you want to learn more about South Korean culture, you should travel around the country, get to know the local people, and experience a lot of things firsthand.
For this article, we collected a bunch of fun facts about South Korea that will help you understand the country a little bit better and maybe even inspire you for a trip. Share these facts with your friends and let us know in the comments which ones you found most fascinating.
#1
Airports in Seoul provide a map of your gate on the back of your boarding pass.
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33points
#2
There are rooms filled with couches for anyone to take a nap in at the airport while waiting for their flight.
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30points
#4
Solar-powered benches in Seoul, complete with USB and wireless charging docks.
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30points
#6
South Korea puts traffic lights on the ground so that people who are looking at their phones can still see the light.
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29points
#7
Self-cleaning road technology is used in South Korea, in warmer seasons water is used and sand in winter.
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28points
#8
South Korea supports young people who are having a hard time interacting with the world outside the comfort of their homes. If you make an effort and start attending school or going to work, you will receive a monthly allowance of $500 on top of that.
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27points
#13
Apartment complexes in South Korea were being painted, so the painters shrouded all the cars in the parking lot to protect them from splatter.
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24points
#14
Korea has a lot of vending machines to help us out in any scenario, for example, a sock or a bouquet vending machine.
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23points
#15
Supermarkets in Korea offer toilet paper samples for you to test paper's softness.
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23points
#16
Back in the old days, fermented cabbage was practically the only choice for the poor population to survive harsh winters. Since then, kimchi has become a staple food and somewhat of a symbol for the national cuisine.
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23points
#17
It took South Korea only about 20 years to turn from one of the poorest countries in the world back in the ’50s to one of the richest nations. While the political leader of the country who enforced this growth is often regarded as a dictator, the economic leap is still among one of the most impressive in the world. And of course, the bulk of the credit goes to the hardworking people.
22points
#18
South Korea has air hoses at parks to blow the dust off your shoes when you leave.
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21points
#19
If you are born in Korea, you are already one year old. Also, you add a year not on your actual birthday, but as soon as the year starts. However, on June 28, 2023, South Korea will convert to the international age-counting system, which means from June 28, every Korean will become one year younger!
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21points
#20
When Koreans took to the streets to protest against the then-President Park Geun-Hye, the only thing they took with them was candles. Non-violent mass protests against the lack of responsibility over the Sewol ferry disaster and overall corruption brought the result people wanted: the president was impeached and stepped down.
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21points