The paradox of this social phenomenon is that culture of south korea, like the North, have not only a common language of communication, but also common historical roots of their ethical and moral traditions based on the principles and postulates of Confucianism. And if, in the Southern country, these principles of universal respect for parents, family, friends, and the older generation have acquired more humanistic forms, then in the Northern, the Juche teachings have significantly transformed these concepts.

All this led to the creation not only of a totalitarian state regime of the post-communist type, but also to the destruction of any freedoms of man and personality. At the same time, if we consider current trends in the upbringing of the younger generation in South Korea, then in this process, special importance is primarily given to the aesthetic education of the individual, and then technical and humanitarian knowledge of a higher order is superimposed on this formed “foundation”.

Religion in South Korea

It is no secret that almost all religions of the world are significantly influenced by both certain national traditions and the ethnic characteristics of a particular people or social group that it professes. This happened in our case as well. Geography of South Korea, suggests a significant influence of the cultures of neighboring peoples. After all, having traditionally Buddhist beliefs, it absorbed more ancient religious interpretations of Confucianism, which for many centuries was the official religion of the Joseon dynasty.

Economy of South Korea

The paradox of the development of the South Korean economy is the fact that, being backward until the sixties and focused mainly on the production of agricultural products for domestic consumption, over the past fifty years it has become the most advanced economy in the world, ranking 15th in the world in terms of GDP. In addition, there was a radical reorientation. And today the economy South Korea is advanced in almost all branches of industry and agriculture.

Science of South Korea

As many analysts in the field of economics write, one of the main reasons for the incredible success of South Korea in the field of economic development and production lies in the fact that these transformations were based, both in terms of significant investment in scientific and technical developments, and in the field of national education.

Art of South Korea

One of the main features of the development of contemporary art in South Korea is the fact that against the backdrop of the manifestation of modern urban trends, both in the field of architecture, monumental art and painting, contemporary carefully preserves the ancient, centuries-old traditions of masters in the manufacture of the finest ceramics, architecture and work with metal.

South Korean cuisine

modern kitchen South Korea, like culture many countries of this Asian region, has the peculiarity that it is based on the use of the most common agricultural products, namely the same rice, beans and barley. At the same time, being a country surrounded by seas, the cuisine of South Korea also abounds with seafood, which traditionally, like ordinary Korean dishes, are richly seasoned with spicy spices.

Customs and traditions of South Korea

If we talk about, then in addition to the peculiar national dress "hanbok" and the traditional style in architecture, namely the construction of structures in the form of pagodas, landscape design occupies a special place in the culture of the inhabitants of South Korea. South Korean gardens, which are an indispensable element of any home, differ significantly from the tradition of creating parks in the same China and Japan. So, in particular, South Korean parks and gardens have the entire entourage present in the park is only of artificial origin. So, quite often a South Korean garden or park looks much more attractive than its natural counterpart.

Sports of South Korea

South Korea, being quite tightly integrated into the modern world economy in the field of sports, cultivates almost all popular European sports. So, in many international arenas it is represented not only by football and basketball, but also by such somewhat exotic types as computer sports, which is based on individual and personal participation in computer multiplayer games.

Held on June 23, 2018 in Chelyabinsk, the keynote speaker was Chairman of the Council of the OKC, culturologist Moses Kim. Attached below is the material on which the message was based.

Moses Kim

There are wonderful traditions - there is a people, a nation,
no traditions - no people, no nation.

ancient wisdom

Traditions (lat. traditio - transmission) - the experience of the life of the nation and the rules, norms and stereotypes of behavior, forms of communication between people that are firmly rooted in everyday consciousness. The meaning of national traditions, customs, habits, their content are valuable and different for individual peoples.

The Koreans of Russia, the Soviet Union, and the CIS have been mostly atheists for many decades. However, they always observed their national traditions, customs and rituals. Probably the basis of Korean customs is the desire for order, harmony, love of life, which should be in the soul, in the family, society, state. Koreans, wherever they live, are very sensitive to their traditions, customs, tastes, ideas and try not to violate them.

National traditions and habits are manifested not only in actions, deeds, clothes, food, behavior, communication style, etc., but also in movements, gestures and other barely noticeable manifestations of people's psychology. This is fundamentally important, because each person has an unconscious mechanism that fixes the situation "one's own" - "alien" even by barely perceptible manifestations of behavior, psyche.

A characteristic feature of Korean rituals is their family nature. They were originally borrowed from Chinese prescriptions for the Confucian ritual, where their own Korean features were introduced. For Russian Koreans, in order to preserve their originality and special flavor, due to their difficult fate, the originality of the Korean people, it is important to follow deep-rooted traditions and customs. After all, they are a spiritual bond, which is associated with history, culture, worldview, psychology, i.e. the foundation of the Korean nation. This is clearly expressed, for example, in the cult towards ancestors, older people, in the cult of education, which stands out among the peoples of the world. Hard work, perseverance in achieving goals, respect for elders, every possible desire for education have been and remain the main virtues among Koreans today. Respect for the elders is manifested even outwardly, for example, the youngest always greets the elder, holding the other hand in the elbow, always gives objects with both hands, and politely gives way. Customs and rituals have undergone significant changes over time, but their essence and spirit have always remained original. Here, sincerity in the execution of custom and ritual is important, and not the meticulous accuracy of their execution. In many places of residence of Koreans in different countries, families, rituals (their performance) may differ from each other, but the main reasons that force them to observe them remain unchanged.

Korean folk wisdom says: a person is good where he himself is good. The history of Koreans living in Russia and in particular in the South Urals confirms this. The first Koreans came to the Chelyabinsk region after they were allowed to leave the places of deportation in Central Asia and Kazakhstan after Stalin's death. Young men then received the right to serve in the army. Koreans appeared in the universities of the Southern Urals, more and more often young Korean specialists who graduated from Russian universities and arrived by distribution came here. The second wave is associated with the collapse of the USSR and the migration of Koreans from Central Asia to Russia.

Koreans are prominently represented here both in industrial and agricultural production, in science, education, culture, trade, sports... Well-known in the Chelyabinsk region: Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Academician of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences Victor Ni, Doctor of Chemistry, Head of Department at SUSU Dmitry Kim, Doctor of Economics, Professor of the Chelyabinsk Pedagogical University Natalya Kim, Doctor of Historical Sciences Valery Kim (ChelSU), Dmitry Yun, boxer, multiple winner of the championship of Russia and international tournaments. Illarion Son worked as the director of the Gipromash Institute. Koreans live in Chelyabinsk, Kopeysk, Yuzhnouralsk, Miass, Uvelsky district and other places. The approximate number of Koreans in the area is now about 1000 people.

Signs, beliefs, features of Koreans

Koreans spend more than half of their lives studying. Therefore, one of the most “logical” beliefs is not to wash your hair before the exam, as this will wash away all the knowledge accumulated with difficulty, and you can’t cut your nails so as not to “cut off” your memory. Also, certain foods should not be eaten before important tests or exams. Superstitious Koreans try to avoid slippery foods at this time, such as: miyok kuk(seaweed soup) and kuksu ( korean noodles ) . Because of these slippery algae and long noodles, all knowledge can quickly slip out of your head. Also, students do not use a red pen (red ink) on the exam. You should especially not write your name with it, because it is associated with death.

But in order to attract good luck and knowledge, you can eat delicious Korean rice sweets before an important day yota or chaltog. Koreans not only eat them, but also stick them outside to the institution where they want to stay. They say that all these strange rituals help them pass the most difficult exams.

red ink

Every nation has its funny superstitions. For example, for Koreans, writing in red ink is like meeting a person with an empty bucket for Russians. Many Koreans believe that if you write someone's name in red ink, something very bad will inevitably happen to that person. The names of the dead are written in red ink on special banners during the funeral ceremony. It is believed that the dead can be protected from demons in this way, but for the living, red ink is not protection, but, on the contrary, a curse.

Rules of conduct and gestures

Traditionally, Koreans sit, eat and sleep on the floor. Therefore, when entering a Korean house, you should always take off your shoes. In Korea, it is considered indecent to be bare-legged in the presence of elders, so it is recommended to always wear socks or stockings when visiting a Korean family. Words of gratitude for delicious dishes and good service are always accepted with joy. Moreover, it is more appreciated when they thank that they ate a lot. Indeed, for many decades, Koreans often simply starved. It is considered indecent to blow your nose at the table. But sipping tea with noise and even a small burp will be in the order of things. In Korea, it is not customary to call a person with an upturned hand or beckon with a finger. In Korea, dogs are usually called with such gestures. If you want to call a person, do it with your hand with your palm facing down.

Aigoo!

This is a phrase with which Koreans convey a fairly wide range of emotions: from “oh”, “ah”, “oh”, “wow” - to “oh my god”, “wow!”, “Wow !”, “full tryndets”.

"Aigoo!" - Korean aunts chatter indignantly when you come to visit them - they give you a cup of kuksi the size of a basin, and you say that you are on a diet and can I have half of this portion, please. Better yet, half a half.

"Aigoo!" - Korean grandmothers lament when the damned osteochondrosis or rheumatism enters their backs.

"Aigoo!" - Korean grandfathers are unhappy when they watch the news on TV or hear that the dollar has risen again. And they add: “Aygu, kichada!” The last word means "deafening", "horror" and together with "aigoo" expresses its extreme degree. This word expresses emotions about something more than it has a specific lexical meaning. In addition, such exclamation words are used mainly by women.

Handshake

When shaking hands in greeting, Koreans follow special rules. So, people of the same social status and close friends use only one hand to shake hands. But if the boss and the subordinate shake hands, or if there is a big difference in age, then the elder extends one hand, and the younger shakes it with both hands, most often holding it in the elbow with the first second hand.

Names

The most common Korean surnames are: Kim (21% of all Koreans), Lee (14%), Park (8%), Choi (or Choi), Chon, Chan, Han, Lim, etc. But each surname also has a certain genealogy (numerous genera - Mon). It is believed that people from one pona(even now) cannot be husband or wife. A Korean given name is made up of a surname mostly of one syllable and a first name usually consisting of two syllables. Last name comes first. Women in Korea do not take their husband's surname after marriage, but their children take their father's surname. The continuation of the family goes on the paternal line.

Fate팔자 (phalchja, phaltya)

The literal translation of the Korean word for this word means "eight letters". They mean the year, month, day (exact date) of a person's birth. Many Koreans believe that these eight letters determine fate. Fortunetellers repeat the same thing, combining these data. Frustrated people sigh: phaltya". When life becomes completely unbearable, difficult, they exclaim: “A dog has better things” phaltya" or "It's better to throw out your" phaltya"dog". But on the other hand, “to change your eight letters” means to change your life. For a woman, this often means getting married again. For a man - get rich. So let's adopt this Korean proverb, instead of the Russian hopeless saying - "You can't escape fate."

Fast, fast!빨리 빨리 (pally, pally)

Koreans are impatient, but that doesn't mean just being hasty. Life forced them in the second half of the twentieth century, when after the war the country lay in ruins (both the North and the South of Korea) tirelessly to work hard. Faster, even faster. Each construction site, the plant set the task "To hand over the object ahead of schedule!". The president and the clerk, the businessman and the worker were hurried with one word - “ pally, pally". The great race came to a head during the reign of Park Chung-hee, who, with his dictatorial methods, urged the entire South Korea to quickly achieve high results. In North Korea, they quickly built socialism with Korean specifics ... So dispersed that " pally, pally has become in many ways the norm of Korean life. Today, the Koreans seem to have begun to catch their breath a little. But the times will not return soon when the Korean nobles " yangbans considered haste below their dignity. Inertia ' pally', fast is unlikely to stop now.

Politeness in Korean

The culture of relationships among Koreans is built vertically - as a set of higher norms of wisdom and ethics, in which a hierarchical subordination of values ​​and virtues is established. It reflects five principles of relationship: emperor and subject, father and son, elder brother and younger brother, husband and wife, two friends. According to these principles, a father should treat his son kindly, and sons should treat their father with filial piety; The older brother should treat the younger one with kindness, and the younger brother should treat the older one with respect. Further, the husband should treat his wife fairly, and the wife to her husband - obligingly; the ruler should treat his subjects kindly, and the subjects should treat the ruler with loyalty. Confucian ethics created a solid foundation for relationships between Koreans. The social world, in accordance with the Confucian teaching, is divided into clear structures: seniors - juniors, leader - subordinate, etc. At the same time, the socio-socio-political structure of society is also strictly hierarchical - the connections in it are mainly vertical. These features of Confucian ethics and traditions are manifested in Korea in the behavior of interlocutors, in their specific gestures, bows, special manners of greeting, in written and oral forms of expressing politeness, courtesy and respect. Therefore, it is important for Korean language learners to know and understand the appropriate degrees of politeness and the styles of written and spoken communication used by Koreans. It must be remembered that in dealing with unfamiliar people, especially with women, one cannot change communication styles. For example, from a polite official style, abruptly switch to a familiar or friendly style. This can be misinterpreted and perceived as an insult or harassment.

filial piety

Korean traditions also require the expression of respect in speech when referring to the interlocutor or the object of the conversation, if such is parents, grandparents, older brothers and sisters, officials, guests, etc. Now often children no longer have the opportunity to constantly communicate with older relatives on a daily basis, to learn different styles of communication with their elders. Expressions of politeness used by Koreans emphasize the difference in social status and age of the interlocutors. Korea has long been a Confucian country, and this ideology gave the family a very special place. The most important and best of all human qualities in Confucianism was considered hyo - a term that is slightly roughly translated into Russian as “filial piety”. A person was judged in many ways by how he treats his parents. Unlike Europeans, unquestioning obedience to parental will was required even from adult sons (married daughters had to obey, first of all, their husband and father-in-law with mother-in-law).

The language gives an idea of ​​what the ancients meant by filial piety. The hieroglyph hyo consists of two parts. The first one means "old". In its depth lies the meaning of veneration, literally “carrying behind the back”, which in Russian is equivalent to “carrying on the hands”. The second part of the hieroglyph is “son”. It turns out a kind of definition: "carrying the son of his parents on his back is filial piety." Numerous Confucian theorists have repeatedly refined the meaning of hyo over the ages, adapting it to modern standards. As they say today, “honoring your parents means accepting their instructions, pleasing their souls, and pampering their bodies.” In Korean history, a truly respectful son or daughter was considered those who, without deviation, without contradiction, followed the will of their parents, maintaining harmony in the family, no matter how difficult it was for them. Who does not condemn the parents, even if they were wrong, and who has never appeared before them with a displeased look, keeping a calm face. He served them selflessly, with modesty and obedience! A person's duty to his parents was higher than his duty to the state, which was (reluctantly) recognized by the state itself. Traditions say that Confucius, when he was an official in the principality of Lu, more than once forgave the guilty if they committed crimes out of love for their parents.

Relationships in the family, between a man and a woman

In matters of marriage, a suitable couple was selected by parents and other relatives (sometimes with the help of matchmakers), and no one was interested in the opinion of the bride and groom. In the families of the rich and noble, in most cases, the bride and groom first met at their own wedding. True, many still checked for compatibility according to the signs of the eastern zodiac. In general, the old Korean family was based on an all-pervading hierarchy. It is no coincidence that in Korean, as well as in the languages ​​of other Confucian countries, there is simply no word for “brother” or “sister”: brothers or sisters can be either “older” or “younger”. For a wife, theoretically, her husband was the highest authority, but men rarely delved into intra-family and economic affairs, so that in practice, in the initial years of family life, the young wife had to obey her mother-in-law. From the age of seven, boys and girls were brought up separately from each other. In noble families, women really almost never went outside the estate, and if they still occasionally went to visit relatives or to a Buddhist temple, they were always accompanied by servants. Husband and wife, especially if they belonged to the upper class, slept and ate separately. This behavior was called neve-hada(literally: spouses keep their distance from each other). In wealthy estates, women's and men's chambers were often separated from each other by a high stone wall with a gate, and even male family members were forbidden to enter the women's quarters without special need. In such families, there could be no question of independent movement of women around the city. As a rule, women of the noble family were allowed to go outside the estate only in the evening, wrapped from head to toe in a special blanket. chan'ot- a remote Korean analogue of the Muslim veil. Peasants and small merchants could not comply with these prohibitions with all strictness, because a woman in such families had to work in the field, go for water, and look after the goods in the shop. However, even in the families of the common people, it was believed that the husband should not, without extreme necessity, discuss his affairs and worries with his wife. Women, too, should not have drawn men into all sorts of domestic problems that they had to deal with themselves. However, there was a relationship between them, as much as a woman depended on her husband, who represented her in public, so much a man depended on a woman who represented him inside the house.

Suffering in Korean고생 (kosen)

Every Korean knows the word - the concept kosen(difficulties, sufferings, sorrows, torments, hardships, pain, hardships). Kosen - it is an integral part of the life of a Korean person, his inner attitude, outer expression. They don’t hide it, on the contrary, they often even put it on display (it’s just natural for them). Even a well-to-do and successful Korean businessman, official, professor, politician, office worker, wealthy person will often show others how unhappy he is. How hard and uneasy it is for him that he is the same as everyone else: he doesn’t get enough sleep, he works until late at night, his head “swells”, “his mouth is full of worries”, “there is no health and personal life” ... And all this does not look theatrical at all , but so naturally and sincerely that they begin to feel sorry for him. When the interlocutor does not have suffering or he does not share it with him, then such a person automatically becomes indifferent to him, not interesting, therefore the conversation itself and further communication cease. It can be said that kosen- a truly purely national feature, part of the social, cultural and psychological life of the image of the Koreans.

In this sense, we can say that suffering is a reflection (however strange it may seem at first glance) of Eastern modesty and in some way a compensation for success. Kosen mobilizes the strength of a person in overcoming difficulties, in an effort to reach the required standard of living.

Rapid success, quick wealth, too positive human behavior often leads to attacks by envious people and hidden enemies, and therefore a Korean does not hesitate to talk about his problems, worries, difficulties, shortcomings, “headaches”.

Sudden obstacles, a difficult life situation, grief, illness, poverty and much more - this is also suffering. They rush to help such a person out of sympathy, understanding him kosen. Suffering also acts as a philosophical, religious culturological "cushion" for the Korean. Actually kosen is a unique way of experiencing, understanding, comprehending objective reality, an opportunity to find in compassion the value bases of self-development of a person. It turns out that kosen(suffering) is not only and not so much a simple feeling, but an abstract phenomenon that has a huge impact and plays a major role in the life of every Korean and Korean communities. At the same time, depending on the country, region, metropolis, city or village, variations of the concept kosen Koreans will be very different.

Here, only the most characteristic features of the traditions, customs, and rituals of Koreans are briefly touched upon, which, despite their constant changes, remain basic for Russian Koreans.

Culture of Korea

Although the current division of the Korean Peninsula into North and South Korea has led to significant differences in the modern culture of both countries, the traditions and customs of the Korean people and the culture of Korea as a whole are the same for both countries. Let's take a closer look at the main components of Korean culture.

• Dance

Since ancient times, since the reign of the Goryeo Dynasty, dance has been of great importance in Korea. There are many traditional dances such as the sword dance, the fan dance, the dance of the monk, the jester, the peasant, etc. They were performed both at the court of the emperor, and in the villages, the villagers staged performances. Now dance is not such an important part of the life of modern Korea, but there are many schools, in many universities in Korea, folk dance is taught as an academic subject.

Pakchommu - dance of fluttering butterfly wings

• Painting

Painting is an integral part of Korean culture. It has the influence of culture, but in itself it is specific and original. Of particular interest is the standing painting, which was formed during the reign of the Joseon Dynasty. They painted on silk, paper, special fabrics with vegetable, mineral paints or ink. If artistic painting reflected an unusual vision of the world through the eyes of an artist, then folk painting showed the life and problems of everyday life. We can say that painting existed and developed in two directions, and left behind immortal creations.

Cat and butterfly. XVIII century. Artist: Kim Dong Ho

• Korean garden

Few people know, but the traditional Korean garden has been around for over two thousand years. It looks like a landscape park, a person takes little part in its formation. All gardens include elements such as streams, round ponds, shaped trees, waterfalls, a rock garden, hills resembling mountains. Harmony dominates here, regardless of a particular detail. Harmony creates all the variety of shapes and sizes that are present here. Traditional Korean gardens are planted in France (Nantes), Mexico City (Chapultepec Zoo), Turkey (Ankara), Germany (Berlin), etc.

• hanbok

Hanbok is a national traditional costume consisting of chogori (blouse) and chima (skirt) for women and paji for men. These are clothes for official receptions, holidays and festivals. But there are also hanboks that can be worn as casual wear. They are sewn from cheaper fabrics and are easy to care for.

• Kitchen

It is known that the modern culture of Korea every year borrows more and more elements of the cultures of European countries, but something remains unchanged, namely, the national cuisine. The basis, as in most Asian countries, is rice. But, nevertheless, traditional Korean cuisine has a number of distinctive, even specific features. For example, many dishes abound with spices, especially red pepper, and all because Korea is a warm and southern country, and pepper allows you to keep food fresher longer, and over time, the concepts of “tasty” and “spicy” have become synonymous. Along with pepper, seasonings such as soy sauce and soy paste are used. But koryo-saram, to give the dishes a special taste, I use coriander in large quantities.

Kimchi - spicy pickled vegetables

Holidays in Korea

Like in many countries, Korea has its own national holidays, which are usually celebrated with a special, Korean scale.

• Seollal - Korean New Year

Traditionally, this holiday is celebrated on the first day of the lunar calendar. The weekend lasts three days, and at this time it is customary to dress up in hanbok, go to your parents or hometown, go to the seashore to meet the first rays of the sun there. Also on these days, dead ancestors are commemorated by preparing special dishes and performing a ritual called chare. In Sollal, children congratulate their parents by bowing to the floor, and the person becomes a year older.

• Liberation Day

This holiday is celebrated annually in North and South Korea on August 15th. On this day, Japan liberated Korea from colonial rule. On this day, an official ceremony is held, in which many high-ranking officials of the country participate. Flags of the country are hung everywhere, and according to tradition, several prisoners are pardoned on this day.

• Chuseok - a festival of harvest and remembrance of ancestors

The holiday falls on the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the Eastern calendar. Days off - the day before and the day after the holiday. A few days before the holiday, Koreans buy food and gifts, buy train and plane tickets to go to their hometown. On a holiday in the morning, they set the table and commemorate their ancestors, or they carry food to the cemetery. Sheaves of cereals are tied to the poles, thanks to the gods for the harvest, they treat the brownie. Girls and women perform the national dance kankansulle, and children and their fathers fly kites into the sky.

• Korean wedding

A modern Korean wedding is neither a traditional Korean wedding nor a European one. New traditions and customs among the Korean people were formed only about fifty years ago, but they are firmly entrenched and are widely used by all Koreans.

The wedding traditions and customs of the Korean people have changed a lot in recent years. Since the sixties, it has been customary to hold a wedding ceremony in the so-called "ritual" halls. But most often weddings are held in restaurants or in hotel conference rooms. Guests arriving at the ceremony must bring a gift to the newlyweds, usually money. Also, the bride and groom have a kind of waiting room in which guests can take pictures with them. The traditional hanboks were replaced by "traditional" European outfits - a wedding dress and a suit. A wedding is an open event. Often there is a videographer in addition to the photographer. Instead of the usual Mendelssohn march, Wagner's wedding march, which is extremely rarely used in other countries, is played. The groom enters the hall first, then the father leads the bride to the altar. The most important role in the wedding ceremony is played by the person conducting the ritual. Usually this is a close relative or friend of the groom. The whole ceremony lasts about half an hour, after which the young couple and guests go to a gala banquet. After it starts, the young people put on traditional outfits and go to a specially designated room where they have dinner with their parents. Usually, immediately after the wedding, the couple goes on a trip.

• Tol chanchi - first birthday

The first birthday of a child is a special date. Often, preparation for this holiday begins even before the birth of the baby. On this day, a large number of guests are invited, and the ceremony itself is often arranged outside the home. Guests bring gifts to the baby, congratulate him, after which the traditional ritual begins, which determines the fate of the child. Various objects are placed on the table in front of a child dressed in hanbok, each of which has a special meaning. From what the baby picks up, his fate depends. For example, if it is a handful of cereals, then he will never starve. Threads promise a long life, and a book - a rich mind. After that, a traditional banquet begins, before which the child's parents bow to the floor, thanking the guests for coming. This is how the first birthday goes!

Thus, even today, in today's rapidly changing world, the traditions and customs of the Korean people fill the lives of Koreans with meaning and are passed down from generation to generation. After all, the economic situation can be restored, but the lost traditions and culture cannot be returned to anyone.

In 2010, the capital of South Korea, Seoul, 10 million, received the honorary title of capital with the best design. This city, whose age is confidently approaching two and a half thousand years, is really very beautiful and every year attracts crowds of tourists from all over the world.

The Koreans themselves are an amazing people who have managed to preserve many unique traditions, despite the onslaught of globalization erasing any national differences. Many of these traditions and features may seem very, very specific to European tourists coming to the country.

1. Toilet humor is very popular in South Korea.


Jokes, funny and not so funny, about the toilet in South Korea can be found at every turn. The process of defecation is considered so funny that an entire open-air park is dedicated to it with all kinds of highly realistic sculptures and installations. It is not uncommon to see biscuits and other sweets shaped like poop in pastry shops, and gift shops cover this topic in great detail. None of the locals are outraged or shocked. No one gets sick of such jokes. Everyone is having fun.

2. Friendly hugs.


Europe has long been completely indifferent to kissing, hugging and other violent displays of affection in public places, if this is done by representatives of different sexes. If a man does the same with a man or a woman with a woman, then they will be perceived only as a homosexual couple. South Korea has its own logic in this respect. Caresses of young people of the opposite sex in public places are considered the height of indecency, but friends of the same sex can walk holding hands, sit on each other's laps, gently touch each other's hair - and this will not be considered a manifestation of disrespect for society or a sign of non-traditional sexual orientation .

3. Plastic surgery is literally sweeping South Korea.


Today, South Korea has the fame of one of the leaders in the number of plastic surgeries per capita. There are so many good plastic surgeons here that even foreigners come to see them, combining exciting tourism with changing their appearance. In addition, prices in Korea for such services are much lower than in Europe and the United States, so the business is only gaining momentum every year.

One of the most common surgeries in South Korea is eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty). Both girls and boys, almost without hesitation, risk their health and go under the surgeon's knife only to acquire a "European" eye shape.

4. Motels for love pleasures.


For young people from decent families in this country, any manifestation of tender feelings in public places is considered unacceptable. Parental control in families is also unusually strict. Nothing can be done - this is a tribute to centuries-old traditions. But the Koreans came up with a very cunning way to combine both external observance of Puritan traditions and modern emancipation (or, as retrogrades call it, “licentiousness and moral degradation”). Young couples go to kiss not on the benches of the nearest park, as they do in Europe, but in mini-motels, of which there are a great many in South Korea.

5. K-Pop music


K-Pop is the name given to Korean pop music. It has quite a few specific features and is very popular not only in South Korea itself, but also in other Asian countries. Performers gather an audience of many thousands at concerts, and fans often experience real tantrums up to fainting.

Groups working in this musical genre usually consist of several boys and girls between the ages of 16 and 24. K-Pop's musical compositions combine rhythm and blues, hip-hop and electropop, and the lyrics are often not in Korean, but in English. There are so many fans of this music that it is already considered a full-fledged international youth subculture.

6. Ajumma.


Ajumma is the name given to older ladies in South Korea. One of the specific features of Korean culture is the extremely respectful attitude of the younger members of society towards the elders. At the same time, ladies of advanced age acquire a surprisingly high status and can literally do whatever they want. Ajumma use this very actively. In crowded public transport, they, as they say, “break through” - after all, everyone must give way to them, so why stand on ceremony. They consider it their duty to make loud remarks about the behavior of all those who belong to the younger age category, and if young people have the audacity not to listen to their words, then the ajumma may even spit on them. And no one dares to object or be indignant.

7. Alcohol abuse.


In South Korea, this evil has truly cyclopean proportions - the country chronically ranks first in the consumption of strong drinks. In the evening, after the end of the working day, the streets of cities are literally clogged with citizens barely able to stand on their feet. Drunks behave, however, extremely peacefully and decently, and fights occur extremely rarely. Some bring themselves to such a state, resting after hard work, while for others, late feasts with irrepressible libations, surprisingly, are a kind of continuation of the working day. According to Korean "corporate culture", if the boss invites his subordinates to drink after work, then it is absolutely impossible to refuse. So the recruits have to drink first by force, and then by irrepressible desire.

8. Matching outfits are a Korean youth trend.


If the meeting of several fashionistas in exactly the same outfits in Europe is perceived as a fiasco, then in South Korea this is a popular trend. Young people deliberately try to dress up as twins. This is how they show everyone else that they are good friends. Boutique owners are well aware of this fashion fad and do their best to help their customers to purchase exactly the same sets of clothes.

9. Incredible speed of food delivery from restaurants.


The delivery of various food in all developed countries works very well, but in South Korea it has been brought to a virtuoso level. The customer barely has time to put down the phone, as the courier who delivered the treat is already ringing at the door. You also don’t have to worry about returning dishes to the restaurant at all - after the meal is over, they simply put them out the door. A little later, the courier will call in and pick up the dirty dishes without any questions.

10. Ultra-short skirts.


Miniskirts today, it would seem, can not surprise anyone, but the residents of South Korea still manage to do it. For many young women, they are so short that when fashionistas walk up the stairs, they have to cover themselves with handbags or newspapers so as not to disturb passers-by too much. At the same time, the Korean public treats such outfits quite calmly. But if a girl decides to wear even a very moderate neckline, then she cannot avoid disapproving glances and offensive remarks. And if she, being in such an outfit, is not lucky enough to run into someone from the Ajumma, then she will not only be loudly cursed with the last words, but also spit after her.

Is Korean. In general, Koreans are a large ethnic group speaking the same language. Although there are quite a few dialects of Korean, almost all Koreans use Literary Korean, which is based on the Seoul dialect, in their conversations.

The population does not speak English well, but all signs and signs are usually translated into this language.

Religion in the state is completely free. In general, South Korea is a rather religious country - believers here make up more than half of all residents. The main religions of the country are Buddhism - 51.2% of believers, Protestantism - 34.4%, Catholicism - 10.6%, Shamanism and Confucianism - 1.8%.

Population

In total, about 46 million people live in South Korea. Seoul has a population of about 11 million people. The population density in the country is generally one of the highest in the world.

The share of Koreans in the country's population is 99%. The remaining 1% is almost all Chinese.

Regardless of religion, almost the entire Korean society lives according to the teachings of Confucius. Confucianism in general is rather not a religion, but a philosophy, life teaching and instruction. According to this philosophy, each person has a place in society. The worker is dependent on the employer, and the son is dependent on the father. This structure is not subject to any changes. The dominant place in the society of South Korea belongs to men.

Confucianism is based on respect for the family, parents, ancestors, friends. As well as people in power. In addition, Confucianism emphasizes the vital importance of humanity, change, education, peace and justice. Many South Koreans think that their nation will reach unprecedented heights in the near future.

A distinctive feature of all Koreans is respect for any culture, as well as for foreigners.

Since age and position in society play a huge role, anyone is expected to be completely subordinate to their elders. That is why in Korea it is considered natural to ask about marital status and age almost immediately when meeting, in order to immediately understand what position he is in relation to the interlocutor.

Any man, regardless of age, will not be considered an adult if he is not yet married.

Korean Sign Language has some peculiarities. It is not customary to call a person with a hand that is turned palm up. It is also not customary to beckon with a finger, since dogs are called with such a gesture. To call a person, you should wave your hand with your palm facing down.

When meeting, it is customary to shake hands, as in European countries. Women don't shake hands.