The rapid economic growth of the Republic of Korea, which began in the second half of the twentieth century, did not prevent the preservation of the original culture and rituals of the ancient people. Western standards and fashionable rules appeared in the life of every inhabitant of the peninsula, but they could not supplant the old traditions of South Korea from his everyday life.
About age without concealment
Do not be surprised if a Korean at the very beginning of a conversation asks you about your age without a shadow of doubt on his face. This is not idle curiosity or disrespect, but only a desire to choose the correct manner of addressing the interlocutor. Greeting an equal in age, the Korean makes the traditional handshake, but when greeting the elder, he will shake his right hand with his both. It is not customary to argue with parents or elderly people, and their desires are fulfilled unquestioningly.
When greeting anyone, a resident of the Land of Morning Freshness will certainly accompany the handshake with a slight bow. When entering a house, the traditions of South Korea are prescribed to take off your shoes, while a bare foot is a sign of disrespect, and therefore socks or stockings are an indispensable attribute of clothing for both the guest and the owner.
Strange superstitions and modern trends
Koreans are afraid of red ink and believe that seeing their own name written with them is a sign of the near end. To avoid unpleasant situations, you should not fill your pens with red ink if you are not going to look for mistakes in school notebooks.
Against the background of such prehistoric superstitions, modern trends in the life of Koreans look at least strange. For example, a certificate for plastic surgery on the Europeanization of facial features is presented here by mothers to their daughters in honor of graduation, and the length of the skirts of the same students tends to zero more and more every year.
Useful little things
- Koreans, oddly enough, are among the ten most drinking nations in the world. Almost every weekend, alcoholic gatherings are practiced here, during which toasts are made. All participants in the process should drink, regardless of their state and desire, so before accepting an invitation to such an event, you should think carefully about the consequences.
- Japan's relations with South Korea have historically been unfavorable. In conversations with Koreans, it is better not to raise the topic of tension and territorial claims of the Land of the Rising Sun.
- Traditions of South Korea prescribe to be punctual and correct in relations with both friends and business partners. Koreans expect such qualities from the guests of the country as well.
