The Bizarre People and Customs of South Korea

Here’s a personal essay by John Adams on the chain of events, which led to his experiences in a beautiful country called South Korea.

“I had something special planned for our second marriage anniversary, but she gave me an even bigger surprise ten days prior to the big day. We started as friends in the first year of college and two years later, I was convinced that we were soul mates. Our wedding ceremony took place a month after graduation and it was absolutely perfect. Getting into an intimate relationship with a former best friend is something special and I was certain that this was meant to last. We shared the most stimulating conversations and dreamt of travelling the world together; we made a really long bucket list too. She was obsessed with the ‘Thousand Islands’, so I decided a long time ago that it would be our first adventure together.

I did my research and narrowed down a group of islands we could travel to on our third anniversary. I had accumulated enough savings to last us a fortnight and I was excited about how she would react. She was out of town to visit her grandparents and that gave me ample time to make preparations. However, her surprise came in first, which was a phone call from her divorce attorney. I don’t know what went wrong, but the worst thing is that she didn’t confront me or provide the opportunity for a proper closure. Leaving out all the heartbreaking details, I decided to take a personal vacation to console myself. K-pop was my guilty pleasure and my ex used to hate it. Thus, I spontaneously booked a flight for South Korea; little did I know that it was going to be the best time of my life.”

Synopsis of my journey

South Koreans are cool people and K-pop bands are the true trendsetters of high fashion worldwide. These people come up with the most exaggerated outfits and unique hairstyles, which inspire designers and artists around the world. Their porcelain skin, infinite shades of lustrous hair and exclusive attire speaks for itself. Haters can call them phony or weird, but I think it is a colourful and beautiful lifestyle. Both boys and girls wear make-up that makes them look like life size dolls, which is a strange yet adorable sight. I spent ten days in South Korea and got intrigued by their unusual customs:

1. The Plastic Surgery Propaganda is Real

Plastic surgery really is a mainstream thing around South Korea, and is quite affordable as compared to other parts of the globe. Every second person has something done to their face, and the locals see nothing wrong to it. Maybe it’s the unrealistic beauty standards set by the Korean pop stars, but I guess it’s an acquired taste. You may dislike a country that focuses so much on their appearance, but I am not a judgmental person.

2. The Aging Dilemma

A Korean born in the same year as you is actually older than you. The first birthday of a person born in the country occurs on the day he/she is born, i.e. a baby is regarded one year old as soon as it leaves the mother’s womb. If that was not confusing enough, you get a year older with the Korean New Year. Let’s say you were born on 25^th of December 1990, which means you are one year of age at the time by Korean standards. Then on the 1^st of January 1991, you will become two years of age; it’s funny how quickly you age in the country!

3. Couples’ Match

Korean couples are an overload of cuteness and they made me a little sad (considering my state of mind at the time). You will not just witness them holding hands or snuggling, because they take cheesiness to the next level. Couples have a tradition of wearing matching clothes to express their love and rub it in your face. These people are proud of their relationships and the dorkiness will make your eyes wet.

4. Number ‘4’ is Bad News

Koreans are superstitious people and their enmity for number ‘4’ is a serious matter. While the rest of the world is spooked by the number ‘13’, these people strive to erase number ‘4’ from building floors to cutlery sets. The number four is regarded as a death sentence around here, so try to stick with the remaining digits during your stay.

5. No Trash Cans

South Korea is one of the cleanest places on the planet, so much that they do not even need trash cans. The only commercial area you shall come across for disposing waste are the public bathrooms.

6. Futuristic Apartments

Koreans are the definition of minimalism, and almost everybody lives in a compact apartment located in one of the infinite towering buildings of the cities. The concept of traditional keys is almost nonexistent. You can unlock your home by entering a pin code into an electronic system, which is quite progressive.

7. Kimchi Culture

‘Kimchi’ is part of every Korean meal, so it’s pretty much a ‘drug for life’ among locals. It is sliced cabbage fermented with red chilli sauce and anchovy; it smells strong and tastes tartaric. I did not hate it, but I never attempted to get my hands on it again once I was out of the country.

Afterword

There are so many more uncanny yet oddly satisfying things about Korea, such as the famous ‘Haesindang Park’, the scarcity of overweight people, underground train art, and the abundance of animal cafes. Every coffee I ordered came with a straw, the nightlife is superb, and the streets are so luminous at night. As most of the population is petite, you will have a hard time finding large or plus size clothing items around here. If the country were cheaper to live in, I would definitely extend my vacation.

This post has been submitted on WANDER BIRD by John Adams – a lifestyle blogger who loves to travel and share his life experiences. He encourages readers to improve their quality of life by incorporating positive thoughts and actions. He is a health & fitness enthusiast, and contributes to various online platforms in the same niche.