In the Philippines, it is most known for its people, while in America, one of the things that make it stood out is it’s film industry. What Is South Korea Famous For? Let me answer it for you in each category.
South Korea a.k.a The Land Of The Morning Calm, is known for many things. From Kimchi, BTS, language, and so much more. As you learn these things, you will have a slight understanding with the Korean culture. From what they wear, to their taste in both music and food.
This will be broken down in 7 categories and here is a table of contents to help you navigate this article.
Attraction: Namsan Seoul Tower
Namsan Seoul Tower, also called “N Seoul Tower”, is a must-visit attraction as for Kdrama fans, 2016’s Legend of the Blue Sea, and 2013’s My Love From The Star were shot here.
From the top, you will be able to witness the a bird’s eye view of Seoul and also the Han River. It is also considered the highest point in Seoul.
Tourists and natives will enjoy this attraction as it offers a lot of things to do.
Here is a list of places and activities you can do at the Namsan Seoul Tower:
- Restaurants
- Gift shops
- Hello Kitty World
- Namsan Park
- Locks of Love
What time does the Namsan Seoul Tower operate?
N Seoul Tower operated from Mondays to Fridays, and Sundays at 10am – 11:pm, and 10am-12mn on Saturdays.
What is the best time to visit Namsan Seoul Tower?
You can visit it on any season that you would like.
Korea has 4 seasons, so you can choose from the spring cherry blossoms, the autumn feel and vibe of fall, or enjoying some winter breeze or snow during winter.
Spring
Spring in Korea is famous for having its pink cherry blossoms which is a popular aesthetic in social media. Spring in Korea happens on April to June.
Summer
Korean summer is where the monsoon begins, so expect rainfalls here and there. Expect that there will be less visitors during rainy season so you could still plan on visiting the tower.
Korean summer starts from July and ends in August.
Fall / Autumn
If you want that gloomy and dramatic feel, you can visit the tower during this season. Orange and green leaves along with the aesthetic of the N Seoul Tower will always be a good combination for both pictures and experience
This season in Korea goes on September To November
Winter
Lastly, is of course, Winter in Korea, which happens on December to March.
Since a lot of visitors (mostly Asians) like the cold season, expect a lot of visitors during this period.
Food: Kimchi
Kimchi is the most popular food or dish in South Korea. It is made with pickled cabbages and spicy paste.
Kimchi is a very versatile dish as it can be used as a snack, side dish, a pairing with another South Korean dish, basically, YOU NAME IT. Kidding, it cannot be a dessert. Anyway, Kimchi is a healthy dish as well that has a lot of vitamins.
Koreans and foreigners describe Kimchi as soft on the outside, and crunchy on the inside. Expect that when you are trying this.
Kimchi also became a family bonding as its creation process tends to be easier when done with a group of people.
If you want to have an idea on how Kimchi is made, here is a video from a popular YouTuber named Maangchi. The video shows how to create a Traditional Kimchi Recipe.
What Is The Taste Of Kimchi?
Generally, Kimchi has a mixture of sour, umami, and spicy taste. Each South Korean region’s kimchi has a different process of fermenting, list of ingredients, and also the climate or weather. Taste varies from region to region.
What Is The Spicy Paste Used In Making Kimchi?
The spicy paste that you need to create Kimchi is called Gochujang ( 고추장 ) . It can be bought on supermarkets.
You can buy it from Korean groceries (of course), and some stores that have an Asian section in them.
Alcohol: Soju
Soju is a distilled alcohol and it made from wheat, rice, or barley traditionally.
It is a very social drink and it involves some etiquette (not required) on how to drink it with elders or with a group of people. Some of them can be found on a roundup that I made about South Korean Dining Etiquette which you can check out.
It has a variety of flavors such as blueberry, peach, peach, yogurt, strawberry, grapefruit. Arguably, peach is the best flavor of Soju.
Even if there are a variety of different flavors, Soju is known for its green bottle, and its best flavor would be the original flavor.
Music: Kpop
Also known as, Korean Pop.
Kpop goes with a lot of genres. From mellow to dance, there is a KPOP song for it.
A lot of people these days (including me), listen to different KPOP groups, dancing and singing them even if the pronunciation is wrong.
Why you ask? KPop for me has a very distinct, and familiar tone, yet you kind of feel the message of the song.
Also, from beautiful, handsome, and inspiring Kpop idols, fans tend to buy merch, lining up in unbelievable times, and taking the time to make sure their idol’s standings or streams are in the top, is a phenomenon that is both negative and positive at the same time.
What Are Each Kpop Groups’ Fans Called?
Kpop fans all around the world have a name depending on what idol group they support.
Here are some of the most popular fandom names per idol groups.
- Blackpink – Blinks
- BTS – Army / Armys
- Exo – Exo-L
- Girls’ Generation – Sone
- Itzy – Midzy
- Red Velvet – Reveluv
- Seventeen – Carat
- Stray Kids – Stays
- Twice – Once
Filmography: The Admiral & Parasite
This category goes into two sub-categories; box-office gross, and popularity.
Which South Korean Movie Has The Highest Box-Office?
The film that holds the title of the “Highest Box-Office Gross” would be The Admiral : Roaring Currents, which tells an epic story of Battle of Myeongnyang.
It’s worldwide gross is at $138.3 million.
Which Is The Most Popular South Korean Movie
“Most popular” is kind of tricky as every film is subjective. However, there is one movie that became popular worldwide, and that is Parasite.
Parasite is a dark comedy that tells the story of a poor family that secretly entered the lives of a rich family. As they progress with their plans, innocent people are getting involved in dark ways.
I personally loved the movie as it gives a realistic approach between the differences between the poor and the rich. It also displays what people DO FOR money, and what they DO WITH money.
It is a historical and iconic film that was awarded Best Picture In the Academy Awards even if it is not entirely in English.
It received another award, Palme d’Or, the highest prize, in the 2019 Cannes Film Festival.
The movie became successful domestically and worldwide.
Clothing: Hanbok
South Korea’s is known for their Hanbok, which is a colorful, and vibrant traditional attire. It is worn during the era of Joseon.
It is still worn during wedding ceremonies, first baby’s birthdays, festivals and holidays.
Can Foreigners Wear Hanbok While In Korea?
If you are visiting some palaces on your own or during your tour, some of them will have hanbok rentals. These rentals have a variety of sets; jeogori for women, and jeogori and baji for men.
Choose from a variety of colors and designs to have a memorable shot of you wearing a beautiful Hanbok.
If you are afraid that you don’t know how to wear it, don’t worry as rental owners will gladly assist you.
What does Hanbok mean in Korea?
Hanbok or 한복 means Korean Dress.
Alphabet: Hangeul
Korea is one of those countries that have a specific set of alphabet letters or symbols that is being used when they communicate or when they label everything inside their country. This alphabet is called Hangeul.
Hangeul is a composed of 14 consonants, and 10 simple vowels.
If you want to a free app in learning the Korean alphabet and some Korean words, you can download the app that I use which is DROPS that is available both on Android and Apple.
I have a page in my blog where in I record all of the Korean words or phrases that I learn so you can visit in my Korean-English Dictionary page.
Skin Care: Multistep Routine
While cosmetics is a large thing in Korea, skin care is a one of the largest things in Korea. South Korea’s skin care is known for its multistep daily routine that involves a lot of one’s time, and of course a lot of money for the products.
Routine varies from 10 steps to 18 steps.
However, Koreans don’t rely on just products and a thousand steps to achieve that youthful skin, they also have a very healthy diet and lifestyle that helps them in their skin care.
Conclusion
Each country has a set of places, events, style of clothing, and habits that it is known for. Korea, has a very straightforward culture and at the same time, it is very multicultural.
These practices come from the ancient to modern times, and no matter what it is, we should always respect every aspect of it. Enjoy and celebrate the differences instead of comparing it to what your country offers.
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