10 interesting facts about South Korea – the most developed country in Asia

People who managed to visit South Korea consider it a separate world, it is so different from other states. Indeed, this country is able to surprise. It combines traditional and modern culture in a unique way.

The Republic of Korea was founded in 1948. In a relatively short time, the country has come a long way in the development of almost all areas. In the early 60s, it was the poorest in the region, now it is considered a developed industrial state.

Since the 90s, Korean music and cinema have enjoyed great popularity not only in Asia, but all over the world.

If you are also interested in this country or you just like to learn new things, pay attention to our article. Below is a ranking of interesting and surprising facts about South Korea.

10 The cult of education

In South Korea, education is of great importance. The “working day” of schoolchildren and students lasts 12-13 hours. Moreover, they normally relate to the fact that most of the time they have to devote to learning. Education for them is an opportunity to arrange their lives.

Attitude towards a person is largely determined by what university he graduated from. All of them are distributed according to the level of prestige.

Korean students are very well-read, smart. But it’s not always beneficial. The country has a high mortality rate among young people (suicides). The reason is poor progress, the inability to get into a good educational institution.

9. Most popular sports: baseball and golf

Most people in the country are fond of sports. There are all conditions for this: stadiums, sports halls and sections. Baseball is one of the most popular sports. We have our own professional league, which even buys foreign players at the moment.

Korean teams have repeatedly won international competitions. They love not only to play, but also to watch: the number of fans at the stadium increases from time to time.

South Korea also loves golf.. This is a kind of litmus test of the financial situation. The game is a status game, and not everyone can enter the club. By the way, the membership fee here is not as high as in America, so the middle class prefer the game.

8. One of the safest countries in the world

South Korea leads the ranking of the safest countries. When compiling it, the level of crime in the country, the number of prisoners, military spending and other factors are taken into account.

This was not always the case, in the 80s crime flourished in the state, many groups were organized. After some time, the authorities declared war on them.

By 2000, the situation had normalized. Today’s security is the result of the hard work of Korean society and the police in particular.

7. Camping in the mountains

Residents of the Republic of Korea prefer to relax within the country, as they simply do not have time for long trips. They love to go to the mountains.

Of course, on vacation you will see many more tourists than locals. Now South Korea has become one of the popular tourist destinations. When people want something exotic, they go here. Seoraksan National Park, where 30 mountain peaks are located, is among the favorite places for travelers.

The most popular route is climbing the Ulsanbawi Range. Guests of the country are advised to visit the most popular places on weekdays, there are too many people on weekends, as local residents join tourists.

6. Trying not to go on vacation

Koreans work very hard. For them, a 30-day vacation is an unaffordable luxury, such a thing simply does not exist.. It is customary in the country to take days off – a few days that you can spend with your family or settle personal matters.

Koreans are afraid to show their unprofessionalism, so there are unspoken rules in the country that everyone, without exception, follows. For example, men cannot go home before the boss, even if the working day is already over.

If a holiday falls on a weekend, it is not transferred to Friday or Monday, as is done in Russia.

5. Buddha’s birthday is the main holiday

The most important holiday is Buddha’s birthday. It is celebrated on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month, not only in Korea, but also in other countries of East Asia. On this day, they even give an official day off. It was first celebrated in 1975.

On Buddha’s Birthday, Koreans go to temples and also participate in festive processions. The streets are decorated with lanterns in the form of a lotus, charity dinners are held in temples, and everyone is treated.

4. Plenty of coffee shops

Here you will not find confirmation of the stereotype: “Favorite drink in the East – tea». Coffee is very popular in South Korea., and the country has a huge number of institutions where you can enjoy it. Coffee houses are on every corner, they work day and night.

What is the secret of such a great love for this invigorating drink? It’s simple, Koreans have a fast pace of life. They have too much to do. They work hard and study hard, and a cup of coffee is the best way to cheer up.

A big plus of Korean coffee shops is that you can only order one drink there, and none of the serving staff will make a “disappointed face” and ask: “It’s all? Can you order something else?“. In Korea, you can enjoy coffee without feeling guilty.

3. Special relationship with food

Korea has a real cult of food. For them, food is more than that. Koreans eat a wide variety of foods, they like to gather in large groups, they like to discuss the taste of certain dishes. Surprisingly, there are very few overweight people here.

Family meals are important. During the meal, hierarchy should be observed. The younger members of the family do not start eating until the elder has tasted the dish. He is also entitled to the best pieces. Sharing a meal is the best way to resolve a conflict or to thank a person for a favor.

2. Your idols

Koreans don’t go crazy for American or European stars. They have their own idols – these are local actors and musicians. Recently, the K-pop genre has been gaining popularity. By the way, Korean musical groups of this direction are loved not only in their native country, but throughout the world, including in Russia.

The most important idol of Koreans is their president. He is considered the very first person in the state, they take an example from him.

1. Against natural beauty

South Korea does not value natural beauty. A woman cannot go out without makeup, even if her goal is to throw out the trash.

The country has a large number of beauty salons. Self-respecting girls change their image every two months. Of course, not everyone can afford it. There are tons of cosmetics sold in South Korea. It is considered the best all over the world, but Korean women dream of cans of L’Oréal. Cosmetics from abroad are very expensive here.

In South Korea, plastic surgery is a common occurrence. The first interventions occur in adolescence. On the 16th birthday, parents give girls large sums of money so that they can correct their shortcomings. A Russian person will consider this unusual, wrong.

But there are a lot of beautiful people in South Korea. The streets are full of well-groomed women with beautiful hairstyles. Yes, in this country even men use cosmetics. About 20% of the stronger sex also do their makeup.