The beautiful country of South Korea has a lot to offer, but did you know that it is known for these 21 things? Some are expected, while others may surprise you. From its fascinating cultural history to its food and fashion trends, this post will tell you everything about what makes the country so unique.
South Korea is a country in East Asia and has had one of the fastest growing economies in the world over the past few decades.
What is South Korea known for? South Korea is known for its technology, food, K-pop music and culture. The Korean Wave or Hallyu wave has spread internationally with dramas such as “My Love From Another Star” and “Descendants of the Sun.”
It’s also known for many things, here are 21 things South Korea is known for!
Seoul
South Korea’s capital city is one of the most wired cities in the world and it’s sometimes called “Digital City.” It is home to many beautiful palaces, temples, museums and parks.
Two of the most notable are Gyeongbokgung Palace, located in Seoul’s Jung District, and Changdeokgung Palace.
Hallyu Wave
The Hallyu wave was started when South Korean television drama series “Winter Sonata,” starring Bae Yong-joon, aired in China.
The “Korean wave” refers to the increased global popularity of South Korean culture through movies, television shows and music.
K-Drama
Another popular part of Hallyu is the Korean drama or K-drama. This is an internationally broadcast soap opera originating from South Korea that has become very successful around Asia and many other parts of the world!
K-Pop (“Korean pop”) Music
K-pop or Korean pop music began to take off in America around 2012 with bands such as Girls’ Generation and 2NE1.
Today, many artists have become famous all over the world for their catchy beats and dance moves! Notable bands include BTS, BLACKPINK, EXO, Big Bang and 2NE1.
Food
Korean food is popular all over the world! It includes many dishes such as bibimbap, bulgogi, kimchi and ginseng chicken soup. Korea even has it’s own unique style of barbecue called “ssam-gui” in Korean or 쌈지기 in Hanja (the Korean word for the Chinese characters).
In this type of barbecue, a piece of meat is placed on top of lettuce or sesame leaves and eaten with various side dishes such as kimchi.
Gangnam Style Culture
Psy, the famous entertainer who brought us his iconic song, “Gangnam Style,” was born in South Korea (in the Gangnam District) even though he now lives all over the world!
With catchy beats and hilarious dance moves, this song was an international sensation. It became so popular that it was even featured on a video game – “Just Dance 2017!”.
The Korean Alphabet
The Korean alphabet is called Hangul and it’s very unique in that its letters form a syllabary, not an alphabet.
It consists of 24 consonants and 21 vowels. In South Korea, it’s spoken as the primary language , which is different from North Korea where they use dialects of Korean.
Advanced Technology
South Korea is known for its impressive technology and gadgets and is among one of the leading countries in terms of broadband speed and cell phone usage. Not only that but they were named as a top country in terms of Internet access.
Samsung
Samsung is a South Korean company that started out in 1938 as a trading and export company. Over time it has become the top laptop brand, selling 40 million laptops in 2015 alone!
It’s also known for its televisions, refrigerator, tablets, mobile devices and even smart home appliances.
K-Pop Idols
While some may think of K-pop as a single genre of music, there are actually many subgenres including hip hop, rock and urban.
One of the most popular types of K-pop is idol music which refers to young entertainers who have large fandoms. There are idols in multiple groups such as SHINee , Girls’ Generation and EXO!
Plastic Surgery
Plastic surgery has become a large part of Korean pop culture. It is such a common practice that even the Guinness World Records recognized South Korea as the country with the most plastic surgeries per capita!
Hyundai
Hyundai is another very popular brand in South Korea. It was founded in 1947 by Chung Ju-yung and has grown to become one of the world’s largest automakers. Hyundai is known for its cars, buses, heavy machinery, forklifts and construction equipment .
Korean Fashion
Since K-Pop is such a popular type of music, Korean fashion is also becoming increasingly popular.
This includes anything from skincare products to accessory brands. In addition, “street snap” has been growing in popularity as well, which refers to photos taken by either professional or amateur photographers on the streets!
Hanboks (Traditional Clothing)
Traditional clothing in Korea is known as Hanboks. These include a variety of tops and pants, with the shorter top known as Jjangbab and the longer version being called Ddong-Ddong. They are still worn today but only in special occasions !
Korean Tourists
Korean tourists are known for being some of the most enthusiastic ones out there. According to Bloomberg, South Korea claims the top spot in travel spending, with their citizens spending more than any other country’s on vacation.
South Korea is ranked number 4 in terms of international arrivals according to World Tourism Organization. They reached 30 million tourists in 2016.
Kimchi
Kimchi is a staple in South Korea and it is made of fermented vegetables, red pepper flakes, vinegar and salt. It can be eaten with almost anything – rice , ramen, fried eggs even alone!
There are many types of kimchi but the most common types are baechukimchi (cabbage) and bossamkujang (pumpkin). Even though Koreans eat kimchi for breakfast, they consider it more as a side dish.
Hangeul Day
The Korean alphabet was created in 1446 by King Sejong who wanted his subjects to be able to read and write after trying for ten years.
It’s celebrated every year on October 9th and it’s known as Hangeul Day !
Busan
Busan is the second largest city in South Korea and it’s very popular among tourists. It consists of the Haeundae and Centum City districts which are known for their beautiful beaches that visitors can even walk on.
Busan is also home to the world’s largest department store called Shinsegae Centum City .
Jeju Island
Jeju Island is located off the southern coast of South Korea and it’s known as a “mini-Hawaii”! It has several prominent landforms such as Hallasan (the highest mountain on the Korean Peninsula), cliffs, beaches and waterfalls.
Jeju Island is the largest in South Korea and it’s actually a province. Jeju is known for its beautiful volcanoes, especially Hallasan which stands at 1950m tall! The island also has many beautiful beaches, museums and even an amusement park called Lotte World Adventure .
Gimbap
Gimbap refers to a dish that consists of steamed white rice and various other ingredients such as vegetables, egg, meat and pickles. It’s usually rolled with a sheet of dried laver seaweed (gim) and is served with soy sauce or chili pepper paste. You can find this dish in any Korean restaurant!
Soju
Soju is known as the most popular alcoholic drink in South Korea! It’s made with fermented rice and contains less than 20% alcohol.
Even though it’s most famous for its use in drinking, you can also use it in cooking or even just drinking on its own!
*Final Words
Koreans have made a significant contribution to modern society through literature, philosophy, sports and entertainment industry. In recent years, Korea has become a major exporter of popular music and television dramas.
That was some of the things that South Korea is best known for! Thanks for reading! Please write your comment below!
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