Want to Live in Korea? 13 Things You’ll Have to Get Used to!
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Living in Korea will change who you are. Many of the daily habits you pick up are because of that fact. And that means the longer you stay, the more you’ll change. See our list right here:
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Hanging out Late
Korea is a very night-centric place, and hanging out into the AM hours even on a weeknight is very common. Go to any major Seoul hot spot and you’ll see 24 hour cafes, BBQ restaurants open till late and convenience stores on every block that never close. Heck, even shopping at Dongdaemun Market starts around 7PM and goes until 7AM. If you’re an early bird, the only things to do in Seoul during the morning hours is go to work or visit tourist attractions. Everything else (eating, playing and hanging out) all really start after the sun goes down.
Check out why hanging out with Koreans goes late!
Pictures
When you’re in Korea, taking pictures is a part of daily life. Most of the time it is the usual culprits of food porn pics as well as top quality Korean style selfies. Of course not everyone is so picture crazed, but if you find yourself around Korea’s young smartphone wielding female demographic, you’ll end up throwing up automatic V-signs and smiles more often than you’ve ever thought you would. It’s part of the great big feeding frenzy that goes on in our Facecbook and Kakaotalk apps. For most Korean women, taking as many pictures as it takes to get the perfect shot is a part of everyday life.
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Coffee Shops
Coffee is a part of morning routines for many people around the world. For most, coffee is their preferred beverage for its quick caffeine jolt. The sleepiest of us can’t go without a few cups throughout the day. And while Koreans drink coffee as liquid defibrillators, too, most Koreans go to coffee shops because it’s now a part of the culture. During lunch hours, coffee shops will have office workers looking for a place to relax before heading back in. Couples who have no where else to go will grab their favorite espresso-based drink and stay chatting well past what’s considered loitering in other parts of the world. And of course, they’re the number one place for girl talk. Coffee shops are everywhere in Korea, and they have become such a part of the culture that you’ll find it impossible to escape.
Want more than coffee? Here’s 15 Unique and Interesting Theme Cafes in Seoul!
Kimchi
Kimchi is literally everywhere in Korea because it’s a part of every meal. Even many non-Korean restaurants will also have secret stashes.Part-time workers at a Gangnam Burger King will bring a stash of their own kimchi to chow down on Whoppers with a side of the good stuff. If your stomach gives you a scary sound every time you eat kimchi, you might be in trouble. We suggest getting used to eating kimchi; it’s something that would make living in Korea much easier. Plus it’s healthy, delicious and free with most meals 🙂
Find out why Koreans eat so much kimchi!
Metal Chopsticks
Tons of people throughout the world have Mr. Miyagi level chopstick skills. But that’s usually with well-gripping wooden chopsticks. In Korea, metal chopsticks are more common, making japchae glass noodles extra slippery. These metal ones are harder to grip as they’re usually quite narrow as well. Bottom line is, the metal ones are generally tougher to use than wooden chopsticks. So, if your chopstick skills aren’t so great, get used to eating food off the table (5 second rule!).
79 Comments
Everything is pretty logic and ok to live with, but corn with mayonnaise ? no way 🙂
free crazy taxi, that looks awesome !
i don’t know about you people but I am deathly TERRIFIED of getting on a bus or I’m a taxi for that very reason.
Another Seoul specialist (not me haha) would also add : Bul geum — we people usually say that “bul geum(불금)” on friday night. We usually have kick ass party on friday night and we call it as 불금
NOOOOOOO…. ugh mayonnaise. one of my absolute most hated foods (actually, i don’t even think i can call it that. it’s unpalatable and disgusting!!) sorry korea 🙁 but i still love you.
Mayo is incredible in France/Europe but awful in the US. Maybe there’s is also different? In which case you might like it, as a dip of course (not by itself)
Agreed. They all seem pretty managable except for corn and mayo. I don’t even know if I want to like that.
No problem with the corn kernels and mayonnaise! Its one of the best street snacks here in Mexico, and happens to be my favorite one ! xD
u think u can get used to getting pushed over by ahjummas and ajeoshi’s? … noooo u cant. getting rammed into by them is not fun …=.= . especially the hard core hikers who have their backpack and gear, they hurt like hell!! Beware and steer clear!
If u’ve ever been purposely pushed for any reason.in ur lifetime, its like that, except out of no where.
I love corn with mayonnaise haha I think I can get used to all those things XD and sitting on the floor is something I’m used to already, I always found it more comfortable than chairs haha
Its really awesome that I already do most of these things already! Korea here I come! 😀
Agreed with the pushy old people statement…I met an old Korean man in Singapore custom immigration he pushed me away in a VERY rude way when that is supposed to be my turn to the officer in a queue. That’s when I started to have bad impression with Koreans.
the fact is, WE don’t like pushy old people as well. but young people are not so rude, so please don’t hate all the Koreans :'(
It isn’t that the old people are just pushy they will also tell you off loudly and in public if they feel you are doing something you shouldn’t be doing. The obvious is when you sit in the wrong seats on the subway or on the bus. I got told off at the supermarket one time because I had an earbud in my ear while shopping ( In my defense I was near the end of an audiobook and I don’t speak Korean anyway so it wasn’t like I was talking to anyone). The ajhumma yelled at me in Korean till I made it clear that i had no idea what she was saying and no idea what I had done then she started miming and got the idea across. You stand out as a foreigner and your are DEFINITELY observed.
Another thing to get used to is being stared at by young and old people on the streets. It’s funny if you don’t look like them or talk like them, they will stare into your eyes or laugh with their friends …. Of cos they know you are a foreigner but it’s a bit annoying when you are shopping or walking…
I feel sorry for that.. Korea is not really a multicultural country. 🙁
Yes! Being stared at is the hardest thing for me. At first I was afraid I was committing a social faux pas (talking too loudly, sitting in the wrong seat, etc) but after talking with friends and my Korean teacher I found out it is because I have blondish curly hair. Now when I go out in Seoul, I make sure I tie my hair back and I don’t get stared at nearly as hard.
This is spot on ~~ gotta love Korea and all it’s quirkiness.
That’s really helpful. Thanks for the great article!!
Wow. I think i have to get used to being pushed u.u I’m already used to reckless driving: here, if you dont drive/own a car, expect to pass the street across more safely when its green light for the cars rather than for pedestrians. Corn+mayo=my love, im not so sure about the kimchi though. but i can eatalmost anything that doesnt have garlic/onion. im not sure i like soju….
Your comment…i like kimchie so much and thats all i know it..
Your comment.i love it…
I’m a Korean but I’ve never seen corn and mayonnaise.
I’m sure it’s corn and cheese.
Yeah i don’t think i’ve seen a lot of mayonnaise in food in korea. granted it is on foods that usually are served with mayo, like donkatsu, but corn is definitely in such weird things in korea such as pizza and pasta.
Corn and mayonnaise is amazing! We eat it all the time here in Los Angeles. It’s called Elote, basically corn on the cob with some butter, mayonnaise, chile powder, parmesan cheese, a little salt and maybe pepper. I was raised on it so I guess I’m biased. Not so sure about the shoving part… that’s just rude, no matter what culture you come from.
Same is, mayonnaise is probably going to be the hardest part about living in Korea… I guess I’ll just have to grin and bare it when I can’t avoid it.. using 애교 might save me from having to eat it too often though xD
Same here*
corn and mayo….that’s not a problem for mexicans! we even eat our corn with mayo, and have lots of street vendors selling it.
So true and there delicious
I feel pretty confident that if I lived there, I would one day become a super jerk foreigner and yell at some grandpa who’s pushing me out of the way. Actually, I’ve never understood why elders should command a special respect or authority. The idea strikes me as completely arbitrary and illogical. I hope people don’t treat me differently 40 years from now just because I’m old.
You forgot to mention the smokers. About 90% of Korean males and nearly half of females smoke.
Speaking of disgusting things, you didn’t mention the garbage cans in toilets. Yes, that’s where the Koreans toss the toilet paper after wiping themselves. In the summer, the stench inside public buildings can become unbearable – not just in the toilets, but the entire building. And yes, Korean women DO stand on the toilet bowl seat and squat over the bowl, putting their shoes where everyone else sits, though no one likes to admit it.
If you eat with Koreans, get used to communial food bowls, so you’d better have that hepatitis booster shot before you go. And if you don’t like the sound of people chewing food with their mouths open, you’d better carry an MP3 player and headphones, because nearly all Koreans do. “It makes the food taste better” is the excuse I’ve heard most often.
As for pushy Koreans, it’s not just the older ones. Koreans believe in the “harmonious society” crap of confucianism. They expect anyone “lower” than themselves (by confucianist rules) to get out of the way – and that includes when they deliberately change directions and walk in front of you. You’ll find a LOT of passive-aggressive stuff in Korea.
Yes! all of this is true and it’s all definitely something someone from, say, america would be completely shocked by when seeing for the first time.
I lived in Seoul and Asan but I do not remember buildings smelling bad from restrooms. This seems like some exaggeration.
I never knew that there is a big difference in using a wooden chopsticks and a metal chopsticks. I thought that it was just the same thing. I think Koreans are nature lover so instead of using wooden chopsticks which will result in cutting tons of trees every year, they choose to use metal chopstick so they can use it over and over again.
Have you used it before? Metal ones are a lot harder. You will get used to it but it is not like using wooden ones.
Corn with mayo is common in my Mexican culture. It’s good i usually eat it with corn on the cob mayo of course maybe some Mexican cotija cheese and some Mexican hot sauce Valentina or tapatio. I ate this today haha. If u have canned corn you can do the same tastes great.
Corn and mayo? Curious combination. I’ll have to try it later lol. Kimchi? I luuuuuuv Kimchi. I love it so much that I decided to make it. It was okay but there was something lacking that I couldn’t just quite put my finger on.
Add soda into your kimchi
I’m Korean, been there plenty but the corn and mayo is not something to get used to. I’ve never seen it there and none of my relatives have eaten it.
What westerners should be warned of is there are no shower curtains and they do not use large bath towels. There are floor drains which catch the water from the floor, tub and sink in many cases. And for drying after a shower, you can expect to use a large hand towel.
So after asking around, I guess corn and mayonnaise is generally served to westerners. It’s certainly not something I’ve seen much and a trip to Korea doesn’t necessarily guarantee corn and mayo.
Corn is on pizza in korea, like have you had bulgogi pizza? I think some have corn on it. Go to Mr Pizza or any pizza place in Korea. Mayo I don’t think is that popular as corn, I didn’t experience much mayo.
No. 11 When meet Korean people first time, you have to try not to be offended when they asked your age!
Cause they will !! That’s because they want to address you properly.
Gosh…can i just answer: “I had amnesia and forgot my age 10 years ago!”
Haha, your’re so right!
I will never ever “just get used to it” when older people are rude and physically push someone. Age is not an excuse to act like a jerk and I more than happily lower my shoulder when I see the old bulldog women marching into my path like they own the planet. How can such people feel they deserve so much respect when they act with a complete lack of honor and dignity? Pathetic.
SO TRUE!!!! manners matters
I love this bowing culture!
I’m Brazilian, currently living in Italy, and I see some differences when it comes to great someone. In Brazil, when you meet someone for the first time, or if that person is someone important, you are supposed to handshake. In a friendly relationship, you are free to give small pick on the shoulder or on the back (between guys), or one kiss on the cheek (between the girls). In Italy, the handshake is reserved for people you need to be polite with (your boss, or something). When you meet a friend, or a stranger, you hug them, and give two kisses on the cheek.
It may seem really small differences, but I’ve lived in Brazil for 12 years, and when I came to Italy I was not comfortable with all that hugs from people I didn’t know.