13 posts tagged with "Culture & History"

If you have two weeks in South Korea, you don't have to choose between the city and the countryside. You can have both. This comprehensive itinerary takes you on a clockwise loop through the peninsula's "Big 5": Seoul, Andong, Gyeongju, Busan, and Jeju.

Pack your walking shoes. We are covering 5,000 years of history.

A Temple Stay is not a vacation; it is a glimpse into the monastic life. For 24 hours, you trade your smartphone for prayer beads and your stress for silence. But this tranquility comes with a strict set of rules.

Here is what you need to know before you bow.

Seoul may have everything, but it doesn't always have the best of everything. In Korea, every region has "Hyangto Eumsik" (local foods) born from its specific geography, history, and climate. To truly understand Korean cuisine, you have to leave the capital and follow the map.

Here is your culinary compass.

In the fast-paced, "Pali-Pali" (Hurry Hurry) culture of Seoul, the tea ceremony stands as a radical act of slowness. Known as Darye ("Etiquette for Tea"), it is less rigid than the Japanese ceremony but more structured than a casual coffee break. It is about "Sisu"—the art of cooling water—and finding peace in the pouring.

Here is how to experience it without feeling awkward.

In Korea, alcohol is not just a beverage; it is social glue. You don't really know someone until you have shared a bottle of Soju with them. Whether it's a corporate "Hoesik" (company dinner) or a Friday night out in Hongdae, knowing the rules of the game will save you from embarrassment (and a terrible hangover).

Here is your survival manual.

If you ask a Korean grandmother about food, she will talk about "Son-mat" (hand taste) and fermentation that takes months. If you ask a Korean teenager, they will talk about "Map-Dan-Jjan" (Spicy, Sweet, Salty) and pouring cheese on everything.

Korean cuisine is currently in a civil war between its healthy, balanced roots and its hyper-palatable, viral future. To understand Korea, you must taste both.

You know about Korean BBQ and K-Pop. But do you know where not to sit on the subway? Or why everyone suddenly went quiet in the elevator? Korea is a high-context society built on respect and hierarchy. As a traveler, you get a "foreigner pass" for small mistakes, but following these rules will earn you genuine respect.

Here is how to navigate Korea like a local.

Forget the glossy department stores in Gangnam. If you want to find the heartbeat of Seoul (and the best bargains), you must go to the traditional markets. Each market in Seoul specializes in something unique. You don't go to the Fish Market to buy socks, and you don't go to the Vintage Market to buy fish.

Here is your roadmap to the best markets and exactly what to buy in each.

You know how to use chopsticks. Great. But did you just stick them vertically into your rice? Stop. In Korea, that looks like you are offering food to the dead at a funeral.

Korean dining culture is strictly governed by Confucian principles of respect and hierarchy. But don't punish yourself—Koreans are very forgiving to foreigners. However, if you want to impress your local friends, here are the 10 rules to follow.

When Koreans think of "Food", they think of Jeonju. Designated a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, this city is the spiritual home of Korean cuisine. But the jewel in its crown is the Jeonju Hanok Village, a slow-living district with over 700 traditional houses.

Here is how to spend a perfect 24 hours eating your way through history.