If I asked you to picture an exotic country, you'd probably go with something like Australia or Japan. But after this exclusive list by Bored Panda, you'll probably consider South Korea one too.
To show how unique this country really is, we put together a collection of pictures that vividly illustrate its everyday life. We're talking solar-powered benches with USB and wireless charging, onion-flavored cereal, and pretty much everything else you can find there.
Continue scrolling to check out the images and the conversation I had with Hammer and Guillaume, A Fun Couple from Hong Kong and France respectively, who have been traveling the world and documenting their adventures on their blog and Instagram.
This post may include affiliate links.
Running Out Of Children Due To The Low Birth Rates, A School In South Korea Is Opening Their Doors And Allowing Illiterate Grandmothers To Enrol, So They Can Also Learn To Read
This Care Package The South Korean Government Sent Me While I’m In Quarantine Day 2
Translated letter that was attached to the package: “For people who are currently suffering from the Corona-19 virus, we send our regards and sympathy. We (the food ministry?) is sending this “environment-friendly health package” constructed with environment-friendly crops. We hope this helps you get energy for your daily routine. Furthermore, we hope you get well soon to return to your daily life. You can do it! Fight it! Go South Korea!”
This country in East Asia makes up about 45 percent of the Korean Peninsula and faces North Korea across a demilitarized zone (DMZ) that's 2.5 miles (4 km) wide. The DMZ was established by the terms of the 1953 armistice that ended fighting in the Korean War (1950–53) and runs for about 150 miles (240 km).
"We have been calling South Korea our home for 3.5 years now," A Fun Couple told Bored Panda. "What we liked about the idea of moving here was that this country is still not on most people's bucket list when traveling to Asia. Many travelers would rather prioritize neighboring countries such as Japan, China or Hong Kong when visiting the continent."
However, according to Hammer and Guillaume, South Korea has been making a name for itself over the last few years, with the K-phenomenon on the cultural side and large companies such as Samsung and LG on the business side.
"We were excited but also curious to live in a country that continues to develop fast yet remains a bit unknown to the Western world."
Pink Explosion In Jeju City, Jeju Island, South Korea
Korean Ktx Trains Play “Healing Broadcasts” Where They Just Show Newborn Puppies Rolling Around For Five Minutes
Airports In Seoul Provide A Map To Your Gate On The Back Of Your Boarding Pass
This needs to be at every airport. I tend to find airports a labyrinth with hard to find gates.
One aspect that really impressed the couple once they came to this country was the strong sense of solidarity amongst Koreans. "An aspect that's really astonishing and will help you understand what we mean by that is the gold collecting campaign."
"In 1998, South Korea was about $304 billion in debt to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). As a national sacrifice, 3.5 million Koreans donated their gold to the government to repay part of the debt. About 227 tons of gold were donated voluntarily during that event. Impressive, right?!"
"This sense of solidarity can be felt in everyday life in Korea. For example, during the pandemic, people were very supportive of each other. Koreans made a joint effort to keep social distancing rules and wear masks at all times. This is also why South Korea was seen as a benchmark when managing the COVID crisis in its early stage."
Took These In The Same Spot Over The Past Year. Korea’s Four Seasons: Yeouido
Glad To See My Favorite Tree Standing Healthy After This Year's Numerous Typhoons And Landslides, South Korea
This Subway Car In Seoul Has A Mini Library
Of course, settling in another culture takes time. Hammer and Guillaume said the 'work hard, play hard' concept was probably the trickiest thing to adjust to.
"Koreans are very hard working. The maximum number of working hours per week recently changed from 63 to 52, but it's still a lot. Although the work-life balance got better over the last few years, working overtime (and not being paid for it) is still pretty common."
"It is also very common to go out with colleagues multiple times a week after work and have dinner and drinks until late at night. We definitely had to cut down on our sleeping hours, but it's a lot of fun to live and work in South Korea!"
Apartment Complex In Korea Being Painted, So The Painters Shrouded All The Cars In The Parking Lot To Protect From Splatter
Starbucks In Seoul Offering Used Coffee Grounds For Gardening
I work for Starbucks, it's a global Sbux thing ... just depends whether your local store can be arsed doing it.
Oooohhhhh I need to test this how do you keep it from molding
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Whaaat People are obviously oblivious... They do that in the USA too! Even where I worked in Leavenworth,WA. A very small town.
My husband is from Leavenworth, WA! I love it there during Christmas, so beautiful! Lucky you!
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We actually do this in the US, too! We used to pre-bag them, but too few people took them, so now it's just available upon request.
We just throw ours off the kitchen deck and the next one to rake gets to blend it by the trees...Northern California
They do that here in the US too. It's a win for Starbucks and for the gardeners.
And if that doesn’t work, they sell them to various truck stops in North America !!
They do this everywhere. Our health department doesn't allow us to put used grounds on the counter, but most people who use coffee grounds to garden know that you can walk into any Starbucks, and ask for their old grounds. Some even put them in biodegradable bags that can also be used in planting. We have a couple that brings us fresh eggs, and vegetables when their gardens grow as a "Thank you". They've been told so many times that it isn't necessary, but they are convinced that this is something that we do just for them. It's sweet.
They do that here in the US. Also; don't know if it's true but using used coffee grounds to fertilize your garden is not good? Perhaps it depends on the plant.
hahahaha...koreans don't use these for their gardens, because very few koreans garden. cafes have stopped doing this as noone ever took them
Same in England, Morrisons supermarket started to do this a couple of years ago.
I saw this at the grocery store in the Puget sound of (USA) where I live. I love the idea.
Now that a lot of coffee grounds are being recycled, it's good news.
Some Starbucks in Toronto Canada too. All you have to do ask for grounds even if you don't see any out.
They do this everywhere, I believe. They call them Grounds for your Garden. Some locations are better at maintaining their supply than others, but if you ask, they should do it for you too. May just need to come back in a day
Starbucks in the US does this and Ive also got them at 7-11 by just asking :)
It was also commonly done in the mission heights store in Grand Prairie Albert
Some Starbucks in the states do this too. The one I worked for in Colorado did!
I'm not sure but I think here in the US you can ask for them. You can also ask neighborhood supermarkets for used boxes if you are moving.
Ummmmmmmmmmmm.................................................What the h*ck!?
You know we used to know how to recycle on the United States when I was a kid you didn't throw things away unless you were truly worthless..... My mom always told us that the coffee grounds were to feed the worms.... Always imagine the worms sitting underground with little cups of coffee
All Starbucks used to do this before 2008. It was called Grounds for your Garden. I don't know when or why it was stopped
It is a really good idea. It stops the drains if you dont collect it, and the plants love it
smart, egg shells to they should do. my old store and a little eatery they did that grounds, egg shells and if ask they will bag all vegetable and fruit scraps and peels to. for those that do compose or worming. cuts down on the waste in bin, saves us money so buying bags is a nice trade off. they crumbled the old breads ect for bird and duck food that was after i moved. very smart. was the most popular one. it encouraged others to leave and drink & eat at the pond lol was a small eatery space of 5 tables lol.
Same in the US!! https://www.milehighonthecheap.com/gardeners-free-coffee-grounds-at-starbucks/
I never know how much to use and destroy my roots every time hahahah seems like it works really good when mixed properly :)
Damn, great idea. Imagine what would happen if people selectively recycled and it was free for others to choose what they needed instead of it All going into landfill for the convenience of the companies.
They used to to that at a our Starbucks here NPR, Florida but they stopped.
That is an excellent idea! That will take care of many insect pests!
I use them from my place of employment in the U.S. to use in my garden, as well. Most places will happily save them for you if you simply ask.
Don't put them out where dogs can reach them. Possibly a lot of other animals, too:-(
This is a worldwide thing with Starbucks. They don't always put them out, so you can ask the staff and if they have time they will give you some grounds.
Some places in the US give it away. Others sell it. Most sadly just trash it.
I recycle my coffee grounds as well as pick up 20 pounds a week from a local Starbucks
Same in my part of Canada, don't know about the rest of the country though.
Good idea and not wasteful. I don't drink coffee so this would be handy.
What an excellent idea!!! I know someone who is a manager at a Starbucks. Going to float this idea to her...
This is common for most coffee places. They also advertise them for ashtrays. Since you have to pay for trash bags, it's a clever way to reduce costs and waste.
Sad to say but if they did this in the part of the UK I live in them some arsehole would see something for free and just take the lot and leave none for other people.. next thing you know they'd be on local facebook groups tryin to sell it.
How much do they cost? You're paying for your overpriced coffee twice.
In NYC my local Starbucks just dumps them on the sidewalk. (Looking at YOU Starbucks at the junction of Broadway and Dyckman!!)
And in many places in the U.S. It's a Starbucks thing, not a Korean (or Dutch) thing...
Just Received This At My Door! S. Korea Gives Out Food Rations To People In Quarantine
I heard about this. Good for people that can't get groceries home delivered or have no one to take care of them. Great job! Wish all local governments globally did this.
This Hand-Painted Underside Of A Temple Roof In Korea
"Since there are much fewer expats in South Korea than other Asian countries we've lived in, things are not always fully catered to foreigners. Opening a bank account, getting a local driver's license, getting a phone plan, using different apps; these things weren't always easy," A Fun Couple said.
"Besides there is still a language barrier and most of the documents are rarely translated into English. However, we've noticed that it has become easier for a foreigner to go about their daily life than when we arrived here 3.5 years ago. So we hope that this trend will continue in the future as well!"
I Get To Walk Through This Everyday On My Way Home From Work
This Sign Is Not For A Cat Crossing. It Means "Caution: Cat Is Around"
This 2D Café We Visited In Seoul
🎶Take.... on... meeee..... *take on me* Take.... me... onnnnnnnn.... 🎶
Modern Korea Built Around Historic Korea (Seoul)
During their time in South Korea, A Fun Couple discovered a beautiful country, full of contrasts between the modern and the traditional, amazing natural landscapes, and exciting cities like Seoul and Busan.
"South Koreans are very welcoming and positive-minded people. We met so many great people here and made very good friends. Therefore, we highly recommend South Korea as an expat destination. We started our blog so that more people can realize how great this place is and that they should add this destination to their bucket list!"
Small Restaurant In The Snow, Seoul, South Korea
Solar Powered Benches Here In Seoul, South Korea. Complete With USB And Wireless Charging Docks
Bukhansan Yesterday
"Root Bench" Is A Public Installation By Architect Yong Ju Lee In Hangang Art Park, South Korea
South Korea Puts Traffic Lights On The Ground So That People Who're Looking At Their Phones Can Still See The Light
This Ice Lolly I Bought In Korea Has A Little Tray To Prevent It From Melting All Over Your Hands
Korea Is So Beautiful
An Old Pine Tree, Daedunsan, South Korea
Every Half Kilometer They Have A Resting Place Made For Pedestrians In This Korean City Ansan
There is a lot of park-like things integrated throughout cities. I love it.
Chips Organized Into A Rainbow In Korea
This Latte Art From A Cafe In Seoul, South Korea
South Korea Isn't Joking When Battling Covid-19
I'm Staying In Korea Right Now And Apparently There Is A TV Channel Dedicated To Dogs, As In Programming For Dogs
This Here Is The Entrance Of The Club Chroma In Seoul, South Korea By MVRDV Architecture, Which Is Said To Be The Largest Nightclub In The World
Daegaksa Temple Near Jongmyo Shrine In Seoul
Well, That's One Way To Encourage People To Use The Stairs
Escalator Sanitizer In South Korea
Self Cleaning Roads In South Korea
Supermarkets In Korea Offer Toilet Paper Samples For You To Test
Please say the customers aren't testing them on their heinies in there...
Cakes Sold In South Korea Usually Come With Free Candles And Matches Hidden In The Plastic Cake Knife
No, not usually. Sometimes that is. Usually, you only get a free plastic knife, but the rest depends on the shops individually. In bakeries they will, however, ask you if you need candles and how many, these are free and come with a free match as well. Unless you bought the fancy ones separately. Still, you'd get a free match to light them.
Traditional Korean Architecture
In Korea, They Have Single Person Karaoke Booths On The Train
The Wavy Building Called The GT Tower In Seoul, South Korea
Pump Toothpaste In South Korea. One Pump Is The Perfect Amount For A Toothbrush
Found Totoro On The Side Of The Road
Look in the background around the bush and you can see some sootballs 😉
These Helpful Robots That Wander Incheon Airport, Seoul, That You Can Use To Check Flight Information
This Library In Seoul, South Korea
Automatic Ramen Dispenser In Korea
"1,000 Doors" Building In South Korea
They Have A Sauron’s Tower In Seoul
Cherry Blossom Themed Coca Cola Bottles In South Korea
South Korea Now Has Walk-Through Covid-19 Test Booths
Gloves that touch everyone right by their mouths, seems a great way to spread anything
The Bananas We Got With Our Delivered Groceries Here In South Korea Came With Little Stickers To Put On Them
In Some Asian Countries (Korea) The 4th Floor Button In The Elevator Is 'F' Because It 4 Sounds Same As 'Death'. When I Go Home I Always Have To Pay Respect
Note: this post originally had 105 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
Everyone is complaining about the plastic, which I totally get. However, I just hope it’s no one from the U.S. We should not dare complain about another country’s litter & trash habits. We are terrible here. We don’t give a rat’s ass for the most part & it shows in our infrastructure & lack of planning for our overuse of plastic & of fossil fuels. Our last President made a joke of turbines use of wind power, slashed any environmental agencies & plans he could get his hands on & all his base followers still deny global weather issues & the disaster coming our way. But he was hell bent to build an ugly wall that would make us look like a dystopian future. Yet they demonized young people who spoke up about the mess we’re leaving for them. Remember what mom said, “Those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”
They literally have dollar tree in America... I've been to Japan, Korea and the US multiple times and the waste in the US is far worse. Everyone is an environmentalist when they are looking in other people's backyard and not their own.
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I did visit 2012 and I still can’t believe what I saw there; clean and orderly with courtesy flowing everywhere! Gray beard prompted teenagers to insist on giving me their seat on the subways
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I mean it is the plastic surgery capital of the world.
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These small restaurants are actually really common in Korea. They normally do one type of dish in multiple variations and really well. I love it :) One of the best restaurants my professor took us to was in a small house you had to enter through a garage with dirt floor. I would have never found it on my own. But the food there was great. I also saw a restaurant near a temple where they just moved their dining area into a shallow river during the hot summer. Still one of the best ideas I can think of to beat the summer heat :) I wanna go back....
Koreans know how to have fun with their restaurants. Iv not been to Korea itself but I go to the local Korean restaurant in my city and I love it
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I spent a year in South Korea while in the military. I made sure to explore the country and not just hang around on base. It's beautiful, the people are friendly and kind, most American parents would go into shock at the respect shown to parents and the elderly and the food is amazing!
BP's tired of Japan and has a new crush: South Korea! Utopia on Earth!
Not yet. But yeah, it could easily go towards that direction indeed. In that case, I may start complaining. ♡
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Korean native who has been living in the US for 8 years now. You can calm down with the "plastic complaints" because we have biodegradable trash bags that are legally mandated and strict recycling education built into the school system and recycling laws, growing up in KR, I was used to washing disposable containers and utensils, taking labels off for recycling whereas in the US, y'all throw trash into non-biodegradable cheap plastic bags and most of you don't even recycle, let alone use a reusable grocery bag
Korea is lovely. I've been. It might seem a lot like Japan here but it's very different. Sad fact about most temples there: they are all mostly new rebuilt because the Japanese destroyed them during the occupation :( There is definitely more waste compared to Japan, which seems more ocd. People are a bit less polite too (but more real I guess) and when you find kind Koreans they are really kind, no BS. That said some places hate foreigners and refused to serve us, we left restaurants twice. People queue more haphazardly and follow rules less (I actually know a tourist that was run over on the sidewalk and the guy was drunk. Drink driving is a thing). The food is great, but it depends what you get and it's a bonus if you like spicy because they have the spiciest stuff there. They also love coffee! I did a thing one day where I stopped and took a photo of each coffee place I saw one day. I got to like 30 and gave up.
Another fun fact, their business turnaround is crazy.... It was the only Asian country I went where Google maps was messed up because businesses had been replaced before people could update maps. We actually saw a cake shop we were meaning to go to close down and something had taken it's place days later. It was nuts. They also have their own kind of bullet train which is handy to get around the country fast. And Seoul is lovely though. They are building a lot of cool things there.
Load More Replies... I just have one question. How hard is it to learn to speak Korean. Oh, wait, two questions. Is it easy to become a resident? Most other countries make it very hard for Americans to move there.
How hard it is to learn a language depends on your linguistic background and affinities. I'm bilingual since birth (Croatian + Italian) and I've always been strong with languages. I've learnt their writing system all by myself in about a month. It took me 2 months of life in Korea under the language course to start being able using Korean in every day conversation, about 6 months to become confident and fluent. As for becoming a resident, depends what your target visa is, but mainly the rule is -> you have money to show, you're good. I'm not American, but I've been here since 2010 on a variety of visas (marriage visa currently). The law doesn't separate by countries usually, but I noticed they do require additional documents for Chinese people. (This might have changed recently, though.)
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It looks to be a beautiful country, a place I would love to visit. As for waste the entire world needs to slow down with waste. Too much of everything. What happened to repairing your items like tvs, toasters, cars, washing machines etc. Now it's toss out the old & buy new. Then we have the green push, I support that but what happens to the big batteries when they die? Or solar panels when they no longer function? Wind farms kill migratory birds by the thousands. And all of this needs to start in your own home. No plastic baggies or reuse them, our grandparents did. We are such a "disposable" species. The quick fix, the toss & go. Fast food restaurants, heck any restaurant with the boxes or bags to go. The plasticware, napkins and now our masks. It starts with each of us. And it is not easy, at least for me it has been awareness. Thinking can I recycle this tinfoil or plastic bag. Can I compost this? Do I really need the to go box, perhaps I should bring my own from home before we go
Man, I loved S. Korea. Did a one-year tour there back in the late 90s. Wonderful people, wonderful countryside. Tended to get far away from the typical GI spots when I went to Seoul/Kumchon and had a great time. Would love to move back, but...life.
So many considered details. And I love all these additions to public space. Where I live, most of it would be destroyed, filthy and/or covered in bad graffiti or stolen outright. Anything publiy, here needs to be indestructible. :-/
Now I know I'm going to South Korea and spend like a whole day or two in Seoul (hope I spelled that right)
It occurs to me that South Korea is one country that has really got its s..t together. Hopefully I'll get to visit sometime.
Don’t be fooled. Inequalities are huge in Korea and living there when you are not a ‘winner’ is quite awful. I used to be the foreigner (poster boy) in a Korean company and some of my colleagues couldn’t find a wife because they were deemed not successful enough… It’s a very superficial place really. Everything is about appearances and how successful and rich you are. Although I found Koreans among the nicest people I have met in my life, I think their society is a bit f*cked up. It’s pretty sad really.
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None one respects anyone or their property which is why usa looks so dirty and gross
One of my favorite things when I lived in South Korea was the ondol floor. The floor is fake wood with pipes underneath through which hot water is pumped in the winter time. You get a heated floor and it is just divine! I have a photo of my cat rolling around on the heated floor like it's having an orgasm!
Was that sarcasm? If so, I'll give you an up-vote. If not, I will hurridly give you a ticket to go there if you promise never to return.
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I live in South Korea and want to point out that, while I don't doubt all of these things exist, most of them are neither commonplace nor easy to find. It's a little like showing the M&Ms Store in Times Square and implying every town has these.
Its amazing how they include pictures of puppies to relax you...and t.v. for dogs...Yet you don't see hem advertise the fact they skin dogs and cats alive for human consumption....Amazing how they like to keep that quiet...
hangeul is the best alphabet in the world. change my mind. Sejong_the...eb3564.jpg 
Sorry that you did not just show us a photo of the "Bullet train" It covers a day's journey by car in under 3hrs. Lived in Korea for 10years; experienced this personally.
Yep. I lived there for over 10yrs and every day, I think about it. Moving from Seoul to Busan: You take a bullet train. I wish you had shown us a photo of that; it will take about 3hrs. If you drive, it could take all day. I live in Fort Lauderdale, Florida; If I want to visit Virginia Beach, Virginia, it will take 15hrs. If I take a plane almost the same;
Wowww....south korea is a place to visit on my bucket list....I have watched their Korean series and they are all superr amazingly dressed...a big fan of Hyun Bin and Son Je Kin
This is definitely some south Korean propaganda sh*t lol half thr covid stuff soundsore like negatives. They probably send you "care packages" because you're grounded to your home and can't get out even to buy food.. why are you all fantasizing about a socialist dictatorial state who keeps the whole nation like prisoners who aren't allowed to leave the country Blackie they don't want the truth to come out about this "lovely country"? South Korea is going to die out with their one child per family rule or even 2... thats not replacing the population but diminishing it...
I lived in South Korea for a year in 1969. It gets better and better. I miss it.
This is kind of misleading, since most of these are either in Seoul or Gyeonggi-do. The rest of the country is pretty different, but still beautiful. Seoul is just a city, it's worth it to explore the smaller areas.
I have been to Japan, China and Korea and the architecture in Korea is clearly copied from China, where Japan has an interesting cultural style and many buildings and things are very tiny, China is very diverse because of its land area, and the least interesting is Korea, which has no character and I don't want to go there again.
This item has made me want to visit South Korea some day. It looks like an amazing place.
I would love to visit South Korea one day but the plane ticket is just too expensive!
The thing that strikes me about the USA today is how much people hate each other. They'd rather children starve in a gutter than be given any form of help. It's collective psychosis.
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korea has much less waste and looks alot cleaner there are some cool things there too very unlike the us
This sounds like utopia. I have never heard of any "problems" - do they have any?
Plenty of problems, really.... plenty. And serious ones too. Suicide rates being the most well known ones. But I still love it here.
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Everyone is complaining about the plastic, which I totally get. However, I just hope it’s no one from the U.S. We should not dare complain about another country’s litter & trash habits. We are terrible here. We don’t give a rat’s ass for the most part & it shows in our infrastructure & lack of planning for our overuse of plastic & of fossil fuels. Our last President made a joke of turbines use of wind power, slashed any environmental agencies & plans he could get his hands on & all his base followers still deny global weather issues & the disaster coming our way. But he was hell bent to build an ugly wall that would make us look like a dystopian future. Yet they demonized young people who spoke up about the mess we’re leaving for them. Remember what mom said, “Those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”
They literally have dollar tree in America... I've been to Japan, Korea and the US multiple times and the waste in the US is far worse. Everyone is an environmentalist when they are looking in other people's backyard and not their own.
Load More Replies... I did visit 2012 and I still can’t believe what I saw there; clean and orderly with courtesy flowing everywhere! Gray beard prompted teenagers to insist on giving me their seat on the subways
Load More Replies... I mean it is the plastic surgery capital of the world.
Load More Replies... These small restaurants are actually really common in Korea. They normally do one type of dish in multiple variations and really well. I love it :) One of the best restaurants my professor took us to was in a small house you had to enter through a garage with dirt floor. I would have never found it on my own. But the food there was great. I also saw a restaurant near a temple where they just moved their dining area into a shallow river during the hot summer. Still one of the best ideas I can think of to beat the summer heat :) I wanna go back....
Koreans know how to have fun with their restaurants. Iv not been to Korea itself but I go to the local Korean restaurant in my city and I love it
Load More Replies... I spent a year in South Korea while in the military. I made sure to explore the country and not just hang around on base. It's beautiful, the people are friendly and kind, most American parents would go into shock at the respect shown to parents and the elderly and the food is amazing!
BP's tired of Japan and has a new crush: South Korea! Utopia on Earth!
Not yet. But yeah, it could easily go towards that direction indeed. In that case, I may start complaining. ♡
Load More Replies... Korean native who has been living in the US for 8 years now. You can calm down with the "plastic complaints" because we have biodegradable trash bags that are legally mandated and strict recycling education built into the school system and recycling laws, growing up in KR, I was used to washing disposable containers and utensils, taking labels off for recycling whereas in the US, y'all throw trash into non-biodegradable cheap plastic bags and most of you don't even recycle, let alone use a reusable grocery bag
Korea is lovely. I've been. It might seem a lot like Japan here but it's very different. Sad fact about most temples there: they are all mostly new rebuilt because the Japanese destroyed them during the occupation :( There is definitely more waste compared to Japan, which seems more ocd. People are a bit less polite too (but more real I guess) and when you find kind Koreans they are really kind, no BS. That said some places hate foreigners and refused to serve us, we left restaurants twice. People queue more haphazardly and follow rules less (I actually know a tourist that was run over on the sidewalk and the guy was drunk. Drink driving is a thing). The food is great, but it depends what you get and it's a bonus if you like spicy because they have the spiciest stuff there. They also love coffee! I did a thing one day where I stopped and took a photo of each coffee place I saw one day. I got to like 30 and gave up.
Another fun fact, their business turnaround is crazy.... It was the only Asian country I went where Google maps was messed up because businesses had been replaced before people could update maps. We actually saw a cake shop we were meaning to go to close down and something had taken it's place days later. It was nuts. They also have their own kind of bullet train which is handy to get around the country fast. And Seoul is lovely though. They are building a lot of cool things there.
Load More Replies... I just have one question. How hard is it to learn to speak Korean. Oh, wait, two questions. Is it easy to become a resident? Most other countries make it very hard for Americans to move there.
How hard it is to learn a language depends on your linguistic background and affinities. I'm bilingual since birth (Croatian + Italian) and I've always been strong with languages. I've learnt their writing system all by myself in about a month. It took me 2 months of life in Korea under the language course to start being able using Korean in every day conversation, about 6 months to become confident and fluent. As for becoming a resident, depends what your target visa is, but mainly the rule is -> you have money to show, you're good. I'm not American, but I've been here since 2010 on a variety of visas (marriage visa currently). The law doesn't separate by countries usually, but I noticed they do require additional documents for Chinese people. (This might have changed recently, though.)
Load More Replies... It looks to be a beautiful country, a place I would love to visit. As for waste the entire world needs to slow down with waste. Too much of everything. What happened to repairing your items like tvs, toasters, cars, washing machines etc. Now it's toss out the old & buy new. Then we have the green push, I support that but what happens to the big batteries when they die? Or solar panels when they no longer function? Wind farms kill migratory birds by the thousands. And all of this needs to start in your own home. No plastic baggies or reuse them, our grandparents did. We are such a "disposable" species. The quick fix, the toss & go. Fast food restaurants, heck any restaurant with the boxes or bags to go. The plasticware, napkins and now our masks. It starts with each of us. And it is not easy, at least for me it has been awareness. Thinking can I recycle this tinfoil or plastic bag. Can I compost this? Do I really need the to go box, perhaps I should bring my own from home before we go
Man, I loved S. Korea. Did a one-year tour there back in the late 90s. Wonderful people, wonderful countryside. Tended to get far away from the typical GI spots when I went to Seoul/Kumchon and had a great time. Would love to move back, but...life.
So many considered details. And I love all these additions to public space. Where I live, most of it would be destroyed, filthy and/or covered in bad graffiti or stolen outright. Anything publiy, here needs to be indestructible. :-/
Now I know I'm going to South Korea and spend like a whole day or two in Seoul (hope I spelled that right)
It occurs to me that South Korea is one country that has really got its s..t together. Hopefully I'll get to visit sometime.
Don’t be fooled. Inequalities are huge in Korea and living there when you are not a ‘winner’ is quite awful. I used to be the foreigner (poster boy) in a Korean company and some of my colleagues couldn’t find a wife because they were deemed not successful enough… It’s a very superficial place really. Everything is about appearances and how successful and rich you are. Although I found Koreans among the nicest people I have met in my life, I think their society is a bit f*cked up. It’s pretty sad really.
Load More Replies... None one respects anyone or their property which is why usa looks so dirty and gross
One of my favorite things when I lived in South Korea was the ondol floor. The floor is fake wood with pipes underneath through which hot water is pumped in the winter time. You get a heated floor and it is just divine! I have a photo of my cat rolling around on the heated floor like it's having an orgasm!
Was that sarcasm? If so, I'll give you an up-vote. If not, I will hurridly give you a ticket to go there if you promise never to return.
Load More Replies... I live in South Korea and want to point out that, while I don't doubt all of these things exist, most of them are neither commonplace nor easy to find. It's a little like showing the M&Ms Store in Times Square and implying every town has these.
Its amazing how they include pictures of puppies to relax you...and t.v. for dogs...Yet you don't see hem advertise the fact they skin dogs and cats alive for human consumption....Amazing how they like to keep that quiet...
hangeul is the best alphabet in the world. change my mind. Sejong_the...eb3564.jpg
Sorry that you did not just show us a photo of the "Bullet train" It covers a day's journey by car in under 3hrs. Lived in Korea for 10years; experienced this personally.
Yep. I lived there for over 10yrs and every day, I think about it. Moving from Seoul to Busan: You take a bullet train. I wish you had shown us a photo of that; it will take about 3hrs. If you drive, it could take all day. I live in Fort Lauderdale, Florida; If I want to visit Virginia Beach, Virginia, it will take 15hrs. If I take a plane almost the same;
Wowww....south korea is a place to visit on my bucket list....I have watched their Korean series and they are all superr amazingly dressed...a big fan of Hyun Bin and Son Je Kin
This is definitely some south Korean propaganda sh*t lol half thr covid stuff soundsore like negatives. They probably send you "care packages" because you're grounded to your home and can't get out even to buy food.. why are you all fantasizing about a socialist dictatorial state who keeps the whole nation like prisoners who aren't allowed to leave the country Blackie they don't want the truth to come out about this "lovely country"? South Korea is going to die out with their one child per family rule or even 2... thats not replacing the population but diminishing it...
I lived in South Korea for a year in 1969. It gets better and better. I miss it.
This is kind of misleading, since most of these are either in Seoul or Gyeonggi-do. The rest of the country is pretty different, but still beautiful. Seoul is just a city, it's worth it to explore the smaller areas.
I have been to Japan, China and Korea and the architecture in Korea is clearly copied from China, where Japan has an interesting cultural style and many buildings and things are very tiny, China is very diverse because of its land area, and the least interesting is Korea, which has no character and I don't want to go there again.
This item has made me want to visit South Korea some day. It looks like an amazing place.
I would love to visit South Korea one day but the plane ticket is just too expensive!
The thing that strikes me about the USA today is how much people hate each other. They'd rather children starve in a gutter than be given any form of help. It's collective psychosis.
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korea has much less waste and looks alot cleaner there are some cool things there too very unlike the us
This sounds like utopia. I have never heard of any "problems" - do they have any?
Plenty of problems, really.... plenty. And serious ones too. Suicide rates being the most well known ones. But I still love it here.
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