Južna Koreja - South Korea

Južna Koreja (Korejski: 한국, 韓國 Hanguk), uradno Republika Koreja (대한민국, 大韓民國 Daehan Minguk), je država v Vzhodna Azija.

Koreja, znana kot "dežela jutranjega miru", že dolgo služi kot kulturni most med sosedami, Kitajsko in Japonsko. Južna Koreja je izšla iz sence svoje burne preteklosti in utrdila svoje mesto ene največjih svetovnih gospodarskih sil. Od preloma 21. stoletja je južnokorejska pop kultura postala izjemno priljubljena po vsej vzhodni Aziji, zaradi česar je postala zelo priljubljena turistična destinacija.

Regije

Južna Koreja je upravno razdeljena na 9 provinc, kot je navedeno spodaj. Največja mesta so ločene entitete od teh provinc, vendar jih vključujemo v najpomembnejšo provinco.

Mesta

• 37.566126.9661 Seul (서울) - dinamična 600 let stara prestolnica Južne Koreje, združitev starodavnega in modernega
• 35.166129.0662 Busan (부산, 釜山) - drugo največje mesto in glavno pristanišče
• 37.866127.7333 Chuncheon (춘천, 春川) - glavno mesto province Gangwon, obdano z jezeri in gorami ter znano po lokalnih jedeh, dakgalbi in makguksu
• 35.9128.64 Daegu (대구, 大邱) - svetovljansko mesto, bogato s starodavnimi tradicijami in znamenitostmi
• 36.351127.3855 Daejeon (대전, 大田) - velika in dinamična metropola v provinci Chungnam
• 35.166126.9166 Gwangju (광주, 光州) - upravno in gospodarsko središče območja, največje mesto v provinci
• 35.85129.227 Gyeongju (경주, 慶州) - starodavna prestolnica kraljestva Silla
• 37.483126.6338 Incheon (인천, 仁川) - drugo najbolj prometno pristanišče v državi, kraj največjega mednarodnega letališča v državi
• 35.82127.159 Jeonju (전주, 全 州) - nekoč duhovna prestolnica dinastije Joseon, danes vodilno središče umetnosti, polno muzejev, starodavnih budističnih templjev in zgodovinskih spomenikov

Druge destinacije

• 38.125128.4161 Narodni park Seoraksan (설악산 국립 공원) - razprostira se v štirih mestih in okrožjih, najbolj znanem narodnem parku in gorskem območju
• 36.567128.7162 Andong (안동시) - zgodovinsko bogata s konfucijevimi tradicijami in dom živeče ljudske vasi
• 37.316126.8333 Ansan (안산시) - mesto v provinci Gyeonggi na obali Rumenega morja
• 37.956126.684 Panmunjeom (판문점) - edino turistično mesto na svetu, kjer je hladna vojna še vedno resničnost
• 34.766127.0835 Boseong (보성군) - gričevnati griči, pokriti z listi zelenega čaja, kjer se lahko sprehodite po gozdnati poti in se ustavite v bližnjem zdravilišču, da popijete domač čaj in se kopate z morsko vodo.
• 34.733127.7336 Yeosu (여수시) - eno najbolj slikovitih pristaniških mest v državi, zlasti ponoči. Znani po svojih morskih sadežih in plažah, lahko s križarjenjem obiščete nekatere otoke v oceanskem parku Hallyeo ali opazujete sončni zahod s čudovitega mostu Dolsan ali romantičnih kavarn v bližini marin.
• 34.483126.2617 Jindo (진도) - običajno povezan s psom, ki je doma na tem območju, Jindo, vsako leto se ljudje na to območje zgrinjajo, da bi bili priča ločitvi morja in sodelovali s spremljajočimi praznovanji
• 37.5130.98 Ulleungdo (울릉도) - slikovit oddaljen otok ob vzhodni obali polotoka
• 37.561128.4879 Pyeongchang (평창군) - mesto gostiteljica zimskih olimpijskih iger 2018.

Razumeti

Zgodovina

Zgodnja zgodovina in ustanovitev naroda

Poglej tudi: Predmoderna Koreja

Arheološke najdbe prazgodovinskega orodjarstva na Korejski polotok segajo v 70.000 pr. n. št., prvo keramiko pa najdemo okoli 8000 pr. Lončarska kultura z glavnim vzorcem je dosegla vrh okoli 3500–2000 pr.

Legenda pravi, da se je Koreja začela z ustanovitvijo Gojoseon (고조선, 古 朝鮮, imenovano tudi Starodavni Chosun) legendarnega Danguna leta 2333 pr. Arheološki in sočasni pisni zapisi o Gojoseonu kot kraljestvu segajo v približno 7. – 4. Stoletje pr. Kitajska dinastija Han je Gojoseona na koncu premagala in njena ozemlja so bila urejena kot štiri poveljstva. Politični kaos po padcu dinastije Han na Kitajskem je domačim plemenom omogočil, da so ponovno vzpostavili nadzor nad Korejo, in povzročil nastanek Tri kraljevine Koreje (삼국 시대, 三國 時代), in sicer Goguryeo (고구려, 高句麗), Silla (신라, 新 羅) in Baekje (백제, 百 濟). Kljub večkratnim poskusom Kitajske, in sicer dinastije Sui in kasneje dinastije Tang, da bi osvojila Korejski polotok, jih je Goguryeo s sedežem na severu uspel odbiti. Sčasoma je Goguryeo padel v zavezništvo Silla-Tang, ki je prej premagalo Baekje, in Korejo združil pod Dinastija Silla. Kasnejšo invazijo Tangov so sile Sile odbile in tako ohranile neodvisnost Koreje. Ostanki Goguryea bi nadaljevali z ustanovitvijo drugega kraljestva, znanega kot Balhae (발해, 渤海) v tem, kar je zdaj Severovzhodna Kitajska, ki bo trajalo do leta 926 našega štetja, ko so ga osvojili Khitani.

Poenoteno Sillo je zamenjal Dinastija Goryeo (고려, 高麗, imenovano tudi Koryo), iz katerega izhaja moderno ime "Koreja". Eden od poudarkov dinastije Goryeo je bil, da je Korejanec Choe Yun-ui (200 let pred tiskarno Gutenberg) leta 1234 izumil prvi kovinski premični tip na svetu. Goryeo je zamenjal Dinastija Joseon (조선, 朝鮮, imenovano tudi Chosun), po državnem udaru enega od njegovih generalov. Dinastija Joseon je vladala Koreji od leta 1392 do 1910 in je bila ena najdaljših aktivno vladajočih dinastij v svetovni zgodovini. V zgodnjem delu dinastije Joseon so se zgodile korejske tehnološke iznajdbe, kot so prva vodna ura na svetu, železna ladja in druge novosti. V času vladavine kralja Sejonga Velikega je bil izumljen prvi merilnik dežja na svetu in korejska abeceda, znana kot hangul je bil ustvarjen.

Japonska okupacija in delitev

Korejo so v poznih 16. stoletjih napadli Japonci, ki jih je vodil Toyotomi Hideyoshi, ki ga je na koncu premagalo zavezništvo med dinastijo Joseon in kitajsko dinastijo Ming. Ta poraz in prezgodnja smrt Hideyoshija sta prisilila Japonce, da so se umaknili iz Koreje.

Kasneje je bil status Koreje kot neodvisnega kraljestva pod kitajskim kulturnim vplivom (사대 zdaje) se je končal leta 1895 po porazu Kitajske v kitajsko-japonski vojni in podpisu Šimonoseške pogodbe. V skladu s pogodbeno pogodbo naj bi Kitajska priznala prekinitev več stoletij starega, nominalno starejšega in mlajšega bratskega odnosa med Kitajsko in Korejo, s čimer je Japonska dobila priložnost, da Korejo prisili v lastno rastoče sfero vpliva. Čeprav je bil odnos starejših in mlajših bratov med Kitajsko in Joseonom prostovoljna diplomatska formalnost, ki so jo Joseonovi vladarji prevzeli, da bi izkoristili prednosti napredne kitajske kulture in trgovine, je bila Japonska simbolična zmaga, da je dosegla prekinitev te povezave. Japonsko je postavilo v položaj, da se polasti Koreje brez strahu pred kitajskim posredovanjem. Leta 1910 je cesarska Japonska priključila Korejo in tako začela 35-letno okupacijo države. Kljub številnim oboroženim uporom, atentatom ter intelektualnemu in kulturnemu odporu je politika zatiranja in kulturne asimilacije, ki je vključevala prisiljevanje Korejcev, da prevzamejo japonska imena, in prepoved njihovega jezika govorila, da je Japonska ohranila nadzor nad polotokom. Med okupacijo so Japonci prisilili tudi številne Korejke, da služijo kot "tolažilne ženske" (tj. Spolne sužnji) v japonskih bordelih, kar je še naprej glavna sporna tema v diplomatskih odnosih med Japonsko in Južno Korejo.

Po porazu cesarske Japonske v Ljubljani druga svetovna vojnaSo sovjetske sile zasedle severno polovico Koreje, medtem ko so ameriške sile zasedle južno polovico. Severna in Južna Koreja sta leta 1948 razglasili neodvisnost kot ločeni državi. Kim Il-Sung je s podporo Sovjetske zveze na severu vzpostavil komunistični režim, Syngman Rhee pa je na jugu vzpostavil kapitalistični režim s podporo ZDA. Po antagonizmu obeh strani je Severna Koreja leta 1950 napadla Južno Korejo in začela Korejska vojna ki je uničil večji del države. Na strani Južne Koreje so posredovale ameriške in druge sile ZN, medtem ko so Sovjetska zveza in Kitajska podprle sever. Leta 1953 je bilo podpisano premirje, ki je polotok razdelilo vzdolž demilitariziranega območja, potem ko je vojna zašla v pat položaj in nobena od strani ni imela pomembnih teritorialnih koristi. Ker pa še ni bila podpisana nobena mirovna pogodba, Koreji uradno ostajata med seboj v vojni, čeprav brez stalnih spopadov.

Republika Koreja

Kljub temu, da jo je severni tekmec sprva gospodarsko presegel, je Južna Koreja sčasoma izšla iz pepela korejske vojne in dosegla hitro gospodarsko rast, ki se je začela v šestdesetih letih prejšnjega stoletja pod vlado predsednika Parka Chung-heeja. Kot eden od vzhodnoazijskih tigrov so prizadevanja za industrializacijo in modernizacijo južnokorejskega gospodarstva v osemdesetih in devetdesetih letih prejšnjega stoletja pridobila na moči, dohodek na prebivalca pa se je povečal na 20-krat večji kot v Severni Koreji. Leta 1996 se je Južna Koreja pridružila OECD. Danes je Južna Koreja industrializirano in razvito gospodarstvo z nekaterimi vodilnimi svetovnimi visokotehnološkimi korporacijami, kot sta Samsung in LG.

Zahteve po večji svobodi govora in človekovih pravicah so privedle do demonstracij po vsej državi, ki so leta 1987 privedle do demokratičnih volitev, tik preden je južnokorejska prestolnica Seul gostila poletne olimpijske igre 1988.

Južna Koreja je zdaj liberalna demokracija in gospodarska sila. Mirovni proces s severom še vedno poteka z ledeniško hitrostjo, le malo znakov, da se bo status quo kmalu spremenil. Leta 2012 je država izvolila svojo prvo žensko predsednico Park Geun-hye, čeprav je bila leta 2017 dramatično odstavljena z oblasti po obsežnih demonstracijah zaradi domnevne korupcije, ki je vključevala osebne povezave in največje korejske korporacije.

Kulturni pojav, znan kot Korejski val (한류 hallyu) je zajel večino Azije in mnogih drugih delov sveta, saj so južnokorejski filmski, televizijski, glasbeni, prehrambeni in drugi kulturni vidiki postali priljubljeni. Leta 2012 je Psy-jeva pesem v korejskem jeziku "Gangnam Style" zasedla prvo mesto v mnogih zahodnih državah.

Ljudje

Južna Koreja je zelo homogena država, saj se skoraj vsi domači prebivalci opredeljujejo kot etnično Korejci in govorijo korejski jezik. Vendar se demografija spreminja, saj so priseljenci prvič v zgodovini Južne Koreje presegli milijon milijonov. Največ prebivalcev so Kitajci, ki štejejo okoli 440.000, čeprav je večina kitajskih državljanov korejske narodnosti. Obstajajo tudi delavci iz Mongolije, Bangladeša, jugovzhodne Azije in drugih delov sveta. Skupnost 20.000 učiteljev angleščine iz anglofonskih držav je razširjena po vsej državi. Tu je stacioniranih 30.000 ameriških vojaških uslužbencev. Veliko in rastoče gospodarstvo Južne Koreje je privabilo ljudi z vsega sveta, status Seula kot vodilnega finančnega središča pa je pripeljal številne finančne delavce iz Severne Amerike, Evrope in Japonske.

Je ena najgosteje poseljenih držav na svetu, ima pa tudi eno najnižjih stopenj rojstev na svetu (1,21 otroka na žensko). Ukvarjanje s to zelo nizko rodnostjo bo ena največjih težav te države v 21. stoletju. Konfucijansko stališče o pomenu moškega dediča je privedlo do močno neskladnega razmerja med spoloma, saj je na vsakih 100 žensk približno 112 moških, kar spodbuja številne korejske moške na podeželju, da iščejo žene iz drugih držav, kot so Kitajska, Vietnam in Filipini. Približno 85% Južnokorejcev živi v urbanih območjih.

Vlada in politika

Južna Koreja je polna in razmeroma stabilna demokracija z izvršno, sodno in zakonodajno vejo oblasti. Demokracija se je začela leta 1948, vendar je bila pogosta obdobja vojaških pučev. Država je stabilna demokracija od leta 1987, ko je bila razglašena šesta republika.

Predsednik je vodja države in je izvoljen za dobo petih let. Trenutni predsednik je Moon Jae-in, ki je bil izvoljen leta 2017 po dramatični obtožbi prejšnjega predsednika Park Geun-hye. Sestava strank in poimenovanje se v južnokorejski politiki pogosto spreminja, čeprav so običajno zastopane konservativne, liberalne in progresivne platforme. Na splošno leve stranke ponavadi podpirajo spravo in več sodelovanja s Severno Korejo, medtem ko desne stranke podpirajo tesnejše vezi z ZDA in zavzemajo ostrejše stališče proti Severni Koreji.

Čeprav vojska ostaja močna sila v korejski politiki (ni presenetljivo glede na to, da je država obkrožena z Japonsko, Kitajsko in Severno Korejo), se splošno šteje, da je še en vojaški udar zelo malo verjeten.

Kultura

Ker je bil večino svoje zgodovine v kitajski sferi Kitajske, se v tradicionalni korejski kulturi kažejo znatni kitajski vplivi. Kljub temu ostajajo številne temeljne razlike in Koreji je uspelo ohraniti ločeno kulturno identiteto od večje sosede. Korejci so močno ponosni na svojo dediščino in odpor do zunanje prevlade.

V času dinastije Joseon je bila prevladujoča filozofija Koreje stroga oblika konfucijanizma, morda celo strožja od kitajskega izvirnika. Ljudje so bili ločeni v togo hierarhijo s kraljem na vrhu, elito uradnikov in bojevnikov ter majhno skupino plemstva (양반 jangban) pod njim srednji sloj drobnih javnih uslužbencev (중인 chungin) pod njimi, nato pa ogromno prebivalcev (상민 sangmin) na dnu. Izobraženi so bili boljši od neizobraženih, ženske so služile moškim in vsi so se držali določene vloge ali so se soočali s hudimi posledicami. Koreja je sprejela svojo različico cesarskega izpitnega sistema, ki ga je Kitajska izumila in uporabljala za izbiro uradnikov, kar je ustvarilo predmoderno meritokracijo za vlado, kot je kitajska kolegica, čeprav je bila korejska različica v nasprotju s kitajsko različico večinoma omejena na jangban in chungin razredih. Budizem je bil zatrt predvsem zaradi razširjene korupcije in pohlepa menihov in templjev v obdobju upadanja dinastije Goryeo. Medtem ko je dinastija Joseon prenehala obstajati leta 1910, njena zapuščina živi v korejski kulturi: izobraževanje in trdo delo sta cenjena predvsem vse, zaposleni naj bi bili brez dvoma poslušni svojim šefom, ženske pa se še vedno borijo za enako obravnavo.

Korejci verjamejo, da jih od drugih azijskih kultur najbolj ločujejo njihova kuhinja, njihov jezik in hangulščina. Tujci bodo opazili svojo izjemno modernost, ki jo blaži dobro razvita umetniška in arhitekturna radost. Nič ni okrašenega, če se mu lahko pomaga, in imajo smisel za stilsko oblikovanje notranjosti. Tudi Južna Koreja ima živahno filmsko in televizijsko industrijo, država pa je ena redkih držav na svetu, v kateri imajo lokalni filmi večji tržni delež kot hollywoodski.

Južnokorejci se močno držijo mnogih starodavnih tradicij, ki segajo že tisoče let nazaj, vendar je paradoksalno, da so pogosto tudi obsedeni z najnovejšo tehnologijo. Potrošniške naprave z neverjetno napredno tehnologijo razvijajo in proizvajajo sami in so pogosto nekaj let pred ostalim svetom.

V Južni Koreji je veliko kristjanov (18% protestantov, 11% rimskokatolikov) in budistov (23% jih vadi, 47% jih ne vadi), cerkve pa lahko najdemo v mestih in templjih ter samostanih na gričih. Več kot tretjina države izpoveduje, da ne sledi nobeni organizirani religiji, čeprav na večino ljudi (vključno s kristjani) še vedno močno vplivajo tradicionalne korejske budistične in konfucijanske filozofije, ki so pronicale v korejsko kulturno ozadje. Islam in lokalne religije imajo tudi nekaj privržencev v nekaterih delih države.

Prazniki

Lunini novoletni datumi Leto Vola se je začelo 3. februarja 2021 ob 22:58, Lunino novo leto pa je bilo 12. februarja 2021 Leto Tiger se bo začelo 4. februarja 2022 ob 04:42, Lunino novo leto pa bo 1. februarja 2022 Leto Zajec se bo začelo 4. februarja 2023 ob 10:33, Lunino novo leto pa bo 22. januarja 2023 Leto Zmaj se bo začelo 5. februarja 2024 ob 16:25, Lunino novo leto pa 10. februarja 2023 V nasprotju s splošnim prepričanjem se sprememba zodiaka ne zgodi prvi dan Luninega novega leta, temveč se zgodi na Li Chun (立春 lì chūn), tradicionalni kitajski začetek pomladi.

Tradicionalni korejski prazniki večinoma sledijo luninemu koledarju in zato vsako leto padajo na različne dni z vidika zahodnega gregorijanskega koledarja. Dve največji, Lunino novo leto in Chuseok, so družinske počitnice, kjer se vsi vrnejo v svoje kraje množično in vse oblike prevoza so popolnoma zapakirane. Vredno je načrtovati načrt potovanja okoli teh datumov in se zavedati, da so vaše najboljše možnosti prehranjevanja zavitki iz rezancev 7-Eleven! Ob drugih praznikih ne boste opazili prevelike razlike, vse banke in vladne pisarne pa bodo zaprte.

• Novoletni dan (신정 Sinjeong) - 1. januarja
• Lunarno novo leto (설날 Seollal, znano tudi kot "korejsko novo leto" ali 구정 Gujeong) - 1. dan 1. luninega meseca (januar – februar) - Družine se zberejo, jedo predvsem tradicionalno hrano tteokguk (떡국) in opravljajte službo prednikov. Državni praznik traja 3 dni, kar vključuje predvečer in drugi dan. Številne trgovine in restavracije se zaprejo za tri dni, zato ni primeren čas za obisk.
• Dan samostojnega gibanja (삼일절 ali 3 · 1 절 Samiljeol, osvetljeno. "Dan 3-1") - 1. marec - V spomin na odporniško gibanje 1. marca proti napadalni japonski cesarski vojski leta 1919.
• Otroški dan (어린이 날 Eorininal) - 5. maja
• Budin rojstni dan (부처님 오신 날 Bucheonnim Osin Nal ali 사월 초파일 Sawol Chopail) - 8. dan 4. luninega meseca (april – maj)
• dan spomina (현충일 Hyeonchung-il) - 6. junija - Spomin na Korejce, ki so svoje življenje dali narodu.
• Dan ustave (제헌절 Jeheonjeol) - 17. julij
• Dan osvoboditve (광복절 Gwangbokjeol) - 15. avgusta - Ta dan je dejansko konec druge svetovne vojne z uradno predajo Japonske zavezniškim silam, kar je pomenilo tudi osamosvojitev Koreje po več desetletjih japonskega kolonializma.
• Chuseok (추석, pogosto prevedeno kot "korejski zahvalni dan") - 15. dan 8. luninega meseca (september – oktober) - Korejci praznujejo z jedjo tradicionalne hrane, zlasti riževe pogače, imenovane songpyeon (송편) in igranje ljudskih iger. Državni praznik traja 3 dni in podobno kot Lunino novo leto se vse ugasne, zaradi česar je obisk precej dolgočasen.
• Dan državne ustanovitve (개천절 Gaecheonjeol) - 3. oktober - Ob praznovanju prvega nastanka naroda starodavne Koreje.
• Dan hangulov (한글날 Hangeulnal) - 9. oktober - obletnica korejske abecede
• Božič (크리스마스 Keuriseumaseu, 기독 탄신일 Gidoktansinilali 성탄절 Seongtanjeol) - 25. decembra - Pomemben praznik v Južni Koreji, čeprav ga večinoma praznujejo mladi pari, ki preživijo romantičen dan skupaj. Ker je precejšen delež (približno 30%) države krščanske, praznovanja ne manjka v tisočih cerkvah, medtem ko vsi ostali zasluženo počivajo doma.

Podnebje

• Pomlad je čudovit letni čas v Koreji. Temperature so tople, a ne vroče in tudi dežja ni preveč. Vendar pa je pomlad tudi čas, ko s Kitajske zapihajo rumene nevihte, zaradi katerih je zrak grozno dihati.
• Poletje se začne z žalostno deževno sezono (장마철 jangma-cheol) junija in se od julija do avgusta spremeni v parno kopel z ekstremno vlago in temperaturo do 35 ° C. Najbolje se je izogibati, razen če se odpravite na plaže.
• Jesen, ki se začne septembra, je morda najboljši čas za bivanje v Koreji. Temperature in vlaga postanejo bolj znosne, pošteni dnevi so običajni in pravično znani jesenske barve naredijo svoj videz.
• Zima je pravi čas za smučanje ali skakanje vročih pomladi in korejski izum ondol (온돌, talno ogrevanje) pomaga pri odtajanju vseh delov, ki so zmrznili zunaj. Januar in februar pa sta zaradi sibirskih vetrov s severa lahko grizla kosti. Jug države (vključno z Busan in Jeju) so razmeroma blagi v primerjavi s severom (Seul) v tej sezoni.

Elektrika

Južnokorejska gospodinjstva in hoteli za električne vtičnice uporabljajo enake dvojne okrogle vtičnice, kot jih najdemo v večini celinske Evrope. Nekateri hoteli vam lahko priskrbijo adapter za uporabo; prosite za eno na recepciji.

Južnokorejske električne vtičnice sprejemajo naprave z napetostjo 220 V pri 60 Hz. Če ima naprava to oceno, ki vključuje 220 V (na primer 100–240 V, ki jo zdaj sprejema večina polnilnikov za prenosnike), boste lahko uporabljali aparat samo z vtičnim adapterjem. Če pade pod ali nad to oceno, morate pred odhodom iz države kupiti transformator ali napetostni adapter.

Nekatere zelo stare zgradbe ter zelo novi hoteli in apartmaji so dvojno ožičeni in imajo poleg običajne južnokorejske sorte, zgrajene posebej za namestitev Japoncev in Američanov, tudi 110 V izhodov (ki jih lahko prepoznajo manjše dvojne ravne vtičnice).

Preberite

Dolgo in zapleteno razmerje med zahodnim svetom in južnokorejsko državo je privedlo do množice literature o državi.

Knjige, osredotočene na korejsko zgodovino:

• Bitka za Korejo: Associated Press Zgodovina korejskega konflikta Robert J. Dvorchak (1993) - Odlična novinarska fotografija, ki jo spremljajo kratke opisne pripovedi
• Koreja staro in novo: zgodovina Carter Eckert in Lee Ki-Baik (1991) - Preprosto povedano, dober pregled zgodovine Koreje
• Korejska priča: 135 let vojne, krize in novega v deželi jutranjega miru Donald Kirk in Choe Sang Hun (2006) - Zbirka člankov tujih dopisnikov od leta 1871, zlasti Jacka Londona, vojnega dopisnika iz leta 1903 –04
• Resnične zgodbe o korejskih ženskah udobja Keith Howard (1996) - Nepopustljiv pogled na grozodejstva, storjena v obdobju japonske cesarske okupacije

Knjige o korejski kulturi:

• Korejci: kdo so, kaj hočejo, kje leži njihova prihodnost Michael Breen (1999) - Anektodalni računi in spoznanja britanskega novinarja o državi, v kateri preživi pol leta; informativno in zabavno
• Socialne spremembe v Koreji objavil Jimoondang (2008) - Zbirka člankov, ki so jih napisali akademski strokovnjaki o Koreji
• Odkritje Koreje: zgodovina-narava-kulturne dediščine-umetnost-tradicija-mesta avtor Yoo Myeong-jong (2005) - Neverjetni slikoviti pogledi na Korejo

Pazi

Južna Koreja ima veliko filmsko industrijo glede na velikost države. Obstaja veliko filmov, ki vam lahko dajo dobro ozadje države, skoraj vsi DVD-ji pa bodo imeli dobre angleške podnapise.

Na spodnjem seznamu je lahko na stotine filmov, vendar vam bo spodnji izbor dober okus.

• Taegukgi: Vojna bratovščina (태극기 휘날리며) - Zgodba o dveh bratih, ki sta služila kot vojaka med korejsko vojno.
• Skupno varnostno območje (공동 경비 구역) - Precej strašljiv film o vojakih na nasprotnih straneh Demilitarizirane cone, ki sklepajo mehko prijateljstvo.
• 18. maja (화려한 휴가) - Do leta 1980 je bila Južna Koreja dejansko vojaška diktatura. Ta film je zgodovinska drama o dogodkih razvpitega masakra v Gwangjuju, ko je predsednik odredil streljanje protestnikov v tem mestu.
• Pomlad, poletje, jesen, zima ... in pomlad - Film, postavljen v celoti na osamljenem jezeru v gorah, ki vsako sezono prikazuje kot oder v življenju budističnega meniha in njegovega posvojenega fanta.
• Skrivno sonce (밀양) - Sodobni film o naravi odpuščanja, postavljen v podeželsko mesto Miryang.
• Moja Sassy Girl (엽기적인 그녀) - Romantična komedija, ki jo pogosto doživljajo kot najpomembnejšo korejsko filmsko izkušnjo in jo ljudje iz drugih azijskih držav zelo dobro cenijo.
• Gostitelj (괴물) - Monster grozljivka o življenju družine v Seul. Veliko posnetkov reke Han, ki teče skozi središče mesta.

Govori

Poglej tudi: Korejski zvezek izrazov

Južnokorejci govorijo Korejski, in vedeti nekaj besed tega bo zelo prav. Jezik se v svoji slovnici precej drastično razlikuje od katerega koli zahodnega jezika, angleško govorcu pa je težko izgovoriti (čeprav ne tonsko). Glede na to, v kateri del države se odpravite, se govorijo različna narečja, čeprav standardno korejsko, ki temelji na seulskem narečju, razumejo in govorijo skoraj vsi. Predvsem med narečji, Narečje Gyeongsang govorili naokoli Busan in Daegu se šteje za precej grobo in agresivno v primerjavi s standardno korejsko in Narečje jeju govorili naprej Jeju Otok je znan po tem, da govorcem standardne korejske jezika skoraj ni razumljiv.

Razlike med severno in južnokorejsko Kljub več kot 70 let ločitve je korejski jezik tako v Severni Koreji kot v Južni Koreji v bistvu enak. Glavne razlike so v veliki količini angleških besed, ki si jih je Južna Koreja sposodila, medtem ko Severna Koreja namesto njih uporablja avtohtone ali ruske besede. Popolnoma različni so tudi opisi političnih in družbenih struktur, ki so neposredna posledica različnih ideoloških usmeritev obeh držav.

Korejski sistem pisanja je varljivo preprost. Čeprav je na prvi pogled videti tako zapleteno kot kitajsko ali japonsko, gre za edinstven in preprost abecedni sistem pisanja hangul (한글 hangeul), kjer so črke zložene v bloke, ki predstavljajo zloge. Zasnoval ga je odbor in izgleda kot preproste črte, škatle in majhni krogi, vendar je izjemno dosleden, logičen in hiter. V kraljevskem dokumentu iz leta 1446, ki opisuje hangul, piše: "Pameten človek se lahko z njimi seznani, preden se jutro konča; neumen človek se jih lahko nauči v desetih dneh."

Če se naučite brati hangul, preden prispete v Korejo, boste potovanja veliko olajšali, saj so številni znaki in meniji napisani samo v hangulu. Poleg tega so korejske besede za številne pogoste izdelke pogosto angleške izposojene besede, vendar bodo zapisane v hangulu, na primer 주스 (juseu, "sok") ali 컴퓨터 (keompyuteo, "računalnik"). Če lahko berete hangul, boste preživeli v Koreji presenetljivo enostavno.

Veliko korejskih besed lahko napišemo tudi z veliko bolj zapletenimi kitajskimi znaki, znanimi kot hanja (한자, 漢字) v korejščini, ki so še vedno občasno vmešane v besedilo, vendar jih je vse manj. Dandanes se hanja uporablja predvsem za večznačno opredelitev, če je pomen dvoumen, če je zapisan v hangulu; v takih primerih je hanja običajno napisana v oklepajih poleg hangula. Hanja se uporablja tudi za označevanje korejskih šahovskih figur, časopisnih naslovov in osebnih imen na uradnih dokumentih.

Prečrkovanje korejskih besed v rimskih črkah je lahko precej nedosledno, zato ne bodite preveč presenečeni, ko vidite sosednje znake za Gwangalli in Kwanganri - to je isto mesto. Leta 2000 je vlada standardizirala revidirani sistem romanizacije, ki se uporablja tudi v Wikivoyageu, vendar boste pogosto naleteli na starejše črkovanje McCune – Reischauer in navadne čudne črkovanja. Predvsem besede, ki se začnejo z g, d, b, j se lahko piše z k, t, str, pogl namesto tega in samoglasnike eo in eu se lahko piše o in u. Črke l, r in n pogosto se zamenjajo in samoglasniki jaz in u so včasih zapisani kot ee in oo oz. V tujih besedah, uvoženih v korejsko, f se spremeni v str, zato ne bodite preveč presenečeni nad skodelico keopi ("kava") ali krog golpeu ("golf").

Večina južnokorejcev jih je sprejela angleščina pouk kot del njihovega izobraževanja. Zaradi pomanjkanja prakse (in strahu pred napačno izgovorjavo) pa zunaj večjih turističnih znamenitosti, hotelov in obratov, ki skrbijo posebej za tujce, redko najdemo domačine, ki govorijo angleško. Branje in pisanje je na splošno veliko lažje. Mnogi zaposleni v letalskih družbah, hotelih in trgovinah, ki skrbijo za mednarodne turiste, verjetno govorijo vsaj osnovno angleščino.

Za tipične izkušnje zahodnih popotnikov v Južni Koreji naj se obrnejo otroci, ki jih zanima njihovo znanje angleščine. Pogosto vas bodo fotografirali za pouk v šoli kot dokaz, da so se resnično pogovarjali z vami.

Starejši ljudje morda še vedno govorijo nekaj Japonski. Mesto Busan, ki je kratek izlet iz Fukuoka na Japonskem ima več prebivalcev japonske na prebivalca, narečje v Busanu pa je bolj podobno japonščini na enak način, kot ima tudi japonsko narečje v Fukuoki velik korejski vpliv. Vendar mnogi Korejci (zlasti starejši) še vedno zamerijo Japoncem zaradi grozodejstev, storjenih med okupacijo, zato se Korejca ne ogovarjajte v japonščini, razen če nimate druge izbire. Zahvaljujoč korejskemu valu (hallyu) korejske pop glasbe in milnic po vzhodni Aziji mnogi trgovci na turističnih območjih govorijo nekaj japonščine, mandarinščine ali kantonščine.

Korejski znakovni jezik (한국 수화 언어 Hanguk Suhwa Eoneoali samo 수화 suhwa, "podpisovanje") je uradni jezik Južne Koreje od leta 2016, ki je po statusu enak govorjeni korejski. Vzajemno razumljiv je z japonskim in tajvanskim znakovnim jezikom, ne pa s kitajskim znakovnim jezikom, avslanskim, ameriškim znakovnim jezikom ali drugimi.

Vstopi

Zahteve za vstop

• Državljani Slovenije Kanada are allowed visa free entry for up to 180 days.
• Citizens of the European Union (except Ciper, Portugalska, and French territory of Nova Kaledonija), Antigva in Barbuda, Avstralija, Bahami, Barbados, Brazilija, Čile, Kolumbija, Kostarika, Dominika, Dominikanska republika, Ekvador, Egipt, El Salvador, Grenada, Gvatemala, Haiti, Hong Kong, Islandija, Izrael, Jamajka, Japonska, Liberija, Lihtenštajn, Macau, Malezija, Mehika, Maroko, Nova Zelandija, Nikaragva, Norveška, Panama, Peru, Saint Kitts in Nevis, Sveta Lucija, Sveti Vincent in Grenadine, Srbija, Singapur, Surinam, Švica, Tajvan, Tajska, puran, Združene države/Ameriška Samoa (Except Guam), Urugvaj, in Venezuela can visit visa free for up to 90 days.
• Citizens from Lesoto, Portugalska, in Rusija can visit visa free for up to 60 days.
• Državljani Slovenije Albanija, Andora, Argentina, Bahrajn, Bosna in Hercegovina, Brunej, Ciper, Eswatini, Fidži, Guam, Gvajana, Honduras, Kazahstan, Kiribati, Kuvajt, Marshallovi otoki, Mavricij, Monako, Črna gora, F.S. Mikronezija, Nauru, Nova Kaledonija, Oman, Palau, Paragvaj, Katar, Samoa, San Marino, Savdska Arabija, Sejšeli, Južna Afrika, Tonga, Tunizija, Tuvalu, Združeni Arabski Emirati, in Vatikan can stay visa free for up to 30 days.

Hence, the citizens of most countries will receive a visa on arrival valid between 30 and 90 days. Uradnik "Hi, Korea" site has the latest details.

Jeju is an autonomous province with more relaxed entry conditions than the South Korean mainland, allowing visa-free entry for everybody razen citizens of Afganistanu, Bangladeš, Kamerun, Kuba, Egipt, Gambija, Gana, Iran, Iraku, Kirgizistan, Kosovo, Mjanmar, Nepal, Nigerija, Severna Makedonija, Palestino, Pakistan, Senegal, Somalija, Šrilanka, Sudan, Sirija, Uzbekistan, in Jemnu for up to 30 days. Subsequently leaving Jeju for the mainland will require you to have a visa for the rest of South Korea.

South Korean immigration no longer stamps passports. Instead, visitors are given an entry slip with their terms of entry, and their entry and exit is recorded electronically. South Korea is really good at keeping electronic track of everyone coming and going, so do not overstay your visa. Violations will at best likely result in you being banned from re-entering, and prosecution is a possibility.

Military personnel travelling under the U.S.–South Korea Status of Forces Agreement are not required to possess a passport for entry, provided they hold a copy of their travel orders and a military ID. Their dependents, however, must hold a passport and A-3 visa.

Most foreigners staying longer than 90 days must register with the authorities within 90 days of entry and obtain an Alien Registration Card. Contact your local authorities for further information.

The Korean Immigration Service collects the biometric data (digital photo and fingerprints) of foreign visitors at ports of entry (international airports and seaports). Entry will be denied if any of these procedures is refused. Children under the age of 17 and foreign government and international organization officials and their accompanying immediate family members are exempt from this requirement.

Z letalom

South Korea has many international airports; however, only a few have scheduled services. South Korea has experienced an airport building frenzy over the last decade. Many large towns have dedicated functioning airports that handle only a handful of flights a week.

• Mednarodno letališče Incheon (ICN ^IATA), about 1 hour west of Seul, is the country's largest airport and is served by many international airlines. There are many options for flying there from locations throughout Asia, Europe and North America, and even routes to South America and Africa. It is also frequently rated as "the best run and best designed airport in the world". There are direct inter-city buses that travel from just outside the international arrival hall to many locations throughout South Korea. The airport has a metro line (express AREX 43 min and all-stop subway 56 min) that goes directly to both Seoul–Gimpo airport and Seoul Station.
• Seoul's Gimpo Airport (GMP ^IATA) offers domestic flights to most South Korean cities, and the international "city shuttle" services from Tokyo–Haneda, Beijing, Shanghai–Hongqiao and Taipei–Songshan are quite convenient. It is more centrally located to Seoul than Incheon. You can connect from Incheon airport either by train or by limousine bus.
• Busanje Mednarodno letališče Gimhae (PUS ^IATA) has international connections from East and Southeast Asia, as well as Vladivostok, Guam and Saipan. Gimhae also has a few flights a day directly to/from Seul – Incheon, which is much more convenient than changing to Seoul–Gimpo airport after a long international flight. This service is intended for connecting passengers only and cannot be booked separately. The airport has a light rail line connecting Gimhae and West Busan.
• Jeju (CJU ^IATA) has flights from many South Korean cities and international flights from Kuala Lumpur and major Taiwanese, Japanese and Chinese cities. The Seoul (Gimpo)—Jeju route is the busiest flight corridor in the world and the island is well-served from other Korean airports.
• Airports at Daegu, Muan (close to Gwangju in Mokpo), Cheongju (close to Daejeon and Sejong), Yangyang also have international connections to major Japanese, Chinese, Taiwanese, and Vietnamese airports.

Nosilec zastave Korean Air (대한항공 Daehan Hanggong) in Asiana (아시아나 항공 Asiana Hanggong) are the principal full service carriers from South Korea that fly around the world. Korean airlines' safety records improved dramatically since the 1990s, and they are now just as safe as any Western airline. Several low-cost airlines offer domestic flights to Jeju from every airport in South Korea and international flights across Asia.

Z vlakom

Although there is a train track connecting the Korail network with Severna Koreja and a Korail station on the border, there is no train service. They are a political statement rather than a travel option.

Moj čoln

The services listed here may change frequently, and English language websites may not be updated with the current information. Verify before travelling.

Busanje International Passenger Terminal is the largest seaport in the country and offers ferry rides mostly to and from Japan. Two services run from Fukuoka to Busan, with the JR Beetle hydrofoil service managing the trip in just under three hours several times per day and the New Camelia in 5.5 hours daily. All other links are slower overnight ferries, such as Pukwan Ferry Company's services from Šimonoseki. A Busan–Osaka ferry is operated by Panstar Line Co., Ltd.. There are also multiple services from nearby Tsushima.

Incheonje International Ferry Terminal (연안부두 Yeonan Budu) has services from several cities in China, such as Weihai, Dandong, Qingdao in Tianjin. The largest operator is Jinchon, but Incheon Port has full listings on their website.

Pyeongtaek Port has several connections to cities in Shandong province, as well as cargo hopping options. There are multiple operators, but information is provided in the port authority's website.

GunsanInternational Passenger Terminal has daily ferry connections from Shidao in Shandong province (Korean website).

There are also weekly departures from Vladivostok in Sakaiminato do Donghae upravlja DBS Cruise Ferry Co.

By land

Due to the political and military situation with North Korea, entering South Korea overland is not possible. The border between North and South Korea is considered the most heavily fortified border in the world, and while some unauthorized crossings have occurred at the truce village of Panmunjeom, an attempt to cross the border anywhere would risk your life, and the lives of soldiers on both sides.

Obiti

South Korea is fairly compact and you can get almost anywhere very fast by train. Boats and planes can get you to Jeju - the Seoul-Jeju route being the busiest air route in the world. Subways are available in most of the cities including metropolitan Seoul. Larger cities have service or are developing subways. Travel by bus or taxi is easily available, although bus services are more economical.

Because of stringent national security laws that mandate navigation processing be done on local servers, Google Maps does not give driving or walking directions in South Korea; it can also be not up to date for some regions, lacking information on recent infrastructure changes like bridges and such. The most common software used by locals are Naver Map in KakaoMap. While (as of 2020) their desktop versions are only available in Korean, since late 2010s their mobile app versions are also available in English. They are very similar, and you can just read some reviews comparing those two if you query google for comparison kakao map naver map.

Pametne kartice

Seul's public transportation smart card is known as T-money (티머니 Ti-meoni) kartica. This can be used on many local buses and subways throughout the country, as well as some taxis. Fares and transfers up to 30 minutes are calculated automatically; just tap on and tap off when riding on buses and trains. (In some buses in the countryside, you only need to tap on; watch locals to see what they do.) It even gives you a ₩100 discount on bus and subway rides, which is even more reason to use it. The card costs ₩4,000; it can be purchased at convenience stores displaying the T-money logo, as well as at ticket vending machines in subway stations. You can get back your credit in cash afterward, less a ₩500 fee. Some retail shops may also accept payment by T-money. T-money is also usable on the public transportation systems in many other cities, so it is a good option for travelling around South Korea.

Other cities may have their own public transportation smart cards as well such as Busanje Hanaro Card. Unlike T-money, these cards are often not usable outside their respective metropolitan areas, making them somewhat less useful for visitors unless you plan to only stay within that area.

Z letalom

South Korea is a relatively small country with a fast and efficient train service, so flying is not the fastest way to get places unless you are going to the island of Jeju.

Nevertheless, plenty of airlines fly between the main cities at rates comparable to the KTX train. Most flights are with Korean Air ali Asiana, however many new options exist with budget airlines such as T'way Air, Air Busan, Eastar Jet, Jin Air in Jeju Air (which despite the name also serves the busy Seoul–Gimpo to Busan route). Service is similar between full service and low-cost airlines on domestic flights; low-cost airlines offer free soft drinks and 15 kg of checked luggage.

Z vlakom

Državni operater vlaka Korail (KR) connects major cities in South Korea. A large amount of money has been plowed into the network and trains are now competitive with buses and planes on speed and price, with high safety standards and a good deal of comfort.

South Korea's flagship service is the high speed Korea Train eXpress (KTX) with services from Seul do Busan, Yeosu, Mokpo, Masan, in Gangneung (with new services opening all the time). The trains use a combination of French TGV technology and Korean technology to travel at speeds in excess of 300 km/h. The fastest non-stop trains travel between Busan and Seoul in just over two hours. There are vending machines on board that serve drinks and snacks as well as earphones and cell phone chargers.

Non-KTX trains are poetically ranked as ITX-Saemaeul (ITX-새마을, "New Village"), Mugunghwa (무궁화, "Rose of Sharon", which is the national flower of Korea) and Tonggeun (통근, "commuter"), corresponding roughly to express, semi-express and local commuter services. All ITX-Saemaeul and Mugunghwa trains can travel at up to 150 km/h. ITX-Saemaeul trains are a little pricier than buses, while Mugunghwa are about 30% cheaper. However, ITX-Saemaeul trains are extremely comfortable, having seats that are comparable to business class seats on airplanes. Since the introduction of the KTX, there are much fewer ITX-Saemaeul and Mugunghwa services, but they are worth trying out. Tonggeun are cheapest of all, but long-distance, unairconditioned services have been phased out and they're now limited to short regional commuter services in Gwangju.

Also, there is a ITX-Cheongchun storitev med Seul in Chuncheon. It's a special version of ITX at that line.

Saemaeul and some Mugunghwa trains are equipped with power plugs on laptop seats.

Smoking is not permitted on any Korean trains or stations (including open platforms).

Tickets are much cheaper than in Japan but more expensive than other Asian countries — although the damage can be lowered by travelling on local trains rather than KTX. Buying tickets is fairly easy: self-service terminals accepting cash and credit cards are in multiple languages and are very simple to use. Station staff can usually speak basic English. Most stations are clean, modern and have good signposting in Korean and English, and compared to China or Japan, Korea's rail system is very user-friendly.

Pre-booking any train tickets a day prior (be they KTX, ITX-Saemaeul, ali Mugunghwa) is recommended for weekend trips, as all trains can be booked up for hours on end. On Sunday in particular, all but local trains may regularly be completely booked up. If you don't reserve tickets in advance when departing busy hubs such as Seoul or Busan, you may see your options reduced to "unallocated seating" on the slowest local trains (sitting on the floor in the un-air-conditioned space med carriages, or standing in the toilet for much of the trip). You are, however, free to sit on any seat that seems free until someone with the ticket to that seat shows up. If you are confident in your Korean, you can ask to reserve seats on sections that are available and travel standing up the rest of the way.

There are also tourist many trains that let you go to rural and scenic parts of Korea.

Seul also has an extensive commuter train network that smoothly interoperates with the massive subway system, and Busan, Daejeon, Daegu, Gwangju in Incheon also have subway services.

Korail Pass

The Korail Pass is a rail pass only for non-resident foreigners staying less than 6 months in Korea, allowing unlimited travel for a set period on any Korail train (including KTX) and including free seat reservation. The pass is ne valid for first class or sleeping cars, but you can upgrade for half the price if you wish. The pass must be purchased at least five days before travel (preferably before arrival in Korea). It's not cheap as it needs a substantial amount of travel (e.g. Seoul–Busan round trip) to pay off and severe limitations on usage apply during Korean holidays and peak traveling periods including Lunar New Year and Chuseok. Prices as of May 2015 are for a 1-day pass ₩66,900, 3-day ₩93,100, 5-day ₩139,700, 7-day ₩168,400, and 10-day ₩194,400, with discounts for youth (age 13–25), students and groups.

Joint KR/JR Passes between Korea and Japan also exist, however, considering how much of a discount the JR Pass offers, and how strikingly little the KR Pass does by comparison, it usually makes sense to just get the JR Pass.

Rail cruises

Korail Tourism Development provides a rail cruise poklical Haerang, which enables the customers to travel to all the major sightseeing destinations in Korea with just one luxury train ride.

Z avtobusom

Buses (버스 beoseu) remain the main mode of national transport, connecting all cities and towns. They're frequent, punctual and fast, sometimes dangerously so, so fasten the belts you'll often find in the seats.

There is a somewhat pointless division of long-distance buses into hitri avtobusi (고속버스 gosok beoseu) in intercity buses (시외버스 si-oe beoseu), which often use separate terminals to boot. In addition, local inner-city bus (시내버스 si-nae beoseu) networks often connect directly neighboring cities. The express vs. intercity bus differentiation comes down to whether the bus uses the nation's toll expressways (고속 gosok). In practical terms, express buses are marginally faster on long runs, but intercity buses go to more places. For additional comfort, look for udeung buses (우등 버스) which have just three seats across instead of the usual four; these cost about 50% extra. However, some intercity buses use udeung buses without extra fares on highly competitive lines such as Seoul–Andong routes. A fourth type of bus exists, which is the airport limousine bus, a separate network of express buses that ferry people directly to and from Incheon International Airport. The airport limousines typically use separate pickup points from the intercity or express bus terminals.

No Korean buses have toilets, and rest stops are not standard on trips of less than 2 hours duration, so think twice about that bottle of tea at the terminal.

Unlike trains, the bus terminal staffs and drivers are less likely to speak or understand English.

The Korean Express Bus Lines Association have timetables and fares of the Express bus routes in South Korea on their website.

Moj čoln

Ferry boats surround the peninsula and shuttle out to Korea's many islands. The main ports include Incheon, Mokpo, Pohang, in Busan. The most popular destinations are Jeju in Ulleungdo.

There is daily service from Busan to Jeju. There are mostly undiscovered and scenic islands near Incheon that can seem almost deserted.

Z avtom

An International Driving Permit (IDP) may be used to drive around South Korea. In general, road conditions are good in South Korea, and directional signs are in both Korean and English. Car rental rates start from ₩54,400/day for the smallest car with a week's rental. South Korea drives on the right in left-hand-drive cars. South Korea also follows the American practice of allowing cars to turn right at red lights as long as they (in theory) yield to pedestrians. In contrast, left turns on green lights are nezakonito unless there is a blue sign pointing left saying 비보호 or a green left arrow.

If you are traveling in the big cities, especially Seoul or Busan, driving is not recommended as the roads often experience heavy traffic jams, and parking is expensive and difficult to find. Many drivers tend to get reckless under such conditions, weaving in and out of traffic. Drivers often try to speed past traffic lights when they are about to turn red, and several cars (including fully-loaded public transit buses) will typically run through lights after they have turned red, whether pedestrians are in the crosswalk or not.

Koreans consider driving rules as guidelines only, and don't expect to be punished for parking illegally or cutting through a red light. This means that if you want to drive you will need to do so asertivno by pushing yourself into an intersection and forcing other cars to yield.

A GPS is highly recommended while navigating Seoul or Busan. Lanes end or turn into bus lanes with little to no warning, and it may not always be obvious where turns are allowed. A good rule of thumb is to stay in the middle lane as cars will often illegally park in the right lane while the left lane will become a turning lane with little warning.

S taksijem

Taxis are a convenient, if somewhat pricey way of getting around the cities, and are sometimes the only practical way of reaching a place. Even in the major cities, you are extremely unlikely to get an English-speaking taxi driver, so it will be necessary to have the name of your destination written in Korean to show your taxi driver. Likewise, get your hotel's business card to show the taxi driver in case you get lost.

Although doing so is illegal, cab drivers, particularly the cheaper white cabs on busy Friday or Saturday nights, may deny service to short-distance fares. A very handy technique to counter this is to have your destination (hotel name, or the district (구 gu) and neighborhood (동 dong), in Korean of course) written in thick black ink on a large A4 sheet of paper and hold it to the traffic. Passing cab drivers responding to long distance call outs, or with space in their cab in addition to an existing fare in that direction will often pick you up en route.

When hailing a cab in particular, ensure you follow the local custom and wave it over with your hand extended but all your fingers extended downwards and beckoning as opposed to upwards in the Western fashion (this style is reserved for animals).

Glej

Asian tourists have long discovered South Korea as a prime shopping, culinary and sightseeing destination. For the western world, it is a relatively new travel destination, but it has gained popularity fast. And for good reason, as South Korea offers a most pleasant combination of ancient Asian features and all the amenities you would expect from a modern, high-tech nation. Despite its compact size it boasts a broad range of fine attractions and an excellent infrastructure makes getting around easy.

• Seul Most journeys begin in the nation's capital that never sleeps. This ancient place has seen centuries and wars come and go but seems to have come out stronger than ever. Popularly called the "Miracle on the Han River", it's one of the largest metropolitan economies in the world. It's the country's industrial epicentre, the birthplace of K-pop, a hotspot for South-Korean nightlife and fine dining and home to countless museums. The fabulous history and art collection of the Korejski narodni muzej (국립중앙박물관) reigns supreme and a visit there is a day well spent. The city has been rediscovering its historic treasures and improving city parks, adding to its charm. Downtown Seoul, where the old Joseon Dynasty city was, is where you'll find most of the palaces, Gyeongbokgung (경복궁), Changdeokgung (창덕궁) and Gwanghwamun (광화문). It is surrounded by a Fortress Wall, with the famous Namdaemun, one of the eight gates, being perhaps the main attraction. The Banpo bridge (반포대교) turns into beautiful colours at night, and the Yeouido Island (여의도), apart from the famous 63 Building has splendid parks for rollerblading/biking. Other sights are the Skrivni vrt (비원), Seodaemun (서대문), or the Seoul Tower (서울타워) accompanied by the famous Teddy Bear Museum. To get away from the buzz, follow the locals to Cheonggyecheon (청계천), one of the urban renewal projects and a popular public recreation space, or enjoy an afternoon tea in a traditional teahouse in Insadong.
• Busan is the country's second city and most significant port. Called the nation's summer capital, Koreans flock to this city's fine beaches, seafood restaurants and festivals. Haeundae beach (해운대) in Busan is the most famous in the country, with an atmosphere is comparable to southern France or California in the summer.
• Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) On July 27th 1953, The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) was established as a cease-fire agreement with a boundary area of 2km between North and South Koreas. Panmunjeom aka Joint Security Area (JSA) is the ‘truce village’ of the DMZ where tourists can view North and South Korea without much hostility. Here you can also enter one of the buildings that are located on the border aka Military Demarcation Line (MDL), which means you can actually cross into the North when entering those buildings. The border is indicated by a line where North and South Korean soldiers face each other coldly. The tour includes the nearby bridge of no return that used to be the main controlled crossing point between the countries. Tudi Third Tunnel of Aggression, created by North Korea (1.7 km long, 2 m high and about 73m below ground), was discovered in 1978. This tunnel is not more than an hour or 44 km away from Seoul.
• Bukhansan is just a stone's throw north of Seoul and one of the most visited national parks in the world. Some 836 meters high, Mount Bukhansan is a major landmark visible from large parts of the city and the park is home to the beautiful Bukhansanseong Fortress. The popular hike to get up there is well worth it, as you'll be rewarded with great views of the metropolis. The country has over 20 national parks, mostly mountainous such as Narodni park Seoraksan, but some also focus on marine and coastal nature. The lush green tea fields of Boseong offer an equally nice and peaceful get-a-way.
• Jeju Island If you don't mind the crowds, this volcanic and semi-tropical island offers a spectacular scenery and numerous natural sights, a relaxing and warm (especially in winter) atmosphere and plenty of activities. Ne zamudite Lava tubes, Seongsan Ilchubong, Loveland, and South Korea's highest mountain Hallasan (1,950 m).
• Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa Dolmen Sites is a World Heritage and home to a significant part of all the dolmen in the world. Apart from the impressive megalithic stones, it has brought forward a highly important collection of archaeological finds.
• Gyeongju Once the nation's capital, it boasts numerous royal burial and World Heritage cultural sites, as well as relaxing resorts.
• Folk villages If you'd like to see a bit of Korean folklore, Hahoe Folk Village blizu Andong, Yangdong, the living museum-like Korean Folk Village v Yongin ali Hanok Village v Jeonju are among the best.
• Festivali Korea is a country of festivals. No matter where you go, there's likely something happening close by. Watching or even joining in the bustling celebrations is often a fabulous and colorful experience. The Boryeong Mud Festival (보령머드축제) is a popular pick, when participants drench themselves in mud and take part in everything from mud wrestling to body painting. The nearby beach becomes something of a party apocalypse.

Traditional arts

Korea was traditionally home to two types of theatre: talchum (탈춤) and pansori (판소리).

Talchum is a traditional type of dance performed by people wearing masks, often accompanied with singing. It originated in Hwanghae province in what is now North Korea, though it has since spread around the country. Traditional Hwanghae-style talchum is also performed in the South, often by North Korean refugees and their descendants.

Pansori is a type of musical storytelling involving a storyteller and a drummer, with the storyteller usually expected to use their voices and facial expressions for dramatic effect. Following contact with Western styles of drama, pansori evolved into changgeuk (창극) in the early 20th century, which is essentially Korean opera, with actors and an accompanying orchestra.

Gisaeng (기생) or kisaeng are the Korean equivalent of the Japanese geisha (or more accurately, courtesans known as oiran), and were historically sex workers trained in the arts of poetry, calligraphy and music, entertaining clients with their skills and conversation. While the tradition has largely died out in modern South Korea, gisaeng are often featured in Korean historical dramas, and many of their traditional arts are now being revived.

Ali

For a definite list of activities refer to individual cities. However, some of the best ones are:

• Pohodništvo With the country being covered in mountains, Korea is a fantastic destination with numerous možnosti pohodništva. Poskusi Jirisan (지리산), Seoraksan (설악산) or go to South Korea's highest peak, the extinct volcano Hallasan na Jeju otok. They offer great views, 1- to 3-day tracks, English sign posts/maps, huts (most of them heated), and can be organized easily. In autumn the leaves turn into beautiful colours, so the best seasons to go there are autumn and spring.
• Jjimjilbang Koreans love saunas! If you can get past everyone being naked, then this is an excellent way to feel refreshed after a hard day sightseeing. Even small towns will have one. They can also be used to stay overnight — this is especially convenient if you missed to make a reservation for an accommodation, everything is full or you are looking for a cheap accommodation. Weekends are extremely busy with families.
• Vrelci In common with their Japanese and Taiwanese neighbors, Koreans love their hot springs (온천, 溫泉 oncheon), and resorts can be found throughout the country. Etiquette usually require bathers to be nude. Many places also have saunas connected.
• Snowboarding/Skiing The Gangwon province offers ski decent opportunities in winter, which is very beautiful when it snows. Glej Seul guide for close to the city destinations, which you can reach by free public (ski) bus within 90 minutes.
• Jej Perhaps you have had Korean BBQ in your home country. The reality of Korean food is so much more diverse and tasty. Try something new delicious every each day! (Seafood, meat or vegetarian)
• Winter surfing Owing to local tidal conditions, the best surf is in the winter! Pohang in Busan are two places you can try this
• Karaoke/Singing Rooms Noraebang (노래방) is the same as Japanese Karaoke palors, popular and hard to miss wherever you go in metropolitan cities.
• Borilne veščine Learn martial arts such as the famous Taekwondo (태권도), Hapkido (합기도), and the dance-like martial art Taekkyeon (택견). You can also go and watch a competition or performance — for instance cultural festivals may feature traditional martial arts.
• Temple Stay Spend a few days meditating and learning about Buddhism at a Korean monastery.
• Water amusement parks are plentiful in the Gyeonggi & Gangwon provinces, such as Caribbean Bay in Yongin, Ocean World in Hongcheon, with a more Ancient Egyptian setting, and Ocean 700 in Pyeongchang. Tourists and locals usually go there in the summer.
• Yeondeunghoe is a traditional festival held during Buddha's birthday when the streets are hung with colorful lotus lanterns and can also involve celebratory parades.

Šport

Baseball was brought to Korea by American missionaries in 1904 and is the most popular sport in the country. Most cities have a team and the biggest are sponsored by the largest South Korean companies, and many South Korean players have become famous Major League Baseball players in the United States. The South Korean national baseball team is also regarded as one of the strongest in the world, finishing second at the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

Nogomet is becoming more important to South Korea over time, and is a sport shared by North and South. South Korea is one of the strongest teams in Asia and many of their players work for the top European clubs. The sport gained an incredible amount of short term popularity when the South Korean national team reached the World Cup semi-finals in 2002, and even today the country stops for World Cup matches. Unfortunately the enthusiasm for domestic and friendly international games is extremely low, and stadiums are usually mostly empty.

Other popular sports include golf and basketball. Badminton, table tennis and bowling are also popular and facilities for the public are widely available in cities. Korean martial arts such as taekwondo (태권도) are also popular. Golf particularly has a strong following, with membership fees for Korea's top golf clubs being more expensive than those in neighboring Japan or the United States. Many of the world's top female golfers are from Korea or of Korean descent. Lokostrelstvo is also a popular sport, with South Korea dominating the archery events at the Olympics.

As for winter sports, speed skating (especially short track) and figure skating are extremely popular due to the repeated success of South Korea in the Winter Olympics, with South Korea dominating the short track speed skating events. The city of Pyeongchang hosted the 2018 Winter Olympic Games .

Nakup

Denar

Exchange rates for South Korean won As of January 2020: US$1 ≈ ₩1150 €1 ≈ ₩1300 UK£1 ≈ ₩1500 Japanese ¥100 ≈ ₩1100 Chinese ¥1 ≈ ₩165 Exchange rates fluctuate. Current rates for these and other currencies are available from XE.com

The currency of South Korea is the South Korean won, označeno z ₩ (Koda ISO: KRW) and written 원 (zmagal) in the Korean language.

Bills come in denominations of ₩1,000 (blue), ₩5,000 (red), ₩10,000 (green) and ₩50,000 (yellow). The ₩50,000 is very practical if you need to carry around a reasonable amount of cash, however it can be hard to use on goods or services with a value of less than ₩10,000. The ₩50,000 can be hard to find and often only provided by ATM's that display a picture of the yellow note on the outside.

₩100,000 "checks" are frequently used, and some of the checks go up to ₩10,000,000 in value. These checks are privately issued by banks and can be used instead of cash for larger purchases, such as hotel rooms.

Coins mainly come in denominations of ₩10, ₩50, ₩100 and ₩500. Very rare ₩1 and ₩5 coins do exist. Generally speaking it is rare to buy anything valued less than ₩100.

Banking and payment

Kreditna kartica acceptance at shops, hotels and other businesses on the other hand is very good, and all but the very cheapest restaurants and motels will accept Visa and MasterCard. Even small purchases such as ₩4,000 for a coffee are okay. This works well since credit cards have good exchange rates, however if you are using a foreign card then you should ensure with your bank that there isn't a fee for this foreign transaction.

Bankomati are ubiquitous, although using a foreign card with them is rather hit and miss, except for foreign bank ATMs like Citibank. There are however many special global ATMs which accept foreign cards. They can generally be found at Shinhan/Jeju Bank, airports, in areas frequented by foreigners, in major cities, some subway stations, and in many Family Mart convenience stores — most of the time indicated by the "Foreign Cards" button on the screen. Some banks, such as Citibank, have a fee of ₩3,500 for foreign cards. Before heading to the countryside where foreign cards are less likely to be accepted, be sure to have cash or another source of money.

T-money smart cards are an alternative source of payment accepted widely, especially for public transportation. (Glej § Smart cards.) Some other cities have their own smart cards, and topping up T-money outside of Seoul can be a problem but at Shinhan/Jeju Bank it should always be possible. You may need to ask the local cashier for help due to the Korean-only menus/buttons.

If you plan on staying in South Korea for a longer time, you'll probably want to set up a bančni račun at a Korean bank such as Woori Bank, which can then be used at the bank's ATMs throughout the country. (Even some non-local accounts can do this, e.g. Woori Bank accounts setup in China come with an ATM card that can be used with all its ATMs in South Korea.) Many banks will even allow you to open an account on a tourist visa, though the services you will be able to access will often be very limited. Some of the larger banks may have English-speaking staff on hand at their major branches.

Stroški

South Korea is fairly expensive compared to most Asian countries, but is a little cheaper compared to other modern developed countries such as Japan and most Western countries. A frugal backpacker who enjoys eating, living and travelling Korean-style can easily squeeze by on under ₩60,000/day, but if you want top-class hotels and Western food even ₩200,000/day will not suffice. Seul is more expensive than the rest of the country, and has become particularly expensive competing in many ways with Tokio, but this has eased since the financial crisis.

Prekuhavanje

Tipping is ne expected anywhere in South Korea and is not practiced by Koreans. Med Korejci bi to lahko šteli za žalitev, saj se šteje, da nekomu dajejo dobrodelne namene, čeprav ljudje na splošno poznajo ameriško kulturo prekuhavanja in bi razumeli, da to počne tujec.

Številni hoteli in nekatere turistične restavracije na svoje račune dodajo 10-odstotno plačilo storitve. Zvoniki, hotelske služkinje, taksisti in lokali, ki jih obiskujejo zahodnjaki, ne bodo zavrnili nobenih nasvetov, ki jih želite dati.

Restavracije včasih strankam nudijo brezplačno hrano ali pijačo v znak radodarnosti ali kot nagrado za zvestobo strank. V pogovoru je to znano kot "storitev".

Nakupovanje

Na nekaterih prodajnih mestih z oznako »Nakupovanje brez davka« ali »Nakup nakupa davka« lahko dobite bon in dobite velik odstotek vrnjenih davkov. Ko zapustite Južno Korejo, pojdite na carino in ji odtisnite žig, nato pa pojdite do pultov "Global Refund Korea" ali "Korea Tax Refund" blizu trgovin brez carin. Za vračilo kupnine pa morate oditi v roku 3 mesecev od nakupa.

Barantanje je pogosta na tržnicah na prostem in velja za vse, kar lahko ponudijo. Vendar ne navedite določenega denarnega zneska. Namesto tega recite "ssage juseyo"(싸게 주세요," Ceneje, prosim. "). Dovolj bo enkrat ali dvakrat. Vendar boste le redko popustili več kot nekaj dolarjev.

Koreja je ginseng (인삼 insam) prestolnica sveta. Šteje se, da ima zdravilne lastnosti, zato ga najdemo v posebnih gorskih predelih po vsej Koreji. Priljubljena je gosta črna pasta iz ginsenga, tako kot ginseng čaj in različni drugi izdelki. Obstaja veliko stopenj ginsenga, najboljše stopnje pa lahko na dražbah prinesejo milijone ameriških dolarjev. Dober kraj za ogled različnih vrst ginsenga bi bila tržnica rastlinskih zdravil Gyeongdong v Ljubljani Seul.

Obiskovalci iščejo tradicionalni predmeti domov lahko najdete najrazličnejše možnosti. Na številnih tržnicah in v trgovinah s spominki lahko najdete modro-žadni celadon iz dinastije Goryeo, ročno izdelane noše, papirnate zmaje in keramične koščke, ki v svojih oblikah prikazujejo človeška čustva. Insadong noter Seul bi bilo prvo mesto za nakupovanje. Čez nekaj časa bo ena trgovina morda videti kot vsaka druga trgovina, vendar obstaja velika verjetnost, da boste našli tisto, kar potrebujete.

V koraku z najnovejšimi moda trendi, kupci in lastniki butikov vsak vikend prihajajo na ulice in trge. Modni centri, ki so v glavnem osredotočeni na Seul s priljubljenimi kraji, kot so Dongdaemun, Mok dong Rodeo Street in Myeong dong, lahko razdelimo v dve veliki kategoriji; trgih in veleblagovnicah. Trgi so cenovno ugodni in vsaka trgovina bo imela trendovska oblačila podobnega tipa, ki bodo privlačna za množice. Zavedajte se tudi, da vi ne more preizkusite večino vrhov. Torej bolje vedeti svojo velikost pred nakupom tam. Čeprav bodo veleblagovnice imele površine ali tla z znižanimi predmeti, veljajo za predrage in so namenjene predvsem starejši, premožnejši množici.

Tradicionalno korejsko oblačilo, znano kot hanbok (한복), ki ga Južne Koreje še vedno nosijo za posebne priložnosti in zgodovinske ponovitve, najdemo pa ga na različnih oblačilnih trgih. Medtem ko tradicionalni hanbok zahteva obisk specializirane trgovine in pribora po meri, zaradi česar je precej drag, lahko najdete tudi bolj priložnostne različice, ki so bolj praktične za vsakodnevno uporabo in bistveno cenejše. Priljubljen kraj tradicionalnega hanboka je drugo nadstropje tržnice Gwangjang v Ljubljani Seul, kjer lahko najdete veliko tradicionalnih krojačev hanbok, od katerih ima vsak na izbiro široko paleto tkanin. Ko nosite hanbok, ga morate vedno zaviti levo desno.

Za vse upoštevane stvari starinsko, kot so pohištvo, kaligrafska dela, keramika in knjige, lahko obiščete antično tržnico Jangangpyeong v Seul. Predmeti, starejši od 50 let, ne morejo zapustiti države. Preverite pri uradu za ocenjevanje umetnosti in starin na 82-32-740-2921.

Elektronika so splošno dostopni, zlasti v večjih mestih, kot sta Seul in Busan. Južna Koreja ima večino najnovejših pripomočkov na voljo v večini zahodnih držav, nekatere pa tudi ne. Pravzaprav je Južna Koreja po potrošniški tehnologiji verjetno na drugem mestu Japonska. Verjetno pa bi se morali spoprijeti s tem, da bi bile knjižice z navodili in funkcije napisane v korejščini.

K-pop je velik element korejskega vala (hallyu), ki je vzhodno Azijo na začetku 21. stoletja nevihtno zajel, zato boste morda želeli kupiti najnovejše korejske glasbene CD-je priljubljenih pevcev in skupin K-popa - in odkriti nekaj manj znanih. K-pop umetnike podpisujejo agencije za talente in založbe v zelo mladih letih in običajno dolga leta naporno trenirajo, preden jim dovolijo prvenec. Danes K-pop pevce ne zaposlujejo samo iz Južne Koreje, temveč tudi iz drugih vzhodnoazijskih držav, pa tudi Tajske in Vietnama v jugovzhodni Aziji. Nasprotno pa ambiciozni umetniki K-popa podpisujejo pogodbe, ki jim dajejo malo nadzora nad njihovim zasebnim življenjem, pogosto jim prepovedujejo zmenke, da bi ohranili iluzijo "razpoložljivosti" za svoje oboževalce. Večina glasbe se zdaj porablja kot digitalni prenosi, vendar je še vedno mogoče najti nekaj glasbenih trgovin, ki prodajajo CD-je. In če jih želite videti v živo, za to seveda ni boljšega mesta kot Južna Koreja.

K-drame so zelo priljubljeni v Aziji, DVD v dramskem kompletu z DVD-ji pa bo zagotovo zdržal veliko deževnih popoldnevov. Dramske nadaljevanke in filmi, ki se prodajajo v Južni Koreji, so namenjeni korejskemu trgu in običajno nimajo podnapisov, zato pred nakupom preverite; zunaj Koreje bi verjetno lahko kupili enak medij, sinhroniziran v drugem azijskem jeziku, kot sta kantonščina ali mandarinščina. Poleg tega je tu še Južna Koreja DVD regija 3, tako da bodo tukaj kupljeni diski delovali na Tajvanu, v Hongkongu in jugovzhodni Aziji, vendar jih na splošno ni mogoče predvajati pri večini igralcev v Severni Ameriki, Evropi, celinski Kitajski, na Japonskem ali v Avstraliji. CD-ji in DVD-ji v Južni Koreji niso več posebej priljubljeni, mlajša generacija se je že pred časom preselila na digitalne prenose.

Jej

Poglej tudi: Korejska kuhinja

Korejska kuhinja postaja vse bolj priljubljena zunaj Koreje, zlasti v drugih delih vzhodne Azije in ZDA. Lahko je pridobljen okus z veliko začinjenimi in fermentiranimi jedmi, vendar je zasvojena, ko se nanjo navadiš in je korejska hrana zagotovo v njej. razred zase, ki meša začinjene čilije in obilne količine česna z občutljivimi sestavinami, kot so surove ribe. Čeprav je v korejski hrani precej malo maščob, je dejstvo potrdilo opažanje, da ima zelo malo Južnokorejcev prekomerno telesno težo, vendar bi morali biti tisti, ki imajo diete z omejeno vsebnostjo natrija, previdni, saj je korejska kuhinja lahko bogata s soljo.

Korejski obrok je osredotočen okrog riž in juha in verjetno ribja ali mesna jed, ki jo vedno ponudimo z bogatim izborom majhne priloge poznan kot banchan (반찬). Najbolj skromen obrok je na voljo s tremi vrstami, kraljevska pogostitev pa lahko vsebuje dvajset vrst banchanov. Tipične priloge poleg kimchija vključujejo tudi fižolov kalček (콩나물 kongnamul), špinača (시금치 šigeumči) in majhne posušene ribe.

Vseprisotno kimchi (김치 gimchi), narejen iz fermentiranega zelja in čilija, spremlja skoraj vsak obrok in je od blagega do grozno začinjenega. Poleg običajnega zelja lahko kimchi pripravimo tudi iz bele redkve (깍두기 ggakdugi), kumare (오이 소박이 oi-sobagi), drobnjak (부추 김치 buchu gimchi) ali skoraj katero koli zelenjavo, ki jo lahko kisamo. Veliko različnih jedi je narejenih iz kimchija za aromatizacijo, kimchi pa postrežemo tudi kot prilogo. Korejski turisti na potovanjih v tujino neredko najdejo zaloge tesno zapakiranih kimchijev.

V skoraj vsaki jedi najdemo še dve začimbi doenjang (된장), fermentirana sojina pasta, podobna japonski miso, in gochujang (고추장), začinjena čili pasta.

Medtem ko je veliko teh jedi mogoče najti po vsej Koreji, ima vsako mesto tudi svoje regionalne specialitete, kot je npr dakgalbi (닭 갈비) v mestu Chuncheon.

Med Korejci je običajno, da tujci ne marajo začinjena hrana, zato boste morda morali nekaj časa prepričati ljudi, če želite res kaj vročega pojesti. In čeprav je v korejski hrani nedvomno dihanje japonskega in severnokitajskega dihtečega ognja, če ste navajeni recimo tajske ali mehiške hrane, se boste morda vprašali, v čem je težava.

Priljubljene so tudi restavracije s tujo hrano, čeprav običajno s korejskim pridihom. Ocvrt piščanec je bil posvojen in mnogi verjamejo, da je boljši od ameriškega izvirnika. Tudi pice so povsod navzoče, čeprav se morda sprašujete, od kod izvira navdih za prelive. Vietnamska in mehiška hrana privlači tudi Korejce. Japonske restavracije vseh sort so zelo pogoste. Čudno je, da je verodostojno kitajsko hrano nekoliko težko dobiti, Korejci pa pogosto pomislijo na korejske kitajske jedi, kot je jajangmyeon (자장면, rezanci, preliti z gosto rjavo omako, daleč sorodno severnokitajski jedi) z tangsuyuk (탕수육, sladko-kisla svinjina) kot kitajska jedilnica.

Bonton

Korejski pripomočki (수저 sujeo) so sestavljeni iz žlice (숟가락 sutgarak) in palčke (젓가락 jeotgarak). Korejci, edinstveni v Aziji, uporabljajo palčke iz kovine, ki se pri vročem žaru ne zažgejo in jih je lažje prati in ponovno uporabiti. V restavracijah so običajno na voljo palčke iz nerjavečega jekla, ki jih je na žalost učenec v palicah zelo težko uporabljati! Te tanke in spolzke palčke niso tako enostavne kot lesene ali plastične palčke, vendar boste vseeno uspeli z nekaj pretiravanja.

Žlice se uporabljajo za uživanje riža, juhe in kaše. (Korejcem se zdi čudno, da njihovi azijski sosedje jedo riž s palčkami.) Dongaseu (돈가스, v japonskem slogu tonkatsu ali ocvrt svinjski kotlet) jemo z vilicami in nožem. Številne korejske restavracije lahko zahodnjakom ponudijo tudi zahodni jedilni pribor.

Ko jemo v skupini, bodo skupne jedi postavljene v sredino in vsak lahko nariše, kar želi, vendar boste vseeno dobili posamezne porcije riža in juhe. Če ne jeste kraljevske kuhinje, večino jedi postrežejo v družinskem slogu.

V mnogih tradicionalnih gospodinjstvih so otroke učili, da je tako vljudno govoriti med obroki. Ne bodite presenečeni, če med jedjo vlada popolna tišina. Ljudje, zlasti moški, bodo obroke uporabljali, da bodo hitro pojedli in prešli na druge stvari. To lahko pripišemo kratkim obrokom med vojaško službo, ki jih mora opraviti večina mladih korejskih moških.

Nekaj ​​napotkov za bonton:

• V posodi ne puščajte palic, ki držijo pokonci, zlasti riža. To se naredi le, če se počasti pokojnika. Podobno tudi žlica, ki se drži pokonci v skledi z rižem, tudi ni dober znak.
• Ne dvignite palic in ne začnite jesti, dokler najstarejši za mizo ne začne jesti.
• Med jedjo ne dvigujte krožnikov ali skled z mize, saj Korejci menijo, da je to nesramno.
• Ne spuščajte zvokov, tako da udarite po posodi po posodah in krožnikih s hrano.

Restavracije

Biti lačen v Južni Koreji bi bilo težko. Kamor koli se obrneš, je vedno nekje za jest. Korejske restavracije lahko razdelimo v nekaj kategorij:

• Bunsik (분식) so prigrizki, v katerih se hitro pripravi poceni in okusna hrana.
• Kogijip (고기 집), kar dobesedno pomeni "mesna hiša", je tam, kjer boste našli mesne jedi in priprave na žaru.
• Hoejip (회집), "surova riba", postrežemo z rezinami svežih rib, podobnih japonskim sashimi, poznan kot hwe v korejščini in brezplačne priloge. Običajno boste našli te restavracije, ki neredijo obale katere koli plovne poti.
• Hansik (한식) postrezite korejski obrok s polnim tečajem (한정식, hanjeongsik), korejski visoke kuhinje ki je nastal s pogostitvijo v kraljevi palači. Tradicionalno strežejo naenkrat, danes pa bodo restavracije tečaje stregle ločeno. Obrok se začne s hladno predjedjo in juk (죽, kaša). Glavna jed vključuje začinjene mesne in zelenjavne jedi, ki so lahko na pari, kuhane, ocvrte ali na žaru. Po obroku vam postrežejo s tradicionalnimi pijačami, kot je npr sikhye ali sujeonggwa.
• veleblagovnice imajo dve vrsti prehrambenih prostorov: jedilnico v kleti in restavracije s popolno ponudbo hrane na najvišjih nivojih. Območja prehrambenih prostorov imajo tako prehrambene kot tudi jedilne prostore. Restavracije s popolno ponudbo so dražje, vendar imajo običajno prednost slikovni meniji in dober ambient.

Žar

Korejski žar je verjetno najbolj priljubljena korejska jed za zahodnjake. V Koreji je razdeljen na bulgogi (불고기, tanki kosi mariniranega mesa), galbi (갈비, rebra, običajno nemarinirana) in nekaj drugih kategorij. V njih je na sredino mize postavljen premog z ogljem, vi pa skuhate meso po izbiri, češniku pa dodate česen za začimbe. Priljubljen način prehranjevanja je, da meso zavijemo z listom solate ali perile in dodamo razrezano solato iz zelene čebule (파 무침 pa-muchim), surov ali kuhan česen, razrezana vložena redkev (무채 muchae) in ssamjang (쌈장, omaka iz doenjang, gochujangin druge arome) po vaših željah.

Cena obroka z žara je v veliki meri odvisna od izbranega mesa. V večini korejskih restavracij, ki strežejo meso, se prodaja v enotah (običajno 100 gramov). Svinjina je daleč najpogosteje naročeno meso; je veliko cenejša od govedine in po mnenju gostov okusnejša. Redko boste videli file mignon; namesto tega običajni kosi mesa vključujejo rebra, neslano svinjsko slanino (삼겹살 samgyeopsal) in piščanca, ocvrtega z zelenjavo in začinjeno omako (닭 갈비 dak-galbi). Nemarinirano meso je ponavadi bolj kakovostno, v cenejših fugah pa je najbolje, da se držite mariniranih stvari.

Riževe jedi

Bibimbap (비빔밥) dobesedno pomeni "mešani riž", kar je precej dober opis. Sestavljen je iz sklede riža, prelite z zelenjavo, in navadno koscev mesa ter jajca, ki ga z žlico pomešate in vmešate želeno količino gochujangin nato požrl. Še posebej okusen je dolsot bibimbap (돌솥 비빔밥), postreženo v posodi z vročim kamnom (pazite s prsti!), Ki na dnu in robovih riž skuha do hrustljavosti.

Druga zdrava in okusna možnost je gimbap (김밥), včasih poimenovana tudi "korejski suši zvitki". Gimbap vsebuje riž, sezamovo seme, korejsko sorto špinače, vloženo redkev in neobvezno meso, kot je mleto goveje meso ali tuna, vse lepo zavito v posušene morske alge, prelite s sezamovim oljem in narezano. En sam zvitek naredi dober prigrizek ali celoten obrok, odvisno od vašega apetita, in dobro potujejo. Kaj razlikuje korejsko gimbap in japonski suši kako pripravljajo riž: gimbap običajno uporablja sol in sezamovo olje za aromatiziranje riža, medtem ko suši uporablja sladkor in kis. Prav tako gimbap običajno ne vsebuje surovih rib.

Bolj prigrizek kot obrok tteokbokki (떡볶이), ki na prvi pogled spominja na kup razgretega črevesja, v resnici pa je riževo pecivo (떡, tteok) v sladki čili omaki, ki je veliko blažja, kot je videti.

Juhe in enolončnice

Juhe so znane kot guk (국) oz tang (탕), medtem ko jjigae (찌개) zajema najrazličnejše enolončnice. Vrstica je nejasna in z obema je mogoče omeniti nekaj jedi (npr. Ribja juha-enolončnica dongtae jjigae / dongtaetang), ampak na splošno jjigae so bolj pikantni in debeli guk / tang so blažji. Oba vedno jemo z obilico belega riža ob strani.

Pogoste različice jjigae vključujejo doenjang jjigae (된장 찌개), narejeno z doenjang, zelenjava in školjke ter gimchi jjigae (김치 찌개), narejeno s - uganili ste - kimchi. Sundubu jjigae (순두부 찌개) kot glavno sestavino uporablja mehki tofu, običajno z dodano mleto svinjino, obstaja pa tudi različica z morskimi sadeži, imenovana haemul sundubu jjigae (해물 순두부 찌개), kjer meso nadomestijo kozice, lignji in podobno.

Budae jjigae (부대 찌개) je zanimiva vrsta korejske fuzijske hrane iz mesta Uijeongbu, kjer je bila ameriška vojaška baza. Domačini, ki eksperimentirajo z ameriško konzervirano hrano, kot so neželena pošta, klobase ter svinjina in fižol, so jih poskušali dodati jjigae, in čeprav se recepti razlikujejo, večina vključuje velike količine ognjenih kimchi. Večina krajev vam bo prinesla veliko ponev z enolončnico in jo postavila na plinski štedilnik na sredini mize. Mnogi radi dajo ramyeon rezanci (라면 사리) v enolončnici, kar ni obvezno.

Priljubljeno tang juhe vključujejo seolleongtang (설렁탕), mlečno bela juha iz volovskih kosti in mesa, gamjatang (감자탕), enolončnica iz krompirja s svinjsko hrbtenico in čilijem, in doganitang (도가니탕), narejeno iz kravjih kolen. Ena juha, vredna posebne omembe, je samgyetang (삼계탕), ki je cel pomladni piščanec, polnjen z ginsengom in rižem. Zahvaljujoč ginsengu je pogosto nekoliko drag, a okus je precej blag. Običajno ga jedo tik pred najbolj vročim delom poletja v topli juhi na nek način, da jemo toploto, da premagamo toploto.

Guk so večinoma priloge, kot je juha iz morskih alg miyeokguk (미역국) in juho s cmoki manduguk (만두국), nekaj pa jim je všeč grozljiva svinjska hrbtenica in juha iz volove krvi haejangguk (해장국), priljubljeno zdravilo za mačka, je dovolj za obrok.

Rezanci

Korejci imajo radi rezance in pogoje kuksu (국수) in myeon (면) obsegajo široko paleto razpoložljivih vrst. Pogosto jih prodajajo v trgovinah s hitro hrano z rezanci že za 3000 JPY. Rezanci na osnovi pšenice so glavna sestavina Koreje.

Naengmyeon (냉면) so korejska specialiteta, prvotno iz sever. Tanki, žvečilni ajdovi rezanci, ki jih postrežemo v ledeno hladni goveji juhi, so priljubljena poletna jed - čeprav je to tradicionalno zimska hrana! So tudi klasičen način za konec težkega, mesnatega obroka z žara. Ključ jedi je juha (육수 yuksu); recepti znanih restavracij so običajno skrbno varovane skrivnosti. Na splošno je na voljo v dveh različnih slogih: Pjongjangmul naengmyeon s prozorno juho in Hamhungbibim naengmyeon s pikantnim dresingom in žvečilnimi krompirjevimi rezanci.

Japchae (잡채) so rezanci iz jam, ki jih ocvremo skupaj z nekaj zelenjave (najpogosteje zelje, korenje, čebula) in včasih govedino ali odeng (ribje pecivo). Mandu (만두) cmoki so prav tako zelo priljubljeni in jih postrežemo na pari ali ocvrte kot dodatek k drugim živilom ali skuhamo v juhi, da naredimo celoten obrok.

Ramyeon (라면) je korejska različica ramen, s katero se pogosto postreže - s čim drugim? - kimchi. Korejski ramyeon je dobro znan po celotni pikantnosti, vsaj v primerjavi z japonskim ramenom. Blagovna znamka instant rezancev Shin Ramyun izvaža v več kot 100 držav.

Jajangmyeon Korejci (자장면) štejejo za kitajsko hrano, ki je nekoliko povezana s severnokitajsko zhájiàngmiàn, jed iz pšeničnih rezancev, ki jo postrežemo s črno omako, ki običajno vključuje mleto svinjsko meso, čebulo, kumare in česen. Običajno ga postrežejo v kitajskih restavracijah. Njegova omaka vsebuje nekaj karamele, zato je celotna jed sladka. Priljubljena kombinacija je jajangmyeon s "kitajsko" sladko-kislo svinjino in piščancem.

Končno, udong (우동) so gosti pšenični rezanci, podobni japonskim udon.

Morski sadeži

Ker je Koreja polotok, lahko najdete vse vrste morski sadeži (해물 hemul), jedo tako kuhano kot surovo. Restavracije, kjer si sami naberete ribe - ali jih pripeljete s sosednje ribarnice - so priljubljene, vendar so lahko zelo drage, odvisno od tega, kaj naročite.

Motika (회, izgovorjeno približno "hweh") je surova riba v korejskem slogu (podobno kot sashimi), postrežena z začinjenim cho-gochujang omaka (mešanica gochujang in kis). Chobap (초밥) je surova riba z kislim rižem, podobna japonskemu sušiju. V obeh jedeh se iz koščenih delov, ki jih ne postrežejo surove, pogosto pripravi okusna, a začinjena juha, imenovana meuntang (매운탕).

Druga kuhana specialiteta je hemultang (해물탕), začinjena rdeča enolončnica, napolnjena z raki, kozicami, ribami, lignji, zelenjavo in rezanci.

Kitovo meso je na voljo v nekaj restavracijah v mestih in na festivalih v manjših obalnih mestih, vendar ga ni enostavno najti in v nasprotju z Japonsko ne velja za del nacionalne kulture. Mesto Pohang ima dolgo zgodovino kitolova, trg morskih sadežev pa še vedno odkrito ponuja kita. Južna Koreja je prepovedala kitolov po mednarodnem moratoriju Mednarodne komisije za kitolov leta 1986, čeprav je izjema za kite, ki so bili ujeti po naključju med rednim ribolovom. Kitovo meso, pridobljeno iz Japonska je bila prodana v nekaterih restavracijah, kar je nezakonito (čeprav se zakon običajno prezre). Restavracije s kiti je enostavno prepoznati, slike kitov na zunanji strani pa vas ne dvomijo. Če se odločite, da boste jedli kita, morate vedeti, da bi lahko bila zadevna vrsta ogrožena, zato odločitev prepustite svojemu moralnemu kompasu.

Drugo

Jeon (전), jijimi (지짐이), jijim (지짐), bindaetteok (빈대떡) in buchimgae (부침개) so vsi splošni izrazi za korejski slog ocvrte palačinke, ki je lahko narejen tako rekoč iz vsega. Pajeon (파전) je popečena palačinka v korejskem slogu, obremenjena z mlado čebulo (파 pa). Haemul pajeon (해물 파전), ki ima dodano morsko hrano, je še posebej priljubljen. Saengseonjeon (생선전) je narejen iz majhnih filejev rib, prekritih z jajcem in moko, nato pa ocvrtih v ponvi in nokdu bindaetteok (녹두 빈대떡) je narejen iz zmletega fižola mung ter različne zelenjave in mesa v kombinaciji.

Če meso z žara ni po vašem okusu, poskusite goveji vinski kamen v korejskem slogu, znan kot yukhoe (육회). Surovo govedino se na drobno razreže, nato pa se doda nekaj sezamovega olja, sezama, pinjol in rumenjaka ter soje in včasih gochujang okusiti. Občasno je pripravljen tudi s surovim tunom ali celo piščancem.

Sundae (순대, pron. "Soon-deh") so korejske krvne klobase, narejene iz najrazličnejših sestavin, med katerimi so pogosto ječmen, rezanci iz krompirja in prašičja kri. Sundae je zelo okusen v začinjeni omaki ali juhi.

Škrtasta poslastica je surova hobotnica (산낙지 sannakji) - narezan je po naročilu, vendar se še pol ure premika, ko poskušate s palčkami odstraniti njegove priseske s krožnika. Morske brizge (멍게 meongge), ki jih vsaj običajno ubijejo pred jedjo, vendar boste morda težko opazili razliko, saj je bil okus nepozabno opisan kot "guma, namočena v amonijak".

Hound za funt Ja, res je - Korejci jedo pes. Čeprav je v Južni Koreji prepovedana prodaja pasjega mesa za prehrano ljudi, se v praksi prepoved redko izvaja in juha iz pasjega mesa (보신탕 bosintang ali 영양탕 yeongyangtang) pogosto jemo za poživitev v najbolj vročih poletnih dneh. Ne uživa se redno kot običajna hrana in se običajno prodaja le v posebnih restavracijah za pse, zato verjetno ne boste slučajno na koncu žvečili Snoopyja. Najpogosteje ga uživamo kot začinjeno juho ali enolončnico ali kot suyuk (수육), ki je samo meso, kuhano z začimbami, da se odstrani vonj in meso naredi mehko. Zaradi pomanjkanja pravnega priznanja je industrija popolnoma neurejena, kar ima za posledico veliko vprašanj o tem, kako so psi vzrejeni, razsekani in predelani. Čeprav psov na splošno ne bijejo več do smrti, da bi izboljšali njihov okus, so pogoji, v katerih so psi vzrejeni in zaklani, pogosto še vedno nehumani. To je bistveni vidik južnokorejske kulture, za katerega Južnokorejci na splošno verjamejo, da ga tujci ne morejo razumeti, in se redko želijo pogovarjati z vami. Južnokorejci se zavedajo odnosa Zahodov do psov in vas ne bodo poskušali najesti, čeprav bi s korejskimi prijatelji verjetno zelo spoštovali, če bi poskusili. Če vas zanima, je najbolje, da korejske prijatelje prosite, da vas odpeljejo v takšno restavracijo, saj le redko oglašujejo. Če se vseeno potrudite, lahko skleda znaša manj kot 10.000 JPY in ugotovili boste, da je pes na splošno podoben govedini ali teletini, če je morda nekoliko bolj prijazen. Večina Južnokorejcev ne jedo redno pasjega mesa, danes pa jih vse več psov šteje za hišne ljubljenčke in ne kot hrano, čedalje več jih podpira strožjo uveljavitev prepovedi pasjega mesa.

Prehranske omejitve

Vegetarijanci bodo imeli težki časi v Koreji. Kot v večini vzhodne Azije tudi za "meso" velja meso kopenskih živali, zato morski sadeži ne veljajo za meso. Neželeno pošto lahko tudi zamenjate, ker ni meso, zato bodite natančni pri razlagi tega, česar ne jeste. Če vprašate "ne gogi (고기) "verjetno bodo samo kuhali kot običajno in izbrali velike kose mesa. Dober stavek je reči, da ste"chaesikjuwija"(채식주의 자), oseba, ki uživa samo zelenjavo. To lahko sproži vprašanja s strežnika, zato bodite pripravljeni! Verjetno je najbolje, da imate na kartici ali koščku zelo jasen seznam živil, ki jih jedo in ne jedo v korejščini papirja za prikaz strežnikov restavracij in kuharjev (glej Korejski zvezek § Eating.) Ali pa poiščite namul (나물), različne užitne jedi iz trave in listov v korejskem slogu.

Večina enolončnic bo uporabljala predvsem ribji stalež myeolchi (멸치, sardon). To bo vaša stran, zunaj uglednih vegetarijanskih restavracij pa vprašajte, ali naročite enolončnice, vroče pekače ali enolončnice.

Začinjeni (rdeči) kimchi bo skoraj zagotovo imel kot sestavino morske sadeže, na primer nasoljene drobne kozice. Ker izgine v slanici, je ne boste mogli vizualno prepoznati. Druga vrsta kimchi-ja mulgimchi (물 김치, "vodni kimchi") je vegansko, saj ga preprosto nasolimo v bistri, beli juhi z veliko različne zelenjave. Če ste pripravljeni pojesti nekaj, aromatizirano s slanico, vas bo kimchi zagotovo popeljal daleč v Korejo.

Za laktozna intoleranca izogibanje mlečnim izdelkom je preprosto, saj so v tradicionalni korejski kuhinji redki.

Po korejski budistični tradiciji je vegani in vegetarijanci so popolnoma varni v korejski tempeljski kuhinji (사찰 음식 sachal eumsik) restavracije, ki ne uporabljajo mlečnih izdelkov, jajc ali živalskih izdelkov, razen morda medu. Ta kuhinja je bila v modi, vendar je lahko precej draga.

V Koreji je vedno več vegetarijanskih restavracij - večina jih je v večjih ali srednje velikih krajih. Nekatere vodijo adventisti ali hinduisti.

Kadar je zunaj, je naslednjo vegetarijansko in vegansko hrano razmeroma enostavno najti in naročiti varno:

• Mnogi od banchan priloge, ki jih postrežemo z večino obrokov, so vegetarijanske, čeprav kimchi običajno ni.
• Bibimbap (비빔밥) je odlična veganska možnost mešanega riža in zelenjave, ki jo najdemo skoraj povsod! Kljub temu bodite previdni, ker je občasno na voljo z govedino in pogosto z ocvrtim jajcem.
• Somandu (소만두) so korejski cmoki z nadevom iz zelenjavnih in steklenih rezancev. Izogibajte se skoraj vsem drugim vrstam cmokov.
• Japchae (잡채) so hladni rezanci v zelenjavni juhi, pogosto z ledom, vendar poskrbite, da se ne dodajo kosi govedine. Poleti okusno.
• Gimbap (김밥) so korejski suši zvitki z rižem in vloženo zelenjavo, ki jih najdemo povsod. Obstaja veliko sort, vendar bi morali poiskati tiste brez neželene pošte ali ribje pogače na sredini.

Pijte

Pivci se veselijo - pijača je poceni in Korejci spadajo med najtežje pivce na svetu. Zaradi strogih socialnih norm, ki veljajo na delovnem mestu, je ponavadi edina kraj, kjer se lahko sprostijo ovire in izrazijo osebni odnosi. Pomembni poslovni posli se ne sklepajo v sejni sobi, ampak v lokalu. Promocije, štipendije in drugi poslovni napredki so zagotovljeni ob pijačah v pevnicah, poznonočnih restavracijah s surovo ribo in restavracijah. Številni korejski moški so tisti, ki bi na zahodu veljali za tiste, ki uživajo veliko alkohola, in ker je alkoholizem prepoznan kot bolezen, so začeli javni poskusi omejevati uživanje alkohola. Ne bodite presenečeni, ko vidite poslovneže v oblekah, ki ležijo naokoli in jih pazijo, pazite, da zjutraj ne stopite v luže bruhanja, pogoste na pločnikih.

Starost pitja v Južni Koreji je 19.

Nočno življenje

Korejci so v primerjavi z zahodnimi pitnimi navadami sprejeli nekoliko drugačne načine uživanja v nočnem preživljanju. Seveda lahko lokale v zahodnem slogu zlahka najdete, toda odhod v bar v korejskem slogu je lahko zanimiva izkušnja. Hofs (호프 hopeu, iz nemščine Hof, "sodišče" ali "dvorišče" kot v Hofbräuhaus) so običajna pivska mesta, kjer strežejo pivo in priloge. Kupci naj bi naročili kakšno prilogo, da bi lahko skupaj s pijačo šli v večini korenin za pitje. Zaradi naraščajoče konkurence so številni hofi začeli nameščati različne pripomočke za zabavo.

Rezervacijski klubi so korejska različica nočnih klubov. Zaradi njih so zanimivi deli imena "booking". To je v bistvu način, da spoznate nove ljudi nasprotnega spola z uvedbo natakarjev (ki ženske običajno pripeljejo na obisk moških, a vedno bolj obratno). Rezervacijski klubi so nekoliko dražji od običajnih barov in hofov, vendar so lahko izjemno zabavni. Ti se lahko razlikujejo od ameriških klubov, saj poleg kritja pričakujete, da boste naročili pijačo in priloge (ki so lahko precej drage v razponu od 200.000 do 500.000 JPY in več). A razen tega sta ples in vzdušje približno enaka.

Ena izmed običajnih stvari v klubu za rezervacije je, da svojo mizo ali kabino "oblečete" z nakupom dragih alkoholnih pijač in sadnih krožnikov, kar sporoča vaš "status" ostalim pokroviteljem kluba (zlasti spolu, ki vas zanima). . Škotski viski je v Koreji še posebej zaznamovan, zato ne bodite presenečeni, če plačate zelo visoke cene za to neškodljivo steklenico Johnnieja Walkerja. Po drugi strani pa je boljše, če kupite steklenico alkoholnih pijač ali "komplet likerjev", kot pa nakup pijač posamezno.

Na drugem koncu spektra mnogi domačini hodijo s prijatelji piti in jesti v številne korejske žarnice po vsem mestu. Neredko ljudje zaužijejo več steklenic soju spodbuja se mešanje piva in močnih alkoholnih pijač. Skupinsko povezovanje alkoholnih pijač in hrane je kulturna značilnost Južne Koreje.

Za tiste, ki radi pijejo in pijejo, karaoke je priljubljen in zato široko dostopen v Južni Koreji, kjer se imenuje noraebang (노래방). Poleg korejskih pesmi lahko večje ustanove vključujejo tudi nekatere kitajske, japonske in angleške pesmi.

Bonton

Ko pijete s Korejci, morate upoštevati nekaj pravil o bontonu. Ne bi smeli polniti svojega kozarca; namesto tega pazite na očala drugih, jih napolnite, ko postanejo prazna (vendar ne prej), in vrnili vam bodo uslugo. Šteje se, da je vljudno uporabljati obe roki, ko nekomu natočite in ko pijete pijačo, ter med pitjem obrniti glavo od starejših.

Mlajši pogosto težko zavrnejo pijačo starejše osebe, zato bodite pozorni, ko nekoga, mlajšega od vas, vprašate, ali želi piti več, saj vam pogosto ne bo uspelo reči ne. Seveda to deluje v obe smeri. Če starejša oseba pogosto čuti, da ne dohajate zabave, vam lahko ponudi kozarec, ki ga bo nato napolnil in pričakoval, da boste pili. Šteje se, da je vljudno, da takoj vrnete prazen kozarec in ga napolnite.

Soju

Nacionalna pijača Južne Koreje je soju (소주), vodki podobna alkoholna pijača (običajno približno 20 vol.% Alkohola). Je cenejša od katere koli druge pijače - steklenica s 350 ml lahko v lokalih stane nekaj več kot 3.000 JPY (v drobnih trgovinah znaša le 1.100 JPY!) - in tudi močna. Običajno ga izdelamo s fermentacijo škroba iz riža, ječmena, koruze, krompirja, sladkega krompirja itd., Da dobimo čisti alkohol, ki ga nato razredčimo z vodo in drugimi okusi. The manufacturing process leaves in a lot of extraneous chemicals, so be prepared for a four-alarm hangover in the morning, even after drinking a comparatively small amount.

Traditionally, soju was made by distilling rice wine and aging it, which created a smooth spirit of about 40%. This type of traditional soju can still be found, for example Andong Soju (안동 소주) — named after the town of Andong - in munbaeju (문배주). These can be expensive, but prices (and quality) vary considerably.

Historically, there were numerous brewers throughout the country until late Chosun dynasty and before Japanese colonization. However, by the Japanese colonization and the oppressive and economy-obsessed government in the 1960-'70s, using riž for making wine or spirits was strictly prohibited. This eliminated most of the traditional brewers in the country, and Korea was left with a few large distilleries (Jinro 진로, Gyeongwol 경월, Bohae 보해, Bobae 보배, Sunyang 선양, etc.) that basically made "chemical soju". Brewery distribution and markets were regionalized, and until the 1990s it was difficult to find a Jinro soju anywhere else than Seoul (you would have to pay premium even if you found one), Gyeongwol soju outside Gangwon, or Sunyang outside Chungcheong.

Also, there are soju cocktails such as "socol" (soju Coke), ppyong-gari (soju Pocari Sweat, a Japanese isotonic drink like flavorless Gatorade), so-maek (soju beer), etc., all aimed at getting you drunk quicker and cheaper.

Rice wine

Traditional unfiltered rice wines in Korea are known as takju (탁주), literally "cloudy alcohol". In the most basic and traditional form, these are made by fermenting rice with nuruk (누룩), a mix of fungi and yeast that breaks down starch in rice into sugar and then alcohol over 3–5 days. Then this is strained, usually diluted to 4–6% and imbibed. However, as with the case of traditional soju, unless explicitly stated on the bottle most takju are made from wheat flour and other cheaper grains. Makgeolli (막걸리) is the simplest takju, fermented once and then strained, while in dongdongju (동동주) more rice is added once or more during the fermentation to boost the alcohol content and the flavor. Typically you can find a couple of rice grains floating in dongdongju as a result.

Cheongju vs. zavoljo There are two major differences between Korean and Japanese rice wine. The first is that Korean wine uses nuruk, while Japanese wine uses koji. While both can be considered yeasts, nuruk contains various kinds of fungi and other microorganisms, while in koji a more selected breed of fungi does its job. The treatment of rice is also different: traditionally rice for making cheongju is washed "a hundred times" (백세 paekse), but for zavoljo, the rice is polished until the grain size is as little as 50% of its original size. Therefore, some people comment that in general cheongju tastes more complex and earthy, while zavoljo tastes cleaner and sweeter.

Yakju (약주) or cheongju (청주) is filtered rice wine, similar to the Japanese rice wine zavoljo. The fermentation of rice is sustained for about 2 weeks or longer, strained, and then is kept still to have the suspended particles settle out. The end result is the clear wine on top, with about 12–15% alcohol. Various recipes exist, which involve a variety of ingredients and when and how to add them accordingly. Popular brands include Baekseju (백세주) and Dugyeonju (두견주).

Those with an interest in the wine production process and its history will want to visit the Traditional Korean Wine Museum in Jeonju.

Ginseng wine

One expensive but tasty type of alcohol you can find in Korea is Korean ginseng wine (인삼주 insamju), which is believed to have medicinal properties and is particularly popular among the elderly. It is made by fermenting Korean ginseng, just as the name implies.

Pivo

Western-style lagers are also quite popular in Korea, with the three big brands being Cass, Hite (pronounced like "height") and OB, all of which are rather light and watery and cost around ₩1,500 per bottle at a supermarket. Hofs serve pints of beer in the ₩2,000-5,000 range, although imported beers can be much more expensive. You are expected to order food as well, and may even get served grilled squid or similar Korean pub grub without ordering, for a charge of ₩10,000 or so.

Čaj

Like their Asian neighbors, Koreans drink a lot of čaj (차 ča), most of it zeleni čaj (녹차 nokcha). However, the label ča is applied to a number of other tealike drinks as well:

• boricha (보리차), roasted barley tea, often served cold in summer, water substitute for many household
• insamcha (인삼차), ginseng tea
• oksusucha (옥수수차), roasted corn tea
• yulmucha (율무차), a thick white drink made from a barley-like plant called Job's tears

Like Chinese and Japanese teas, Korean teas are always drunk neat, without the addition of milk or sugar. However, Western-style milk tea is available at Western restaurants and the usual American fast-food chains.

Kava

Kava (커피 keopi) has become widely available, especially from streetside vending machines that will pour you a cupful for as little as ₩300, usually sweet and milky, but there is often a plain option.

Kavarne can be seen virtually everywhere in the country. There are a large number of Korean chains such as Cafe Bene and Angel in Us. A coffee costs around ₩4,000. It is worth to hunt out independent coffee shops that take great pride in their coffee. Even in small countryside villages, the ubiquitous bread shop Paris Baguette will give you a decent latte for around ₩2,000. Foreign-owned coffee shops such as Starbucks tend to be much less common than their Korean counterparts. Aside from coffee, these cafes will usually sell food such as sandwiches, toasties, paninis and quesadillas as well as sweet options such as bingsu (Korean shaved ice), Korean-style toast, pastries and a wide variety of cakes, some even vegan.

Other drinks

Some other traditional drinks worth keeping an eye out for:

• Sikhye (식혜), a very sweet, grainy rice drink served cold
• Sujeonggwa (수정과), a sweet, cinnamon-y drink made from persimmons served cold

Spi

There's plenty of accommodation in all price brackets in South Korea. Prices in Seoul are typically about twice that of anywhere else in the country.

Some higher-end hotels offer a choice of Western-style and Korean-style rooms. The main feature of Korean rooms is an elaborate floor-heating system known as ondol (온돌), where hot steam (or, these days, water or electricity) heats stone slabs under a layer of clay and oiled paper. There are no beds; instead, mattresses are laid directly on the floor. Other furniture is typically limited to some low tables (you're also expected to sit on the floor) and maybe a TV.

Moteli

Some of the cheapest accommodation in South Korea are in what are called moteli (모텔 motel) ali yeogwan (여관), but a more accurate name would be sex hotels. Since Koreans often live with parents and extended family, motels are generally very cheap hotels targeted at young couples aiming to spend personal time together, complete with plastic beds, occasionally vibrating, with strategically placed mirrors on the ceiling, as well as a VCR and a variety of appropriate videos. However for the budget traveller, they can simply be inexpensive lodging, with rates as low as ₩25,000/night.

The easiest way to find a motel is to just look for the symbol "♨" and gaudy architecture, particularly near stations or highway exits. They're harder to find online, as they rarely if ever show up in English-language booking sites.

In some motels picking your room is very easy, as there will be room numbers, lit pictures and prices on the wall. The lower price is for a "rest" (휴식 hyusik) of 2–4 hours, while the higher price is the overnight rate. Press the button for the one you like, which will go dark, and proceed to check-in. You'll usually be expected to pay in advance, often to just a pair of hands behind a frosted glass window. English is rarely spoken, but the only word you need to know is sukbak (숙박, "staying"). You may or may not receive a key, but even if you don't, the staff can usually let you in and out on request — just don't lose your receipt!

Hoteli

Full-service hotels can be found in all larger towns in Korea. Cheaper hotels blend into motels with rooms from ₩40,000, while three and four star hotels are ₩100,000-200,000 and five-star luxury hotels can easily top ₩300,000. Outside peak season you can often get steep discounts from the rack rates, so be sure to ask when reserving.

Hanok

Hanok (한옥) are traditional Korean houses. Once considered to be old-fashioned and an impediment to modernization, many of these houses dating back to the Joseon dynasty are being renovated and opened to paying guests, operating similar to B&Bs or Japanese ryokan ali minshuku. Amenities range from very basic backpacker-style to over-the-top luxury, with prices to match. Higher-end establishments typically provide the option of having a traditional Korean dinner, as well as a choice of either Western or traditional Korean-style breakfast. Guests would usually sleep on mattresses on the floor. Hanok accommodations can typically be found in old towns such as Bukchon in Seul, as well as historical towns and cities such as Hahoe in Gyeongju.

Hostels and guesthouses

While not as common in South Korea as in other parts of Asia or the world, hostels and guesthouses can be found. Major cities, such as Seoul, will have a few dozen, while smaller cities may have a handful. Prices can vary widely, even within one hostel. In Seoul, mixed dorms average ₩15,000-25,000 per person; private rooms with a shared toilet and shower average ₩20,000-30,000 per person; and private ensuite rooms average ₩25,000-40,000 per person. Many hostels will have a common room with free TV, games, computers, and internet; some will have a public full kitchen and other amenities.

Minbak

In rural areas in and near national parks, you can find a minbak (민박). Most of these are just a room or two in someone's home — others are quite fancy and may be similar to motels/yeogwan or hotels. Generally, they have ondol rooms with maybe a TV and that's about it. You don't usually get your own bathroom in your room, although some of the fancier ones do have an en suite. Minbak usually run around ₩20,000 off-season, though the price may go up quite a bit during high season.

Homestay

Very similar in concept to a minbak, these aren't limited to just rural areas or near national parks. Since the World Cup in 2002, many families around the country have opened their doors and hearts to foreigners looking for a good place to sleep and a breakfast included in the price. These can run between ₩30,000 and ₩35,000 per night.

Pokojnina

A fancier and costly version of rural minbak. Most of them are European-style detached bungalows, equipped with private shower/bath, TV, air conditioner, private kitchen and camping grills. Pensions usually run around ₩60,000-150,000 off-season and over ₩200,000 peak season depending on the size of the house. Pensions near Seoul (Gyeonggi, Incheon) usually costs twice or more the price.

Jjimjilbang

For the budget traveller, public bath houses poznan kot jjimjilbang (찜질방) can offer a great way to sleep, besides a relaxing bath and sauna. (Some Korean spas don't offer overnight stay, like the "Spa Land Centum City" in Busan, and some can be limited in time, like the "Dragon Hill Spa" in Seoul, but they are exceptions.) Entrance costs around ₩5,000-12,000, and includes a robe or T-shirts/shorts (for mixed facilities and sleeping hall) to wear. However, when you leave, you have to take everything with you and pay to get back in.

The facilities can be expansive, including showers, public baths, restaurants, computer/video game rooms, a room with DVD movies, and a warm hall to sleep, mostly with mattresses and sometimes soft head rests available. These places are generally used by families or couples during the weekend, as well as Korean working men from the countryside on weekday evenings, but travellers are welcome. A jjimjilbang is no more awkward than any Western public bath — so go ahead.

Usually two lockers are provided, one for the shoes (at the entrance) and one for your clothes and everything else (near the bath entrance). A very large backpack may not fit, although you can usually leave it at reception.

Templji

South Korea offers many temple stays in all parts of the country. The basic idea is that you stay for one or more days living with the monks and participating in some of their rituals.

Jogye (조계사), Korea's largest Buddhist sect, runs a popular temple stay program where visitors get to spend 24 hours living at a Buddhist temple. Speaking Korean helps but is not necessary at some temples, but you will be expected to work at the temple and get up at 03:00 or 04:00 to participate in morning prayer. In exchange for three meals and a basic bed for the night, a donation of ₩50,000-80,000 is expected. Reservations are necessary and can be made at the Temple Stay site or via Korea Travel Phone ( 82-2-1330).

Nauči se

Education is taken very seriously in South Korea, and the country is home to several world class universities, many of which have exchange agreements with various foreign universities, and are a good way for foreigners to experience life in the country. The most prestigious general universities, collectively known as SKY, are Seoul National University (SNU), Univerza Yonsei in Korejska univerza, the former of which is widely regarded as the undisputed number one university in South Korea. Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) are regarded as the top universities specializing in science and engineering.

Drugi

• Taekwondo (태권도 taegwondo, literally "the way of kicking and punching") — The quintessential Korean martial art that is also an Olympic sport, and you can study at any of the numerous schools all over the country.
• Kuhanje — Most major cities will offer Korean cooking classes to foreigners.
  • Kimchi — Many tourist packages nowadays include learning how to make a Korean staple dish kimchi.
• Changgeuk (창극) or pansori (판소리) — If you like music, this will be good for you. It's a unique traditional Korean form of singing. If you want to learn about pansori through film, Seopyeonje (서편제) (1993) would be an excellent choice.
• Korean language — Seoul National University, Korea University, Sogang University, and Yonsei University (in Seul) provide Korean language programs. You can meet people from all over the world while studying Korean.
• Korean traditional dance — You can go to a dance studio and learn Korean traditional dance. You will wear hanbok, Korean traditional clothes.
• Baduk (바둑) — Korean name for the ancient Chinese board game called Go in English and Japanese. Many Koreans play the game, and among them are some of the world's finest players. There are professional tournaments and even schools that specialize in baduk.
• Janggi (장기) — Also known as Korean chess, a board game similar to Chinese chess, with which it shares its origins, though the rules of the two games have diverged significantly.

Delo

Working in Korea can be a great way to experience the country. For English teachers the hours and pay are reasonable, however for other professions bear in mind that South Korea has some of the longest working hours globally, in frequent obligatory after-work drinking can be demanding. In addition, Korea isn't yet really set up to make entering the job market easy for foreigners. Reading and speaking Korejski will definitely open up many more opportunities for you.

Foreigners must obtain an Employment Visa in order to legally work in South Korea, and will usually require a company based in South Korea to sponsor your application. For prospective teachers the school will almost always arrange this on your behalf. Citizens of Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Japan may apply for a one year Working Holiday Visa which allows for short term employment whilst on holiday in Korea.

After you have been living in South Korea continuously for 5 years, you may apply for stalno prebivališče, which allows you to live and work in South Korea indefinitely with no restrictions. Alternative routes to permanent residency are by investing a large amount of money in a local business, by marrying a South Korean citizen, or by obtaining a PhD in certain scientific fields. The application process is still complex even if you meet one of these criteria.

Korean work culture is a lot more hierarchical and formal than what most Westerners are used to back home. Suits are standard business attire for men, while business dresses or skirts are obligatory for women, and modes of address at the workplace tend to be very formal. South Korean companies place a strong emphasis on group cohesiveness, meaning that the success of the company is a whole is a lot more emphasized than an individual's accomplishments. Employees are also expected to obey their bosses' instructions without question, and must usually get approval from their bosses before making any decisions. It is considered rude to not be at work when your boss is, which means arriving at work early before your boss does, and staying late until after your boss has left, and often working on weekends as well. Korean workers are also often expected to go out for food and drinks with their colleagues after work multiple times a week, which means getting home only when it is res late.

Poučevanje

Work as an učitelj angleščine is the most common type of work available to foreigners from English speaking countries, with the requirements of being able to speak English and a minimum level of education being a Bachelor's degree. Schools prefer native English speakers and many prefer North American accents. In most instances, native English speakers from the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, and the United Kingdom are the only applicants that are usually considered.

The main employer of native English speaking teachers are private academies called hagwon (학원). Many parents enroll their children in order to catch up or overtake their peers, and therefore scheduled classes are often in the evenings and Saturdays. People interested in these teaching positions often find them via professional recruiters. There are pros and cons to teaching ESL in the hagwon system. On the plus side the money can be quite good. As of 2016, the average monthly salary is approximately ₩2,000,000 and basic housing is usually provided. It's often possible to live comfortably on half of one's salary and to save the rest.

On the negative side, hagwon are privately run and strictly for profit, and may only operate for a few years. As such it is important to research and evaluate each prospective employer before accepting an offer, since there are plenty of horror stories of unscrupulous academy owners and incompetent directors. Although you will have full employment rights in South Korea, there is practically very little you can do when an issue or dispute arises. The majority of English teachers have a good experience through the hagwon system.

University employment is also possible. Those who have a graduate-level degree, preferably in TESOL (Teaching English as a Second or Other Language), may find professional opportunities at the post secondary level preferable to teaching in private academies.

Rasna diskriminacija South Korean employers tend to be more discriminatory towards non-white people, especially towards people of African and Indian ethnic origin. Although the official position is that all people are welcome, there are actually no laws related to racial discrimination in South Korea. This is largely based on economics; the stereotypical native English speaker is a white person, and many parents expect the teacher to look like that when they send their children to learn English. South Korean job applications usually require you to attach a photo of yourself, along with other information usually considered private in the western English speaking world such as height, weight and marital status. Many foreign non-white people are hired into hagwon, but be aware that there is a bias.

Some of the best positions are in the public sector, although in Seoul and Busan, schools have been phasing out foreign English teachers and replacing them with English-speaking South Koreans. Still, year-long public school positions are available though the government-funded EPIK Program in most provinces and the rapidly contracting GEPIK Program in Gyeonggi, with a few also handled by recruiter companies. Alternately, the TALK Program runs 6-month rural public school positions for non-graduates.

For more information about teaching English in Korea through the private-sector, visit Eslcafe, Worknplay, Eslstarter in Englishspectrum. For the public-sector, see the aforementioned EPIK program.

Daejeon full-time public elementary school positions stand apart from most in the country in that they consist of multiple part-time support positions at different schools. Most public school and university positions start at the beginning of March or September, however these are the more desirable jobs and must be applied for months before the start date.

South Korean Immigration is constantly changing the visa regulations for E-2 visa holders, so keep abreast of updates.

IT

South Korea is often promoted as the world's most wired country, and as such has a massive IT infrastructure. There is plenty of IT work if you can speak Korejski, although local rates are much lower than in western countries.

Inženiring

South Korea has a lot of opportunities for engineers, and often doesn't have a requirement for Korean language. Port cities such as Busan, Ulsan in Geoje have a demand for marine engineers.

Ostani varen

Zločin

South Korea is a very safe country, with reported crime rates much lower than in the U.S. and most European Union countries. Crime rates are comparable to other safe places such as Japonska, Singapur in Hong Kong, and it is safe for women to walk around alone at night, even in the major cities. Violent crime is rare toward locals and tourists alike. For the most part, the only foreigners who encounter trouble in South Korea are drunken ones that provoke fights at bars or clubs.

If you do happen to encounter any trouble, police stations are located in every district, usually in walking distance from subway entrances and bus stops. While most policemen won't understand English, they do have interpreters on-call that can assist you.

Rasizem

South Korea is a very ethnically homogeneous country, and for many South Koreans, this is a point of pride. Discrimination against non-Koreans is systemic and there is no anti-discrimination legislation whatsoever. Nevertheless South Korea is changing. As recently as 2000 it was not advisable for a foreign man to hold hands in public with a South Korean woman and today it is almost no issue at all. Any horror stories you hear should be taken in context of the positive changes that are happening.

The reality is that white people will mostly get a free pass from experiencing much if any racial abuse. When applying for work in South Korea, especially in teaching positions, many employers prefer white people over other ethnicities. (This may be one of the reasons they ask for a picture on your application.) Darker skinned people do experience more problems, including being barred from saunas and bars.

Most visitors to South Korea are extremely unlikely to encounter any problems at all. If you do experience racial abuse then you can call on the police to help, although realistically if no other offense has been committed then they will at most just try and reason with the abuser.

People from North Korea also experience discrimination in society, partly out of suspicion (North Korea has sent assassins and spies disguised as refugees) and partly out of the difficulty to integrate themselves into a vastly different society. Ethnic Koreans from China are also often regarded poorly due to being associated with low economic status and crime. Ljudje iz Jugovzhodna Azija are also discriminated against since most immigrant workers in low-paid jobs come from that region.

Promet

With one of the highest rates of traffic deaths, South Korean motorists will speed through pedestrian crossings, jump red lights and come within a hair-width distance to pedestrians and other cars alike. Even when the light turns red, drivers will not stop. Motorcyclists are particularly reckless weaving in and out on crowded sidewalks. It is up to you to avoid them.

There is a lot of discussion about the reason for this, although it basically comes down to Koreans regarding traffic laws as guidelines that are nice ideas rather than rules to be obeyed.

Pedestrian crosswalks stay green for a very short period of time. When the walk signal is flashing and you are still at the curb, do not cross. Instead, you should wait and be ready for the light to turn green. The moment it turns green, wait for about 3 to 5 seconds and see if other pedestrians start to cross, and if all the traffic has indeed stopped, potem walk briskly to cross safely. It is safer to take underground passageways at busy intersections. Most mopeds prefer to weave through pedestrians rather than wait with the rest of the traffic.

There are plenty of marked pedestrian crossings in Korea, and they are essentially ignored by all drivers. As a foreigner you can use them by stepping onto the crossing and directly staring down any approaching cars and they will usually yield. It is important for you to stay alert while crossing the roads. Taxis, buses, freight trucks, and delivery scooters are more likely to ignore traffic rules, since many of them are pressured to ignore rules by harsh timetables or their customers.

Illegal taxis

Illegal taxis are a problem and run even from the airport. Each Korean city has a different taxi scheme with a specific car color, so check out your destination city's taxi scheme before you arrive. At the airport, ignore anyone asking if you want a taxi at arrivals and head out to the official taxi rank.

Civil unrest

In the heart of the political center of Seul, near Gwanghwamun and City Hall, you may witness political activists of one sort or another in the city center and demonstrations can grow to tens of thousands. You'll have to use discretion as violence during political demonstrations can happen, often with water cannons and tear gas, and also large crowds may pose safety issues. Fighting is always between the demonstrators and police, and foreigners are not targeted. Also, South Korean legislation prohibits non-South Koreans from engaging in political activities.

Local laws

Ignorance of the law here is no excuse for breaking it and can even be seen as a reason for harsher punishment. They include heavy fines, lengthy jail sentences and immediate deportation.

• Penalties concerning drug offenses may seem particularly harsh to Westerners
• Submitting fraudulent documentation for obtaining visas
• Giving somebody an English lesson without possessing the correct visa
• Causing injury during a fight, even if you were not the one who instigated it

South Korea has a draconian National Security Act (국가보안법, Gukga Boanbeop) with regards to Severna Koreja that restricts any unauthorized contact with that country or its citizens. Although it rarely applies to foreign visitors you should still be careful since being associated with any "anti-State group" (반국가단체 bangukga danche) is a criminal offense. With this in mind, you should under no circumstances display any symbols that represent North Korea or be seen to pohvala (찬양 chanyang) North Korean figures, in particular Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il, and Kim Jong-un, in public, websites or social media. Doing this as a joke is not in any way an excuse, and criminal convictions can incur a penalty of up to seven years in prison.

Websites in North Korea or from North Korean-affiliated organizations are blocked from South Korea. In any case you should not attempt to access them since it could be regarded as a "communication" (통신 tongsin) with an anti-State group.

Gambling

Gambling is illegal for South Korean citizens, although a limited number of casinos are available for foreigners only in Seul, Busan in Jeju otok. You will need to bring your passport to enter these establishments.

Divje živali

The Asian giant hornet (장수말벌, jangsu malbeol) or "commander bee" is usually seen around summer time; it is about 40 mm (1.6 in) long and can sting repeatedly and painfully. A hornet defending its nest or feeding spot will make a clicking sound to warn away intruders; if you encounter one, retreat. If you are stung, receive prompt medical attention, as prolonged exposure to the venom could cause permanent injury or even death.

There are very few other animals that can be dangerous in Korea. The Siberian tiger is sadly no longer found on the Korean Peninsula. Large wild boars can sometimes be found in forested areas and can be very dangerous if they attack. If you see a boar with piglets then keep well away since the mother will not hesitate to protect them.

Large sharks including the great white and hammerhead are being sighted more frequently off the coast of South Korea. To date there has never been a recorded attack on swimmers, although a few abalone divers have been killed in the past 20 years. The most popular beaches are closely monitored, and this is unlikely to be a real risk to you.

Natural hazards

South Korea is considerably less prone to natural disasters than its neighbors. Earthquakes are rare occurrences, though minor ones occasionally occur in the southwest of the country. Tsunamis are a recognized hazard in coastal areas, although Japan's strategic position prevents most tsunamis from ever reaching Korea. Medtem tajfuni do not occur as often as in Japonska, Tajvan ali Filipini, they are nevertheless an almost yearly occurrence, and are occasionally known to be deadly and cause major property damage.

Homoseksualnost

Although same-sex relationships are not recognized by the government, there are no laws against homosexuality in South Korea. Gay clubs and bars exist in the larger cities, though openly displaying your sexual orientation in public is still likely to be met with disapproval. South Korea has a large number of Evangelical Christians who generally strongly disapprove of homosexuality. Nevertheless, verbal and physical attacks against gay people are rare.

Conversely, platonic displays of physical affection between same-sex friends are very common, particularly when alcohol has been consumed, and holding hands with a same-sex romantic partner may be viewed in this light.

Conflict with North Korea

An understandable concern about traveling to South Korea is the possibility of war. However, while war has remained a distinct possibility ever since the end of the Korean war over 60 years ago, the North Koreans appear to have become very skilled at saber-rattling and limited provocations that are never allowed to escalate into out-and-out warfare. This is not to say that miscalculations could not spiral out of control, but simply that the odd missile launch or loudly publicized border closure does not mean war is nigh.

If a full scale war did break out between the North and South, it would almost certainly result in many casualties, military and civilian alike. If this were to happen when you are visiting Seoul, it would definitely be life-threatening. There was a great deal of brinkmanship following the appointment of Kim Jong-un as North Korea's leader, and open conflict seemed to become more likely. However, no big conflagration has broken out, and it is safe to say that the possibility of all-out war is very low, though it would be reasonable to weigh the risks when planning to visit South Korea.

There isn't really much you can do to mitigate the risk of military action. Find out the contact details of your embassy, and be aware of the current situation when traveling. Most embassies will have an evacuation strategy for their nationals in the case of war. Also be aware that Seulje Mednarodno letališče Incheon is relatively close to the North Korean border, so therefore it may not be advisable to run there looking for a flight out.

Številke za klic v sili

• Police: 112
• Fire and ambulance services: 119

Emergency-service English interpreters are available 24 hours a day.

Ostani zdrav

Fan Death An urban legend that is very prevalent in (and particular to) South Korea is the danger of fan death—that is, death occurring while sleeping in a room with an operating electric fan. Many Koreans accept it as fact without being able to provide a plausible explanation, though several theories have been floated (i.e. a vortex sucking the air out of your body is one of the more surprising ones). It may surprise you a great deal how seriously this is taken, with simple fans having elaborate safety settings. The correct explanation for this condition is straightforward hyperthermia (the body overheating), which sets in if the temperature and humidity are high, the sleeper is dehydrated, and a fan close by keeps evaporating the body's sweat. Eventually the body runs out of water due to sweat loss and becomes overheated. The risk is no greater in Korea than anywhere else with similar climate.

South Korean healthcare is known for its excellence in both research and clinical medicine, and most towns will be able to offer a high quality of healthcare. The sheer number of hospitals and specialized clinics in the country will also offer you a greater amount of choice. Healthcare is subsidized by the government and is relatively cheap compared to most western countries. Expatriate workers who have the required medical insurance card will experience further discounts. South Korea also promotes medical tourism where quality operations can be had for a fraction of the price of many other developed countries.

South Korea is especially known for having a thriving plastic surgery industry, and the vast majority of South Korean celebrities have undergone cosmetic surgery to one degree or another. It is also common for parents who can afford it to pay for their daughters to go under the knife to achieve the "perfect look". The downside is that seeing the top plastic surgeons is usually very expensive.

Most South Korean doctors can communicate well in English, being the most highly educated in the country. (Indeed, many have achieved their medical qualifications in the United States.) However, you may find them a little difficult to understand due to their Korean accent, so do ask them to slow down and go through things with you clearly. On the other hand, nurses will very rarely speak much, if any, English.

Tradicionalna kitajska medicina, along with traditional Korean medicine (한의학 hanuihak or 향약 hyangyak), is highly regarded in South Korea and involves many traditional methods including acupuncture, heating and herbal medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine has deep roots and practitioners must undergo strict government certification in order to practice. Typically Koreans use Oriental medicine for chronic ailments such as back pain and Western medicine for sudden injuries. Due to the holistic nature of Oriental medicine (i.e. treating the whole body rather than a specific ailment) it is very hard to measure its effectiveness, but nevertheless it is a widely trusted part of the Korean medical system. Western medicine, however, does not generally recognize the effectiveness of the procedures in Oriental medicine.

Lekarne are available everywhere, and are indicated by one very large word 약 (jaka). As hospitals in South Korea are not allowed to dispense take-home prescriptions there will almost always be a separate pharmacy available there.

Although there are no official vaccinations that are required or recommended for visitors, Hepatitis A is known throughout the country and attacks the liver after the host ingests contaminated food or water. Once infected, time is the only cure. The Center for Disease Control designates the prevalence of infection in South Korea to be intermediate. A vaccine is available for Hepatitis A, so you might want to consider getting vaccinated before you travel to be safe.

Tap water in South Korea is perfectly safe to drink, although you may want to follow the local habits of boiling and filtering if only to get rid of the chlorine smell. Bottled mineral water from Jeju Island is also very popular. Fresh mountain spring water is available directly in wells around the country (especially Buddhist monasteries), and although these are generally safe, the water has not been treated in any way and could be unsafe.

Spring water Koreans are especially fond of drinking mountain spring water when hiking through mountains or at monasteries, although this water is completely untreated. If you see plastic (or metal) ladles provided that are obviously in use, then the water is probably safe. Some places in Korea have communal wells set up that supply fresh water, and in theory the local government will test from time to time in order to certify the safety. The certification (or warning) will be in Korean, so you may not know if a particular water source is safe.

Spopadite se

Mediji

South Korea has several English language media sources for daily news and other information, such as the Tiskovna agencija Yonhap.

Daily newspapers in English include the Hankyoreh, The Korea Times, Korejski glasnik in Chosun Ilbo.

For television, there is an English-language channel called Arirang TV that is available throughout the world on some cable subscriptions. AFN Korea is available to U.S. military community or via cable.

V Južni Koreji je nekaj radijskih postaj v angleškem jeziku, na primer TBS e-FM (101,3 FM) in AFN (1530 AM in 102,7 FM v Seulu).

Spoštovanje

Pravila poimenovanja in načini naslova Korejska imena sledijo vzhodnoazijskemu redu priimek, ki mu sledi ime. Nekdo je poklical 홍길동 (Hong Gil Dong) ima priimek Hong in z imenom Gil Dong. Korejci pogosto, vendar ne vedno, ohranjajo svoj vzhodnoazijski red imen v angleščini. Vendar imajo mnogi Korejci angleški vzdevek (ki je lahko preprosto začetnica njihovega korejskega imena); pri uporabi bodo uporabili zahodni red imen. Korejci pri nagovarjanju drugih ljudi običajno uporabljajo tuje osebe družina in ime -ssi (씨) za večino situacij. Nagovarjanje nekoga samo z lastnim imenom se opravi le, če nagovarjate otroke osnovnošolske starosti ali mlajše ter zelo tesne prijatelje. Uporaba samo priimka se v Koreji običajno ne uporablja, saj Korejci menijo, da je to zniževalno, saj pomeni, da se pogovarjate z nekom z nižjim socialnim statusom. (Prav tako bi bilo zmedeno, saj ima skoraj polovica Korejcev eno izmed treh najpogostejših družinskih imen: Kim, Lee ali Park.) Ssi je privzeta pripona, drugi, s katerimi se lahko srečate, pa so: -nim (님) - Ljudje nad vami, od šefov do božanstev, pa tudi stranke -a / -ya (아 / 야) - ožji prijatelji in mlajši družinski člani -pištola (군) - Mladi fantje -jang (양) - Mlada dekleta Da se izognete pretirani formalnosti ali poznavanju, se držite polnega imena -ssi razen če vam oseba pove drugače. V poslovnih nastavitvah -ssi je pogosto nadomeščen z delovnim mestom / nazivom, s končnico -nim dodano na hrbtni strani na delovno mesto / naziv za ljudi na višjem položaju za vas. Pogosto se ime popolnoma izpusti, zato se zaposleni lahko preprosto obrne na predsednika podjetja sajang-nim (사장님 "Spoštovani gospod / gospa predsednica"). V angleščini je v redu, če uporabljate samo družinsko ime ali družinsko ime ter začetnice njihovega imena. Vendar je bolj primerno, da uporabite njihov naziv delovnega mesta (tudi če je zalogaj) kot "Mr./Miss". Naš primer Hong Gil Dong od prej bi ga lahko imenovali generalni direktor Hong ali generalni direktor G. D. Hong ali gospod Hong, če je uslužbenec na nižji ravni brez naziva. Če niste prepričani, kako nekoga poklicati, vas prosimo, da vprašate; celo Korejci se lahko zaradi tega zmedejo. Lahko tudi premešajo vrstni red vašega imena, pri čemer vas imenujejo gospod Janez ali predsednik Mary. (Če tvoj dano ime je Kim, da bi se izognili zmedi, boste morda želeli iti k Kimberly / Kimball. Če ste Lee, bi morda morali uporabiti drugo ime.)

Korejci, ki prihajajo iz dežele stroge konfucijanske hierarhije in bontona, veljajo za zadržane in lepo vzgojene. Kot obiskovalec ne boste pričakovali, da boste poznali vse odtenke, vendar se boste potrudili, vsekakor. Bolj ko ste oddaljeni od metropolitanskih območij, bolj konzervativni so ljudje. Kljub temu je večina Južnokorejcev tujih turistov dobrodošla in dokler boste pokazali nekaj spoštovanja do njihove kulture, se bodo potrudili, da bo vaš obisk prijeten. Ameriški obiskovalci lahko pričakujejo še posebej toplo dobrodošlico, saj večina Južnokorejcev občuduje ameriško kulturo.

Korejci večinoma razumejo tujce, ki ne poznajo vseh tradicionalnih korejskih običajev. Kljub temu jih bo upoštevanje teh pravil navdušilo:

• Korejci lok drug drugemu, da izkažeta spoštovanje ob srečanju. Lahko si tudi stisnejo roke. (Ko se rokujete, še posebej s starejšimi, podprite desno roko z levo roko.) Pri ljudeh, ki jih dobro poznate, pa hitro nagnite z glavo in preprosto "Annyeonghaseyo"(안녕하세요," Pozdravljeni ") bi moralo zadostovati.
• Zelo pomembno je, da odstranite čevlje ob vstopu v številne kraje v Koreji. Vedno se pričakuje, da si slečete čevlje v domu nekoga. Potreben je tudi v številnih dobrih restavracijah (zlasti v družinskih), manjših bolnišnicah, zdravstvenih ambulantah in zobozdravnikih. Pustite čevlje ob vhodnih vratih; na voljo so sobni copati.
• Ko se prvič sestajajo, se bodo starejši Korejci spraševali o vaši starosti, službah staršev, službi in stopnji izobrazbe. Če se zaradi vprašanj počutite nelagodno, samo dajte kratke odgovore in po možnosti diskretno poskusite spremeniti temo.
• Spoštovanje starejših je v korejski kulturi zelo pomembno in se zdi nesramno neposredno izpodbijati izjavo starejše osebe. V avtobusih in vlakih naj bi svoj sedež prepustili starejšim, nesramno pa je sedeti na prednostnih sedežih, če niste starejši, invalidi ali vidno noseči, tudi če avtobus ali vlak nista polna.
• Nikoli ne razpravljajte ali se šalite o svoji kriminalni zgodovini ali celo o zgodovini nekoga, s katerim ste povezani. Tudi če je kaznivo dejanje v vaši domovini zelo majhno, vas bodo Korejci vseeno verjetno obravnavali zelo negativno.
• Kdaj nekaj dvigniti ali nekaj vzeti od nekoga starejšega, vedno uporabite dve roki. Če morate uporabiti eno roko, lahko desno levo podprete z levo roko.
  • Vizitka (명함 myeongham), se obravnavajo zlasti spoštljivo in formalno. Način, kako ravnate z neko vizitko, predstavlja, kako ravnate z osebo. Poskrbite, da boste spakirali več, kot boste potrebovali, saj je neobstoj vizitke resna napaka. Obstaja veliko niansiranih bontonov, a tukaj je nekaj osnov:

Ko predstavljate vizitko, jo usmerite tako, da jo bo prebrala oseba, ki ji jo dajete, in jo z obema rokama predstavite ali prejmite. Mladinci najprej dajo svoje karte starejšim; ljudje enakega ranga se lahko hkrati izmenjujejo z uporabo vaše desne roke, da dajo svojo, in leve roke, da prejmejo svojo. Vzemite si čas, da preberete kartico in potrdite njihovo ime in naziv delovnega mesta. (Korejske vizitke so pogosto dvojezične, včasih na nasprotnih straneh kartice.) Po potrebi lahko zaprosite za zapisovanje zapiskov na hrbtno stran kartice. Nespoštljivo je, če zložite karto ali jo položite v zadnji žep (tam, kjer boste sedeli na njej!). Namesto tega bi morali na mizo razporediti karte (po vrstnem redu), da si boste lažje zapomnili, kdo je kdo. Ko je čas za odhod, lahko karte spakirate v lep kovček, da ostanejo nedotaknjeni; če ga nimate, se ga držite, dokler ga ne izpustite izpred pogleda, preden ga položite v žep.

• Južnokorejci imajo na splošno zelo močna nacionalistična stališča in bi na vsako kritiko svoje države gledali z različno stopnjo sovražnosti. Da ne bi prišli do slabih knjig svojih gostiteljev, je priporočljivo državo pohvaliti ali vsaj izogibati se čem negativnemu.
  • Čeprav boste morda opazili podobnosti med korejsko kulturo in sosednjo Kitajsko in Japonsko, se zavedajte, da so Korejci močno ponosni na svojo edinstveno kulturo in da ne smete pretiravati s primerjavo držav.
• Ne poskušajte pohvaliti Severne Koreje na kakršen koli način, tudi v hecu. Po drugi strani pazite, da se ne potrudite, da bi bili kritični, saj še vedno veljajo za Korejce, vi pa ste tujec.
• Južnokorejska gospodinjstva imajo pogosto stroga pravila recikliranje: en koš je lahko na primer samo za papir, drugi v kuhinji pa za posode za hrano / pijačo. Vsako korejsko okrožje ima svoj edinstven sistem recikliranja. Vreče za smeti je treba kupiti v supermarketu in morajo biti take vrste, kot je določeno v vašem lokalnem okrožju.
• Nikoli si ne pijte lastne pijače, ko jedite s Korejci, ampak vedno prevzemite pobudo za točenje za druge. Ko obedujejo s Korejci, naj starejši ali starejši vedno jedo prvi.
• Običajno lahko v restavracijah slišimo ljudi, ki se glasno pogovarjajo v znak sreče in uživanja v hrani. Vedno pa ne pozabite vljudno ravnati pred starejšimi, še posebej za mizo. Korejci mislijo, da je glasen zvok pred starejšimi ljudmi nesramen.
• Podobno kot njihovi kitajski in japonski sosedje tudi Korejci zelo močno poudarjajo "reševanje obraza". Če niste v položaju starejše starosti, vam svetujemo, da ne opozarjate na napake drugih, da ne bi povzročali večje zadrege.

Nacionalna vprašanja

Glede na dolgo zgodovino neželenih posegov tujih držav v Korejo so Korejci razumljivo precej občutljivi politične razprave. Izogibajte se razpravi o naslednjih temah, saj nikoli ne bodo dosegle ničesar, ampak vas bodo spravile na slabo stran:

• Japonskaaneksija in surova kolonizacija Koreje do leta 1945
• Nezadostno priznanje in opravičilo Japonske zaradi spolnega zasužnjevanja korejskih "tolažilk" med drugo svetovno vojno
• Japonske ozemeljske zahteve nad južnokorejskim otokom Dokdo
• Korejska vojna in kar koli drugega Severna Koreja
• Slabo vedenje posameznih pripadnikov ameriške vojske, nameščene v Južni Koreji
• Vsakršno spoštovanje južnokorejske vojske do ameriške vojske
• Vse mednarodne športne polemike, v katerih sodelujejo južnokorejski športniki
• Ne omenjajte morja vzhodno od Južne Koreje kot "Japonsko morje" (čeprav je to daleč najbolj sprejeto ime na mednarodni ravni). Vedno ga imenujte "Vzhodno morje" (동해 Donghae).
• MV Sewol trajektna katastrofa aprila 2014. Brez pretiravanja lahko rečemo, da je bila država zaradi tega incidenta zelo travmatizirana in da je bilo v naslednjih mesecih odpovedanih veliko zabavnih programov. Okoli tega se dogaja veliko introspekcije, čeprav kot tujec vaših prispevkov morda ne bodo cenili. Solidarnost je prikazana z rumenimi trakovi, zato se prepričajte, da se ob številnih trakovih ne šalite, ko jih vidite.

Če gostitelji pripravijo kakršne koli take teme, je najbolje, da ostanete nevtralni in se izognete kakršnim koli debatam. Igranje zagovornika hudiča v Koreji res ni cenjeno.

Religija

Religija v Južni Koreji se je sčasoma zelo spremenila, saj sta bili v zadnjih stoletjih zatirani glavni religiji budizma in krščanstva. Danes slaba polovica Korejcev trdi, da nimajo verske pripadnosti. Med različnimi skupinami praktično ni napetosti, pri čemer je vera običajno osebna izbira.

Budizem je bila v preteklosti glavna religija v Koreji (čeprav pogosto zatirana v korist kitajskega konfucianizma), budistični templji pa so glavne turistične atrakcije po vsej državi. Kot v Indija, Kitajska, in v drugih državah obstajajo budistične svastike, ki predstavljajo srečo, razstavljene v verskih zgradbah. Opazili boste, da so v resnici narisani obratno od tistega, ki so ga uporabljali v nacistični Nemčiji, in nikakor ne predstavljajo antisemitizma. Pri obisku budističnih templjev morate biti spoštljivi, saj ne smete preveč hrupiti, jesti ali piti.

Južna Koreja ima visok delež Kristjani (18% prebivalstva je protestantov in 11% rimskokatoliških) in na desetine cerkva je mogoče najti v popolnoma vseh večjih mestih. Protestanti v Južni Koreji so ponavadi močno konzervativni in pogosto zelo evangeličanski, zato pošiljajo veliko misijonarjev v tujino (v tem pogledu tekmujejo z ZDA). Katoličani v svojo vero pogosto kombinirajo elemente budizma, konfucijanstva in korejskega šamanizma. V Južni Koreji je tudi nešteto novih religij, ki temeljijo na krščanstvu (na primer Cerkev Združevanja), ki bi jih drugi lahko šteli za sporne ali krivoverce. Tako neznanci kot znanci vas pogosto prosijo, da pridete v njihovo cerkev, čeprav v primeru, da zavrnete, običajno ne bo žal.

Korejski šamanizem, znano tudi kot muizem, je avtohtona religija korejskega ljudstva že od antičnih časov. Čeprav mu danes sledi manj kot 1% Južnokorejcev, večina ljudi ve, njegove prakse in prepričanja do neke mere še vedno izvajajo, saj so bili vključeni v krščanske in budistične obrede.

Konfucijanstvo je bila v zgodovini Koreje pogosto promovirana kot državna vera, in čeprav je danes le nekaj privržencev, bo večina Korejcev seznanjena z njenimi nauki in praksami, pa tudi danes morajo vladni uradniki še vedno opravljati konfucijanske izpite.

Kajenje

Medtem kajenje v Koreji ni tako priljubljen kot na Japonskem ali Kitajskem, kadijo številni Korejci in vedno večje število Korejk, v primerjavi z večino Evrope in Amerike pa je precej poceni. Dvajset paketov stane približno 5000 JPY, cigarete pa lahko kupite v vseh trgovinah. Korejci dajejo prednost blagim cigaretam (približno 6 mg katrana), zato so cigarete korejske proizvodnje lahko okusa in okusa v primerjavi s tistimi iz Amerike ali Evrope, celo zahodne cigarete korejske proizvodnje so veliko lažje od originalov (npr. Marlboro Reds polne trdnosti v Koreji imajo samo 8 mg katrana, enako kot Marlboro Lights v ZDA). Če imate raje močnejše cigarete, je pametno, da s seboj vzamete nekaj brezcarinskih cigaret.

Kajenje je prepovedano v javnih zgradbah, javnem prevozu in restavracijah. Različne ustanove bodo tiho dovolile kajenje kljub prepovedi, čeprav vam v strahu pred pravnimi posledicami nikoli ne bodo izrecno povedale, da lahko kadite. Kajenje v javnosti je prav tako prepovedano, vendar to večinoma ni prepovedano in mesta za kajenje so redka.

Kadilke lahko na nekatere Korejke dajo negativen vtis, saj kajenje v Koreji ne velja za žensko.

Povežite se

Po telefonu

Za klice v Južno Korejo je koda države 82. Predpone za mednarodno klicanje v Južni Koreji se razlikujejo glede na operaterja.

Mobilni telefoni

Južna Koreja namerava ukiniti svoje zadnje omrežje 2G leta 2021, zato mobilni telefoni 2G (GSM ali CDMA) ne bodo delovali. Če pa imate 3G telefon s 3G kartico SIM, lahko verjetno potujete po UMTS / W-CDMA 2100 omrežja KT ali SK Telecom; Pred odhodom se prepričajte pri domačem operaterju, da se prepričate. 4G LTE je na voljo v Koreji; ponovno preverite pri svojem ponudniku.

Država ima tri ponudnike storitev: KT, SK Telecom in LG U . Ponujajo predplačniške storitve mobilne telefonije ("predplačniška storitev" ali "PPS"). Dohodni klici so brezplačni. Telefone in predplačniške storitve je mogoče kupiti na kateri koli maloprodajni lokaciji v kateri koli ulici (za Korejce). Rabljeni telefoni so na voljo tudi v izbranih trgovinah v Ljubljani Seul.

Pokritost z mobilnimi telefoni je na splošno odlična, z izjemo nekaterih oddaljenih gorskih predelov. SK Telecom ima najboljšo pokritost, sledita ji olleh (KT) in LG U.

Kot tujec brez korejskega prebivališča so vaše izbire:

• Kupite predplačniško kartico SIM v trgovini olleh expat (na voljo 3 dni po prihodu v Južno Korejo)
• Najem telefona z letališča (drago - najbolje za kratke obiske)
• Uporaba gostovanja v telefonu, če je na voljo pri domačem ponudniku
• Izposodite si telefon od korejskega prebivalca
• Korejski prebivalec naj si nabavi drugo kartico SIM in jo izposodi vam
• Uporaba Internetna telefonija (npr. Skype) prek številnih razpoložljivih mest Wi-Fi

Če želite kupiti predplačniško kartico SIM, bi morali imeti predplačniško kartico SIM na enem od prodajnih mest olleh. V Koreji morate biti vsaj 3 dni in imeti s seboj potni list. Provizija za predplačniško kartico SIM znaša 5.500 JPY, na mestu pa morate plačati vsaj 10.000 JPY. Imeti morate tudi združljiv telefon. Vsi sodobni telefoni iPhone (3GS in novejši) bi morali delovati. Za vsa vprašanja se obrnite na olleh expat na @olleh_expats na Twitterju.

Vsi operaterji ponujajo storitve izposoje mobilnih telefonov, nekateri telefoni pa podpirajo tudi gostovanje GSM SIM. Prodajna mesta imajo na letališčih Incheon, Seul – Gimpo in Busan – Gimhae. Na letališču Jeju najdete servisne centre za KT SHOW in SK Telecom. Stroški se začnejo od 2000 ₩ / dan, če rezervirate vnaprej prek spletno mesto visitkorea za popust in zagotovljeno razpoložljivost.

Napravo 4G WiBro lahko najamete med 5000 in 10.000 JPY na dan za neomejen dostop, čeprav pokritost ni vedno na voljo zunaj večjih mest in na zaprtih območjih.

Storitev 1330 Korea Travel Phone je zelo koristna storitev korejske turistične organizacije. To je 24-urna storitev in je na voljo v štirih različnih jezikih (korejski, angleški, japonski in kitajski). Operater bo odgovoril na vprašanja o voznem redu avtobusov, nastanitvah, urah muzejev itd.

Mednarodno priljubljena aplikacija za pošiljanje sporočil WhatsApp v Južni Koreji ni priljubljena. Večina Južnokorejcev uporablja lokalno aplikacijo KaKaoTalk namesto tega.

Po internetu

Južna Koreja je najbolj žična država na svetu in internetne kavarne, znane kot PC pok (PC 방), so povsod po vsej državi. Večina strank je na voljo za igre na srečo, vendar lahko prosto sedite in vnašate e-pošto. Običajni stroški znašajo približno 1.000–2.000 / / uro, čeprav lahko razkošnejša mesta zaračunajo več. Večina računalnikov je ponavadi samo gotovina. Prigrizki in pijače so na voljo v večini računalnikov. Kajenje je v računalniku bang prepovedano, vendar bodo številne trgovine tiho soglašale s kajenjem, kljub temu, da če izrecno zahtevajo (iz pravnih razlogov) navedejo drugače.

Po vsej Južni Koreji je na voljo tudi veliko brezplačnega brezžičnega interneta.

Večina gospodinjstev v Južni Koreji ima širokopasovne povezave z Wi-Fi, večina pa je privzeto šifrirana.

ollehWiFi je ena najpogostejših dostopnih točk Wi-Fi, ki je na voljo in zahteva plačilo. Storitev je hitra (30 Mb / s) in cene so poceni - 1.100 JPY / uro ali 3.300 JPY / dan. Storitev lahko v napravi kupite s kreditno kartico ali z gotovino ali kartico v večini trgovin. ollehWiFi je na voljo v najbolj priročnih trgovinah, kavarnah, nekaterih martih, restavracijah, medkrajevnih avtobusih ter na vseh podzemnih in podzemnih postajah v metropolitanskem območju Seula.

Veriga Starbucks Coffee ponuja tudi brezžični internet, vendar boste za njeno uporabo potrebovali južnokorejsko telefonsko številko. Številne druge kavarne ponujajo brezplačen brezžični internet brez potrebe po registraciji. ollehWiFi bi moral biti na voljo tudi v vseh trgovinah Starbucks.

Južnokorejska spletna mesta pogosto zahtevajo Windows in Microsoft Internet Explorer, zlasti tista, ki vključujejo spletno plačevanje. Kot drugod v Aziji postaja veliko storitev na voljo predvsem za mobilne telefone Kakao Talk najbolj priljubljena.

Po pošti

Korea Post je hiter, zanesljiv in cenovno ugoden. Poštnina za dopisnico kjer koli na svetu znaša 660 JPY, pisma in paketi pa od 480 JPY. Če želite dejanske tradicionalne znamke, jih obvezno povprašajte, sicer boste dobili le natisnjeno etiketo. Na zahtevo lepe "turistične" odpovedi (Gwangwang Tongsin Ilbuin) za vaše znamke so na voljo na izbranih poštah brez doplačila. Korea Post sprejema kartice Visa in MasterCard za nakupe nad 1.000 JPY.

Večina pošt je odprtih le M-F 09: 00-18: 00. Večje pošte odprejo tudi soboto zjutraj, centralne pisarne v glavnih mestih pa ostanejo odprte pozno in so odprte tudi ob nedeljah.