South Korea is a country of contrasts. Modern technologies and old Asian traditions are unusually and harmoniously combined there. Every journey to this astonishing country reveals many new secrets and mysteries.
Here are a few of the most remarkable findings from South Korea that are sure to amaze you:
1. State support of pregnant women
Pregnant women in South Korea receive a credit card from the government that has $500 on it. A future mom can spend the money on medical treatment and any necessary medicine. A woman can also get a social trinket that allows for comfortable use of public transportation. On the subway, the seats for pregnant women are marked with a pink color. The trinket activates that sign so that every passenger knows that there's an expectant mother in the car. That's especially helpful for women in the early stages of pregnancy. There are special parking places for future mothers too.
2. Almost all bus stops have an information panel with the bus schedule on it.
All the buses in the country are new and equipped with air conditioning. Also, the drivers wear uniforms with white gloves and sunglasses. The buses operate all day and all night. At the same time, a taxi ride would be approximately the same cost as a bus for three to four people.
3. It is permitted to try food in supermarkets.
In most Korean supermarkets, unlimited food is available for testing. No one controls how much food a customer tests before they buy it... or not buy it.
4. Koreans love to give and accept practical gifts.
A traditional gift at a housewarming party in South Korea is a couple of rolls of toilet paper rolls. Koreans think that the length of the rolls implies longevity. They also appreciate practical gifts, particularly those that can be eaten. For instance, management of a South Korean company presented their employees with food baskets. Those baskets in different combinations can be bought in any supermarket before big festivities.
5. TV hosts wear national clothes on the Korean New Year.
6. Each kindergarten has a uniform in a specific color so that kids will not be lost in the crowd during walks in the city.
7. Churches offer small but kind gifts to their parish.
Quarterly, big churches arrange free visits to dentists and hairstylists for their parish. They have several representatives that actively recruit people and businesses who wish to participate. The most popular invitation is the distribution of free wet wipes with a church address on them. By the way, the country has the most visited church worldwide with the parish consisting of over a million people per year.
8. High school students study until midnight.
Korean kids have to hit the books a lot. Elementary school students have classes from the well kindof crack of dawn (9 am) all the way to 6 pm, secondary school students go home at 10 pm, while high school students must sometimes study until 1 am. School libraries are open 24/7, especially for these occasions. However, intense cramming doesn’t help a student’s brilliance; it sometimes has the opposite effect. Many children lose interest in hobbies because they don’t have time for their personal life.
9. Couples wear similar outfits.
Every Korean couple in love lets people around know that they're together. One way to do that is wearing similar clothes. Couples find a lot of paired clothes and shoes in local shops for young as well as not so young people who love each other.
10. The best gratitude to a teacher is sweets or a cup of coffee.
Big gifts to teachers or public officials are perceived as bribes. Parents and kids who wish to show their gratitude to a teacher usually offer sweets or a cup of coffee.
11. Themed subway cars
There are many themed subway cars dedicated to specific cartoon characters. Stations are announced with the voices of these characters while their physical embodiments are placed on seats.
12. The country is isolated and doesn’t know Western world's traditions.
If you ask a Korean to name you a famous international singer, they would hardly be able of answering your question. They almost never listen to music from other countries. Also, they don’t watch Western movies, and they don’t know Western traditions. The most incredible fact is that they don’t even have geography as a class at school! At the same time, they would be happy to tell you about the representatives of K-pop. The South Korean youth's favorite music band is the boy band BTS.
13. They don’t eat dogs, as many would expect.
Almost the entire South Korean young generation has never tried dog meat. Nevertheless, it is still possible to try this dish there, but it’s costly. Modern Korean cuisine is very healthy. They usually eat grilled meat (without oil), plenty of vegetables and plants, and of course, rice. But even more than rice, Koreans love drinking coffee.
14. There is a lack of trash bins and a lot of public toilets.
There are no trash bins in the country because Koreans are very tidy. There are public toilets in every subway station and each park. The restrooms are neat and clean with separate cabins for disabled people. Also, women’s toilets always have special tables for changing diapers.
15. Their workaholism is limitless.
The government of South Korea has recently decided to fight workaholism as it has become a disease around the country. Computers of office workers who work overtime are to be turned off on Friday evening. The measure is necessary to help people live a healthy life. This innovation is theoretically supposed to be applied to everybody, but some exclusions can be made on special occasions. However, not all Koreans appreciate the new rule. 67 percent of public officials are required to be excluded from this compulsory procedure.
Reference: Brightside
which one is incredible?
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