Here are some of the things I found most interesting about South Korea...
Imagine a typical cafe; coffee, tea, pastries and comfortable chairs and tables scattered with people reading or working on their laptops. Now, throw in twenty or so cats, some cat furniture, and cat toys. Now you have a cat cafe, a completely normal finding in Seoul. Apparently there are dog cafes and even a sheep cafe too, but cat cafes are by far the most popular.
A job as a professional video game player is a reputable job in Korea. And going to e-stadiums to watch a live competition is a completely normal weeknight outing. Being surrounded by hundreds of Korean teenage boys cheering on their favorite team was quite the experience.
Koreans know how to drink. From soju (Korean distilled rice liquor) to makgeolli (Korean rice wine), there is an alcohol that goes with every meal!
It's completely normal to eat octopus legs while they are still alive and suctioning. Dosed in sesame oil, I have to admit, it wasn't too bad.
Korean BBQ is delicious (although I haven't yet developed a liking for kimchi), but the best part is the sucking tube that sucks away all the excess smoke!
In Korea, almost every restaurant will deliver (even fast food restaurants like McDonald's). But, that's not the interesting part. The delivery man will provide the customer with plates and cutlery, that he will late come back again an hour or two later to pick up.
Plastic surgery is surprisingly cheap, and very common in South Korea. According to a survey 1 in 5 Korean women has had plastic surgery. Eyelid surgery to create a double lid and nose jobs to lengthen and thin the nose are the most popular surgeries. I hadn't even known that eyelid surgery existed!
It's very common for Koreans to meet their husband or wife with the help of a matchmaker. Many Koreans are brought to a matchmaker by their parents, hoping to find a match belonging to a similar social class. The matchmaker arranges a meeting-- typically the man pays for the date, and the woman pays the matchmaker a fee in advance. If the match is a success, and the couple decides to get married, the matchmaker receives a hefty bonus (anywhere from $2000 - $10,000).
Koreans are born being one year old. And everyone turns a year older as the year changes. So, if a baby is born on December 31st, they become 2 years old on January 1st.
People in South Korea stereotype one another based on their blood type. In case you're wondering, type A's tend to be conservative, punctual, loyal, introverted and a bit uptight. Type B's are creative and passionate, but also lazy and impatient. Type AB, cool and calm, although a little elitist and judgmental; type O, ambitious and athletic, but also egotistical.
