Korea & Korean Culture A-Z

Korea and its culture from 'accommodation' to 'zodiac', 'blue house' to 'yogwan', 'chaebol' to 'won'.

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A = Accommodation, Amur River, Andong, Anju (bar snacks), Armies (2,000,000 troops in the DMZ).

The Korean War: An Oral History
by Donald Knox.

B = Bae Yong-joon (Yonsama), Banks (& money), Beaches, Blue House (Korean equivalent of US White House), Books on Korea, Board game cafes, Buddha, Buddhism, Buk (north), Buldak (fire chicken), "Burberry Man" (flasher), Buses, Busan (Pusan).

Democracy and Authority in Korea
by Geir Helgesen.

C = Chaebol or Jaebol (Korean conglomerates), Cheju (Jeju), Cheongdo So Ssa-eum (Korean Bull Fighting), Chongju, Chinju, Chun Doo-hwan, City Guides, COEX Mall in Seoul (world's largest internet cafe), Confucianism, Costs.

D = Dae (big), Dangun (mythical founder of Korea), DPRK (the North), Daegu (Taegu), Daejeon, DMZ (Demilitarized Zone or the largest militarized area on the planet), Dogs (still on some back-street menus), Dokdo (Takeshima to the Japanese) - disputed island, Dong (east), Drinking in Korea, Durumagi (traditional Korean coat).

E = Economy, Embassies, Evangelism (big in Korea, see Moonies). Ewha Woman's (sic) University (reputedly the world's largest women's university).

F = Facts & figures, Ferries to Korea (from Japan and China), Flights to Korea, Folk Village near Suwon (step back in time), Food.

G = Ginseng, Garlic, Gwangju, G.O.D. (no not Him, the band), Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gyeongju (Kyongju), Gyopo (Koreans living overseas).

The Korean Kitchen
by Copeland Marks.

H = Hae (sea), Haeundae Beach, Hagwon (cram school), Hangul (the language), Hof (the pub, pronounced ‘hopu’), Hite (the beer), H.O.T (the band), Hiddink (the ex-manager of the Korean soccer team and national hero), Hompy (homepage), Hostels, Hotels, Hot springs, Hurshimchung Spa

I = Images of Korea, Imjin River, Incheon, Insa-dong, Insam (ginseng),  Itaewon, Itaewon bars (entertainment area in Seoul, see Hof).

J = Jeonju, Jimjilbangs (huge sauna complexes for all the family - eat, sleep, watch movies etc), Juche (Revolutionary principles of North Korea)

Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State
Religion by Thomas J. Belke.

K = KTX (new high speed train), Kim Il Sung (The 'Great Leader' of the North, died 1994), Kim Jong Il (the son), Kim (20% of the population), Kim Dae-Jung, Kimpo airport, K-pop (gayo), Kimchi, K.League (the soccer), KNTO (Korea National Tourist Organization), Korean War (1950-53), Kyongju

Kim Il Sung's North Korea
by H-L. Hunter, S. J. Solarz.

L = Language, Lotte World (huge amusement park in Seoul). Useful Links for when travelling to and within Korea.

M = Makkeolli (rice wine), Maps, Moonies (largest ever mass wedding - 720,000 tied the knot in Seoul 1995), M.A.S.H. (suicide is painless), Minbak (rented rooms), movies (popular throughout Asia).

N = Nam (south), The National Theater of Korea, Nocheonnyu (unmarried woman), Noraebang (karaoke box), North Korea 1, Italy 0 (1966 World Cup, mamma mia!). South Korea 2, Italy 1 (2002 World Cup, mamma mia, ancora!), Noryangjin Fish Market.

0 = Ohmy News, Olympics 1988, oncheon (hot spring), ondol (underfloor heating in hotels), onchon (hot springs).

P = Panmunjom, Park Chu Young (the new Korean soccer hero), Park Chung-hee, Photos of Korea, Park Chung Hee (president 1961-1979, assassinated by KCIA chief), Pulgogi (barbecued beef), Pyeongchang, Pyongyang.

Q = Queen Min (popular royal assassinated in 1895).

R = Rainfall in Korea, Reunification Buddha (largest in the world), Roh Tae-woo, ROK (the South), Ramyeon (noodles), Red Devils (Korean fans in the 'Be The Reds T-shirts').

S = San (mountain), Seo (west), Seogwipo, Seoul, Seoul Attractions, Seoul Station, Silla (old kingdom), Sogaeting (blind date), Soju (strong vodka-like drink),   Sounds of Korea, Ssireum (wrestling), Sunshine Policy (rapprochement with the North, smile please!), Starcraft (popular video game), Shinhwa (the band), Suwon.

T = Taeguk (Korean flag), Taekwondo, Tap (pagoda),  Taxis, Telephone numbers, Temperatures, Temples, Time, Traditional patterns, Travel information, Types of accommodation

U = US Army presence = 34,000 GIs - down to 24,000 by 2008/ Japan (47,000 US soldiers), Ulsan, UNESCO World Heritage Sites

The US Army in Korea 1950-1953
by Christopher J. Anderson.

V = Visas, Volvo (Swedes buy into Hyundai).

Haynes Automotive Repair Manuals
by Ed Scott, John H.
Haynes.

W = Weather, Woeguk-in (foreigner), Wolmido (historical area of Incheon), Won (the cash).

X = X chromosome (having two of these is a definite liability in Korean society).

Insight Guide Korea (Insight Guides)
by Tom Le Bas.

Y = Yogwan (traditional guesthouse, see ondol), Yongsan,  Youth Hostels, Yuhaeng (trendy).

Z = Zodiac

Sources of Korean Tradition (Introduction to Asian Civilizations)
by Yong-Ho Ch'Oe (Editor).