Before reading this book, you probably had some moments of curiosity in your life where you questioned certain things about Korean culture. Why is there a Pepsi logo on the Korean flag? Why do Korean kids in my class only have like... three last names (Kim, Lee, Park)? If you are a K-Drama addict, and even took the time to watch variety shows with your favorite idols, your thoughts and interest towards Korea may have grown even deeper! What does 'Korea' mean, and why do Koreans love kimchi so much?
Maybe, if you're a Koreaboo, you may wonder why you become a year (or two years) older as soon as arriving in Korea, why there's so much drama in those street tent bars, and how Koreans drink so much soju from those infamous green bottles. And, probably the question on everyone's mind in 2020, why is BTS so dang popular (honorable mention: What the heck does "Gangnam Style" mean)?
Well, if you get lost in translation, you can simply look up the word in the dictionary or on the latest phone app. But what if you get lost between cultures and there's no one to kindly fill you in on what's going on? You can get by with a lucky guess, but not only is there no guarantee that you will get lucky next time, but you are also missing a valuable opportunity to learn about Korean culture indepthly!
Regardless of who you are and where you come from - a K-Pop/K-Drama fanatic, an expat living in Korea, a student who just got accepted to study abroad in Korea (congrats!), or even a second-generation Gyopo from the Korean diaspora, you no longer have to stay puzzled and irritated by not being able to understand the peculiarities you find in Korea overall!
This book is jam-packed with over 350 essential topics and most frequently asked questions, covering every aspect of Korean culture by laying out all the details on the "Five Ws (Who, What, When, Where, Why) and How." After reading, you can fully understand Korea and appreciate its culture inside and out!
Most importantly, we've written this book with people like you in mind, so having zero knowledge about Korea is absolutely fine! However, if you are the proud K-Culture know-it-all of your friend group you can put your knowledge to the test and even learn some new interesting facts to surprise your friends with by jumping between sections of your choice.
To maximize your learning, we've included the following in every section!
- QR Code For YouTube Clips: Let's see how Koreans do it in real life! Scan the QR code with your smartphone and you will be taken to amazing YouTube clips which will help you understand.
- Must-See Korean Dramas, Movies, and Documentaries: We've carefully selected a list of titles that can help you further appreciate the topic.
- Must-Know Terms and People: We've marked important Korean terms with Bold and Italics so you can use them as a study aid!
By the time you've finished the last chapter, you will have learned so much about Korea, including all the minute details! (E.g., Why do Koreans love sitting on the floor? Why is it rude to pour drinks with one hand?)
An added bonus is that Korean dramas, movies, and K-Pop music videos and lyrics will mean so much more! So next time you hang out with a Korean friend, you can flaunt your knowledge by telling them why you hit the neck of the bottle with a Taekwondo chop when opening it (don't forget to turn your body away when drinking with an older person).
And if someone compliments you for having a "Small face," you will correctly respond by saying "Thank you." Now let's start this book with an example of "Bbali Bbali" culture - hurry up and start reading!