Discover Korea Now

  What Foreigners Really Think About Everyday Korean Habits When you first arrive in South Korea , you might expect high-tech cities, K-pop playlists in every café, and a sea of neon-lit signs. But what surprises most foreigners isn’t the speed of the Wi-Fi or the style of the cafés — it’s the invisible code of social behavior that shapes daily life. A viral YouTube video titled “Things That Are Normal in Korea but Strange Abroad (and Vice Versa)” captured just that. In it, people from Australia , Norway , Switzerland , Belgium , and Israel share candid stories about what felt “off” or “odd” during their time in Korea. The result isn’t a criticism, but rather a fascinating mirror reflecting how deeply culture shapes what we call “normal.” 1. A Compliment or an Insult? The “You Gained Weight” Paradox For Koreans, commenting on someone’s appearance is often a sign of affection — a way of showing attention or familiarity. Saying “You lost weight!” or “You look bigger than ...

  Why Your Best Day in Korea Might Happen Outside Seoul Leave Seoul ’s lights for an hour or two and the tempo shifts. Footsteps ease, rice fields replace billboards, and someone—often an older neighbor—asks where you’re from and which local dish you’ve tried. The moment curiosity turns into hospitality , your trip starts to breathe. Seoul is generous with choices: palaces and city walls, museums and towers, even a day trip to the DMZ . It’s a perfect first base. But in the countryside you trade “filling the schedule” for leaving a little blank space . In those empty margins, frogs sing at dusk, a breeze picks up over the paddies, and a stranger’s small kindness redraws your map for the day. The scenery is full of good surprises. A run of old tile roofs ends—and suddenly a modern bridge leaps across a river, or a tall apartment stack rises behind a mountain shoulder. It’s Korea in a single frame: past and present sharing the same picture without crowding each other out. Peopl...

 When I first landed in South Korea , I thought I knew what to expect: skyscrapers , K-pop , crowded streets in Seoul . But within days I discovered something deeper — places where silence, sea, temples , and small alleys whispered stories that no guidebook fully captures. If you’re planning a trip to Korea and want more than just the usual highlights, let me take you by the hand and lead you through the spots that touched my heart. These aren’t the most famous places (though some overlap), but those that unexpectedly became my favorites. In this article, I’ll share my personal experiences—why these sites moved me, what they felt like in the moment, and practical tips you can use. By the end, you’ll want to trace your own paths through mountains, riversides, and historic towns. 1. Escape to Nature: Bukhansan National Park — Seoul’s Green Secret Many visitors don’t realize that Seoul is cradled by gentle mountains. Bukhansan is one peak that always stayed with me. At first, I ass...