I'm Korean, AMA

[NightsIn]

I'm a Korean mum of one. I used to live in the UK for two years.

If you have any questions about culture, life, coronavirus, education, politics, language, child rearing, food or amything else in Korea, let me know!

(I'm not really up to date with the latest music/dramas, so might not be able to answer much about that but I can try!!)

"luckily my partner is not the type to go shirtless in public as I dont like it myself."

No I don't mean the men, I mean the women! I see foreign women showing too much chest and it is not good for us. People can get the wrong idea

"What were the strangest things you found about living in Britain?"

How almost no one lives in a high rise apartment and no one wants to (for us, it is the best place to live)

It's so strange to talk to older people by their first name

And I saw people running outside all the time, we only run in the gym

That's really interesting! Yeah houses are definitely preferred here. Even in London the ideal is generally a house, but I think because they're so expensive and everyone wants land. Someone once said "the home is an Englishman's castle".

Why do you think apartments are seen as better?

Also (if it's not too personal!) How big is your apartment? Is this a typical size for where you live?

Also what do people do about space? Do you have much space to relax at home or do people not really do this?

Do you think you will have more children? (Again sorry if too personal).

After women have children, do they find new jobs? What do you think you'll do?

Interesting! Why do you like highrises?

I wonder if in this country they've got a bad name because of poor building standards, lack of maintenance of services such as lifts, a reputation for being in bad areas with antisocial behaviour and no community feeling.

My uncle lived in the Barbican in London in the 80s and it was amazing - I'd love to live in a highrise like that, but we tend to yearn for our own space (noone above, below or to either side) and a garden.

@sleepyhead and council properties generally.

I used to live in a high rise and also liked it but really missed the lack of space and garden! Plus there is no community and they aren't built as well (at least mine wasn't). No air con etc. Summer and lockdown would've been awful there!

And I saw people running outside all the time, we only run in the gym

Is air quality in Seoul one of the reasons why people choose to run indoors? I have heard that it has problems with small particulate pollution/dust.

Also, what is the water quality like in the Han River? Does it have much fish life/wildlife or is it polluted?

"Why do you think apartments are seen as better?"

They're a better investment and usually estates have facilities like convenience stores or gyms. And it's safer for children to play there.

"Also (if it's not too personal!) How big is your apartment? Is this a typical size for where you live?"

Just a normal size, I don't think it's different to British house sizes.

"Also what do people do about space? Do you have much space to relax at home or do people not really do this?"

People normally meet friends outside. Cafe or restaurant is usual, for teenagers maybe PC cafe is more usual. We don't invite friends to our house usually.

"Do you think you will have more children? (Again sorry if too personal)."

No I don't think so

"After women have children, do they find new jobs? What do you think you'll do?"

Some continue, some find new jobs, some take part time job eg in cafe and most just stay at home. I will just stay at home and take care of my son's education.

"Why do you like highrises?"

It's just the best place to live. Small apartments don't have facilities and there are no houses except in the countryside.

"Is air quality in Seoul one of the reasons why people choose to run indoors? I have heard that it has problems with small particulate pollution/dust."

I don't know why, we just don't. There is a lot of dust in spring but anyway, it would be strange to go running outside.

"Also, what is the water quality like in the Han River? Does it have much fish life/wildlife or is it polluted?"

There must be fish because I see men fishing but like any river in the middle of a city, it probably isn't very clean.

This is for my husband. Do you think that there could possibly be an ancient connection between South India and Korea? When he was working there he said he felt like he was hearing Tamil on public transport. A few words that we know seem very similar eg amma- mum appa- dad bissebelebat/bibimbap - both a rice dish with veges etc in it. He also thought that there were some very 'Indian' looking people with darker skin tones and strong, really thick bkack hair.

In our history, there is one princess who is said to be Indian, so maybe?

@BiscuitLovers098124 theres a very very high abortion rate. Theres so much stigma against unwed mothers, terrible/lacking sex ed, and many korean men hate condoms. In Seoul the backstreet abortion places are mostly in Hongdae. It will be legalised next month. Its very rare for a single Korean woman not to terminate. KUMFA supports those who do.

Are the levels of stress and the intense working culture accepted by most people or is there any fight against it - eg campaigns for more holiday leave & better work life balance.

Is there a big drinking culture?

Very interesting and very sad about the abortion rate.

Hope you're still around op!

I’m still watching for updates because this has been a very interesting thread, but feel like I’ve had more than my fair share of questions. I do have one about the recent increase in COVID cases, but I’ll sit on it & give others some space.

@NightsIn I'm not sure if you're still reading this thread but I'll post anyway. I quite like some of the Korean skincare brands, is there any particular retailer you'd recommend that's good for getting hold of this sort of stuff in the UK? I also like the exfoliating cloths but they seem quite expensive online & prices vary massively on Amazon, Ebay etc. I looked on the link for the retailer you posted earlier in the thread, but they mostly seem to sell food.

Very interesting thread, BTW, thanks!

Do you think Psy Gangnam Style is a brilliant cultural export, or does it make you cringe? (For what it’s worth, my kids still love it, my 19 month old boy is utterly fascinated by the video, and already does the little dance...)

‘SerenityNowwwww

Is Spam a delicacy anywhere?‘

Okinawa?

@Mimishimi
You have asked an interesting question. Here what I have found online :"In 2011, Jung Nam Kim, president of the Korean Society of Tamil Studies, mentioned that the similarities between Korean and Dravidian are strong, but he also said that this does not prove a genetic link between Dravidian and Korean, and that more research needs to be done."
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dravido-Korean_languages