If you have a medical emergency in Korea, dial 119 from any phone. That one number covers ambulances and fire, and a ride in a public 119 ambulance is free of charge. When the dispatcher answers in Korean, say “English” and stay on the line so an interpreter can be added to the call. The…
Everyday life in Korea is mostly just normal life to me, and I don’t notice most of these things until I try to picture a first-time visitor running into them. I’ve never really questioned them. They’re things I grew up with. So I started thinking about the ones that might make me stop and ask,…
South Korea has around 55,000 convenience stores, a number close to or matching Japan’s — but when you factor in population size, Korea actually has roughly twice the store density of Japan, with one store for roughly every 900 to 950 people. It’s close to midnight, and the convenience store near my place is still…
Korean Drinking Culture The first company dinner I ever brought a foreign coworker to, he grabbed his own beer and started pouring it himself. Nobody said anything, but a couple of the older guys paused for half a second. That’s basically Korean drinking culture in one moment — it looks casual on the surface, but…
Korean Convenience Store Culture I’ve watched a lot of foreign friends walk past a Korean convenience store without a second thought, assuming it’s just chips and gum like back home. Then I watch their face change completely the first time they actually step inside a CU or GS25 at midnight and see a line of…
Korean Age System Explained – The Day I Turned Three Years Old Overnight Every year around New Year’s Day, I watch the same scene play out. A foreign friend gets told “happy birthday” on January 1st, and their face just goes blank. Their actual birthday is nowhere near that date. As a Korean, I’ve explained…
