Korean Society

Drinking Culture in Korea

The Korean drinking culture is well known as Korea has the highest per capital alcohol consumption in the world. An unsuspecting foreigner might have a hard recovery time the next day after a night out on the town with well seasoned Korean drinker. Drinking alcohol is taken very seriously in Korea and there is a protocol that should be followed.

Korean culture and customs revolve around respect and adhere to Confucian principles where elders are highly regarded. In fact, despite South Korea's tremendous economic rise after World War II and an economy that is soon expected to break into the top ten in the world, the country remains one of the most Confucian nations in the world.

When greeting someone Koreans shake hands and bow at the same time. Often times the person with lower status will use two hands to shake, either gripping the other person's hand in between both of theirs or placing their left hand on their right wrist or further up the forearm. Furthermore, the depth of the bow is determined by the level of seniority between the two people; the lower the comparative rank, the lower you bow and vice versa. Respect is also ever present in general conversation and the Korean language contains several different level of speech to be used according to the difference in rank between speakers. Traditionally, one is expected to avoid eye contact and focus on the conversation itself and this case is especially true for subordinates and those with lower rank.

From government to education to interaction between school children, Korean society is dominated by the Confucian principle of respect towards ones elders.

The Taegeukgi

The South Korean flag, or Taegeukgi (태극기;太極旗), represents much history and symbolism. Its design was reportedly suggested by Qing Dynasty diplomat Ma Jianzhong in 1882 and the Taegeukgi was officially declared the national flag of Korea by King Gojong on March 6, 1883. The Taegeukgi was both a symbol of the independence movement and of resistance during the Japanese occupation and mere possession of the flag was punishable by death.