Since Gangnam Style took the world by storm in 2012, weird and wonderful news stories about South Korea pop up literally every week – whether it’s the revelation that Seoul Starbucks sells hot dogs, another crazy K-Pop video has dropped on Youtube, or someone discovered that the Korean slang term for an unmarried person is ‘Big Baby’.
We decided it was time to find out why the world is obsessed with Korea:
Heard of BTS? The ‘biggest boy band in the world’ according to global news outlets, they’re the first Korean artist to top the Billboard 200 and they have the most followers on Twitter for a Korean account.
The ‘Bangtan Boys’ epitomise the K-Pop genre with catchy hip-hop and bold dance-pop melodies, and they’re ultra-stylish. If you need an introduction to Korean music, check out their breakthrough second album ‘Wings’. Then search ‘K-Pop’ on YouTube and fall down the rabbit hole.
Still not sure what this whole K-pop thing is about? Check out our quick primer.
Seoul is ridiculously cool. Futuristic architecture everywhere, incredible shopping malls displaying the latest fashion trends, karaoke bars and amazing ancient culture too.
Take a stroll around Bukchon Hanok Village, marvel at the Gyeongbokgung Palace and then eat Kimchi to your heart’s content. Seoul is also one of the world’s leading SMART cities, so it’s incredibly innovative and modern. Read more on that here.
서울은 기이할정도로 쿨하다. 초현대적인 건축물들이 도처에 있고, 놀라운 쇼핑몰들이 최신 트렌드를 디스플레이하고 있다. 가라오케(노래방)와 놀라운 오래된 문화도 마찬가지다. 북촌한옥마을을 산책하고, 경복궁을 보면서 감탄하고, 마음껏 김치를 먹어라.
서울은또한 세계를 선도하는 스마트 도시이기도 하다. (서울은) 매우 혁신적이고 현대적이다. 여기서 추가적인 것을 읽어라(링크)
In recent years, contemporary fashion and beauty has kicked off in Korea. Like, big time. Taking a little inspiration from Western trends, K-Beauty and K-Fashion have quickly become a unique part of culture in SK.
Seoul Fashion Week sees stylish Koreans toting a variety of colors, patterns and silhouettes, with apparel ranging from casual streetwear to “kawaii” ensembles. ‘But what’s kawaii?’, I hear you ask. It’s a term they have for making everything cute: Think Hello Kitty or (some types of) manga. These fresh takes on modern trends are inspiring the outfits of people around the globe.
Meanwhile in South Korea’s beauty world, it’s all about having clear, glowy skin. The famous “10 step skincare routine” took the world by storm, and with so many fantastic Korean skincare products on the market, it’s no wonder K-Beauty has garnered so much international interest.
최근, 한국이 현대적인 패션과 뷰티를 선도하고 있다. 서양의 트렌드에서 약간의 영감을 얻은 K뷰티, K패션은 한국만의 독특한 문화로 빠르게 자리잡아가고 있다.
서울패션위크는 스타일리쉬한 한국의 색상, 패턴, 실루엣을 선보이며 캐쥬얼한 의상에서부터 카와이한 의상까지 다양함을 선보인다. '근데 카와이가 무엇일까?' 그것은 모든것을 귀엽게 만드는 단어이다. 헬로키티나 (어떤 종류의) 망가를 생각해봐라. 현대적인 트렌드에 대한 이러한 신선한 시도들은 계속해서 전 세계의 사람들에게 영감을 불어넣고 있다.
한편, 한국의 뷰티세계에서는 맑고 투명한 피부가 중요하다. 유명한 '10가지 스킨케어 루틴'이 세계를 휩쓸고 있다. 그리고 매우 많은 환상적인 한국 스킨케어 제품들이 판매되고 있다. K뷰티가 국제적인 관심을 얻는것은 놀라운 일이 아니다.
Speaking Korean is so on-trend. Firstly, it’s good to have this in the locker for the future, especially with the country’s booming and technologically advanced economy.
Secondly, although Korean is only the 17th most spoken language in the world, it’ll look extra impressive having it on your resume.
Oh, and that’s not to mention all the Korean TV dramas you’ll be able to watch if you master it. Take a peek on YouTube – they’re so… dramatic! (And awesome.)
Here are our top tips on how to learn this beautiful language fast.
한국어 말하기가 유행하고 있다. 우선, 미래를 위해 (한국어 말하기를) 미리 준비해두는게 좋다. 호황과 기술적으로 성공한 경제를 가진 국가(에서 어떻게든 쓰일 일이 있을테니까)
Korea is a tech haven. It’s got a whopping 82.7% internet penetration, while 78.5% of people are smartphone users. It’s also got the world’s fastest internet and best 4G service, so you’ll never be left stranded with spotty 3G ever again.
Riding this tech wave is the pro-gaming scene. Enormous video game parlors are dotted all over the country, while sold-out stadiums host epic virtual battles between superstar gamers. Take a look at Starcraft or League of Legends, and you’ll get the idea.
가생이닷컴 운영원칙 알림:공격적인 댓글이나 욕설, 인종차별적인 글, 무분별한 특정국가 비난글등 절대 삼가 바랍니다. |