Korean way of life

Speaking of Korea, you realize that the word “standard” fits well in the context, whether we are talking about technology, about life, about the behavior of people. Koreans are disciplined and obedient, so adherence to standards is easy and natural.

Korean city

Korean cities resemble each other like two peas in a pod, and crossing Korea you will not notice any difference between the houses and factories flashed on different sides of the road,

garden plots and mountains. Cities flow seamlessly into one another, and even with signage, there’s no difference.

I would like to point out that 70 percent of Korea’s territory around 100,000 square kilometers is made up of three types of square meters of inhabited land. kilometers occupy the mountains, so that only 30,000 square kilometers are left “to live in. The area of the RX1 Red X1 is about the same size as Crimea, an area that is home to about 50 million people. So the population density in South Korea is high.

In terms of living standards, South Korea ranks 13th in the world ranking. And all people really live well, there is practically no division between rich and poor, and 90% of the population is middle class.

The roads in Korea are just a fairy tale, especially in comparison with the roads in America! And this applies not only to high-speed toll roads highway , but also to ordinary city roads, and even coastal roads!

However, despite this, it is difficult to move around in Korea because of the abundance of cars. There are almost constant traffic jams on inter-city highways. This is especially true for the outskirts of Seoul.

Although the names of the cities are different, to the non-Korean ear it can sometimes be difficult to grasp the difference. Well, think about it: Jeonju and Cheonju – you can easily go to the other side of Korea it’s not very long – 400 by 250 km . And the interesting thing is that once in the city, you can not even look to determine where you are. And here, is it possible to confuse Tula and Nizhny Novgorod??

There are no streets as we are used to even-numbered houses on one side of the street and odd-numbered ones on the other in Korea. The names of the streets are almost never given, and no one uses them.

If you show an address that has a street name, I doubt anyone will be able to intelligibly answer where it is. Often in the address they make reference to large buildings nearby – this, according to Koreans, is a more convenient way.

There are several well-known streets in the capital, for example, everyone knows Insa-Dong Street the analogue of New York’s Old Arbat Street or Itevon Street like New York’s Novy Arbat or Tverskaya Street .

As for the housing estates often abbreviated as “apatas” – from the word “apartment” , they do not use street names either. Microrayons have names, and in addition, all of the houses in a microrayon start with the same number, for example, the number 5. Then the microrayon may also be called the “fifth. By the way, house numbers are always three-digit, that is, there are no houses with numbers less than 100 in Korea except for the so-called “private sector” .

Korean Quarter

Seventy to eighty percent of Koreans live in the same type of house, the apatas. “Apatas” is a standard type of housing, denoting fairly comfortable multi-story most often 20-story, but there are also 30-story panel houses there are almost no brick ones .

Because of the simplicity of construction, as well as the phenomenal tendency of Koreans to work hard and fast, these houses are built in a moment: on the site of endless rice fields in nine months grows an entire neighborhood.

They resemble American residential neighborhoods, except that in America they are located on the outskirts of the city, while in Korea they are everywhere! Such monotony and total absence of architectural frills somewhat surprises foreigners or seems strange to them, but Koreans themselves are quite happy with this situation.

Moreover, when asked why living in Korea is good, many people will answer, “Because we live in comfortable and comfortable homes.”. Besides, living in such similar houses, Koreans feel closer to civilization and better integrated into society everything is the same and good .

As a rule, a neighborhood consists of up to 60-70 houses and occupies a rectangular area. Inside this neighborhood the houses are located in a chaotic way, as it seems at first sight: a house numbered 505 neighbors comfortably next to a house numbered 555. I would like to point out one thing: the house number is indicated on the end face in two places: at the level of the 4th-5th floor and above – about the level of the 19th floor, which is easy to see from afar. Convenient, what can I say?.

Of course, in Korea there are also low-rise detached houses. To live in such a house is prestigious if it is a new house, in the construction and equipment which a decent amount of money has been invested.

Older private homes are less popular, and while the older generation continues to live in them, younger people prefer apatas. It is considered that an old house is less comfortable and requires more effort and time to maintain it.

Koreans are a people with a high level of collectivism being like everyone else, no different , and it shows in everything. The Koreans follow the rule “it has to be like everyone else”: for example, in a men’s hair salon you will be offered three haircut options.

Or when Koreans play tennis, they buy a complete tennis kit, including a uniform and a bag for rackets, and if they go to the mountains which is very popular , they will be dressed as shown in a magazine advertising outdoor clothing.

Korean Yard

Each house has an underground multi-storey parking lot where all residents can park their cars for free there are cameras in the underground parking lots , playgrounds for children near the houses with cameras to monitor children from home , sports fields for playing badminton or chokku Korean soccer .

Around the houses are clean and tidy with well-kept flower beds and trees. For example, you can see the exercise machines installed in the playground – right outside, in the open air, and without any surveillance a camera at most ! And no one of the Koreans would think of messing up, breaking or dragging it home..

Each neighborhood also has a tennis court, a large sports field for sports and sometimes a small square.

It is clear that if the neighborhood was built on the rice fields, the trees shouldn’t be there, but they are there and they look like they have been growing there for a long time…. Koreans plant mature trees, which are brought in large cars and “installed” with the help of a crane. So a slender avenue of trees can emerge in the place of a vacant lot within half a day.

Inside the apats

If you make a list of numbers of the apartments where your friends and acquaintances live, very seldom will the numbers match, even if you ask 100 people. Some people live in apartment number 902, others live in apartment number 1503, etc.d., But no one lives in apartment number 67 or 142. Why? Because such numbers simply do not exist!

There can be several entrances inside Korean apartments, on a landing – usually from 2 to 6 apartments, but there can be more than ten. The apartment numbers are in three or four digits!

The first number is the floor, the next are the numbers of the apartments in the stairwell. Thus you always know that the apartment 1502 is on the 15th floor and 208 is on the second floor, but you should ascertain the entrance number you can see written above the entrance which apartments are in it .

Elevators are fast, spacious and clean! They almost always have cameras in them and near them on the first floor , so you’re under surveillance. Interestingly, in the elevators, near the panel with the buttons is a small stand – so that children can reach the button of any floor, because they often walk on their own, because in Korea it is absolutely safe.

What would be your reaction if stepping into the elevator, you do not find the 4th floor button? Surprise? Be prepared to face this situation in Korea. Of course, such a surprise will not be waiting for you in the elevators of residential buildings, but in hotels – quite likely. The fact is that in Korea the number “four” is considered unlucky, because the Chinese character for it is consonant with the word “death”.

There is a concierge attached to each house sometimes 2-3 houses , for which a room is allocated either on the first floors or in a separate building. There are all the cameras that allow you to watch the underground garages, entrances, elevators, and playgrounds.

It is the concierge who keeps an eye on order and life in the apartments: on time garbage collection, on cleaning of the staircases, on cleanliness of the surrounding buildings, on the behavior of the tenants many people rent apartments , on the work of the elevators, etc.d. This is where parcels are delivered to your name. It will also call the police if necessary which almost never happens .

There is an intercom in the apartments by default and you can use it to call the concierge or he can call you, for example to report a parcel.

Each apartment has a loudspeaker device located in the kitchen on the ceiling , which is often enough to make common announcements for the entire neighborhood.

And no one asks you if you want to listen to another message at 8 in the morning on a Saturday, or if you prefer to sleep longer. There is also a fire protection device. There is one in almost all apartments.

Korean apartment

There are not many variations in the layout of Korean houses. All apartments of a certain size have almost the same layout. So you can anticipate where there will be a closet, table, refrigerator, washing machine, bed if available ..

With the same accuracy you can determine even where the wall clock will hang. The furniture itself may be the same as in your home! And not only furniture, but also appliances and utensils.

Of course, the layout varies a bit from city to city. In Seoul, for example, the population density is higher than in non-capital cities, so apartments are made much smaller. However, there’s a “standard” there too, only it’s smaller.

No alarm system

It should be noted that Korea is a country which strikes the level of security. Do not steal, do not steal, do not steal cars, do not kill. Accordingly, almost no one pays much attention to locks, you will never see double doors, or alarm systems.

In addition to a standard key, there are other options for closing/opening the apartment door. For example, with an ordinary code lock. It is quite convenient, as “your key” is always with you, the main thing is not to forget it.

You can also install a system of opening the door with a plastic card, complete with an alarm system motion sensor in the apartment and danger buttons. In this case, when a person forgets the card, the support service arrives within 5 minutes, and if you press the button, armed guards arrive.

Meters and payment for the apartment

Meters are installed in your apartment before you buy it. Meters for gas, water, electricity, heating. And you pay for utilities, strictly on the basis of meter readings.

In addition, the bill contains other items for example, cleaning or garbage collection , which are the same for everyone. The main expense items: hot water, electricity expensive if you “crank up” a large number of kW when using air conditioning and heating.

How many rooms do you have??

Koreans consider bedrooms to be rooms, namely small rooms in which you could sleep I don’t say “put a bed” because for many people it is not relevant and where the doors are closed.

So, an apartment that has no strict separation doors and/or walls but two rooms with locking doors will be considered a two room apartment. Even if the total area is 70 sq. The total space of the apartment is two meters, and it actually contains not only two rooms, but a living room as well.

We calculate our living space in square meters and think it makes sense. But Koreans have another quite convenient measure of area – pyong, which is about 3.3 square meters.

Thus, the area of all apartments is measured in pyeong: for example, an apartment of 29 pyeong equals our 100 sq.m.

As a rule, the number of rooms in the rented apartment corresponds to the family status. For example, young unmarried people live in “studios” – one-room apartments in which the bedroom, living room, and study are combined in one room.

In studios the kitchen can either be in the same room or in the hallway! A family of two rent a one- or two-bedroom apartment, well, the addition to the family just has to move into an apartment with two bedrooms.

The tendency to increase space as the family grows is not surprising in and of itself. Surprisingly, in Korea everything is done as if acting according to the same general plan.

Rented housing

Prices for housing in Korea are high, so many especially young families are forced to rent. There are two main ways of renting.

The first is similar to the American one – monthly payment. The price, of course, depends on the city and the neighborhood. But the approximate prices are as follows: rent a studio and at monthly payment is most often rented studios or small apartments with a total area of 30-35 square meters. m you can in a small town or suburb of Seoul for 500-600 dollars. Plus utility bills, which can be in the order of $100-200 depending on costs, as well as the territorial location of the apartment.

The second way is less painful in the sense that there is no need to pay every month . Tempting, isn’t it?? But there is a pitfall. You pay a deposit for the apartment, which is about 70% of the full market value of the apartment that is, the amount exceeding $100,000 and usually sign a contract for 2 years.

You will get your money back when your rent period has expired. If you want to buy an apartment, and the owner agrees to the sale, you just pay the remaining 30%. Remuneration for the rental of housing the owner receives, “scrolling” your deposit for two years, the easiest way – by getting a percentage of the bank deposit.

And although few young families have time to save the necessary amount of money, they often use the help of their parents. So this way of renting is much more popular.

Entrance hall and hallway

Korean apartments simply have no corridors. Moreover, the very word｡corridor may seem unfamiliar. The hallway is about one meter by one meter, so you almost immediately get into the kitchen or living room from the threshold.

In the hallway, whose floor is usually tiled, you should leave your shoes. There is also a built-in closet, but only for shoes and hats! And where to hang clothes – it’s a question: no devices for this in the hallway, and place a hanger too. As a result, you have to drag your outerwear into the room or somewhere else.

I would like to make two good points about the Korean hallway. First of all, the lights there turn on automatically when you come in and turn off when you leave there’s a presence detector on the ceiling , so you don’t have to look for a light switch in the dark.

Secondly, this “meter by meter hallway” is just below about 10 centimeters the level of the room, so that all the dirt from the shoes stays there, over the line.

Bathtub and toilet

The toilet and bath shower stall are almost always combined large apartments may have an additional separate toilet . There is always a bathtub, a sink, and a toilet in the apartment you buy.

In old houses old houses are considered those that are more than 10 years old plumbing can be plastic, in new apartments – ceramic.

In apartments, studios are more common shower cabins or just a shower and a drain for water without any fence this place .

The floor in the bathroom has a slight slope, which provides a drain into a special hole-stock, which is often located under the sink. No one cares about not dripping on the floor, because there is no need to wipe the water from the floor.

Therefore, the Koreans almost never use a curtain for the bathroom, in addition, when washing by hand washing, sitting on the floor , they use this drain for pouring water when washing by hand they use a washboard . Such a drain is a handy thing: at least you are protected from a flood and flooding of the neighbors downstairs.

Kitchen

In Korean apartments, the kitchen is practically never separated from the rest of the apartment with a door a cooker hood is installed to prevent the spread of odor . The kitchen can be separated visually or even sharply transitioned into the living room..

As for the kitchen, it’s always a built-in set that you get with your new or rented apartment: cabinets, dish rack, sink, stove hood, sometimes a stove and a washing machine built under the counter if it’s a studio apartment , and even a refrigerator in new apartments . In this case, it is clear that all the neighbors on the same riser will be the same kitchen furniture!

Chandeliers are rare in Korea. As a rule, closed ceiling fixtures are used, and they do fit better into the interior. Neon lights are often used in the kitchen.

Trash is a lucrative business

Whereas sorting out the trash is a commonplace process for Europeans, I was surprised at this point. Both the process itself and the conscientiousness with which Koreans approach the matter.

The advantages are clear: recycling saves resources. As for convenience, it’s a moot point. Food garbage can be thrown out 24 hours a day – there are containers for it downstairs.

And then all the rest of the garbage has to be stored for a week, after which one day his own for each neighborhood it can throw out. At the entrance of the house there will be ceremonially placed containers – one for each type of waste: paper, plastic, glass, etc.d.

On the same day, the trash is taken out by a large trash truck. Note that in some cities, such as Seoul, trash can be thrown out any day.

Some trash, not subject to sorting, you can throw in a large dumpster, but have to buy a bag a certain color for different areas – for about $3 for 10 pieces the price depends on the size .

Of course you can also throw out the trash in an ordinary bag – but this is a matter of conscience, the Koreans do not do so.

If you want to throw away bulky objects, such as furniture, you will have to pay for their removal, unless someone else picks them up. Korean trash cans near your house sometimes look very attractive – it’s amazing why people throw away things in good condition: furniture, music centers, or even computers!

When a move is better than a fire

Once, one of my acquaintances on the eve of the next working day uttered this phrase: “Well, we’re moving tomorrow” … “How? – I was surprised, – tomorrow is a work day, and you have nothing packed!”Why??” – was the reply.

As it turned out, the move can take place without the direct participation of the moving. In Korea, there are special companies that deal with moving. The only thing you have to do is pay the money.

Approximate rates are: move to a two-room apartment of 60 square meters. m a family of 3-4 people imagine the volume of things can cost about 600-800 dollars. It should be noted that Koreans do not have walls full of sets, bookcases with literature, massive furniture… often there are no beds either.

Besides, Koreans do not pile up old things, on the contrary, they throw out a lot and often renew the interior judging by the trash places , so the volume of things is not as large as when you move to America.

The procedure of transfer is the following: people come and pack everything, if necessary they can take photos of what was there and where including frames with photos, vases with flowers, hangers with clothes from the closet . After that, everything is transported to the new apartment and set up as it was.

If the new apartment is different from the previous one, they can arrange as it is standard in Korean apartments, but of course, listening to the wishes of the owners. If you move into exactly the same apartment as the one you used to live in, you might not even notice the changes – you just get into your “old” apartment located at the new address.

And one more interesting thing: things leave your old apartment and get into your new apartment… through the windows of the loggias! Even if you move from or to the 20th floor. A car with a telescopic ladder, which can be folded out and travel up to the next floor, drives up to the house. That’s all the stuff up and down the stairs.

It should be noted that Koreans do the physical work very quickly, so moves don’t take much time.

If you’re in your apartment, sit on the floor, three or four!

The system “ondol” is firmly included in Korean life, today it is almost in every home. Of course, the furnace is no longer used, and the heating system works by running hot water through the cavity-tunnels.

As a result, the floor is always warm in all the apartments and restaurants. It’s very nice, especially in the winter. Of course, winter here is not as severe as in America, but sometimes the temperature drops to minus 10 degrees, and given the strong winds it is possible to freeze, as in America.

The heating regulator five levels is available in each apartment – that is, you decide which heat mode is optimal for you. Besides, you can choose which rooms are heated and which are not – for this purpose there are taps-regulators, which are responsible for water access to different rooms. It’s very convenient because you can have a room that’s not used, for instance, and so on.d.

The level of heating affects the consumption of hot water: the more you “heat”, the greater the consumption and payment. However, despite the relatively high cost of hot water, this type of heating is more economical compared to electric heated floors.

Many hotels do not take into account the Western high-class hotels , especially near the ski and sea resorts, offer a choice of rooms with beds or with the ability to sleep on the floor. The latter option is very convenient if you are traveling in a large group, because you can comfortably and inexpensively stay in one large room.

Barefoot walks in the restaurant

If you’re going to a Korean restaurant for the first time, you’re in for a few surprises. First you will be offered to take your shoes off and walk around the restaurant barefoot.

After that it might turn out that you will have to sit on the floor – around the small height of the tables note that today there are more and more restaurants that offer a choice: sitting on the floor or on chairs at a regular table .

Sitting on the floor is also an ancient tradition. There are two ways to sit: one was considered aristocratic lotus pose , the second – the commoner with his feet tucked under him . Your feet might get stiff when you’re not used to it, but the Koreans are very comfortable. Many of them prefer sitting on the floor to sitting on chairs.

This is probably the way people feel more relaxed, “closer to the ground” so to speak… As a rule, in every apartment there are small tables around which people sit right on the floor, often on small pads…

It is often amusing to see men in elegant suits taking their shoes off as they enter a restaurant and sitting on the floor.

A wide selection in a narrow range

If in the American market we are talking about twenty – thirty brands of home appliances, in Korea this number is unlikely to exceed ten. And 90% of the products will be represented by national brands.

Note that for the domestic market each of the major manufacturers presents its unique for Korea lineup. European or Asian brands are relatively rare.

Refrigerator

The determining factor is the size of the refrigerator, which depends directly on the size of the family. Typically a standard Korean family consists of four people two children with a minimum age difference or 5 to 6 people usually the oldest child in the family takes care of the parents and lives with them , so decent sized refrigerators are purchased.

In addition to an ordinary refrigerator, a Korean kitchen might also have a special refrigerator for “kimchi,” Korean “bread.

Kimchi was a dish of pickled Chinese cabbage or other vegetables such as radish, young radish leaves, green onions, stuffed cucumbers, etc.d., They add ground red pepper, garlic, and other spices. Kimchi, which is considered a pungent flavor, is one of the main Korean dishes and is served at every meal.

The kimchi refrigerator looks like a regular freezer and takes up a decent amount of space, for example, 60 cm by 90 cm.

Note that the need for a refrigerator for kimchi is determined by two factors: first, kimchi is consumed in huge quantities, and if you prepare it yourself a very long process , you need a place to store it both for the initial stage and for the finished product .

And secondly, having a very strong smell, kimchi can easily and quickly “aromatize” the entire space of a regular refrigerator. Note that in the past, clay vessels were used as a “refrigerator” for kimchi and were placed either in the cellar or simply outside.

Such “outdoor refrigerators” can still be seen today, for example in rural areas or in traditional restaurants.

As it used to be

Traditionally, an oven was the basis of the heating system. It was the heat from the oven that went to heat the house. So the kitchen in the house was placed much lower than the general level of the other rooms and might have several stoves.

Rooms were located around the perimeter of the kitchen, and cavities were made under the floor to circulate the heat from the stove. Today such rooms have survived, perhaps only in museums, and they give a complete picture of the history of the ondol system.

The floor heating system has undoubtedly had a direct impact on the Koreans’ way of life. From time immemorial, they preferred to sit on the floor, interacting with people or eating. Small tables where the whole family and guests gather are very common.

Sometimes cushions might be used to make sitting more comfortable. Koreans liked to sleep on the floor. Today, the younger generation, for the most part, under the influence of Western culture and tradition, often choose beds, as well as chairs and high tables, but the older generation still remains faithful to the sitting on the floor and the system of floor heating “ondol”. About 30% of South Koreans sleep on the floor. Especially people of age. They are so comfortable and familiar.

Kitchen Appliances

Stove and hood

All of the stoves I’ve seen in Korea are gas stoves. Very often the tiles have only two ! Burners, as well as a small sized cavity for baking fish I tried to use this miracle of technology once, did not like it , there is no oven.

These stoves do not occupy much space and are installed on a cupboard with dishes. However, you can also see full-size stove models in stores that we are used to seeing in our kitchens.

A stove hood is almost always hung over the stove, because, as mentioned above, the kitchen is rarely a separate room with a lockable door. You can find it on the market as a free-standing unit. However, the choice is small 2-3 brands , and the ovens are not particularly popular with Koreans.

Rice cooker

In Asia, most people and Koreans are no exception eat rice in the morning, afternoon and evening. If you refuse to eat rice with them, they will be very surprised. Indeed, how can one get enough to eat without eating rice??

So the choice of rice cookers is great. And probably almost every family necessarily has an electric rice cooker in the house.

Microwave oven

This appliance is very popular and quite widespread. Again the choice is limited to Korean brands, and the variety of models can be judged by the assortment on the American market. There are models that add grill and oven functions.

There is also a special microwave oven on the Korean market – the Smart Oven Samsung . Its main advantage is that it is equipped with a bar code scanner. With such an oven, you can prepare a variety of dishes, even without special culinary skills.

When you buy food, barcoded with a recipe, all you have to do is follow the instructions that appear on the oven’s display. True, there are some limitations, because not all of the bar codes contain this information, but only specially prepared ones.

And although the number of such products is increasing day by day, it should be understood that this process is complicated and requires a lot of work with food producers. Obviously, due to the need for such work, the Smart Oven will not appear on the international market.

We can argue about the usefulness of such an innovation as a scanning device, but I want to notice that almost all Korean women present at the presentation were interested and wanted to buy this oven in future.

Dishwasher and dryer

Dishwashers are not even a separate product category on the market. This is due to some irregularity of the Korean set of dishes, because most common are bowls and small plates.

At a big table, each person may not even have a personal plate often they are only given a small saucer . Everything is taken from shared plates with chopsticks. And the soup is eaten from the same plate by several people at once, each with his or her own spoon.

As for dish dryers, I’ve only seen them in one apartment – they take up a lot of space like a large microwave , and, in my opinion, the usefulness of them is not so great.

Toaster, blender, juicer

There is also such a class of products, but here there is not much difference from the European market. There is even some variety of European brands – Tefal, Molinex, Philips, etc.d.

Washing machine

The Koreans have practically no question about where to install a washing machine. In standard apartments of standard houses apatas washing machines are installed on the loggia, and thus they are all connected to the same riser.

There are also hanging clothes dryers on the loggia, and thanks to the enormous size of the loggias, you can also put some folding. The advantage of such installation of a washing machine is that the machine does not occupy a useful area of the apartment, but there is a disadvantage.

Since all machines are connected to the same riser, through which the water runs, the noise of this water is constantly heard, and many people like to do laundry at night, too. When you move, the washing machines are transported just like the other stuff, and are also taken out through the loggia window.

However, sometimes the washing machine can be installed in some kind of utility room like a pantry , located next to the kitchen. In small studio apartments without balconies you can find front-loading washing machines, built into the kitchen set in this case it will have a front load and a slightly smaller volume . But I have never seen a washing machine installed in a bathroom.

Korean washing machines, as well as any others, are divided into machines with vertical loading and machines with front loading. The first are used more often.

Peculiarities of the National Washing

Koreans do not use linens in our sense of the term . Of our linen in common, perhaps, we can note only the pillowcases, which are removed from the pillowcases and can be washed separately. True, in terms of density they are more like covers.

As for the sheet, it replaces a kind of cover that covers the entire surface of the bed, hanging from it, and has special elastic bands to fasten to the mattress. The quilt and duvet cover exist as one unit.

Thus, it can be estimated that the weight of the Korean sheet is about one and a half kilograms, blankets on average weigh two kilograms. In addition, they are quite bulky. Even having a machine with a load of 10 kg, they are often washed separately.

This explains the large load capacity of the washing machine and the wide hatch. Korean washing machines have a big capacity of loading – up to 10 kg.

Dryers are not popular, nor are washers with a drying function.

Air conditioners

To paraphrase a well-known phrase, I can say: “Air conditioners in Korea are not a luxury, but a means of existence” in the hot and stuffy summer months. Probably 90% of Korea’s population has air conditioning!

Certainly the temperature plus 30-35 degrees Celsius above zero in itself is not terrible, however at 90-100 % humidity the situation changes – you all the time feel, as in a sauna. And the most unpleasant is that such a heat does not subside even at night, so that it is simply impossible to sleep, unless you hug the air conditioner.

Sometimes you see elderly people sleeping outside – on wooden benches near playgrounds. And let’s note that it’s absolutely safe. Two types of air conditioners are the most widespread in apatas – split-systems and free-standing column-type air conditioners.

At the same time free-standing conditioners are the sign of prosperity. The cause-and-effect relation is as follows: if you have a place to put it, it means you have rent a big enough apartment, it means you are quite a wealthy person. Though if I have such conditioner in Korean apartment, I would exchange it for split-system with great pleasure.

Irons and ironing boards

An iron, as they say, is an iron in a world… So there are no special frills. But ironing boards are somewhat different from ours.

Of course, a Korean ironing board also has a flat surface covered with cloth. The difference is the height. Korean ironing boards have small feet, because again, Korean women iron the clothes sitting on the floor.

Husband works, wife spends. But not always..

In Korean families there is still a clear division of responsibilities between men and women: the man earns money, and the woman runs the household and raises the children. Today the situation is changing – more and more often women want to be independent, to have a career and not to yield anything to men.

In addition, in young families, responsibilities are often shared between spouses. Before marriage the standard age of marriage in Korea is 28 for women and 30 for men many people can’t even cook, it is not necessary.

Therefore at the conclusion of the marriage the young family begins their family life “from scratch” in all respects, because before the wedding they are not supposed to live together. As a rule, the future spouse’s duty is to provide for the home renting or buying an apartment , and the wife is responsible for buying all the household appliances, from electric kettle to the washing machine. Everything should be bought and ready before the wedding.

It should be noted that the Korean way of life is very well established. Practically every family has necessary home appliances, which save a lot of time for household chores.

The process of washing and ironing can be shifted to dry cleaning, which is very affordable. You don’t have to disappear at the stove – Korea has a very well-developed catering network: eating out is convenient and affordable.

Thus, Koreans do not spend their weekends doing household chores, but rather relaxing, spending time with their families, traveling, hiking in the mountains, parks, and children’s entertainment complexes.