How people really live in South Korea: it's some kind of parallel reality

The country of anime, strange toys and cool cosmetics is becoming more and more popular among tourists every year. It seems that all the cultures of the world have mixed here and formed something completely new. Find out what surprises foreigners in South Korea in OBOZREVATEL's selection.

The beauty industry in Korea is at a very high level. Cosmetics from local manufacturers are appreciated all over the world, and people from Europe and America come to visit plastic surgeons in this country. Young people here are not afraid to experiment with their appearance and change their faces for the sake of trends and fashion. Therefore, you can get a certificate for rhinoplasty or beauty injections for your birthday.

Koreans are very strange on social media. They like to create fake accounts, change themselves in a photo editor beyond recognition, and run pages on behalf of a fictional character. At the same time, a 15-year-old schoolgirl can turn out to be a serious bank employee, and a top manager of a large company will gladly take on the role of an anime animal.

Despite their ostentatious openness, Koreans are quite conservative and introverted people. They rarely invite people to visit them and communicate mostly online. However, they are still more sociable than in Japan or China. They treat foreigners well and will gladly help them.

In the family, there is a clear division of roles. Children and their parents follow the rules of behavior and never cross the boundaries of what is permitted. Up to a certain age, the older generation takes a completely commanding position and does not even allow them to have an opinion. Therefore, it is not surprising that the practice of arranged marriages is still widespread in the country.

Locals love delicious food, but they hate shopping. That's why they often buy all the groceries they need for a week or even a month in one trip to the mall.

Eating out is a separate local cult. Koreans make a whole event out of ordinary trips to a cafe, for which they prepare very carefully. By the way, foreigners complain that the locals are constantly smacking. It's a way of showing that you're eating something delicious.

Living in Korea is not a cheap pleasure. For a more or less comfortable existence, you need to earn at least $1,500 a month. Half of this amount will be spent on renting an apartment somewhere on the outskirts of the city, and a good part will be spent on food. If there is something left over, you will be able to provide yourself with clothes and household items. But in reality, everything here is very expensive.

Earlier, OBOZREVATEL wrote about life in North Korea, which is closed to the world.