Impressions from South Korea
South Korea is the most innovative country in 2019. They are also innovative when it comes to education but all have downsides along with the pros.
This spring (2019) I have visited South Korea twice, each time for about a week. I have managed to tick off many points from my list of what to see, experience and bring back home.
Putting together my thoughts about Korea, its culture and what I experienced with my tourist's eyes — I went through economic and political magazines, watched documentaries from the official institutions as well as just content produced by Youtubers: both, Korean and travelers to Korea. And then I wrote this post to share my take on South Korea. For myself, I always try to answer a question: “if this is a country I can imagine myself living in?” The answer to the question is what you can expect to find while reading but keep in mind my opinions are buyest.
Cosmetics is N#1
No need to write a long introduction to this topic, everyone knows South Korea for its achievements in the beauty industry. Whenever one says “I am going to South Korea” — friends beg you to bring facial beauty masks, at least one, the more — the better. When in Seoul the beauty shops were coming into my attention more often than restaurants which is something I have never experienced before in any other country.
The beauty industry grows insanely fast and skincare drives much of that growth. South Korea plays an important role with its “skin first philosophy” and beauty obsession culture.
The global skin care products market forecast looks nothing but promising:
Nowadays who start a skin care business with South Korea has great chances for success as the worldwide focus is so much on wellness, health and natural cosmetics just what Korea is focused on. I like how CNBC in the video below compiled and presented their beauty industry analyses.
In this video, they mentioned Kardashians to be wisely capitalizing on the beauty industry. I had a conversation with a friend of mine who turned her ignorance regarding this family into a precise following of Kardashians for business inspiration purposes which indeed makes sense.
Plastic surgeries and tattoos
Although South Korea stands so much for natural cosmetics, it is also a place with the highest ratio of young people having plastic surgeries and something which sounds unique to me — the commonness of plastic surgeries among teenagers.
Easily applying drastic changes to your appearance has cultural limitations in South Korea — tattoos are tabu. It is illegal to make tattoos if you are not a doctor and as a local tattoo artist explains (video below) there are no reasons for doctors to become tattoo artists as they aren’t artists first of all and secondly studied for so long, following the system not to go eventually against the public norms.
Talking about norms in South Korea I found a great video where a Korean girl reveals to her parents she has got tattoos, parents reaction says a lot — they were crying. There are several more people explaining how Korean society sees tattoos in that video. Watching this video made me feel if I were a Korean — I would certainly have tattoos, just to express an alternative pass.
Results of population control programs
In South Korea, as in many other countries (India, Vietnam, China, Cambodia etc.) internal policies of which were interfered by the US government and its “family-planning” organizations starting from the 60s, they currently lack reproductive-age women vs men. It may only seem like an unimportant random fact but the numbers are striking and the consequences are quite bad.
Besides not having enough women, even those they have in South Korea often do not want to get married and have kids. A 32-year old freelancer female from Seoul said she is afraid she would have to give up her freedom and be a housewife. South Korean society is certainly male-dominated, with men holding key positions in different companies and organizations.
It reached the level when there are lucrative businesses popped up in South Korea — they bring wives from Vietnam or elsewhere, the price is $10K on average. According to the Korean government nowadys, one in three men in rural areas of Korea has a foreign wife. In the interview, these men explain that ~40 years old Korean women less likely to deliver healthy children if any at all that’s why it is better to marry a young girl from South East Asia.
In other Asian countries, which deal with the same disbalance, measures got even uglier. In China and India girls get kidnapped, girls get aborted after their gender was determined as such, and then those who did not marry before 27 are labeled “leftovers”.
Koreans obsession with education
Suicide is a number one death cause for South Koreans aged 9–24.
Worldwide for this age group, it is usually road accidents or HIV, so it is certainly not normal suicide to be the number leading death cause among adolescents.
A German journalist investigated this issue and the answer she gives in the documentary (find it below) is the education system which pushes young people’s limits and drives them to the edge. Of course, it is not the education itself but the social pressure associated with it.
A young girl says that underperforming pupils perceived by class as insects. She studies 7–8 hours in school plus 4–5 hours after — she is afraid to be seen as that insect. Her second motivation is her parents who repeat that her entire future depends on how she performs these days in school.
“My parents told me to treat this exam as my last opportunity to succeed” — Song Ji-hye, student
The fear of failing parents and be perceived as a loser among peers is the main suicide driver not only in South Korea but in China as well.
It doesn’t look to me that the Korean society is on a stage of tackling the issue. I had a special conversation with my Airbnb hosts and his friends who were describing what is possible and what is absolutely impossible education and career-wise in Korea. According to them when you chose an education program — that is your choice for life, you can’t change your mind and study something else. It is impossible that you would work in one profession and at some point would decide to persuade another. Women and girlfriends are seen to be expensive as something you can either afford or not. Parents and social circle approvals of a partner also are of a huge significance.
When you are a part of the society you agree to its norms and expectations — these are very drastic in Korea, something can only be normal or abnormal, good or bad, giving you a chance or none — it is “life or death” game.
Koreans can travel and they do
South Korean passport is ranked to be the second the most powerful in 2019 along with German and Finish, and so Koreans travel. I haven’t met many Koreans but among those I did were people who have been to at least 20 countries, 50+ was not a rare number too. One of my Airbnb hosts used to run a business in Hong Kong for 15 years. Unfortunately, he has got bankrupt — on the other hand, he said he is happy to be back to Seoul, to speak his native language here and overal he enjoys Incheon’s peacefulness (Seoul airport city).
Koreans I have met seemed to be very open and friendly people but all of them told me they are exceptions, that majority is different — whatever that means.
China is the number one destination for Koreans to travel to, especially the border with North Korea is interesting for them as there is a very special and sacred mountain located — Paektusan. According to the legend, this mountain is where the Korean leader was born and the entire nation originates from.
Japan is the second common and important destination for Koreans. There are three flights per day on average to each major city of Japan. It also a short journey — just an hour or two.
For except China and Japan the travel focus for Koreans is the US and Europe. They generally are kind and friendly to people who speak English, and the US and Europe as remote lands seem to them as dream destinations like Thailand and Bali for many Europeans.
South Korea is ranked to be the most innovative economy in 2019
Despite having many cultural stigmas the country has an entrepreneurial spirit and got ranked this year (2019) by Bloomberg as the most innovative economy in the world.
Korea has some of the world’s fastest Internet speeds, claiming 99% of its households to be online and connected. As early as in the 1990s they launched an educational program and digital literacy training to over 10 million inhabitants (total population is about 50 mln) to make them “Internet-ready” and it worked!
The secret of Koreans success on their opinion is determined by their innovative education system — so it seems to be just as much blessing as punishment.
Startup scene
South Korea has the highest government backing per capita for start-ups.
“Seoul is essentially a single-market city within a conservative culture slowly adapting to entrepreneurship” sayed Tim Chae, the head of 500 Startups’ Korea Fund
Forbes published a great introduction into the 2019 South Korean Startup scene. The government heavily funds early-stage startups but mid- and late-stage are only supported by foreign investors. They have a program that demands people to get employed back in case the startup to build which that person initially left, has failed. All in all, they seem to do much to motivate people to create new businesses.
The trendiest events in Seoul happen in its famous Gangnam district that hosts many coworkings, accelerators and incubators; it gathers locals, expats and potential investors. The nicest hotels, restaurants and hipster coffee shops are also here.
Recently there was a program launched by the government funding foreigners and supporting visa-wise those willing to move to the country and establish their startup here. Observing and hearing of such developments makes me want to follow them and certainly check out this country again in a few years.
Food in South Korea
My personal worry each time I travel to a new country is if I would be able to find food that feels good according to my personal preferences. I probably should introduce a croissants availability rank (I know, I know it is ridiculous, sorry), but yes, South Korea (at least Seoul and Incheon) is a safe place croissants-wise — they aren’t hard to find.
I have got that brave is Seoul that even went a couple of times for street-food and it was delicious each time although I do not remember the names of the dishes.
Google Maps doesn’t work how you expect it
Usually, I heavily rely on Google Maps while selecting places to eat but it doesn’t really work here for two reasons.
- It is not possible to build routes, although you see a map and can search for and find places on it — you won’t get estimates regarding how long it takes to get to the location and as well, no public transport suggestions — these are really major issues in such vast city as Seoul.
- There are way fewer reviews and pictures of places. So, more often than not I had to rely on how places appear from outside and recommendations from my Airbnb hosts and hotel receptionists.
Google Maps is not the only service that doesn’t work in Korea. They took nearly the Chinese approach protecting local companies from such giants as Google, Apple, Facebook, Uber etc. They have alternatives for everything one can wish — you just need to ask locals for suggestions or google for them.
Protests in Seoul and flourishing democracy
I do not know why exactly I got surprised to observe not one but two protests in Seoul — such happen here and met normally by locals. I don’t know what the first protest was about but there were tents and people sitting inside them. I was at that point too hungry to stop by, take proper pictures and learn more. There were about 10 tents on the square.
The second protest was bigger, it was an open demonstration of women fighting for their right for abortions. The government put on their agenda to review this law in 2020.
The sun is red in South Korea
When I landed in South Korea for the first time right before the sunset hour I have got astonished how pinky looks the air. I have got amazed that the sun was literally red, just like it is often depicted in Buddhist paintings and textiles. I always thought depicting the sun in red is just an artistic expression. The red sun is what makes the air and everything around feels pinky.
Feedback and comments are very welcomed!
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