World Country Guide

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Food & Drink
Korea has its own cuisine, quite different from Chinese or Japanese. Rice is the staple food and a typical Korean meal consists of rice, soup, rice water and eight to 20 side dishes of vegetables, fish, poultry, eggs, bean-curd and sea plants. Most Korean soups and side dishes are heavily laced with red pepper. Dishes include kimchi (Korean national dish, highly spiced pickle of Chinese cabbage or white radish with turnips, onions, salt, fish, chestnuts and red pepper), soups (based on beef, pork, oxtail, other meat, fish, chicken and cabbage, almost all spiced), pulgogi (marinated, charcoal-broiled beef barbecue), Genghis Khan (thin slices of beef and vegetables boiled at the table) or sinsollo (meat, fish, eggs and vegetables such as chestnuts and pinenuts cooked in a brazier chafing dish at the table). Other examples of local cuisine are sanjok (strips of steak with onions and mushrooms), kalbichim (steamed beef ribs), fresh abalone and shrimps (from Chejudo Island, served with mustard, soy or chilli sauces) and Korean seaweed (prized throughout the Far East). There is waiter as well as counter service. Most major hotels will offer a selection of restaurants, serving Korean, Japanese and Chinese cuisine or more Western-style food. For more information about Korean food, a brochure called The Wonderful World of Korean Food is available from Korea National Tourism Organisation’s Tourist Information Centres (see Contact Addresses section).
Local drinks are mostly made from fermented rice or wheat and include jungjong (expensive variant of rice wine), soju (like vodka and made from potatoes or grain) or yakju/takju (cloudy and light tan-coloured) known together as makkoli. There are many brands of Korean beer, including Cass, Hite and OB. Ginseng wine is strong and sweet, similar to brandy, but varies in taste according to the basic ingredient used. The most common type of drinking establishment is the Suljip (wine bar), but there are also beer houses serving well-known European brands.

Nightlife
Korea’s nightlife successfully blends the traditional with increasing external influences. Yong-Dong and Itaewon are areas of Seoul with nightclubs catering largely to visitors, many with cabaret evenings. Some hotels also have nightclubs but these tend to be expensive. Larger hotels have their own private theatre restaurants; Korea House provides local food in a Korean setting, followed by traditional Korean dancing and music. Beer halls, many decorated along a European theme, are popular places to drink and meet friends. Visitors are expected to eat as well as drink. There are also many cinemas. Operas, concerts and recitals can be seen at the National Theatre and performances of Korean classical music, dances and plays can be seen at Korea House and the Drama Centre. For daily listings of events, consult Korea’s English-language papers. Several licensed state-of-the-art casinos operate at various locations throughout the country.

Shopping
Favourite buys to look for are hand-tailored clothes, sweaters (plain, embroidered or beaded), silks, brocades, handbags, leatherwork, gold jewellery, topaz, amethyst, amber, jade and silver, ginseng, paintings, costume dolls, musical instruments, brassware, lacquerware, woodcarvings, baskets, scrolls and screens. Prices are fixed in department stores, but may be negotiated in arcades and markets. Major cities have foreigners’ duty free shops where people can use foreign currency with a valid passport. Hotels will be able to tell guests the location (see Sports & Activities section for further information). Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 1030-1930 (department stores); 1030-2030 (markets and smaller shops).

Note
For visitors who purchase goods worth more than W50,000 at stores with ‘Tax Free Shopping’ signs or goods over W30,000 at outlets with ‘Tax Refund Shopping’ signs, 70 to 80 per cent of the paid VAT (Value Added Tax) and SET (Special Excise Tax) will be refunded in cash at the airport. Purchases and receipts may need to be shown to the customs officer.

Special Events
Korea (Rep) celebrates many annual festivals throughout the year. The most significant festival is Buddha’s Birthday, during which the ‘Feast of Lanterns’ is performed in the Republic of Korea’s streets. Of great importance are the annual village rituals which are nationally recognised. At these festivals, mountain spirits, great generals and royalty of the past are remembered and celebrated. There are also festivals that mark the changing seasons and festivals of prayer for a good harvest. All are characterised by processions, by masked and costumed local people, music, dancing, battles and sports, to recreate the original historic event or to conjure up good spirits. For more details and exact dates, contact the Korea National Tourism Organisation (see Contact Addresses section). The following is a selection of special events occurring in Korea (Rep) in 2005:
Jan 1 Seongsan Ilchul Festival (New Year’s sunrise). Jan 27-30 Daegwallyeong Snow Flower Festival, Gangwon-do/Inje Pond Smelt Fishing (ice fishing competition and festivities), Soyangho Lake. Feb 17-19 First Full Moon Field Fire Festival (burning of dry grass), Jeju-do. Mar 15-23 Cheongdo Bullfighting Festival, Gyeongsangbuk-do. Apr 2-5 Yeongam Wang-in Cultural Festival, Jeollanam-do. Jul 14-23 Bucheon-si Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival, Goyang-si. Aug 8-10 Yeosu International Youth Festival.

Social Conventions
Shoes should be removed before entering a Korean home. Entertainment is usually lavish and Koreans may sometimes be offended if their hospitality is refused. Customs are similar to those in the West. Small gifts are customary and traditional etiquette requires the use of the right hand for giving and receiving. Dress should be casual and practical clothes are suitable. Traditional costume, or hanbok, is mainly worn on holidays and special occasions. For men it consists of a short jacket and loose trousers, called baji, that are tied at the ankles. Womens’ hanboks comprise a wrap-around skirt and a bolero-style jacket and is often called a chima-jeogori. Both ensembles may be topped by a long coat called a durumagi. Tipping: Although not a Korean custom, most hotels and other tourist facilities add a 10 per cent service charge to bills. Taxi drivers are not tipped unless they help with the luggage.