Let's Learn KOREAN

Trivia #2 : Dating & Wedding

DATING
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Dating in Korea depends on individual people, but the average Korean starts dating around high school age. Due to the fact that many schools are separated by gender, some Korean youths might not kiss someone of the opposite sex until they reach college age or beyond.

❤︎ On dates, it's not uncommon for youngsters to go to movies, game rooms, singing rooms, PC rooms, or video rooms. However, video rooms tend to have a nasty reputation for being places where Koreans make out or have varying degrees of sex while viewing a movie in a semiprivate room. On a lighter note, if all goes well for a young couple, they will buy couple rings. Obviously, this displays to others that they are a couple. When the time comes, the boy will finally enter the girl's house to meet her parents. Usually Korean kids don't enter their boyfriend or girlfriend's house until they intend to get married. When parent's approval is given, an inexpensive engagement ring is bought and they hold an engagement party. In Korea the wedding ring is the expensive ring, in contrast to the customary expensive engagement ring and inexpensive wedding band of the West.

❤︎ Koreans wouldn't consider displaying affection in public, and hugging or kissing would be considered a strong breach of etiquette. It's totally acceptable to hold hands, hug, and give a gentle kiss on the lips, but try to have your passionate makeout sessions in private. Repressing emotions, according to Confucianism, is a sign of culture.

❤︎ Keep your phone glued to you. All. The. Time. Keeping in touch is a big deal. Being in touch in Korea is a whole another level. Calling each other only once a day is quite rare. Instead, Korean couples use kakaotalk or line messenger to keep each other updated non-stop.

❤︎ Lots of Couple-y Stuff. Couple culture is huge in Korea. Couple shirts are all the rage and are very visible anywhere you go. It's a clear declaration to the world to say "You're MINE". You might get a couple ring for your 100 Day Anniversary, to declare your love in ring form.

❤︎ Celebrating every 100 Days. It's common for a man to give 100 roses to his girlfriend to commemerate the occasion. People around the world celebrate yearly anniversaries; really lovey-dovey couples celebrate monthly anniversaries; and unhealthily obsessed teenagers celebrate even more often. But in Korea, it's a little bit different. Of course the big yearly milestones are celebrated just the same. But instead of counting months, the Korean equivalents to the lovey-dovey couples that celebrate monthly will instead celebrate anniversaires in denominations of 100 days (i.e. 100, 200, 300, 500, 1000). It's more common for younger and more affectionate couples to celebrate this way, so not everyone pays attention to this. But this is definitely a Korean way to celebrate being in love.

❤︎ Be organized, because it's an anniversary every other week. There are event cafes in Korea specifically for couples that need a private venue to celebrate their frequent anniversaries. In addition to all the universal celebrations, like birthdays and yearly anniversary, there are tons more. Here is the list:

Diary Day (January 1st) – couples share diaries to celebrate the year to come.

Valentines Day (Feb 14th) – In Korea, Valentines day is a day that women give chocolates or gifts to the men.

White Day (March 14th) – This is the day for the men to give chocolates or gifts to the women.

Rose Day (May 14th) – couples exchange roses.

Kiss Day (June 14th) – people kiss everyone they meet (very conservatively).

Silver Day (July 14th) – couples exchange silver accessories.

Green Day (August 14th) – couples enjoy a natural place, while drinking soju (in a green bottle).

Photo Day (September 14th) – couples take a photo together and put it somewhere nice to look at.

Wine Day (October 14th) – couples enjoy a glass or two of wine together.

Peppero Day (November 11th) -The sticks resemble the date, 11/11, when people give a boxes of pepero sticks to their love interest.

Movie Day (November 14th) – couples watch a movie together.

Hug Day (December 14th) – Couples spend the day hugging each other.

WEDDING
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❤︎ Women do not take their husband's family name. Additionally, official family tree documents are updated to include the bride in the groom's family tree while removing them from the family tree of their birth parents.

❤︎ A white dress for the bride and a black tuxedo for the groom are very common.

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That's all for today!
See you in my next class.