Category: Culture (Page 8 of 24)

Traditional and modern Korean culture.

Hanbok Problems

2015/02/20 / Nic / 8 Comments

I do like wearing my hanbok, but it’s not the easiest thing to get around in. I spent a lot of Lunar New Year sitting and waiting for relatives to visit, and some objects disappeared under my skirts. When you try a hanbok on at tourist places they are usually not this big and are just the outer skirt and top/jacket, but if you own a hanbok it usually involves special socks and pantaloons, a big puffy petticoat, and an under blouse before you even put on the pretty colourful skirt and top.

I wasn’t allowed to take it off either, those that follow me on Instagram would have seen my photo of my view laying on the floor while waiting in my hanbok. Although, for all the ways a hanbok can limit you, they are very special.

We haven’t put anymore videos up with week because I’ve been sick and we have been busy with Lunar New Year, but we’ll have some up soon.

Punishment in Korea games

2015/02/06 / Nic / 2 Comments

In this Ask Us video we talk about games and living with my family in Australia.

6 Challenges of International Relationships

2015/01/29 / Nic / 4 Comments

While movies often glamorize international relationships, in reality there are a lot of things to think about!

Also just wanted to clarify that when we say “the government doesn’t care if you are married” we meant that the government doesn’t give a crap about your love life and a marriage certificate is not a visa, nor does it guarantee a visa. However, actually being married can make obtaining a visa easier. We will expand on these topics in later videos.

Let’s Talk about Aegyo!

2015/01/21 / Nic / 10 Comments

In this video we talk about different types of aegyo, why it’s so much more than gwiyomi and how our relationship has changed in regards to aegyo since we moved to Korea.

Why Koreans don’t smell

2015/01/08 / Nic / 13 Comments

If you read all the comics and blog posts, you already probably know about this. We made a video about it though!

We tried to keep it light-hearted so we are really sorry if we offend anyone. There are also many other things we could have talked about but just didn’t have time for. For example, what gene are children likely to get when one parent is Korean? Do pheromones in sweat cause some Koreans to be more attracted to someone who is very genetically different to them? Just because you have the more sweat glands and bacteria/sticky ear wax gene doesn’t automatically mean you smell bad- body odour varies a lot from person to person. Don’t be too paranoid, just be conscious of it.

Just last night we asked a Korean friend why they thought foreigners tended to smell more than Koreans and they said because Koreans go to the public baths and scrub their bodies there but foreigners don’t. Hehe.. a lot of misinformation around.

Harsh Reality

2014/09/29 / Nic / 20 Comments

Although I’m completely aware that I’m technically an ahjumma because I am a married woman, there is a difference between knowing that and then actually being called an ahjumma. So it was a shock! Sophie and Chloe think the article title was meant as a fun way because I don’t look like an ahjumma but my first thoughts were, “OMG I am so old”.

The image that comes to mind when thinking of the word “ahjumma” is not a look that I am ready for yet…

Also check out yesterday’s vlog where I get very honest. Make sure you subscribe to the vlogging channel because I won’t always post the video here.

The Simpsons Quote

2014/09/25 / Nic / 10 Comments

This is a topic we’ve talked about before – not having similar childhoods. Our childhoods were influenced by different TV shows, movies, trends and books. While Mr Gwon has seen many episodes of the The Simpsons and has heard many of the famous quotes from it, he saw and heard it as an adult, he didn’t absorb it when he was young. He didn’t quote it with his siblings and in the school playground with his friends. The perfect quote doesn’t come to mind in certain situations and he doesn’t pick up on the times when I do it, even if it has been explained to him, because it just wasn’t part of his childhood or teen years. Although not every western person my age watched The Simpsons, they would have been very aware of it and how it affected our generation. For example Sophie wasn’t allowed to watch it as a child but she was aware of the characters and some of the jokes and the influence it had. It is such an iconic TV show, especially the earlier episodes.

The top video that comes up from the scene I was quoting is just someone filming a TV, but look at how many views it has and how many people are reminiscing in the comments.

It’s also a kind of sad reminder that it doesn’t matter how well I can speak Korean later, there will be some things that he says that I just won’t understand because our childhoods were so different.

(Oh and why was I on that gym equipment? I was just laying on it but he pushed the button and made me go upside down… I think you are supposed to do sit-ups or something. I didn’t do that).