Korean food! Food is a big part of the culture; the holidays, expressions, lifestyle, and immersion into all things Korean! It’s definitely one of the most popular, unique, and delicious parts of Korean culture~
Back in 2023, I did an overview of the Korean Lunar New Year, going through how it is celebrated, key New Year dishes, the difference between Chinese and Korean New Year, and more. Today I want to delve a bit deeper and get more into the customs and zodiacs, and certain things. Koreans still enjoy the January 1st New Year, but it’s more similar to the one over here, without any big family connection.
Today let’s get a bit into vocabulary for cooking in Korean; along with food, ingredients, verbs for taste, popular foods, and more. Food is always a big part of culture, and Korea has its own unique food that’s gaining more and more popularity outside of the country.
Superstitions are a really unique part of a culture. They can be tied to history, folklore, mythology, or just wordplay! If you’re going to/living in Korea or just meeting Korean friends learning about Korean superstitions can help you avoid making awkward mistakes or offending people. Also, it helps you connect with people more and integrate yourself into the community. So here are some popular Korean superstitions from the lucky, unlucky and strange/funny!
If gardening is also a hobby you like this Korean gardening vocabulary can help you. The best way to practice is to use Korean for something you enjoy, like talking about your flowers and plants! So with that, I’ll get into some general gardening terms and vocab, plus some common things people grow.
In South Korea the focus for the lunar new year is family. With everyone gathering together, paying respects to the elders and ancestors, and of course eating good food! For 2024 the lunar new year is Feb. 10 but people gather for the day before and after as well for a 3 day celebration.
Knowing some common or interesting Korean idioms is a fun way to take your Korean to the next level! Idioms or 관용구 are phrases that people use to express something more than their literal meaning. You’ll hear and see them everywhere; from TV and movies, music, books, and daily conversation.
추석 also known as 한가위, is Koreas autumn harvest festival, similar to thanksgiving or other such celebrations. Its celebrated in both North and South Korea and lands on the 15/8 on the lunar calendar so it changes each year, but for 2023 it lands on September 28 – 30th.
식 is a reoccuring piece in many Korean food words and that’s because it has sino-Korean and hanja origins. 식 comes from 食 which means meal and food. So let’s get into some of the words that it comes up in!