The format of traditional meal consists of rice, soup, and diverse side dishes. Therefore, Koreans have to use chopsticks to pick up side dishes and spoon to eat soup. Although people's busy lives in a modern era has reduced the number of side dishes and let people introduce a western meal style, the basic format of traditional largely remains - That is, bowl of rice, bowl of soup, and side dishes.

Kimchi - spicy, fermented vegetables (Napa and radish) with garlic, red pepper, seafood sauce - is an essential side dish for most Koreans for all seasons. Red pepper paste and soy sauce are major condiments for Koreans. In the old days when refrigerators were not invented or not common, Kimchi, major condiments such as red pepper paste, bean paste, soy sauce were stored in big and small jars made of clay, called "Jangdok".

Three of four sides of Korea's land are adjacent to sea - Korean peninsula. Due to this geographic characteristic, most Koreans love seafood such as fish, clams, and oyster, and diverse seafood cuisines have been developed over a long period of time.

Korea has developed and used traditional medicine, called "Hanbang" for thousands of years. Even after western medicine was introduced about 130 years ago, many people in Korea believes effectiveness of oriental medicine such as acupuncture, moxibustion, oriental medication. It is similarly tough to get into both schools of medicine and oriental medicine in Korea.

There coexist traditional markets and western-style markets in Korea. Many traditional markets have their own specialization such as clothing, seafood, and vegetables although most items are sold in each traditional market. These traditional markets compete with western-style markets everywhere in Korea.

Traditionally houses are covered by tiles, called "Kiwa", and different generations live together in the same house. Usually, parents live with the first son's family. Still, it is not uncommon to have three generation families in the same house. As South Korea is getting more westernized, more and more people come to prefer having separate lives from their parents.

Koreans put a great value on traditional etiquette such as respecting teachers and elders and parents, which is a basis of their social order. People observe specific and complicated etiquette when they talk, eat, and drink. For example, children do not eat until their parents begin to eat at the meal time.

Taekwondo is a korean martial art, and the World Taekwondo Headquarters is located in Korea. It has been an official sport in Summer Olympics since 2010. In more than 120 countries, people learn Taekwondo that places great emphasis on physical and mental health, as well as good manners.

Many parents in Korea are willing to devote their lives to educating their children with a strong belief that education pays off. Since it is tough to get into good universities in Korea and competition is so fierce, most students take additional classes in private institutions after school. The buildings in this picture are all occupied by diverse private institutions in a school district.

Korea is full of diverse religions such as Buddhism, Protestant, and Catholic (in the order of believers' number). Traditionally, Buddhism has contributed to forming Korean culture for more than a thousand year, and it is common to have a Buddhism temple in mountains anywhere in Korea. Since Christianity was introduced in the 19th Century, many people have chosen Protestant or Catholic as their religion.

Department stores have become an icon of western-style shopping culture in Korea. More and more people go to department stores for shopping, and rooms for traditional markets become smaller and smaller.

More and more people have visited theme parks for their entertainment. According to the Lotte World (picture) - Korea's Disney Land, more than 5 million people visited their parks last year.