The country of Korea has followed the traditional thoughts of Confucius philosophy brought from Chinese philosophy. The high respect towards others, most importantly those with a high social position, is part of the Confucianism way of thinking. At the same time, an individual is supposed to be polite towards their friends, spouses, father and mother, grandparents, elderly people, and high-ranking officers. There are courteous expressions that should be spoken when conversing with people. Korea, among other countries within the Asian continent, was remarkably influenced by Confucianism and even today in Korea it could still be seen in the culture. There are certain expressions to be used between friends and for respected people in the community. The correct greeting should be used to show respect towards father and mother, professors and strangers.

It is important to understand clearly the casual and polite expressions that Koreans use in the language. As a sample, a person can politely greet someone “How are you?” by telling “Jal jineshuht-uh-yo?” however you may say “Jal jinetsuh?” instead whenever talking informally with a friend. Whenever you would like to say thanks to somebody in an casual way, you may say “gomawuh” but if you wish this to be spoken politely, you will instead say “gomapseupnida.” When you meet up with a very good friend you haven’t seen for a long period you say “Orenman-iya” but you say “Orenmani-eh-yo” if you address somebody you respect “Long time no see.”

In the learning of Korean, one should study certain manners of speaking as the custom dictates. Eye contact seems to be a necessary ingredient in communication among Americans and Europeans. For foreigners from the western culture, looking at somebody in the eye during discussions is a means of letting the other individual know that you are being attentive. For many Koreans on the other hand, making eye contact with an individual is not polite. In Korean culture, you are considered disrespectful when talking with a person, if you make eye contact with that individual particularly if the person happens to have a higher public rank. One example is when employers talk to their employees. Employees should refrain from looking bosses in the eye whilst they are saying something, or they may be regarded as impolite. Youngsters are expected to abide to the same principle when they are conversing to their parents and seniors.

In general, practicing to speak the Korean language need not be tough. Because of its language structure and pronunciation or “bal-eum”, the Korean language is not impossible to understand. Although determining the casual and the polite expressions for distinct kinds of people may initially be confusing, you will not have any big problems if you just know the way to use the expressions and whom to use them for. To better become acquainted with the Korean language, one could enroll in Korean language classes. You can also read Korean books or “gong-bu-anneh” and practice talking and start learning the accent or “wehguk gangseh.” There are numerous sources on the world wide web that can assist you explore and better learn the language.

heyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy, we’re back ! songs used : Oh! – SNSD I Go Crazy Because Of You – T-ara I Got Colors – Cool Kids this was our first dance afterr the International Day Dance (: we all went to different schools; and did not have frequent opportunities to meet up and danceee so we decided to perform our dance at the Korean Culture Night. For you guysss (: PK comebackkkk : Enjoy ! – Hana, Siana, Dominique
Video Rating: 5 / 5

The National Museum of Korea contains one of the oldest collections of ancient and cultural artifacts in Asia and is the sixth largest art museum in the world. Its permanent collection consists of over 220,000 historical artifacts with over 13,000 items on display at any given time. The collection here encompasses the culture and history of what is known today as modern day Korea and contains artifacts that date as far back as the Paleolithic era, 2.5 million years ago.

The National Museum of Korea was established in 1908 as Korea’s first museum. Its collection was started from the Imperial museum collection at the Changgyeong Palace in Seoul, which was one of the Five Grand Palaces of Joseon Dynasty (14th century). The museum’s collection has grown enormously over the centuries primarily through donations from private collectors and with the assignment of many of the National Treasures of South Korea, a numbered series of treasures, objects, and buildings recognized as having exceptional cultural value, to the museum.

Highlights of its collection include a 5th century royal crown made of solid gold, a massive bronze bell weighing 19 tons, a 6th century bronze statue of an early Buddha, a remarkable stone pagoda that stands over 30 feet in height, and a famous painting of a heavenly horse on the mud guard of a saddle.

- Admission: Free.
- Hours: Daily: 9-6; Wed & Sat: Closes 9; Sun: Closes 7; Closed Mon.
- The National Museum of Korea receives 2.7M visitors annually and has long lines on weekends. Recommend: Visiting on weekdays and also Wed and Sat evenings when the Museum closes late (9p).
- Give yourself at least 4 hours to view the Museum. The National Museum of Korea has more than 13,000 works of art on display.
- 1-hr guided tours in English are given at 1030 and 230 near the Museum entrance. Cost: Free.
- Both Digital Guides(PDA) and Audio Guides(MP3) are available for rent at the Information Desks. Cost: 3,000 Won & 1,000 Won.
- The Seoul City Tour Bus is a great way to visit popular tourist attractions. The ticket covers not just sightseeing, but also entrance fees to museums, exhibitions, & performances, for the day. Ticket holders can disembark at bus stop for a look around and continue their trips on another bus. Provided at each bus stop is a multiple-language (English, Chinese, Japanese and Korean) guide service.

Related Palaces In Seoul Articles