Korea

The division of Korea into North Korea and South Korea stems from the 1945 Allied victory in World War II, ending Japan's 35-year colonial rule of Korea. The current political separation of North and South Korea has resulted in divergence in modern Korean cultures; nevertheless, the traditional culture of Korea is historically shared by both states.

Capital: Located on the Han River, Seoul, Korea's capital city has grown into a teeming
metropolis with a population of more than 11 million representing over 24 percent of the entire county's population.

Beliefs: The original religion of the Korean people was Shamanism, which though not as
widespread as in ancient times, still survives to this day. Female shamans or mudang are often called upon to enlist the help of various spirits to achieve various means. Buddhism and Confucianism were later introduced to Korea through cultural exchanges with Chinese dynasties. Buddhism was the official religion of the Goryeo dynasty, and many privileges were given to Buddhist monks during this period. However, the Joseon period saw the suppression of Buddhism, where Buddhist monks and temples were banned from the cities and confined to the countryside. In its place a strict form of Confucianism, which some see as even more strict than what had ever been adopted by the Chinese, became the official philosophy. Throughout Korean history and culture, regardless of separation, the traditional beliefs of Korean Shamanism, Mahayana Buddhism and Confucianism have remained an underlying influence of the religion of the Korean people as well as a vital aspect of their culture, remembering that all these traditions coexisted peacefully for hundreds of years that still exist in the more Christian South or the pressure from Communism's atheist government in the North.

Clothing: The traditional dress known as hanbok, (known as joseonot. It has been worn
since ancient times. The hanbok consists of a shirt (jeogori) and a skirt (baji). The traditional hat is called gwanmo and special meaning is attached to this piece of clothing.

Food: Korean food is largely based upon rice, vegetables, and meats. Traditional Korean
meals are noted for the number of side dishes (banchan) that accompany steam-cooked short-grain rice. Kimchi is a traditional food of Korea served often at every meal.

Currency: The won is the currency of South Korea. A single won is divided into 100
jeon, the monetary subunit. The jeon is no longer used for everyday transactions, and appears only in foreign exchange rates. One South Korean won is equal to 0.114364 North Korean won, at the official North Korean rate.

Language: The language of South Korea is called Hangugeo, and the language of North
Korea is called Chosn. Also, Koreans speak Russian, and they call it gorygeo.

Saint Dominic School Korea Sociology Teacher: Ms. Marn By: Carlos Gmez

Traditional homes: A Korean house is built with a rooms and a big wooden floor in the
center. Houses from other lands are usually simple frame houses but they have either rooms only, or just a wooden floor. In Northern regions houses are closed private homes called "umjib" and in Southern regions houses are open and are in a hut-like form. In conclusion, Korea is a country that has its own culture, it has almost no influence from other countries and they are very independent and intelligent. Also, their food is very tasty and also I can say from its clothing, beliefs, and language that they are very confident and most of all original. Everything of it is very interesting and one day I wish I could experience a piece of its cultural enrichment.

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