More Than Just a Place to Wash
Last winter, my wife, our daughter, and I spent a Sunday afternoon at a jjimjilbang (찜질방) near our apartment in […]
Daily Life
Why K-Drama Characters Keep Saying “Daebak,” “Aegyo,” and “Jjang” — A Beginner’s Guide to Korean Slang
Last month, a colleague at my office in Yongin looked up from his phone during a break, said one word
How Koreans Beat the Summer Heat Without Central AC — And the Gadgets That Actually Work
It was barely 8am and I was already sweating through my shirt on the walk from our apartment block to
Why Koreans Have Two Different Ages — And Why Even Koreans Are Confused Now
I am thirty-five years old. I think. That’s not a joke. Since Korea officially switched to the international age system
Why Koreans Take Off Their Shoes at Home
My daughter figured it out before I had to teach her. She’s 24 months old, barely past the stage where
Why Does Everyone in Korea Call Each Other “Unnie,” “Oppa,” “Hyung,” and “Noona”? Understanding Korea’s Unique Relationship Culture
My daughter is three years old. She already knows to call the older girl next door 언니 (eonni). Not because
Why Recycling in Korean Apartments Is So Detailed
The first time I carried my recycling downstairs in our Siheung apartment complex, I stood in the 분리수거 (bunri sugeо)
Why Korean Apartment Complexes Have Outdoor Gyms Everywhere
There’s a set of outdoor exercise machines about thirty metres from the entrance of our apartment complex in Siheung. A