Why Korean Housewarming Gifts Are Toilet Paper and Laundry Detergent — And What’s Replacing Them in 2026
The first time we hosted a jipdeuri (집들이) in our current apartment in Yongin, I nearly tripped over a stack […]
Traditions & Celebrations
Why Korean Babies Get a Gold Ring on Their First Birthday — And Why That’s Changing in 2026
When my daughter turned one last August, my mother-in-law set a small velvet box on the doljanchi (돌잔치) table before
How Much Cash Gift Money Should You Give in Korea in 2026 — Weddings, Doljanchi, and Funerals
Last month, a colleague from our Seoul office got married, and I found myself at my desk holding a plain
Why Koreans Bow to Their Elders on New Year’s Day — and Get Paid for It
There’s a specific kind of childhood memory that only makes sense when you’re an adult. Mine involves a hanbok that
Why a Korean Wedding Isn’t What You Think It Is
I didn’t plan my wedding. Not really. My wife and I chose the venue, picked a date, and then Korea
Why Every Korean Baby Gets a Doljabi Party
The Table My Daughter Couldn’t Stop Staring At My daughter had no idea what was happening. She was dressed in
From the World Cup Stage to My Daughter’s First Birthday: Hanbok Is Still Alive
A Korean Dress on the World’s Biggest Stage I was watching the 2026 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony in Mexico