“왜 한국사람 이름은 전부 세글자인가요?” “왜 소주병은 전부 초록색이죠?” 외국인 친구가 이런 질문을 한다면 어떻게 대답 해야 할까? 美 아마존에서 공전의 히트를 기록한 ‘케이팝 딕셔너리’의 저자가 외국인들을 위한 ‘한국 문화 설명서’! 한국 문화에 대한 모든 것을 알기 쉽게 영어로 설명한 이 책은 한국에 관심있는 외국인들에게 최고의 선물이 될 것이며, 동시에 세계에 한국을 소개하는 유용한 자료가 될 것이다. 앞으론 당황하지 말고 외국인 친구에게 이 책을 건내주시라! 고개를 끄덕이는 그들을 보며 당신의 걱정은 끝!

 

Before reading this book, you probably had some moments of curiosity in your life where you questioned certain things about Korean culture. Why is there a Pepsi logo on the Korean flag? Why do Korean kids in my class only have like… three last names (Kim, Lee, Park)?
If you are a K-Drama addict, and even took the time to watch variety shows with your favorite idols, your thoughts and interest towards Korea may have grown even deeper! What does 'Korea' mean, and who are the people on the Korean currency notes? Why do Koreans love kimchi so much?
Maybe, if you're a Koreaboo (no shame in the game) you may wonder how and why you become a year (or two years) older as soon as arriving in Korea? Why so much drama in those street tent bars (pojangmacha)? How do Koreans drink so much soju from those infamous green bottles? And, probably the question on everyone's mind in 2020, why is BTS so gosh dang popular (honorable mention: What the heck does \"Gangnam Style\" mean)?
Well, if you get lost in translation, you can simply look up the word in the dictionary or on the latest phone app. But what if you get lost between cultures and there's no one to kindly fill you in on what's going on? You can get by with a lucky guess, but not only is there no guarantee that you will get lucky next time, but you are also missing a valuable opportunity to learn about Korean culture indepthly!
Regardless of who you are and where you come from - a K-Pop/K-Drama fanatic, an expat living in Korea, a student who just got accepted to study abroad in Korea (congrats!), or even a second-generation Gyopo from the Korean diaspora, you no longer have to stay puzzled and irritated by not being able to understand the peculiarities you find in Korea overall! This book is jam-packed with over 350 essential topics and most frequently asked questions that are hand-picked from 27 categories, covering virtually every aspect of Korean culture by laying out all the details on the \"Five Ws (Who, What, When, Where, Why) and How.\" After reading, you can fully understand Korea and appreciate its culture inside and out
By the time you've finished the last chapter, you will have learned so much about Korea, including all the minute details! (E.g., Why do Koreans love sitting on the floor? Why is it rude to pour drinks with one hand?)
An added bonus (perhaps the most important one) is that Korean dramas, movies, and K-Pop music videos and lyrics will mean so much more the next time you see them (Hey, you will have the ability to accurately identify all the Korean drama clich?s)! So next time you hang out with a Korean friend, you can flaunt your knowledge by telling them why you hit the neck of the bottle with a Taekwondo chop when opening it (don't forget to turn your body away when drinking with an older person). Oh, and if someone compliments you for having a \"Small face,\" you will correctly respond by saying \"Thank you.\" Now let's start this book with an example of \"Bbali Bbali\" culture - hurry up and start reading!!

PREFACE
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
GET TO KNOW THE FLAG
UNDERSTANDING KOREAN NAMES
THE LANGUAGE
KIMCHI - THE KOREAN SOUL FOOD
YUGYO - THE IDEOLOGY OF THE KOREAN PEOPLE
WHAT DO KOREANS EAT?
DINING IN KOREA
DRINKING IN KOREA
WORKING IN KOREA
EDUCATION IN KOREA
FUN AND QUIRKY KOREAN SUPERSTITIONS AND BELIEFS
SPOOKY KOREAN SUPERSTITIONS AND BELIEFS
ODD QUESTIONS AND COMPLIMENTS
DEATH AND AFTERLIFE
KOREAN FUNERAL - HOW KOREANS SAY GOODBYE
JESA - REMEMBERING AND HONORING THE ANCESTORS
TYING THE KNOT - WEDDINGS IN KOREA
SPECIAL DAYS AND OFFICIAL HOLIDAYS IN KOREA
NEW YEARS DAY AND CHUSEOK
HANBOK - THE TRADITIONAL KOREAN CLOTHES
THE KOREAN LIFESTYLE
KOREAN HISTORY - HIGHLIGHTS AND TIMELINE
KOREAN WAR
LOST IN TRANSLATION
KOREA IN THE DIGITAL ERA
SPORTS
PLACES AND THINGS
HALLYU THE KOREAN WAVE