Category: Living

Festivals and Events That Were Cancelled After Itaewon Tragedy

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A number of festivals and events that were scheduled in November in Busan are being cancelled following Saturday’s Halloween stampede in Seoul’s Itaewon.

<Photos taken by Newsis>

Busan’s Mayor, Park Hyeongjun has decided to indefinitely postpone the Busan International Fireworks Festival which was scheduled for November 5th. He said, “I would like to send my sincere condolences to the victims and their families and express my support to the survivors. I would also like to ask for your understanding and cooperation for our decision to postpone the fireworks festival in accordance with the national mourning period.”

Gwangalli Drone Light Show which takes place every Saturday will be postponed due to the national mourning period. Yeongdo Coffee Festival that was scheduled to take place from November 4th to 6th has also been cancelled.

Barrier-Free Opera ”La Traviata”

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One of the greatest Italian operas called La Traviata is coming to Busan, but with the title Barrier-Free Opera: Opera for All – La Traviata. 

Barrier-Free Opera means a performance that includes everybody. 

The Busan Cultural Center will host the performance on Wednesday, November 9, 2022, at 7:30 pm. This one-night-only performance will have live music, sign language interpretion and voice acting. 

The performance is approximately two hours long and there is no cost for admission.

Director / Jeong Heejeong

Producer/ Noh Irum

Conductor / Youn Seungup

Violetta / Lee Younkyoung

Alfredo / Lee Beomju

Germont/ Byeonghak Choi 

Music / Barrier-Free Opera Chamber 

Chorus/ Barrier-Free Opera Choir

Giving Money as a Gift

Posted in Local Topics, Things that are considered 'Common Sense' in Korea, Things that are considered 'common sense' in KoreaLeave a comment

I have heard that giving money as a present is considered thoughtless in some cultures. However in Korea, it considered to be one of the best gifts you can give. This is especially true for weddings and funerals.  

At weddings, people will often gift the bride and groom around 50,000 won to 300,000 won before the ceremony starts. You are supposed to bring your gift in an envelope, but many couples will have envelopes avaliable at the enterance to the venue in case you forgot one.

At funerals, it is also common to give the grieving family 50,000 won to 300,000 won. This tradition is supposed to help the family pay for the funeral.

So, don’t be surprised when you see ATM machines outside wedding halls and funeral homes.  

My Boiler Doesn’t Work. Should I Talk to my Landlord About the Issue?

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Q: The apartment I am currently renting has a broken boiler. Is it my job to have it repaired or should I ask my landlord to fix it?

A: You should bring any issues regarding your apartment to the attention of the landlord, because most of the time it is their responsibility to fix them.

Sometimes, landlords will say, “you handle the problem, send me the receipt, and I will refund you.” This may be convenient for you if your landlord lives far way.

It is easy as a tenant to think that you must fix the problems that arise in your apartment, but many issues are meant to be handled by your landlord. Let me elaborate.

  • If the ceiling is leaking, who would be responsible for the repairs?

The landlord! Technically speaking, the apartment that caused the damage (usually the upstairs neighbor) is responsible for that. However, your landlord is responsible for talking to your neighbors.

That’s why you should always bring any damages to the attention of your landlord.

  • If your downstairs neighbor finds a leak coming from your apartment, who would be responsible for the repair?

If their ceiling is leaking because you let your water run for hours, then you would be responsible for the repairs. On the other hand, if the source of the problem came from a broken pipe, the landlord should take care of it.

What about this?

  • If you want to install a keypad into your door, who would have to pay for that? (도어락 – Koreans usually don’t use metal keys and instead most homes require a password to enter)

You should pay for it. Even if you leave the hardware on the door after moving out, you cannot expect the landlord to reimburse you.

  • What about a light bulb?

If you need a new light bulb, you will have to get a new one for yourself.

However, if it is an LED light, you better discuss it with your landlord. When it comes to LED lights, if one burns out, the whole set must be replaced. Some landlords will understand the situation and help, but others would insist that he or she is not responsible for covering a new set.

So, good luck talking to your landlord!

If You Invite Your Family to Korea as a Married Immigrant

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Q: I am currently a married immigrant living in Korea. What should I do if I want to invite my family here?

A: If you want to invite your family to Korea, the first thing you must do is tell them to visit a Korean Embassy or Consulate in their country.

Until recently, visitors could enter Korea without a Visa, but if they wanted to stay longer, they were required to change their visa status from temporary to F1-5 (aka 방문동거) meaning “Dependent Family Visa.”

But last year, things changed. Now your family member will need to visit a Korean Embassy or Consulate first to get an “F1-5” Visa before they can enter Korea.

You can find more information on this website: www.hiKorea.go.kr.

Useful Expressions to Remember When Driving in Korea (Part 2)

Posted in Learn Korean Idioms, LivingLeave a comment

1. 주차할 곳이 없어서 이중주차를 했어요 (I had trouble finding a parking space, so I double-parked my car.)

This sometimes happens when the parking lot is full.

Unfortunately, those who live in old apartment complexes or villas that don’t have large parking lots deal with this problem every day.

When a person fails to find a parking space, they sometimes end up parking in front of someone’s car. In this case, we use the expression, “이중주차” meaning “double-parking.”

2. 중립으로 해뒀어요. (I left my car in neutral.)

When someone double-parks their car, they usually leave it in neutral. This allows someone to push the car out of the way, if they were blocked in. In this case, you can use this expression.

3. 견인되었어요. (My car has been towed.)

There is a higher chance that your car will be towed if it is not parked in the proper parking lot. I hope that you don’t find yourself needing to use this expression.

Useful Expressions to Remember When Driving in Korea (Part 1)

Posted in Learn Korean Idioms, LivingLeave a comment

1. 길치에요 (I have a bad sense of direction.)

“Something-치” means that you are bad at it.

For example, if you introduce yourself as “음 (tone) 치,” you are saying that you are tone deaf.

If you say that you are “몸 (body) 치,” that means that you are not good at dancing.

길 means way or direction, so “길치에요” means that someone has a bad sense of direction.

2. 타이어에 펑크가 났어요. (I have a flat tire.)

This can be literally translated to, “my tire has a punk.” This phrase is an example of Koreans using Konglish.

3. 문콕 (문: door/ 콕: “kok” the sound of clashing)

I admit, the parking spaces in Korea are not very large. You should be extra careful when opening your car door, so you don’t accidentally hit the car parked next to you. An “accident” like this is called “문콕.” I hope you never find yourself in this kind of situation.

Behind the Scenes of the Opening Night Red Carpet at the BIFF 2022

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Biff has returned and so has the red carpet!

The 27th annual Busan International Film Festival kicked off last night in the Busan Cinema Center located in the Centum area. The festival is expected to run through Friday, October 14.

Founded in 1996, Biff has become one of the most prestigious events within the film industry in Asia.

Nearly 250 films from around the world will premier during the festival, but before that is the red carpet!

Check out who walked the red carpet on the Biff this year.

한예리 (Yeri Han) did not disappoint in this black dress.

Tony Leung, the recipient of the Asian Film Maker of the Year award, looked dashing in this bright white look.

정해인 (Haein Jung) also looked handsome in his dark tuxedo.

김규리 (Gyuri Kim) had heads turning in this purple blue dress.

이윤지 (Yoonji Lee) looked stunning in this A-line yellow dress.

한지민 (Jimin Han) made an appearance wearing this beautiful dress.

Here, 송강호 (Kangho Song) and Japanese director Hirokazu Koreeda, are seen arriving at the Busan Cinema Center.

<Photos taken by News1, Seoul Economics & Mydaily>

Befm’s Halloween Parade

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Busan’s one and only English radio station, Befm has prepared for the Halloween Festival to help promote the city for the World Expo 2030 Busan. Come on out to enjoy a family friendly Halloween event filled with games, activities, a drone show and the famous costume parade!
Here is a sneak peak of what to expect from this exciting FREE event.

  • Costume Parade
  • Military Band
  • Citizen Parade Contest
  • On-site Autonomous Participation Parade
  • Halloween Drone Show
  • A photo zone
  • An invited concert


Date: October 29, 2022
Time: 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Location: Gwangalli Beach Strip
Participation Fee: FREE!

A contest will be held to find the best costumes.


How to Participate

Befm will accept Halloween Parade applications until 3:00 pm, October 7. If you are interested in showing off either of your costume or your talent, don’t hesitate to participate in the contest. Winners will take home a cash prize!
For more information, visit busanparade.com.

Gwangalli M Drone Light Show (Line-up for October)

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Gwangalli M Drone Light Show is a FREE attraction held every Saturday in front of Gwangalli Beach. They always have a variety of fun themes for their shows. The month of October will have some must see performances!

October 1st The Drone Light Proposal event will take place. The district selected two couples last August through the so-called “Love Proposal Contest.” During the event, the question, “will you marry me?” will be displayed in the sky. Also, a “love photo zone” will be installed, allowing anyone to take pictures after the performance.

October 8th To celebrate Hangeul Day (Korean Alphabet Day), 500 drones will put on a Hangeul Day themed performance at 7 pm and 9 pm.

October 14th (Friday) There is usually no drone show on Friday, but to celebrate the 20th Gwangalli Eobang Festival (광안리 어방 축제), a drone show will be held at 7 pm.

October 15th The drone show at the Eobang Festival will begin at 7pm. The show at 9 pm will be BTS themed, since BTS is holding a concert in Busan to help promote the city for the 2030 World Expo Busan.

October 22nd Things relating to autumn will be displayed in the sky.

October 29th In line with the Halloween Parade by Befm 부산영어방송, hundreds of drones will put on a Halloween themed performance at 8 pm.

Also, the drone show happens twice every Saturday in the Gwangalli Beach area. Starting in October, the show times will change to 7pm and 9pm.