Category: Living

The Venue for BTS Concert Changed

Posted in Busan News, LivingLeave a comment

Big Hit Music Agency announced that the venue for BTS’s upcoming concert in Busan has changed to the Asiad Main Stadium.

BTS who was appointed as an ambassador for the 2030 World EXPO planned to hold a free concert in Ilkwang, located on the outskirts of Busan, to help promote the city.

However, the plan was criticized by the public because of the inconvenient location.

Now that the venue has been changed to the Asiad Main Stadium, the number of audience members will be downsized drastically.

Big Hit Music Agency said that it will announce more details later.

Three Interesting Facts About Korean Names

Posted in Local Topics, Things that are considered 'Common Sense' in KoreaLeave a comment
  1. The Most Common Last Names in South Korea

The name “Kim” comes in first with 21.5% of South Koreans being named this (this is more than 10 million people). The name “Lee” takes second with 15% and “Park” follows at 8% respectively. 

Yuna Kim / Haesoo Kim / Jenny Kim

Speaking of last names, Korean women do not change their family name after they are married. 

2. Most Korean Names Consist of Three Syllables. 

The family name comes first, while the given name with two syllables comes next. 

For example, if a there is a person named, “김민영”, 김 Kim is her family name, and Min-Young is her given name. Minyoung Kim, Min Young Kim, and Kim Minyoung all refer to the same person. There are some people who have only one syllable or three syllables in their name. For example, “김민” [Min Kim] or “김이로운” [Kim E-ro-un]), still, they are pretty rare. 

3. Most Korean Names Can Also be Written in Chinese Characters.

Koreans use Chinese characters (aka Hanja), but how we read these characters differ from how people on the mainland read them. 

  • Side note: The number of non-Koreans living in South Korea is on the rise, though, it’s safe to say that South Korea is a mono-ethnic country. According to recent statistics, the number of foreigners was 1.6 million as of this year, which accounted for a little more than 3 percent of the whole population.

Busan Biennale 2022

Posted in Busan News, Festivals & Events, LivingLeave a comment

Busan Biennale 2022 is a biannual international contemporary art show. They will kick off their new season on September 3rd with the theme, “We, on the Rising Wave.”

The former deputy director of Art Sunjae Center, Haeju Kim oversaw this year’s Busan Biennale as artistic director.

While making a press statement, Kim said, “the biennale will look into how Busan has been formed as it is today, after going through modernization, liberation from Japanese colonial rule and industrialization.”

64 artists from 26 countries will have their art on display in the show this year. The 2022 venue is the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Busan. The museum is located on Eulsukdo Island in the western part of the city. The Busan Biennale 2022 will last for 65 days, concluding on November 6th.

Photo taken by Yonhap News

4 Idioms Related to Money

Posted in Learn Korean Idioms, LivingLeave a comment

Money is something that we spend every day, so we have developed many expressions and idioms to use when talking about money.

1. 내 월급이 쥐꼬리만 해요

It can be roughly translated to: my paycheck is as small as rat’s tail. This could mean that someone is living paycheck to paycheck. We often hear angry wives say, “how am I supposed to save money if my husband’s paycheck is as small as rat’s tail?”

2. 돈에도 눈이 있다

It literally means, “money has eyes.” You could use this idiom in a situation where you had to spend the extra money that you had earned that month on something unexpected.

3. 재테크

This idiom is commonly used across Korea since everybody these days is interested in growing their money via gaining interest on savings accounts, selling real-estate, investing in stocks, selling gold, etc. ‘재’ is ‘re-‘, and 테크 is ‘tech’. This is a Chinese character/English combined word. Simply put, 재테크 refers to a certain kind of skill to be able to successfully grow your money.

4. 돈 방석에 앉다

This literally means, “someone is sitting on a money cushion.” We use this idiom to describe someone who is very rich and successful.”

[This is NOT a sponsored post]

Can I Get a 1 Year Visa for South Korea?

Posted in Living, Q & ALeave a comment

Q: Hello my name is 세영, I am Korean and currently living in Busan. However, my boyfriend of three years is not Korean. Long story short, we are now in a long-distance relationship, and we miss each other greatly. I want him to come to Korea and experience the culture, but I don’t know much about visa statuses. Where should I begin?

A: Long distance relationships are not easy in general.

But a long-distance relationship during the pandemic? I couldn’t imagine how hard it must be.

Thank you for the question, 세영씨, but just a heads up.

Since you didn’t include any information regarding where he is from, how old he is, what he does for a living, or how long you want him to stay, it will be difficult to give you detailed information, but I will do my best to assist you.

So, the question is: Does he need a visa to live in Busan?

Yes, but he does not need one if he is staying less than three months since he would just be considered a tourist. If he wishes to stay longer than three months, it is necessary for him to apply for a visa.

What about H-1 Visa, aka a Working Holiday Visa?

Only if he is between 18 and 30 years old and is a citizen of a country that has signed an agreement with South Korea can he receive a Working Holiday Visa.

That includes the USA, Canada, the UK, France, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, Australia and about 20 other countries.

With this visa, he can spend up to a year in South Korea, working, traveling, studying, etc.

But the catch is: jobs for Working Holiday Visa holders are limited to part-time jobs mostly.

If he is looking for a full-time position, he may need to apply for a different visa.

Obtaining a visa is complicated, so I recommend you talk to a consultant at the Busan Global Center for more information.

NOTE: If you are having any legal problems regarding your visa, job, marriage, school, etc, don’t hesitate to contact the Busan Global Center. You can visit their website at: http://www.bfic.kr to leave them a message. Or you can talk to a consult directly. Their number is 1577-7716.

BTS Holding a Concert in Busan on October 15

Posted in Busan News, LivingLeave a comment

Kpop group BTS will hold a live concert in Busan on October 15 to support the city’s bid to host the World Expo 2030.

According to Weverse, the global platform for fans and artists, the name of the concert is “Yet to Come in Busan” and it will take place on a special stage in Ilkwang, Gijang-gun district which can hold around 100,000 people. This concert is FREE for visitors.

The show will also be broadcasted onto a large-screen at an outdoor parking lot that can hold up to 10,000 people by the Busan Port International Passenger Terminal.

People unable to attend the concert in-person will be able to join via a live stream.

BTS was officially appointed as an ambassador for the 2030 Busan World Expo, with plans to carry out various promotional activities, starting with the concert.

The “Autumn Marine Healing Program” Run by Busan City

Posted in Busan News, LivingLeave a comment

The city of Busan announced on the 23rd that it will run a special healing program, titled “Autumn Marine Healing Program.”

This program is centered around Busan’s representative healing tourism content.

These classes are held at Suyeonggang River, Busan beaches and Yeongdo’s Amir Park from September 3rd to October 30th.

In addition to the existing Nordic Walking, Sunset Pilates, Singing Bowl Meditation and Yoga Programs that were available during the first half of this year, a new aromatherapy class is now available.  

Those who wish to participate can reserve their spot at 부산해양치유.kr on a first-come, first-served basis.

If you register to participate by the end of this month, you can get a 20% off discount and complimentary souvenirs. The city will also promote the “Autumn Marine Healing Program” at the 2022 K-Wellness Fair, held at Bexco from the 25th to the 27th of August.

New Pet Playground in Songjeong-dong

Posted in Busan News, Living1 Comment

Photo taken by Yonhap

The Haeundae-gu district, Busan announced on the 23rd that it has completed a new pet playground located next to the abandoned animal adoption center in Songjeong-dong.

The pet playground is a total of 993 meters long and is equipped with outdoor play facilities, green spaces, sand boxes and convenience facilities for visitors.

The Haeundae-gu district will officially open the park next year after improving the lawns and facilities.

The pet playground is free for visitors as long as a reservation is made online.

Pet care and training courses are also available for pet owners to use.

Kim Sungsoo, head of the Haeundae-gu district office said, “the population of pets is increasing, but related facilities are too few for the numbers,” he added, “we will create a pet playground where anyone can come and enjoy spending time with their pets.”

Wedding Rings

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

Please don’t assume that someone is married if you see a wedding ring on their ring finger. It is common for single ladies to wear a ring on their ring finger simply as a fashion statement.

Vice versa, don’t assume that someone is single if you don’t see a wedding ring on their ring finger.

Most times, people will buy a wedding ring for their ceremony, but not wear it daily.

Plus, I have noticed that the brand name of the ring is more significant in Korea rather than the size of the gem. People prefer big names like Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, Chaumet, Tiffany & Co and many more. This is quite the opposite in the US.