Tired of living in South Korea. The story of a Russian woman who settled in South Korea. It's hard to remain individual

On this moment I live on a peninsula washed by three seas - the Yellow Sea, the Sea of ​​Japan and the East China Sea. This is truly an amazingly resilient country, the Republic of Korea.

I first flew to Korea in March 2012 from Uzbekistan. The South Korean government allocates a certain number of work visas each year to people of Korean nationality living in other countries.

It was on this visa that my husband and I returned to our historical homeland. We decided to stop in the city of Incheon. It is one of the largest cities in Korea and hosted the 2014 Asian Games last year.

First impressions of Korea

Unlike Uzbekistan, where I was born and raised, South Korea Every meter of land is used. The area of ​​the premises is expanded both upward and inward due to the construction of underground floors. It is not uncommon for crop areas to exist right within the city, in the middle of busy areas.

Korean retirees love to travel.

Korean pensioners have become great role models. Despite their respectful age, they lead a very active lifestyle. It is very rare to see grandmothers fussing with their grandchildren or spending evenings knitting in their hands. They form small groups and travel around different countries, go to the mountains or to the sea.

In general, the nation is highly educable. Older generation tries not to lag behind the youth in anything, mastering everything modern tendencies. If in Uzbekistan you can find pharmacies and cafes at almost every step, then in South Korea these are factories. When you drive past the endless line of factory buildings, it seems that they occupy most of the country.

The demand for labor and decent wages attract a huge number of people here not only from the post-Soviet space, but also from China, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines and other countries.

Mentality

South Korea for me personally was and remains a misunderstood country. Before arriving, I knew about this country only from TV series, where I admired the beauty and prettiness of the main characters, as well as the courage and breadth of soul of the male movie characters.

In real life, I was surrounded by painted, manicured guys in tight pants, and girls on rough and heavy platforms. There is a clear cult of beauty in the country.

Interesting company name in South Korea. Doesn't it remind you of anything?

They say that plastic surgery here is one of the most popular branches of medicine. The operation to create European century, even on the smallest children. People often go to clinics to change the shape of their nose.

Women spend a lot of money on cosmetic procedures and purchasing skin care products. The daily application of creams turns into a real ritual and it will not be difficult for an uninitiated adherent to get confused in the cute and fragrant tubes. Korean cosmetics are now gaining popularity among women all over the world, thanks to natural and innovative ingredients.

Korean women almost never use bright colors in their makeup; everything is done in natural shades. And if you meet a woman with brightly colored eyes on the street, then mostly these are always guests or immigrants from the CIS countries.

Both men and women pay great attention to their hair. Young guys love to wear makeup different colors, sometimes these colors are just crazy. And older men dye their gray hair black. The girls almost all have the same straightened hair; only married ladies go for perms.

In my opinion, American influence is felt in many areas. It would seem that in South Korea, as in China, the most popular drink should have been tea. But local population literally obsessed with coffee, and coffee shops are the most popular meeting places for young people.

Another American borrowing is the “Hollywood smile.” Dental services are quite expensive, even with health insurance. So don’t be surprised, but sometimes you can even find them on the street with a toothbrush in their hands.

Work in Korea

The Korean factory is one of many thousands.

Koreans are great workaholics; they are ready to work 25 hours a day, especially if this is an order from their superiors. Perhaps this explains the high economic indicators achieved in such a short period of time.

The Eastern mentality has been preserved in almost absolute obedience to superiors and elders. It happens that a boss can even hit a subordinate, and he will take it for granted.

There is a clear hierarchy in all structures. This is not easily accepted by people from Russia, since we were brought up with slightly different standards.

Family and marriage in Korea

Koreans generally marry late, trying to first reach a certain level in their career. Local girls are very picky when choosing a life partner, so many South Korean men bring wives from the CIS countries. This is motivated by the fact that our girls are less spoiled and enjoy doing housework.

By the way, women in Korea hardly cook; they mostly eat in cafes or take advantage of home delivery of ready-made food. And Koreans eat a lot and often. The greatest show of love and care is to feed a person. And if a guy decides to court a girl, he immediately starts feeding her all sorts of goodies.

Koreans themselves

Koreans, for the most part, are friendly people, but a little grumpy. At first, hearing the grumbling of, for example, a taxi driver, I wanted to respond with some harsh word.

But as I learned more about the mentality and language of this people, I began to understand that this is just some kind of peculiarity of speech and it’s not even worth being offended or angry about it.

Adaptation in Korea

The language is quite easy to learn; there are many borrowed words from English speech. It’s not difficult to navigate around Korea, even if you don’t know the language at all. In the metro and large institutions, signs are duplicated in three languages ​​- Korean, English and Chinese.

The performers are preparing to perform on stage.

Anywhere, be it a bank or shopping mall, hospital or city hall, everything is aimed at human convenience. The toilets deserve special praise. They are available in all buildings for free use. If you need to visit the toilet, you can go into any room and there will be clean and comfortable stalls on each floor. And all this is absolutely free.

The main type of meat is pork; beef is 3-7 times more expensive than pork, depending on the country of origin. The local cuisine is very specific; after living there for almost three years, I still haven’t gotten used to it. Koreans use large quantities red and black pepper, perhaps this explains the ubiquitous presence of toilets. 🙂

We are not trying to outdo the propaganda directed against South Korea by their northern neighbors. Only the personal feelings of a person living in the Land of Morning Freshness.

1. Increased attention

If you are of European appearance, then they stare at you endlessly, each time looking away or looking away, pretending that they are just looking somewhere in your direction. Well, this is the fate of blond people, but I wish others to fully enjoy the beauty of Korea.

2. Closedness of people

The concept of true friendship in Korea and the countries of the former USSR is very different. In our country, for example, not everyone is called a friend, but only those who have proven through time and actions that they are worthy of your trust. Koreans call almost every acquaintance a friend, even if they don’t have a particularly close relationship.

However, this does not mean that Koreans are so friendly and open people. They are simply trying to maintain the status quo of a universally philanthropic attitude towards each other (I don’t bother you, and you don’t bother me). Often, Koreans make friends for selfish reasons, such as learning English, appearing in a favorable light in front of friends by being friends with a foreigner, or simply because of money.

Therefore, I would like to advise you not to rely entirely on the word given by a Korean, especially if this is your business partner or employee, because there is a high probability that once you trust, you can find yourself in an uncomfortable position, and that Korean will pretend that it is all your fault. Unfortunately, real strong relationships They are very rare in Korea.

3.Collectivism

If in Western world First of all, people value individuality and a creative approach to everything, but in Korea it’s the other way around: what is most valued is the ability to not stand out and be like everyone else. At school, for example, even in highly competitive conditions, many students do not realize their potential simply because they do not want to stand out or seem like upstarts or “smart guys.” There is also a strong tradition of forming your own narrow circle, in which everyone follows the same rules and fashion.

Another example can often be seen on the streets: if it starts to rain a little, then Koreans take out or quickly run to buy umbrellas, even if the rain is not heavy. However, if you are walking in the rain and just decide to enjoy the autumn weather, then passing Koreans will look askance at you, because you clearly stand out.

On top of that, it's very difficult to make friends with Koreans unless you belong to the same group as them, be it a class or a club. Very often, Koreans avoid expressing their opinions publicly or openly in person; instead, in order not to stand out, they will most likely agree with everything with a smile, and subsequently, not in front of unnecessary witnesses, will express their indignation or anger.

4. Inability to speak directly

Very rarely will a Korean ask you for something directly, but mostly he will beat around the bush, trying to apologize a thousand times, and asking: “I’m sorry, but is it okay if I bother you with my request?” etc. And only after a series of long explanations and apologies will the Korean hint at what he actually wanted to ask for.

And here lies the biggest difficulty for foreigners, especially for those who are not familiar with the culture of the East: foreigners simply do not understand what they want from them, and waste their time on meaningless explanations. As a result, a conflict may occur, or one of the parties (Korean) may feel insulted, because how dare this foreigner not understand if I’m crucifying myself in front of him for half an hour.

However, the same applies to foreigners: if possible, when talking, or if you need help from a Korean, be very modest and naive, as if you have no other choice but to bother your Korean friend. In this case, by being humble and polite, both parties can reach a mutual agreement. And finally, the most important thing is to learn to read hints, a Korean will never tell you directly “yes” or “no”, his answer will almost always be somewhere in the middle.

5.Age matters

Perhaps the very first thing you will be asked about in Korea is your age. Even in an era of colossal progress and high technology Korea maintains the Confucian way of society. This means that everything interpersonal relationships clearly structured according to the concepts of ethics and seniority. Even with a minimal age difference, people address each other differently, using different styles politeness. This may seem very respectful and polite, but in my experience, most of it is nothing more than blind adherence to tradition.

6.Ethics and manners

In theory, this is a topic for a separate article, so I will try to be brief. Even with all their feigned politeness, Koreans very rarely know how to behave at the table, especially the older generation. My friends and I often noticed how Koreans (most often old people) slurp loudly, talk with their mouths full, and make all sorts of other obscene sounds. Unfortunately, I don’t understand why such behavior is not directly condemned by anyone, and is allowed.

Another example of bad manners is that Koreans do not know the boundaries of personal space. For them, the norm is to stand and chew gum, while slurping loudly in the elevator, or to come close to you in public transport. The most interesting thing is that, according to the Korean stereotype, this behavior is more characteristic of the Chinese, for which Koreans laugh at them and look down on the Chinese.

7.Education system

If you are planning family life in Korea, then most likely you will all have to get acquainted with the Korean education system. I don’t think that everyone will like it, because, in my opinion, education, devoid of any creativity and based on constant cramming, simply has no future and is not able to compete with other countries. In addition, during the period of final exams, the whole country falls into hysteria, when parents visit temples and churches, praying for high scores for their children, and schoolchildren, unconscious, try to memorize what they missed.

At this time, students experience enormous stress and pressure from parents, school and society, because they are firmly convinced that if they do not pass the exam with the highest score, then 12 years of study, parents' money and hours of self-study have been wasted.

Therefore, I advise you to think hard about whether you are going to doom your child to the 12 circles of academic hell? I think no.

8.Food

If you are a fan of Korean cuisine, then numerous eateries scattered throughout the city streets are at your service. However, if you are committed to your national cuisine and want to cook for yourself, then several problems arise. Firstly, the price of products is much higher than in Kazakhstan. Secondly, such familiar products as kefir, sour cream or cottage cheese are simply not here. Thirdly, the quality of the bread is disgusting.

Koreans simply don't make good bread, and if there are bakeries that make good... delicious bread, then the price for one loaf can exceed 4 dollars, which for me personally looks like complete madness.

9. Lack of variety in the kitchen

If you are a strict Muslim, Buddhist or vegetarian, then Korea is absolutely not a country where you will feel comfortable. Korean cuisine is replete with pork and many other types of meat, so if you, due to your religion, cannot eat one or another type of meat, then nutrition can become one of the problems.

The lack of Muslim restaurants and eateries makes life quite difficult for many students, as it takes time to find good meat and cook it, or to find a restaurant that does not serve pork, disguising it as beef.

The same goes for vegetarians: in most cities, with the exception of Seoul and Busan, it is very difficult to find a good vegetarian restaurant, so you will most likely have to cook your own food.

10.Borsch!!!

I, being a student of Russian nationality, abandoned by fate to a foreign land, unbearably miss my mother’s soups, and in particular borscht.

Once I had an idea to cook borscht (all according to my mother’s recipe), and then the problems began.

In Korea there are almost no beets, without which you can’t cook good borscht. So, to taste a plate of borscht (even if it’s not the same) High Quality), you will have to pay three times more money than for a regular lunch at a diner.

I tried to list the main problems of life in Korea, which, in my humble opinion, can become an obstacle to comfortable life or traveling around Korea.

Now it has become fashionable to talk about how to improve our cities, which, by the way, makes me very happy. Therefore, I will tell you about the experience that I managed to spy in Korea. I'll probably start with the metro. Being on the Korean subway is very comfortable and safe! The doors to enter the carriage open synchronously with the gates at the station, as in St. Petersburg. It’s strange that they didn’t do this in Moscow; so many lives could have been saved. Each door in the carriage is marked with its own number. Do you see the signs on the platform? That is, we can say: we meet at the Chunmuro station at door number 4 of the fifth car. It's impossible to get lost! The subway is a whole city, with huge passages - the so-called “Underground shopping centers”.

There are very decent chain cafes right in the metro where you can sit or take something delicious with you.
And this is the Metro Art Center. You can gawk at modern Art without leaving the subway. I am glad that we are also taking similar steps.
But, of course, the most important thing is that the Korean subway has very decent toilets! Even though these are public toilets, in most cases they are very clean, do not stink, there is always soap and paper, etc. I have never seen toilets in the Moscow metro! They are?
There are no cashiers in the Korean subway. Tickets can only be purchased at self-service terminals.

There are two types of tickets: one-time and permanent. Here is the most interesting moment. Standing tickets - "T-money" are issued in the form of plastic cards, or these funny key rings, with a built-in chip that can be charged for any amount. You simply place the keychain in a special window and put on it any amount of money that is spent according to the current tariff. You can pay with these key fobs everywhere. There are terminals on buses, trains and even taxis. T-money can also be used to pay bills and purchases. Very comfortably! Another type of ticket is valid for a certain number of trips, and the fare is calculated based on the length of your route. You need to touch your ticket to the turnstile both to enter and exit. In Seoul, these tickets are made in the form of reusable magnetic cards. When purchasing a ticket, you make a deposit for using the card and when leaving the metro you can return this deposit to special machine. Brilliant! This way, there is no need to reissue a huge number of cards that are expensive to produce, and people don’t forget to return them. Busan has a different system. There tickets are made in the form of small magnetic strips. When leaving, you insert this ticket into the turnstile and it stays there. No trash cans are needed, tickets are recycled, no one litters. Everything is very simple! So why do we issue expensive but disposable magnetic cards, which then need to be thrown into the trash bin? Quite wasteful. I don’t think that our city planners didn’t come up with the idea of ​​adopting the Korean experience. Most likely, this was done in someone’s interests in order to constantly provide work for card manufacturers. Don't you think so? By the way, there are no queues near the self-service terminals, because, basically, all locals use T-money. There is also a money change machine near each terminal. Very comfortably!

English-speaking guides work at metro stations adjacent to train stations and airports. They will come up to you if you look like a tourist, help you buy tickets, find your hotel, and answer all your questions.
Wi-Fi works almost everywhere in Korea. In subway cars, for example, there are routers from two operators. But only locals can use it, since to log in they need a login and password, which they are given upon connection. But visitors cannot simply buy a SIM card. You can only rent a phone.
The carriages themselves are very spacious and interconnected. Inside the carriage, when the train is moving, it is quiet, you can communicate without raising your voice, listen to music at a low volume. Reading books is also very comfortable, because the carriage does not shake at all. What can I say... when the carriage arrives at the station, there is no hellish noise like ours. Just a pleasant "oooooooooo" sound. Everything is so precise that you don't feel the speed. The gap between the car and the platform is about 4 centimeters. By the way, the cars are controlled automatically. There are no machinists as such!
Please note that places for disabled people remain free. There are luggage racks above the seats. For passengers who ride standing, there are high and low handrails. If you not tall, you don't need to "hang" from the bar. 90% of Korean subway passengers are engrossed in their gadgets. All segments of the population have smartphones. Young people sit on social networks, and aunties watch TV. For Koreans, smartphones along with a contract are very cheap and everyone can afford them.
Navigating the Korean metro is quite easy. At each station there are these touchscreen monitors. You can choose your route and even see what attractions there are at each station. Each station can have up to 10 exits. But they are all marked with numbers, so it’s impossible to get lost. You just agree: “Meet me at exit 5.” Very convenient, no need to explain anything for a long time. Fifth exit, that's it!

Separately, it is necessary to say about caring for the disabled.
The vast majority of places have paths for the blind.
Each metro station has elevators and special escalators for people in wheelchairs and just older people.
Information boards are also duplicated for people with disabilities. In principle, disabled people can move around the city quite freely. There are no insurmountable obstacles.
What struck me most about the Korean subway was the organization of the passengers themselves. Unfortunately, I didn't take a photo, but I'll try to explain it in words. The situation is familiar when, during rush hour, a crowd of people begins to break into the doors of carriages. There is no such thing in Korea. If there is no train for a long time and a lot of people accumulate on the platform, the Koreans themselves line up in two lines, one on each side of the car door, and enter one at a time. The principle of “squeezing in” is not welcome here. To be honest, the first time I discovered this was when, out of habit, I rushed into the carriage myself. But judging by the surprised looks of people, I quickly realized the situation. It's a shame, yes. Well enough about the metro. The city also has many interesting points. City transport is also very well organized. Here, for example, is an electronic display on bus stop, which shows which bus is approaching, what time the number you need will be, and so on. Bus drivers drive very dynamically and adhere to the “pali-pali” principle, which I will talk about later.
We also managed to take a high-speed train across the country, from Seoul to Busan. Despite the fact that the train is moving fast - 300 km/h, the speed is not felt, there is no knocking or shaking. The ride is really very comfortable! We didn’t even notice how we flew across the whole of Korea in a couple of hours. Another interesting fact is that the ticket inspector never checked our tickets. I just forgot which pocket I put them in and started looking. The conductor said - ok, I believe you. That's all! I will also talk about relationships based on trust further.
All sidewalks in the city are tiled. And this is how intersections in residential areas are arranged. You see, from everyone four sides, directly before the intersection, there is an impressively sized bright artificial hump. You won’t be able to dash through the intersection; you’ll have to slow down almost to a complete stop. This completely eliminates the possibility of serious accidents.
This is how parking spaces are organized in residential areas. The building stands on beams, and the entire first floor is an entrance with parking. The solution is very smart, as it saves space; the streets in such areas are narrow, and it is not possible to leave the car there.
Areas with modern high-rise buildings are similar to ours. I liked the solution - to write large house numbers at a height, so that you can find the house you need from afar.
Seoul has a huge number of all kinds of parks, squares, and recreation areas. When you walk around the city, you can immediately see that it is being built for life, for the citizens. All the areas where we were able to visit were very comfortable and well-groomed. When we walked around the city, we never had any problems with the toilets. Unlike trash cans, toilets are everywhere. Everywhere they are very decent, clean, and most importantly - free! It's like in the next picture. Sometimes it’s scary to go into our plastic boxes. And you also have to pay for it! I believe that this should not happen in decent cities.
On numerous sports grounds It is mainly done by older people. So it's no surprise that people over 50 are very active. They play sports, travel, climb mountains, and so on. Koreans take care of themselves. Everyone looks very decent, we didn’t see any ugly fat Koreans, dirty, sloppily dressed people who would be unpleasant to be around.
There is also an active fight against smoking here. Taking care of your health is the number 1 priority in Korea.
At first, we were slightly surprised by the fact that trash cans are a rarity in the city, and Seoul residents quietly leave garbage on the streets. In the evening, particularly busy areas such as Hongdae are covered in garbage, but in the morning they are sparkling clean again. Then I noticed that street cleaners were walking along the streets, with carts like these, collecting and sorting waste. So, maybe it’s clean not where they don’t litter, but where they clean well?
The Koreans' concern for nature is also impressive. Every tree is important to them, every bush they try to preserve.
Well, you probably already understood from all of the above that Korea is one of the most decent and safe countries in the world. The police on the streets here are very friendly and rare. When you walk around Seoul, it is not at all possible that there is street crime here.
In conclusion, I would like to note several features inherent specifically to Koreans. Cult of politeness and respect. Koreans have long understood that you can live well in society only when you treat other people the way you would like them to treat you. Here no one is trying to deceive anyone, rob, overtake, humiliate, and so on. All public life in Korea is built on mutual respect and trust. That's very illustrative example. Soft pads are glued to the doors of cars, even executive ones, so as not to accidentally hit neighboring parked cars. Behind last year my car was hit this way three times in parking lots. Now on each side.
There are no strict controls in the stores; no one forces you to seal your bags in plastic bags. There are shop windows on the streets without sellers, because no one is going to steal anything. I already talked about queues for metro cars. Most Koreans work 6 days a week. It is one of the most industrious nations in the world. There is a well-known joke in Korea on this topic: Koreans work like normal Koreans, they come to work at 7 am, leave at 11 pm, everything is as it should be, but one Korean came at 9 and left at 6. Well, everyone looked at him strangely , oh well, maybe where the person needs it urgently. The next day he comes again at 9 and leaves at 6. Everyone is shocked, they start looking at him askance and whispering behind his back. On the third day, he again comes at 9 and goes home at 6. On the fourth day, the team could not stand it. - Listen, why are you coming so late and leaving so early? - Guys, what are you talking about, I’m on vacation.

As our friend, a famous Korean ceramist (the picture above is her workshop), told us, they believe that working for the state is more prestigious than having your own small business. The state pays well for work and provides unprecedented social guarantees. One of the most respected and highly paid professions in Korea - a teacher! Koreans also have an unspoken principle of “pali-pali”. Literally, this expression means “faster, faster.” “Don’t slow down” - if we say so. They hate waiting. This shows up in everything. You will be served instantly in a restaurant, your purchases will be delivered quickly, bus drivers drive very dynamically, they start quickly and brake sharply. Most companies fulfill orders instantly, on the spot. I was convinced of this myself when I submitted the films for development, and after 2 hours they were ready. Koreans hate wasting time. I think this is one of the reasons why their economy took off so quickly. National product. 90% of cars on Korean roads are Korean-made. The vast majority of electronics, clothing, groceries, and indeed all goods are also Korean and, as you know, of very high quality. The country produces and consumes its own wealth.

Organized. It seems that for Koreans this begins already at school, with wearing a school uniform and walking in ranks. Everything here is clearly organized. What I liked most was that the city's districts were organized according to interests. There is a furniture district, a fashion district, streets selling electronics, a district of printing services, a district of bicycle shops, and so on. It's incredibly convenient! If you want to order corporate calendars, for example, you don't have to travel all over town looking for best offer. All firms in this industry are located in one block. This benefits both sellers and buyers. In the photo above is just the quarter for printing services. This is what a typical Korean strike looks like.
This is a very common phenomenon. Here it is customary to voice your dissatisfaction out loud, but people fight for their rights in a civilized manner and, as we were told, in most cases this bears fruit. It would seem that all of the above is so simple and logical, but why then cannot such a rich country like ours organize its life in a similar way? It seems to me that we somehow developed hope for someone or something. Order should be first of all in our heads! And the Korean experience demonstrates this perfectly.

LJ user lookianov writes: “Now it has become fashionable to talk about how to improve our city, which, by the way, makes me very happy. Therefore, I’ll tell you about the experience that I managed to spy in Korea. Under the cut there are a lot of pictures and text about how Koreans live.”

(Total 39 photos)

2. I’ll start, perhaps, with the metro. Being on the Korean subway is very comfortable and safe!

The doors to enter the carriage open synchronously with the gates at the station, as in St. Petersburg. It’s strange that they didn’t do this in Moscow; so many lives could have been saved. Each door in the carriage is marked with its own number. Do you see the signs on the platform? That is, we can say: we meet at the Chunmuro station at door number 4 of the fifth car. It's impossible to get lost!

3. The subway is a whole city, with huge passages - the so-called “Underground shopping centers”

5. There are very decent chain cafes right in the metro where you can sit or take something delicious with you.

6. And this is the Metro Art Center. You can look at contemporary art without leaving the subway. I am glad that we are also taking similar steps.

7. But, of course, the most important thing is that the Korean subway has very decent toilets! Despite the fact that these are public toilets, in most cases they are very clean, do not stink, there is always soap and paper, etc. In the Moscow metro I have never seen toilets at all!! They are??

8. There are no cashiers in the Korean subway. Tickets can only be purchased at self-service terminals.

There are two types of tickets: one-time and permanent. Here is the most interesting moment.
Permanent tickets - “T-money” are issued in the form of plastic cards, or these funny key rings, with a built-in chip that can be charged for any amount. You simply place the keychain in a special window and put on it any amount of money that is spent according to the current tariff. You can pay with these key fobs everywhere. There are terminals on buses, trains and even taxis. T-money can also be used to pay bills and purchases. Very comfortably!

Another type of ticket is valid for a certain number of trips, and the fare is calculated based on the length of your route. You need to touch your ticket to the turnstile both to enter and exit.
In Seoul, these tickets are made in the form of reusable magnetic cards. When purchasing a ticket, you make a deposit for using the card and when leaving the metro you can return this deposit in a special machine. Brilliant! This way, there is no need to reissue a huge number of cards that are expensive to produce, and people don’t forget to return them.

Busan has a different system. There tickets are made in the form of small magnetic strips. When leaving, you insert this ticket into the turnstile and it stays there. No trash cans are needed, tickets are recycled, no one litters.
EVERYTHING IS VERY SIMPLE!

So why do we issue EXPENSIVE, but DISPOSABLE magnetic cards, which then need to be thrown into the trash bin? Quite wasteful. I don’t think that our city planners didn’t come up with the idea of ​​adopting the Korean experience. Most likely, this was done in someone’s interests, in order to constantly provide work for card manufacturers. Don't you think so?

10. By the way, there are no queues near the self-service terminals, because, basically, all locals use T-money. There is also a money change machine near each terminal. Very comfortably!

12. English-speaking guides work at metro stations adjacent to train stations and airports. They will come up to you if you look like a tourist, help you buy tickets, find your hotel, and answer all your questions.

13. Wi-Fi in Korea works almost everywhere. For example, subway cars have routers from two operators. But only locals can use it, since to log in they need a login and password, which they are given upon connection. But visitors cannot simply buy a SIM card. You can only rent a phone.

14. The carriages themselves are very spacious and interconnected. Inside the carriage, when the train is moving, it is quiet, you can communicate without raising your voice, listen to music at a low volume. Reading books is also very comfortable, because the carriage does not shake at all. What can I say... when the carriage arrives at the station, there is no hellish noise like we have. Just a pleasant "oooooooooo" sound. Everything is so precise that you don't feel the speed. The gap between the car and the platform is about 4 centimeters. By the way, the cars are controlled automatically. There are no machinists as such!

15. Please note that seats for disabled people remain free. There are luggage racks above the seats. For passengers who ride standing there are high and low handrails. If you are not tall, you don't need to "hang" from the bar. 90% of Korean subway passengers are absorbed in their gadgets. All segments of the population have smartphones. Young people sit on social networks, and aunties watch TV. For Koreans, smartphones along with a contract are very cheap and everyone can afford them.

16. Navigating the Korean subway is quite easy. At each station there are these touch-screen monitors. You can choose your own route and even see what attractions there are at each station. Each station can have up to 10 exits. But they are all marked with numbers, so it’s impossible to get lost. You just agree: “Meet me at exit 5.” Very convenient, no need to explain anything for a long time. Fifth exit, that's it!

18. Separately, it is necessary to say about caring for the disabled.

19. The vast majority of places have paths for the blind.

20. Each metro station has elevators and special escalators for people in wheelchairs and simply older people.

21. Information boards are also duplicated for people with disabilities. In principle, disabled people can move around the city quite freely. There are no insurmountable obstacles.

What struck me most about the Korean subway was the organization of the passengers themselves. Unfortunately, I didn't take a photo, but I'll try to explain it in words.
The situation is familiar when, during rush hour, a crowd of people begins to break into the doors of the carriages. There is no such thing in Korea. If there is no train for a long time and a lot of people accumulate on the platform, the Koreans themselves line up in two lines, one on each side of the car door, and enter one at a time. The principle of “squeezing in” is not welcome here. To be honest, the first time I discovered this was when, out of habit, I rushed into the carriage myself. But judging by the surprised looks of people, I quickly realized the situation :) It’s a shame, yes.

Well enough about the metro. The city also has many interesting points.

22. City transport is also very well organized. For example, here is an electronic display at a bus stop, which shows which bus is approaching, what time the number you need will be, and so on. Bus drivers drive very dynamically and follow the principle of "Palli-palli", which I will talk about later.

23. We also managed to take a high-speed train across the country, from Seoul to Busan. Despite the fact that the train is moving fast - 300 km/h, the speed is not felt, there is no knocking or shaking. The ride is really very comfortable! We didn’t even notice how we flew across the whole of Korea in a couple of hours. Another interesting fact is that the ticket inspector never checked our tickets. I just forgot which pocket I put them in and started looking. The conductor said, ok, I believe you. That’s all 🙂 I’ll also tell you about relationships based on trust further.

24. All sidewalks in the city are tiled. And this is how intersections in residential areas are arranged. You see, on all four sides, immediately before the intersection there is an impressively sized, bright artificial bump. You won’t be able to dash through the intersection; you will have to slow down almost to a complete stop. This completely eliminates the possibility of serious accidents.

25. This is how parking spaces are organized in residential areas. The building stands on beams, and the entire first floor is an entrance with parking. The solution is very smart, as it saves space; the streets in such areas are narrow, and it is not possible to leave the car there.

26. Areas with modern high-rise buildings are similar to ours. I liked the solution - to write large house numbers at a height so that you can find the house you need from afar.

27. Seoul has a huge number of all kinds of parks, squares, and recreation areas. When you walk around the city, you can immediately see that it is being built for life, for the citizens. All the areas we were able to visit were very comfortable and well-groomed.

28. When we walked around the city, we never had any problems with toilets. Unlike trash cans, toilets are everywhere here. Everywhere they are very decent, clean, and most importantly - free! It's like in the next picture. Sometimes it’s scary to go into our plastic boxes. And you also have to pay for it! I believe that such idiocy should not exist in decent cities.

29. Mostly older people play on numerous sports grounds. Therefore, it is not surprising that people over 50 are very active. They play sports, travel, climb mountains, and so on. Koreans take care of themselves. Everyone looks very decent, we didn’t see any ugly fat Koreans, dirty, sloppily dressed people who would be unpleasant to be around.

30. There is also an active fight against smoking here. Taking care of your health is the number 1 priority in Korea.

31. At first we were slightly surprised by the fact that trash cans are a rarity in the city and Seoul residents quietly leave garbage on the streets. In the evening, particularly busy areas such as Hongdae are covered with garbage, but in the morning they are sparkling clean again. Then I noticed that street cleaners were walking along the streets, with carts like these, collecting and sorting waste. So, maybe it’s clean not where they don’t litter, but where they clean well?

32. Koreans’ care for nature is also impressive. Every tree is important to them, every bush they try to preserve.

33. Well, you probably already understood from all of the above that Korea is one of the most decent and safe countries in the world. The police on the streets here are very friendly and rare. When you walk around Seoul, it is not at all possible that there is street crime here.

In conclusion, I would like to note several features inherent specifically to Koreans.

Cult of politeness and respect.
Koreans have long understood that you can live well in society only when you treat other people the way you would like them to treat you. Here no one is trying to deceive anyone, rob, overtake, humiliate, and so on.
All social life in Korea is built on mutual respect and trust. Here is a very illustrative example.

34. Soft pads are glued to the doors of cars, even executive ones, so as not to accidentally hit neighboring parked cars. Over the past year, my car was hit in this way three times in parking lots. Now there is a dent on each side.

There are no strict controls in the stores; no one forces you to seal your bags in plastic bags. Shop windows on the streets are without sellers, because no one is going to steal anything.
I already talked about queues for metro cars.

35. Hard work and the “Pali-Pali” principle. Most Koreans work 6 days a week. It is one of the most industrious nations in the world.

There is a famous joke in Korea on this topic:
“Koreans work like normal Koreans, they come to work at 7 am, leave at 11 pm, everything is as it should be, and one Korean came at 9 and left at 6. Well, everyone looked at him strangely, oh well, maybe he needs something urgently to a person. The next day he comes again at 9 and leaves at 6. Everyone is shocked, they start looking at him askance and whispering behind his back. On the third day, he again comes at 9 and goes home at 6. On the fourth day, the team could not stand it.
- Listen, why are you coming so late and leaving so early?
“Guys, what are you doing, I’m on vacation.”

As our friend, a famous Korean ceramist, told us. (The picture above is of her workshop.) They believe that working for the government is more prestigious than having your own small business. The state pays well for work and provides unprecedented social guarantees. One of the most respected and highly paid professions in Korea is a TEACHER!

Koreans also have an unspoken principle of “Pali-pali.” Literally this expression means “faster, faster.” “Don’t slow down” - if in our opinion. They hate waiting. This shows up in everything. You will be served instantly in a restaurant, your purchases will be delivered quickly, bus drivers drive very dynamically, they start quickly and brake sharply. Most companies fulfill orders instantly, on the spot. I was convinced of this myself when I submitted the films for development, and after 2 hours they were ready. Koreans hate wasting time. I think this is one of the reasons why their economy took off so quickly.

37. National product. 90% of the cars on Korean roads are Korean-made. The vast majority of electronics, clothing, groceries, and indeed all goods are also Korean and, as you know, of very high quality. The country produces and consumes its own wealth.

Organized. It seems that for Koreans this begins already at school, with wearing a school uniform and walking in ranks. Everything here is clearly organized.
What I liked most was that the city’s districts were organized “by interests.” There is a furniture district, a fashion district, streets selling electronics, a district of printing services, a district of bicycle shops, and so on. It's incredibly convenient! If you want to order corporate calendars, for example, you don't have to drive all over town looking for the best deal. All firms in this industry are located in one block. This is beneficial for both sellers and buyers. The photo above shows the printing services quarter.

39. And this is what a typical Korean strike looks like.

This is a very common phenomenon. Here it is customary to voice your dissatisfaction out loud, but people fight for their rights in a civilized manner and, as we were told, in most cases this bears fruit.

It would seem that all of the above is so simple and logical, but why then cannot such a rich country like ours organize its life in a similar way?
It seems to me that we somehow developed hope for someone or something. Yeltsin will come and change everything! Let us overthrow Putin and everyone will live well in Rus'. Nothing like that, as you can see. Order should be first of all in our heads! And the Korean experience demonstrates this perfectly.

Workers who live without breaking laws and do their jobs well receive up to 1 thousand grams of rice, meat and eggs in return. They constantly report on TV that residents of other countries do not have all this and live much worse. Check it out to an ordinary person impossible, since only trusted individuals are allowed to communicate with foreigners.

Life in North Korea is about complete obedience. If a person keeps a radio in his house, listens to the music of foreign performers, or watches foreign TV channels (although this is practically impossible), he will be sent to hard labor or prison. The situation is worsened by the fact that repression is imposed not only on the offender, but also on his entire family. And the whole family ends up on the so-called black list. This is fraught with the fact that no one will be accepted into the university, there will be no work, and entry into the capital is also prohibited. For particularly serious crimes, a person is publicly executed.

There is one huge advantage to such laws: there is virtually no crime. The nation is growing healthy and strong, because from childhood everyone attends classes, is regularly examined by doctors and does not eat much. No woman has the right to pick up a cigarette.

Fertility North Korea exceeds the birth rate of the South. But these numbers will soon become equal, as the country’s government is pursuing a policy to reduce the number of children in families.

Decrease in life expectancy

No matter how strange it may sound, even though Koreans often do not have bad habits, their life expectancy decreases. Now he is 66 years old. This figure is constantly falling due to the fact that women and children suffer from the general situation in the country.

An expert on US international affairs said that the amount of food allocated per person is not enough to restore vital energy. Therefore, life expectancy in North Korea, especially for ordinary workers, is only falling.

The problem with this system is that some areas of the country simply do not receive it. This is due to the fact that the state has a basic rule - to notify the government of your intentions to visit any area.

The impact of the Korean War on the country's economic development

The war, or police operation, was carried out from 1950 to 1953. This confrontation is also called the “Forgotten War”, since it is for a long time was not mentioned in official publications.

In fact, this conflict was fueled by poor relations between the United States and its allies and China. The Northern Coalition consisted of the DPRK, the army) and the USSR. The latter two countries did not officially participate in the war, but actively supplied weapons and finance. The Southern Coalition consisted of the Republic of Korea, England and the United States of America. In addition to the listed countries, the UN was also on the side of the South.

The cause of the war was the desire of the president of both North and South Korea to unite the peninsula under his leadership. This belligerent mood radically changed life in North Korea; photographs from those times are indisputable evidence. All men were liable for military service and were required to serve more than 10 years.

During preparations for the confrontation, the government of the Soviet Union feared the outcome of the Third World War, which was their reason for not fulfilling some requests from North Korea. However, this did not affect the supply of weapons and military personnel. The DPRK gradually increased the power of its army.

The war began with the occupation of Seoul, the capital of the Republic of Korea. It ended with India making a proposal to create a peace treaty. But since the South refused to sign the document, Clark, a UN general, became its representative. A demilitarized zone was created. But an interesting fact remains that an agreement to end the war has not yet been signed.

Foreign policy

North Korea is very aggressive, but at the same time reasonable. Political scientists in other countries suspect that the leader of the state has experts who can advise right decisions and predict the consequences in a given situation. It is worth noting that North Korea is a nuclear state. On the one hand, this forces hostile countries to take it into account, on the other hand, maintaining such weapons is quite expensive; many European countries have long abandoned them.

Relations with developed countries and their influence on the economic development of North Korea

• Russia. After it broke up Soviet Union, relations with the Russian Federation have almost died out. Only during the reign of Vladimir Putin were cooperation agreements signed in many areas. In addition, in 2014, all debts of the north to the Russian Federation were written off. In some ways, this did little to make life easier for the North Koreans.

• USA. Relations with the United States are still quite tense. America to this day stands on the side of South Korea and supports it in every possible way, which helps the economy develop significantly. The same cannot be said about the northern part of the state. US representatives portray North Korea as an aggressor and often accuse them of provoking their southern neighbor and Japan. Some serious publications conducted investigations and wrote that the northern government was trying to kill the president of South Korea, shooting down planes, sinking airliners. This American attitude does not contribute to the country's economic development, and it does not improve life in North Korea for ordinary people.
• Japan. Relations with this country are completely severed and could escalate into a full-fledged war at any time. Each state imposed sanctions on each other after the Korean War. And the DPRK openly stated in 2009 that if Japanese planes flew into Korean territory, lethal fire would be opened.
• South Korea. Due to strained relations and desires to unite the peninsula, kidnappings, murders and attacks occur regularly. Shootings are often heard on the outskirts of countries, and they are also recorded on the land border. Several years ago, North Korea announced its decision to launch a nuclear attack against Seoul. However, this event was prevented. This is one of the main reasons why life in North Korea is dangerous and leads to the fact that young people, at the first opportunity, try to leave for permanent residence in other countries.

Military life of men

In 2006, there were more than 1 million people in the army of the Democratic People's Republic. There were over 7,500,000 in reserve, and 6,500,000 people were members of the Red Guard. About 200,000 more work as security guards at military installations and in other similar positions. And this despite the fact that the country's population is no more than 23 million.

The contract with the ground military is for 5-12 years. A man has the right to choose where to serve: in the army, division, corps or brigade.

Service time in navy a little less: from 5 to 10 years. Thanks to the fact that the government spares no expense in developing its army, people are fully equipped with the necessary equipment, weapons and protective suits.

Unlike other countries, the state in question is investing in intelligence development, which significantly worsens the lives of people in North Korea.

Most of military is concentrated in the area of ​​the demilitarized zone. The People's Army has at its disposal more than 3 thousand main and 500 light tanks, 2 thousand armored personnel carriers, 3 thousand artillery barrels, 7 thousand mortars; The ground forces also have approximately 11 thousand anti-aircraft installations. Such uniforms require a large investment Money, which could bring the country out of stagnation.

Life in North Korea (reviews) ordinary people this is confirmed) due to such a militant attitude, it makes no progress, or rather, it simply stands still. The indigenous people don’t even know that it is possible to exist in any other way. It’s not for nothing that the country’s rulers came up with a slogan, the essence of which is not to envy anyone and live only on your own. This policy helps in some way to maintain control over the common population.

What is life like in North Korea? Reviews from foreigners

Unfortunately, all people living in the country are prohibited from talking about how hard their lives are. However, tourists who have visited North Korea willingly share all their memories and impressions.

According to traveler reviews, entry into the country is carried out only with the help of travel agencies. All the time, a person or group of people is under surveillance and moves around the city or region only with a guide. Radios, telephones, and any other gadgets are not allowed to be imported. This goes against the government's beliefs. You can only photograph what is permitted by the guide. In case of disobedience, the person is added to the blacklist and is prohibited from entering North Korea.

It is immediately clear to the naked eye that people live an average life. Poorly dressed, empty roads. Cars appear very rarely, which is why many children play on the roadway.

There are a lot of soldiers on the streets, who are also forbidden to photograph, especially if they are resting.

People travel on foot or on bicycles. Tourists are given free rides near the hotel. By the way, the corridors in the building resemble horror films. There have been no renovations for a long time, people appear here extremely rarely. In addition to bicycles, residents use bulls.

Both women and children work in the fields. Abandoned areas located on military bases are rich in small decoys that look like tanks.

Some buildings have escalators, which have only recently appeared. People are not yet used to them and have little understanding of how to use them.

Electricity in houses is provided for several hours. Trees and small monuments are whitewashed not with a brush, but with hands.

In the spring, people eat ordinary grass added to dishes, which can be quickly and unnoticeably picked from a neighboring lawn.

Economic spheres

The DPRK's economy is not well developed. Due to the fact that since 1960 the country has become closed and stopped publishing production statistics, all conclusions are given by independent experts and cannot be 100% reliable.

• Industry. North Korea (the everyday life of citizens depends on the level of development of the state in this area) is moving well in the direction of mining. In addition, there are oil refining plants on the territory.
• Mechanical engineering. The country produces machines that Russian Federation imports. However, the models are not modern; they were produced in the USSR several decades ago. Cars, SUVs, and trucks are produced here.
• Electronic sphere. After the DPRK imported several million more smartphones and ordinary cell phones in 2014 than in 2013, everyday life things have gotten better in North Korea. Over the past 5-7 years, companies have produced tablets, several smartphones and a special computer for working in factories.
• Agriculture. Due to the fact that the country lacks fertile land, Agriculture poorly developed. A large area of ​​the country is occupied by mountains. The main crops planted are rice, soybeans, potatoes and corn. Unfortunately, few greens and vegetables are grown there that can be eaten raw. And this leads to deterioration in health and, as a result, reduces the life expectancy of ordinary Koreans. Livestock farming is dominated by poultry and pig farming. Due to the poor development of the country, the crops are harvested by hand.

Comparison of living standards of people in North and South Korea

The most closed country- North Korea. Life for ordinary people here is not the best. You can only get around the city by bicycle. Cars are an unprecedented luxury that an ordinary worker can hardly afford.

Anyone wishing to enter the capital must first obtain a pass. However, it's worth it. There are picturesque places, various monuments and monuments, and even the only metro in the whole country. Outside the city you can hitch a ride. Military personnel must always be given a ride - this is the law.

All residents of the DPRK must wear badges with state leaders. Also, citizens who have reached working age must get a job. But since there are often simply not enough places, local authority comes up with new activities, such as baling hay or sawing old trees. Those who have retired also need to do something. As a rule, parties are allocated a small plot of land, which the elderly undertake to look after.

Everyone has long known that North Korea, where the life of ordinary people sometimes turns into hell, has cruel laws and follows in the footsteps of fierce communism. However, there is something with which this country attracts and beckons. These are parks, nature reserves and just very Beautiful places, which you can admire ad infinitum. What is “Dragon Mountain” worth, which is located 30 minutes drive from Pyongyang.

Life for women in North Korea is very difficult. Mostly men are involved in the army, they have practically no benefit for the family, so the weaker sex became more active and was able to prove that they could live in such conditions. Nowadays, women are the main breadwinners. They are the ones who work around the clock due to the somewhat inadequate laws of the DPRK, aimed only at protecting the state. If we compare modern life with any historical era, then we can say with confidence that Korea is living in 1950. The photo below is proof of this.

South Korea is a country of cinema, music, prosperity. The country's main problem is alcoholism. The state ranks 7th in the world in terms of drunkenness, but this does not prevent it from advancing, expanding its sphere of influence and becoming a powerful power. The Government of the Republic conducts its foreign policy in such a way that it has a good relationship with many European countries.

The people living in the country are kind, helpful, they always bow and smile at passersby. And this trait is especially evident in the service sector: in cafes, restaurants, cinemas. The buyer, or rather the person who pays the money, is treated like God. Under no circumstances should he wait long for his turn. Due to such rules, service in this country is distinguished by quality and speed.

Education is what makes South Korea different. He she top level. Poor academic performance, which entails failure at university, means expulsion from society.

The army is not as well developed as in the north, but everyone is required to serve here - from workers to pop stars. The consequences that await after attempts to evade service are reminded of the constantly flying North Korean planes in the sky. Men are drafted closer to the age of 30. As a rule, Koreans get married very late, often after demobilization.

Their apartments look sparse. Only those who work tirelessly can afford houses. The citizens themselves laugh at the apartments and other housing that is shown on TV and published in magazines, saying that this is just a game of fantasy.

North and South Korea, whose living standards vary greatly, unfortunately, do not even think about uniting with the world. Some kind of conflicts and risks of renewed war constantly arise, which greatly impacts ordinary citizens of the north and forces them to migrate to other countries.