Pop Culture
Which 2021 South Korean Netflix show just announced it's second season?
Squid Game
Bonus Fact: As of right now, Squid Game is Netflix's most streamed show, with viewers watching for a total of 1.65 billion hours.
What is the most popular traditional sport in Korea?
T'aekwondo
Bonus Fact: T'aekwondo has a national membership of over 3.5 million and the World Federation is located in Seoul. It became a fully recognised sport at the 2000 Olympic Games. Ssirum is a form of wrestling that has been popular in Korea since the Three Kingdoms period (57 BC - 668 AD). In most contests the winner receives a large bull.
In the United States, the number 13 is notorious for its superstitious overtones. What number is the equivalent to the number 13 in South Korea?
4
Bonus Fact: Yes, the number 4 is South Korea's unlucky number. You'll often see architects omit this number from their building designs entirely. There is even a popular foreigner spot in Ouijongbu that is four-stories, and the elevator buttons are labelled 1, 2, 3, and 5.
Who is the current president of South Korea?
Yoon Suk-Yeol
Bonus Fact: Yoon Suk-Yeol is the 13th President, and a member of the conservative People Power Party. He was recently elected on May 10, 2022.
Have you committed a social faux pas?
How do you say "I'm sorry" in Korean?
Mianhamnida, or Mianwhayo
Bonus Fact: The Korean language is highly differentiated according to level of politeness. "Mianhamnida" is the polite formal level of speech. In most cases a simple "Mianwhayo" is sufficient.
Which 2019 film became the first foreign language film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture?
Parasite
Bonus Fact: Parasite also won the Academy Awards for Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best International Feature Film.
Which South Korean city hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics?
Pyeongchang
Bonus Fact: Gangwon Province (which includes Pyeongchang) was chosen to host the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics!
Many tourists flock to this beautiful place on the south coast of Korea every year. It is often called the "Hawaii of Korea." Can you name this archipelago?
Jeju Island
Bonus Fact: This spectacular island which lies off the west coast of Korea is a delight. Many young couples make this a honeymoon destination. The scenery is magnificent and the waterfalls are breathtaking.
What is the formal name of South Korea?
the Republic of Korea
Bonus Fact : North Korea's formal name is The Democratic People's republic of Korea
Korean uses two counting systems "Sino-tibetan" and "Native Korean". How do you count to 5 using the "Native Korean" counting system?
hana, dul, se, ne, taseot
Bonus Fact: The two number systems are often used together. For example when telling time "Native Korean" numbers are used for hour and "Sino-tibetan" numbers are used for minutes. Example: "taseot shi shipo pun" is 5:15.
Who is commonly referred to as the first K-Pop group?
Seo-Taiji and the Boys.
Bonus fact: This three-member boy group debuted in 1992, and were active from 1992-1996.
3 Main South Korean Dynasties ?
Goguryeo, Silla and Joeson
Which South Korean district is known for its high concentration of wealth?
Gangnam
Bonus Fact: Multiple sources refer to Gangnam as the "Beverly Hills of Korea".
How many terms can the President serve?
1 term
Bonus Fact: Presidents cannot be reelected, and can only serve a term of 5 years
What is the most common family surname in Korea?
Kim
Bonus Fact: Lee is 2nd and Park is 3rd.
Many K-pop songs have been banned before the Korea National College Entrance Exam roll around. Which one song is highly recognized as being banned?
SHINee "Ring Ding Dong"
What are the 2 most common religions in Korea?
Christianity and Buddhism
Bonus Fact: Over half of the Korean population are not affiliated with any religion.
Autumn is around the corner yay!! A not-so special day where we visit family and friends back home. In America we call it Thanksgiving but in Korea it's ...
추석 Chuseok
Bonus fact: it's one of the important holidays in South Korea. It's starts very soon Sept. 9-12 celebrating the 8th month of the Lunar Calendar on a Full Moon
KCC doesn't just mean Korean Culture Club. In Korea KCC stands for what?
Korea Communications Commission
There are 24 letters in Hangul, how many of these are vowels?
10
Bonus Fact: Hangul is considered to be one of the most scientific phonetic writing systems.
A Luxury brand that has been recently gotten popular lately...
Gentle Monster
Bonus Fact: Celebrities like Bad Bunny, Lil Nas X, Kendall Jenner, Rosalia, Meg The Stallion and so much more !
In what year did South Korea become a democracy?
1987
Bonus Fact: After decades of dictatorship and military oppression, protests led by the people forced a constitutional amendment
During Buddha's birthday the city of Busan holds a festival called what?
Busan Lotus Lantern Festival
Bonus: They use a lotus because represents purity, spiritual awakening and faithfulness
Who is the current prime minister of South Korea
Han, Duck-soo
Bonus fact: he is currently the 48th Prime Minister and got his M.A. and Ph.d in Economics at Harvard
Who created Hangul?
King Sejong
Bonus Fact: Sejong created hangul to improve literacy as the Chinese characters used before were so difficult, only the elite could learn it