Korea, Explained
KOREA, EXPLAINED
The little things that make everyday life in Korea different.
Heated Bus-Stop Seats
Heated seats make waiting for the bus more comfortable during Korea's cold winters.
Ondol Floor Heating
Ondol warms the whole floor, allowing heat to rise gently through the room instead of simply blowing warm air.
Table Call Buttons
Press the button on the table to call a server without waving or shouting.
Hidden Table Utensil Drawers
In many Korean restaurants, spoons, chopsticks, and tissues are stored in a drawer under or beside the table for guests to take themselves.
Free Banchan
Order a main dish, and you will usually receive several small side dishes, such as kimchi and seasoned vegetables.
Metal Chopsticks
In many Korean restaurants, stainless-steel chopsticks come with a spoon instead of disposable wooden chopsticks.
RFID Food-Waste Bins
These bins weigh food scraps and charge each apartment household based on the amount it discards.
Convenience-Store Shipping
You can send a package from a convenience store or have it delivered to a nearby store for pickup.
Details
Ondol Floor Heating
One of the first things you may notice in a Korean home is that the floor feels warm. That comfort comes from ondol, Korea's traditional floor-heating system. In the past, heat and smoke from a kitchen fire traveled through stone channels beneath the rooms before leaving through a chimney. The system warmed the floor itself and helped households get through cold winters with relatively little fuel. Because the floor stayed warm, people naturally sat, ate, rested, and slept close to it. Modern Korean apartments no longer send smoke beneath the floor. Instead, boilers circulate hot water through pipes under the flooring. The technology has changed, but the basic idea remains the same: warmth should rise gently from below. Ondol also fits naturally with the custom of taking off shoes indoors. It helps explain why many people in Korea pay attention to the floor temperature, lay bedding directly on the floor, or use low tables. A heating system ended up shaping the way people move, relax, and behave at home.